This research article explores the rationale behind Islamic injunctions regarding inheritance. Unlike other Islamic injunctions, which are briefly enunciated in the Quran but elaborated in Sunnah, inheritance has been detailed in considerable length in the Quranic text itself. This coupled with numerous Prophetic traditions underpins the unique importance Islam accords to the question of inheritance. However, despite its exceptional importance, the subject of Islamic law of inheritance remains mostly a neglected one, even among the students of Islamic seminaries and Ulema. Resultantly, Islam’s brilliant system of inheritance is often not implemented by the adherents of Islam, much to the miseries and hardships of the legal heirs, especially the children and women. Thus these marginalized segments of society are deprived of their rights today just as they were treated before the advent of Islam. This research brings home the fact that the divinely ordained Islamic injunctions of inheritance are based on sound rationale and justification in the best interest of humanity, and that the believers must adhere to these injunctions that are based on three key principles: proximity in relationship, need, and distribution of wealth. The paper explains in great length the types of relatives and legal heirs, the principles of distribution among them, the justification for such shares, and the limits imposed by Quran and Sunnah with regard to the right of the deceased, the heirs, relatives and the state. It also discusses some of the contentious issues in contemporary debate on Islam: an orphan grandson’s title to inheritance, and the philosophy behind 2: 1 inheritance distribution formula between son and daughter. In doing so, the author has not only relied on the main sources of Islamic jurisprudence viz. Quran and Sunnah, in addition to classical and modern Islamic scholarship but also sound argumentation and logical exposition.
Three experiments were conducted at Agriculture Research Institute (ARI) Tarnab, Peshawar, Pakistan during the year 2012-14 to study the “Response of tomato to irrigation, foliar application of calcium (Ca), boron (B), zinc (Zn) and post harvest calcium treatments”.In the first experiment, tomato plants were irrigated at 3, 6 and 9 days intervals. The nutrients (Calcium, Boron, and Zinc) content of tomato crop were investigated in relation to irrigation intervals and sampling time (0, 20, 40, 60 and 80 days after transplantation). The yield and quality attributes were evaluated in relation to irrigation intervals only. The highest leaf Ca content (1.19%), leaf Zn content (3.28 mg 100g-1 DW ), number of leaves (129.00 ), leaf area (56.88 cm2), number of flowers (6.33) and fruitcluster-1 (4.33), yield(21.66 t ha-1), fruit firmness (3.33 kg cm-2),lowest blossom end rot (4.80%) and fruit cracking (4.17%) were recorded in plants irrigated after 6 days, while the highest leaf boron content (4.07 mg 100g-1 DW), lowest TSS (1.72 °brix) and non reducing sugars (0.56%) were measured in plants with irrigation after every 3rd days. Root weight (164 g), reducing sugars (3.80%), and ascorbic acid content (13.67mg 100g-1) were recorded as maximum in plants with 9 days irrigation interval. The highest leaf Ca content (1.12%) was recorded in plants, when leaf samples were taken after 60 days, while leaf B and Zn content were recorded the highest i.e. 3.92 and 4.71 mg 100g-1 DW, respectively in tomato leaves, sampled after 80 days.In the second experiment, the effects of calcium, boron, and zinc foliar application on yield and fruit quality of tomato were studied. Calcium (0, 0.3, 0.6 and 0.9%), Boron (0, 0.25, 0.5%) and Zinc (0, 0.25, 0.5%) were applied as foliar spray, three times, 1st before flowering, 2nd at the time of fruit set and 3rd application was repeated 15 days after2nd application. Calcium application at 0.6% increased plant height (88.04 cm), number of primary (2.63) and secondary (7.15) branches, number of leaves plant-1 (182), leaf area (65.52 cm2), number of flowers cluster-1 (6.33), fruit cluster-1 (4.82), fruit plant-1 (66.15), yield (28.11 t ha-1 ) and decreased the flower drop (18.85%). Moreover, The highest number of flower cluster plant-1 (16.78), fruit weight (99.94 g), fruit firmness (2.99 kg cm-2), fruit Ca content (10.21 mg/100 DW), least TSS (3.38 °brix), blossom end rot (6.70%), fruit