حروف مقطعات کے حوالے سے مستشرق نولڈ یکے اور آٹو لوتھ کی آراء کا تجزیاتی مطالعہ

Mystical letters are among the miracles of Quran. These mystical letters are present at the start of Quranic Surah’s (Chapters). These are among the mutashabihat (Analogies) of Quran. Muslim scholars tried to define their meanings. Like other aspects of Quran and Hadith orientalists talk about mystical letters of the Quran. This article analyses the theories of Noldeke and Otto Loth regarding mysterious letters of Quran. What are their views about mystical letters of the Quran? Are their views according to the Islamic point of view of mystical letters? What are the deviations and differences as compared to traditional Islamic point of view of mystical letters? This research has been analytical by nature, both qualitative and analytical methods have been implemented.  Analyses of the views of both of the scholars in the light of traditional Islamic concept of mystical letters, shows that Orientalists including Noldeke and Otto Loth thought that mystical letters are not the part of revelation. According to them these are the names of the sources from which different chapters of the Quran had been taken during its compilation. These are on the same pattern as mystical letters are present in the Jewish books. Holy Prophet had copied them. The present study argues that Quran being the book of Lord is unchanged and mystical letters are a part of it. It is further highlighted that even some orientalists argue that the opinion of Noldeke and Otto Loth is not correct.

International Trade, Human Capital, and Economic Growth: A Cross Country Analysis

This study is designed to test the hypothesis “international trade contributes to economic growth through its effects on human capital accumulation and technological diffusion.” To assess the hypothesis empirically we employed the Neo-Classical growth model. The model also reflects some features of the endogenous growth models. We thus ended up with a model in which the change in human capital is sensitive to change in trade policies. Unlike conventional approaches, the model serves to assess and determine the accumulation effects of international trade on human capital and imported capital. The extent to which a country can benefit from international trade is also believed to be sensitive to the country’s capacity to absorb international knowledge and technology in its production process. To evaluate the role of the absorption capacity, domestic R&D capital stock has been incorporated into the model. The empirical analysis estimates growth equations by using a panel data approach for a set of 23 developing countries, over the period 1970-2008. The countries considered for the study have been split into four groups. The trade variables exhibit relatively stronger growth elasticities in more open economies (East Asia, and Latin America) compared to less open economies (South Asia, and Africa). However, the overall evidence substantiates the fact that international trade enhances the accumulation of human capital and contributes to economic growth positively through technology diffusion. No convincing evidence, however, has been found in favor of the income convergence in any group of countries.