Vol. 18 No. 18 (2017): Scientific Journal Referee Issue: 18

The stories of mutual violence among Muslims within their countries and elsewhere raise many questions. The current reality in conflict zones across several Arab Muslim regions underscores the need to deeply consider what has been entrenched in our cultural, social, and political heritage, and our practices towards ourselves and others. We begin by ignoring the repeated human rights violations within our own countries, carried out by our own hands.

The irrational way of perceiving and practicing things only leads to further tearing of the social fabric and deepens hostility within our societies at a time when we are in dire need of addressing and solving our internal problems, and striving for true Arab-Islamic reconciliation.

It can be said that the decline of rationality within Arab and Islamic societies today is due to several factors, the most important of which are the spread of a culture of intolerance in all its forms, and the political struggle for power. Sectarian or religious intolerance and its mobilization represent a fundamental cause of conflict in some countries, while the political struggle for power is the core of the fighting in others.

There is no doubt that the absence of social justice and equality among members of society generates extremism and then armed violence. Additionally, the absence of democracy naturally produces tyranny and injustice, concentrating power in a specific group, family, or individual. All these manifestations have led to the emergence of various political and religious conflicts in all their forms, with each party lying in wait for the other. This is a natural result of the atmosphere of intolerance fostered by clinging to narrow interests or religious formalities far removed from the fundamentals and core values of religion, instead of generating real questions that confront the issues of reality, society, and the future.

In contrast to the absence of rationality criticized in today's topic, there is a renewed need for a culture of rationality—a culture of dialogue with ourselves and others. This culture was prevalent during the peak of Islamic civilizational prosperity and is capable of making decisions, taking positions, defending them, adopting the core issues of society, and striving to fulfill humanity's mission on earth to build it, not destroy it.

The lines of this issue will delve into various topics, including those of a legal nature and others of a diverse nature. Legal studies hold a special importance in our magazine to establish the culture of the rule of law, which fundamentally stems from moral values that allow for the preservation of human dignity by protecting their rights within society and fairly imposing duties. Meanwhile, other topics remain important as they address scientific, social, and political subjects.

The Editor