cracking (3.63%) and Zn content (2.08 mg/100 DW) were recorded at 0.9% Ca foliar application. In case of B levels, more plant height (88.14 cm), number of primary (2.61) and secondary (7.44) branches, number of leaves plant-1 (177), number of flowers cluster-1 (6.06), fruit cluster-1 (4.97), fruits plant-1 (67.78), yield (28.30 t ha-1) and reduced flower drop (17.86%), fruit cracking (4.44%) were recorded with foliar spray of B at 0.25%. Similarly, 0.5% B application significantly increased leaf area (62.33 cm2), number of flower cluster plant-1 (17.42), fruit weight (96.41 g), fruit firmness (2.86 kg cm-2), fruit Ca content (9.97 mg/100DW) and fruit B content (3.24 mg/100DW), lowest blossom end rot (11.44.0%), TSS (3.56 ° brix) and fruit Zn content (2.18 mg/100 DW). Comparing the means for Zn concentrations, maximum plant height (86.53 cm), number of primary (2.53) and secondary (6.42) branches, number of leaves plant-1 (167), leaf area (63.33 cm2), number of flowers cluster-1 (6.06), fruit cluster-1 (4.64), number of cluster plant-1 (16.64), fruit plant-1 (63.78), fruit weight (94.98 g), yield (28.80 t ha-1), ascorbic acid content (14.52 mg/ml), reducing sugar (3.07%),fruit B (3.27 mg/100 DW) and Zn (2.59 mg/100 DW) contents were higher while the incidence of blossom end rot (11.00%), fruit cracking (4.83%), non-reducing sugar content (1.11%) and fruit Ca content (8.88 mg/100DW) were lower with 0.5% foliar Zn application while the effect of Zn on flower drop was found non significant. By contrast, firmer fruit (2.82 kg cm-2) with lowest TSS (3.36 °brix) were recorded in plot, where Zn was not applied. In the 3rd experiment, the fruits of tomato were dipped in different calcium sources (calcium chloride, calcium gluconate, calcium lactate and calcium sulphate) at various concentration (0, 0.25, 0.50 and 0.75) and stored at low temperature (10± 2°C) and ambient temperature (32±2°C) and at relative humidity (60±5%) for 21 days. Higher fruit firmness (2.25 kg cm-2), percent acidity (0.34%), ascorbic acid content (9.90 mg 100g-1), non reducing sugars (1.58%), minimum physiological weight loss (20.18), TSS (4.99 °brix), reducing sugars (3.53%), sugar acid ratio (16.07), soft rot (18.49%) and black mold (16.63%) wererecorded in fruits stored at low temperature, while minimum cell membrane and cell wall ion leakage (41.58 and 22.64%, respectively) and green mold (20.58%) was recorded in fruits stored at ambient temperature. For calcium concentration, Ca at 0.75% significantly increased fruit calcium content (12.89 mg 100g-1), fruit firmness (2.60 kg cm-2), percent acidity (0.38%), ascorbic acid content (9.68 mg 100g-1), non reducing sugars (1.74%) and reduced physiological weight loss (14.33%), cell membrane and cell wall ion leakage (40.25 and 21,38%, respectively), TSS (5.03 °brix), sugar acid ratio (14.03), soft rot (11.02%) and green mold (13.73%) while reducing sugars (3.26%) and black mold (16.0%) were recordedminimum in tomatoes supplied with 0.5% calcium concentration. Regarding the means for calcium sources, more fruit firmness (2.82 kg cm-2), percent acidity (0.44%), ascorbic acid content (13.52 mg 100g-1), non reducing sugars (2.34%), minimum physiological weight loss (12.72%), cell membrane and cell wall ion leakage (37.50 and 19.06%, respectively), TSS (4.96 °brix), reducing sugars (3.10%), sugar acid ratio (11.49), soft rot (6.11%) and black mold (13.17%) and green mold (10.04%) were recorded in fruits treated with CaCl2. Therefore, it is concluded that 6 days irrigation interval resulted in better growth, more nutrient uptake, fruit quality and minimum physiological disorders (blossom end rot and fruit cracking). Calcium decline started after 60 days of growth, so foliar calcium should be applied before flowering and after fruit set to correct the calcium deficiency and control the Ca related physiological disorders like blossom end rot and fruit cracking. Foliar application on Ca, B, and Zn should be used alone or in combination to improve the fruit yield, minimize the physiological disorders and (blossom end rot and fruit cracking) and enhance fruit quality of tomato. Furthermore, CaCl2 at high concentration and low temperature should be used for maintaining quality of tomato fruits by reducing the post harvet diseases, increasing the fruit firmness, delaying ripening process, and prolonging the shelf life.