فصل اول: قرآن حکیم میں آیات استفہام کی ضرورت واہمیت
قرآن مجید فصاحت و بلاغت کےاعتبار سے ایک مثالی کتاب ہے۔علم معانی ہو یا علمِ بیان یا علم بلاغت کے ماہرین نے اس کی لسانی وادبی خصوصیات کو نگارشات کا موضوع بنایا ہے۔ فصاحت و بلا غت کی انہی خوبیوں کی بنا پر قرآن مجید کو کلام مبین بھی کہا گیا ہے۔ قرآن مجید میں جہاں ایجاز و اطناب اور ربط و مساوات کے اسالیب نظر آتے ہیں، وہیں تقدیم و تاخیر اور حذف کے اسلوب بھی نمایاں ہیں۔ قرآن مجید کے مختلف و منفرد اسالیب میں سے ایک اہم اسلوب ِ استفہام ہے۔
استفہام عربی زبان کا لفظ ہے جس کے معنی سوال کرنے، جاننے،فہم حاصل کرنے اور استفسار کرنے کے معنوں میں استعمال ہوتا ہے۔ ادب میں استفہام کسی حقیقت سے مخاطب کو آگاہ کرنے ، مخاطب کو غورو فکر کی دعوت دینا، اور اپنی بات کا ثبات کرنا وغیرہ کے معنوں میں مستعمل ہے۔چنانچہ قرآن مجید میں بھی استفہام کا اسلوب بکثرت استعمال کیا گیا ہے۔
This article investigates the notion of ta’z┘r (discretionary punishments in Islamic law) by comparing and contrasting it with the concept of hadd (fixed punishments in Islamic law). Deterrence of crimes is the main objective of any legal system in the world and different punishments are prescribed for this very purpose by all legal systems. Hence, this article explains the meaning and definition of ta’z┘r first, followed by the basis of its permissibility in the Quran and Sunnah, its types and modes of implementation etc. The article also elaborates the extent of ta’z┘r in different cases and crimes. The permissibility of pardoning in ta’z┘r as against hadd is also explained while the article concludes with presenting the main findings of the study.
Plants have been a major source of chemicals that are useful in treating various human diseases. Synthetic medicines have gained considerable importance but the necessity of drugs extracted from plants is still high because of the greater beneficial effects and lesser side effects of natural products. Natural substitutes of synthetic products are therefore being investigated from plants that are inexpensive and safe to use. The aims of this study were to conduct detailed ethno-medicinal surveys of the rural communities distributed along coastal and sub-coastal regions of Pakistan; to evaluate antioxidant activity and polyphenolic composition of known medicinal plants; and to identify plant species rich in natural antioxidants. I identified about 100 plant species with medicinal properties and most of them were perennials. Decoctions of above-ground plant parts were commonly used to cure 17 different types of ailments by local inhabitants. Halophytes had higher antioxidant potential and phenolic content compared to non-halophytes. Highest antioxidant capacity was recorded in methanol (80%) extracts of Thespesia populneoides, Salvadora persica, Ipomoea pes-caprae, Suaeda fruticosa and Pluchea lanceolata, which was more than that of synthetic antioxidants. These halophytes accumulated significant amounts of total phenolics (TPC), flavonoids (TFC) and proanthocynidins (PC) with high antioxidant activity in their above ground vegetative parts (leaf and stem) compared to roots and seeds. A strong positive correlation was also observed between polyphenols (TPC, TFC and PC) and antioxidant activity using different testing systems. Major phenolics were salicylic, gallic, and chlorogenic acids while dominant flavonoids were kaempferol, rutin and quercetin dihydrate. My data indicate that halophytes represent a rich source of natural antioxidants besides their medicinal uses and could also be considered as potential alternative to synthetic antioxidants for food, pharmaceutical, cosmetics and other industrial products. These plants could provide sufficient biomass at commercial scale using brackish water and saline lands while sparing fresh water and prime agricultural lands for conventional agriculture.