Islāmic Perspective of Inter-Religious Dialogue: A Study of Faith Based Reconciliation

This paper intends to discuss the inter-religious dialogue and the Prophet’s engagement with the ‘Other’. Both dialogue and faith-based reconciliation provide a way to mankind by which the world will become peaceful place to live. In this violence torn world, reconciliation on the basis of faith is needed, so that unity may be created out of diversity. This paper argues that interfaith dialogical theory profits from a deep understanding of moral psychology and social learning theory. The paper highlights that reconciliation belongs to Abrahamic legacy, and also focuses on how Islam established and come up with advanced civilizations characterized by relatively harmonious co-existence between Muslims, Christians and Jews. It is through reconciliation that we regain our humanity. To work for reconciliation is to live and to show others what their humanity is. The paper also shed light on faith-based reconciliation in its Islamic perspective. It is this context the present paper has been drafted.

A Randomised Controlled Trial Investigating the Effect of Adding Fentanyl to Low Dose Bupivacaine in Combined Spinal-Epidural Anaesthesia, Using Epidural Volume Extension Technique in Caesarean Section

Background: Epidural volume extension (EVE), is a technique whereby a small-dose intrathecal block is enhanced by an epidural injection of physiological saline. This epidural injection exerts a compression effect on the dura, which then leads to a cranial increase in sensory spread of the intrathecal local anaesthetic. The lower dose of local anaesthetic required in the EVE technique has made it possible to avoid the side effects of the conventional dose of local anaesthetic while still having the benefit of adequate anaesthesia. Several studies have been conducted in this area; these studies have either used or omitted fentanyl. The successful results demonstrated in these trials have been solely attributed to the EVE effect without taking into consideration the pharmacological effect of fentanyl on the total outcome. No study has been done to demonstrate the effect of fentanyl on the epidural volume extension block and whether adding or omitting it would make a difference on spinal block level and other characteristics. Objective: The study aims at determining the effect of fentanyl plus low dose bupivacaine on the spinal block level of combined spinal epidural (CSE) anaesthesia utilizing the Epidural Volume Extension technique. Study design: A randomised controlled trial Methods - Intervention: Forty four women scheduled for elective caesarean section were randomized to 2 groups. One group got intrathecal bupivacaine with fentanyl followed by Epidural Volume Extension with physiological saline (Fentanyl group). The second group got intrathecal bupivacaine without fentanyl followed by epidural volume extension with physiological saline (No-fentanyl group). - Outcome measures: The outcome measures for this study were, the maximum sensory level which was measured by loss of sensation to temperature using a cold spirit swab, the motor block which was assessed using the Bromage score and the time to first request to analgesia taken as the time the patient first needed to use their PCA device or epidural supplementation intraoperatively. Results: The sensory block level after epidural volume extension increased in both arms. The increase was more in the intervention arm (Fentanyl group) than in the control arm (Nofentanyl group). This increase was however not statistically significant P=0.19. The sensory block level after epidural volume extension in the fentanyl group was 4 levels higher than the initial intrathecal block, while in the control arm the change was 3 levels higher than the than the initial intrathecal block. The time to first request of analgesia was shorter in the no-fentanyl