الخطاب الوسطي في الإسلام: قراءة في تحليل مقاصده و أسبابه ما بين الماضي والحاضر

The wasaṭiyyah (Islamic moderation) concept is deep-rooted in Islam. It is a straight path, a good between two evils; it maintains balance between the two extremes of excess and deficiency, and between fanaticism and negligence. Moderation was widely practiced with the advent of Islam. It was a noteworthy aspect of people’s day to day life and conducts. The term wasaṭiyyah (moderation) emerged in the early eighties. It was initially introduced by Shiekh Yūsuf Al-Qaraḍāwī. He used it in his books and discourses, and gradually it become very prevalent. Few factors resulted in widespread use of the term, the main factor is the western systematic campaign against Islam and Muslims to distort their image and label them with terrorism and extremism. Therefore, they frequently used the term wasaṭiyyah to prove themselves against these accusations. Another factor is the current situation in most Muslim countries and their struggle with social and political injustice which turns Muslim youth to extremism and terrorism that is why Muslim scholars and reformers, through their moderate discourse, stood up and condemned fanaticism and radical ideology. All that made the term wasaṭiyyah widely used by different people from all walks of life, and each has its aims and intentions behind embracing the moderate discourse and raising the flag of wasaṭiyyah (moderation).

Enhancement of Drought Tolerance in Sunflower Helianthus Annuus L. by Exogenous Application of Abscisic Acid

Studies to assess the response of spring planted sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) to exogenous application of abscisic acid following different irrigation schedules were carried out at the Agronomic Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, Pakistan were conducted for two consecutive years; 2008 and 2009. In one experiment, three irrigation schedules viz. four irrigations (25 DAS, bud initiation, flower initiation and achene formation), three irrigations (25 DAS, flower initiation and achene formation) and three irrigations (25 DAS, bud initiation, and achene formation) were subjected to exogenous application of different concentrations (0, 5μm and 10μm) of ABA at bud initiation or at flower initiation. In the 2 nd experiment different irrigation and ABA application schedules i.e. four irrigations (25 DAS, at bud initiation, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and no ABA, three irrigations (25 DAS, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and no ABA, three irrigations (25 DAS, at flower initiation and at achene formation) and ABA spray at bud initiation, three irrigations (25 DAS, at bud initiation and at achene formation) and no ABA, three irrigations(25 DAS, at bud initiation and at achene formation) and ABA spray at flower initiation were tested for three hybrids (DK-4040, S-278 and SF-187). The experiments were laid out in randomized complete block design with factorial arrangement and with three replications in each experiment. In the 1 st experiment exogenous application of 5μM ABA under drought at bud initiation stage significantly increased plant height, head diameter, number of achenes per head, 1000-achene weight, achene yield and oil yield over no ABA. It also improved water relations of sunflower by improving water potential and turgor pressure and decreased amount of compatible solutes which indicates that exogenous application of ABA was helpful in enhancing drought tolerance in sunflower. Foliar application of 5μM ABA at flower initiation under drought stress at this stage also increased plant height, head diameter, number of achenes per head, 1000-achene weight, achene yield and oil yield over no ABA but this increase was lesser than exogenous application of 5μM ABA at bud initiation after imposition of drought stress at this stage. In the 2 nd experiment exogenous application of ABA under drought at either stage (bud or flower initiation) was helpful in ameliorating drought stress in sunflower hybrids; however response was better when ABA was applied at bud initiation than at flower initiation. Sunflower hybrid DK-4040 showed better enhancement of drought tolerance by exogenous application of ABA than SF-187 and S-278 because it showed more improvement in agronomic parameters, growth, quality, water relations and compatible solutes.