Constellations - Vol. 3, No. 4, January - April 2013 Release
We invite you to read and circulate this the twelfth edition of Constellations.
Please click here to download the pdf file [2.6 MB].
We focus on the implications of our identity as humans on our relations with th climate, creation, science and modernity. This publication is action, reflection and data-collection orientated.
In sympathy with the recent Climate Change conference in Doha, IMASE issued a declaration on the matter to provoke deeper thought and action in the global community. Our latest project Wudhu Area Studies invites you to contribute to the uplift of that spiritually transforming, but often physically enduring place in our lives. The Ayman Series continues with a piece on the value of forests, and we explore the story of the Third World Network, a Malaysian NGO. Building on an earlier report published in the first Constellations’ Prof Maal writes on evolution in our latest inflection.
On a lighter note, Shafiq Morton shares his surfing adventures and brings us a pictorial essay of the natural beauty of Cape Town in South Africa. There is also a rather unusual paper for the mathematically nimble that explores prime numbers in a way most of us would never.
Wassalām,
The IMASE Team
IMASE Declaration on Climate Change
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change is drawing to the close of its 18th Conference of the Parties summit in Qatar. Decision-makers from nations across the globe, multinational corporations, as well as non-state actors continue to negotiate their positions and responsibilities with respect to each other and life on Earth. The International Muslim Association of Scientists and Engineers (IMASE) issues this statement to provide a faith based, Muslim perspective, to focus thoughts, words and actions, and deepen the climate conversation.
Click here to download the full statement.
Wudhu Area Studies Survey
Wudhu transforms us, and readies us to speak with our Lord.
As part of our group of activities in environmental relationships, IMASE would like to invite your participation in Wudhu Area Studies. Its goal is to qualitatively improve our wudhu performance and facilities, particularly those in western European settings where Islamic built environments are relatively young and pose specific challenges.
Design and maintenance of appropriate wudhu facilities is a practical problem. It is not always straightforward to get social and technical aspects working harmoniously amongst complex communities. Wudhu Area Studies will get into the meat of this issue, but first we need to crowd source some good, live data.
Please consider this your invitation to participate in this collective research process. We have prepared a survey form for this purpose. It requires a simple site visit and conversation with a suitably informed community member.
The survey can be downloaded in MS Word format here
and is available in GoogleDocuments format here.
The micro-site for the project can be found on www.wudhu.tumblr.com
Once sufficient data has been gathered and analysed, we will publish findings and recommendations as well as create an on-line reference facility.
