I recall how awkward I felt when I saw Oum ‘Umar praying in the main prayer hall at the Purdue University’s Muslims Students Association (M.S.A.) mosque in West Lafayette, Indiana.

After all, isn’t congregational prayer required of men only? And shouldn’t women pray in their own separate hall away from men’s gawks, ogles, gazes, and stares?

For someone who grew up in Saudi Arabia, seeing a woman praying in the same prayer hall with men, albeit her taking a position clearly behind them, was bordering on perfidy.

Now, let us return to the words: “And that those in whose hearts is a disease and the unbelievers may say ‘What doth Allaah intend by this mathal?’…” The number 19 is mentioned in connection with the threat of Sa’qar (Hell-Fire), and that it is guarded by nineteen must seem ambiguous.

Introduction:
The Noon Centre for ’Qura~nic Studies and Research specialises in ’Qura~nic Studies. One of its priorities is the carrying out of research into numerical and mathematical miracles in the ’Qura~n. This is because the world of mathematics and numbers is the world of provable facts, Math having virtually become the language of physical and social sciences. And why should this not be so when the whole universe is based on numbers? Allaah says: “He takes into account every single thing.” (The Holy ’Qura~n [T.M.Q.], chapter of Annaml, verse 28.)

Nothing pleased me lately as much as the last book of Dr. Tariq Alsuwaidan “Palestine: The Illustrated History” that was accomplished in March 2004 A.D, Moharram 1425 A.H. The reasons behind my happiness are many, amongst which are: