The adverse impact of riba on individual and society: a concise and comprehensive study

There is no difference of opinion among Muslims that Riba i.e. interest or usury is Haram i.e. unlawful under the Shari’ ah i.e. Islamic Law principles. This has been confirmed in the Holy Qur’an, in the Sunnah i.e. tradition of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the Muslims consensus agreement since the early stage of Islam until today. The aim of this article is to explain why Islam has prohibited business and transactions that involve Riba and how Muslims are urged by Islam to engage in business and trade which are ethical in nature and character. The Arabic word Riba linguistically means increase and growth. It means increase in anything, or addition to anything. In other words, increase in capital at the expense of the wealth of others through means which are false and wrong. Hence, any addition however slight, over and above the principal sum lent that is, Riba. This evil activity i.e. Riba, no doubt creates selfishness, money-worship, cruelty, hard-heartedness and kills the spirit of fellow feeling and co-operation, it is therefore, ruinous for society spiritually, morally and economically. Islam has prohibited Riba in order to protect the property of the Muslims and not to be eaten unjustly, to encourage and direct Muslims to invest their money through Halal i.e. lawful channels and block anything that will generate hatred, evil and envy among the Muslims. Because if Riba is made permissible the needy person will be required to pay back more on loans and from the moral aspect this will weaken his feelings of good will and friendliness toward the lender. Hence, if Riba is prohibited in a society, people will lend to each other with goodwill, expecting back no more than what they have loaned, so that the spirit of mercy and charity among Muslims will be more firm and strong

Transforming the Dagbon Chieftaincy Conflict in Ghana: Perception on the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR)

The study is a survey research with a focus on the perceptions of the two conflicting parties in the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict in Ghana; the Abudu, and the Andani royal families on the use of Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) to resolve and transform the Dagbon chieftaincy conflict in Ghana. The conflict is over the rightful heir to the Yendi throne (skin) and it has persisted for more than five decades in Ghana’s post-independence history. All attempts to amicably resolve and transform the conflict through government established committees and commissions of inquiry, rulings by the law courts, and interventions by state and non-state institutions and actors have failed to yield any positive results. An alternative conflict settlement approach is therefore required to resolve and transform the conflict. ADR which is an approach employed by two or more parties in the settlement of conflicts and disputes other than the judicial court system is perceived to be an option. Historically, the traditional practice of ADR dates back to the pre-colonial era in Africa including Ghana. However, Ghana formally introduced ADR by promulgating the ADR Act (Act 798) in 2010. Three significant theories, namely; ripeness theory, Hobbes’ inherency theory and the group identity theory have been used to explain the study. Existing literature has been systematically reviewed. Primary data was gathered with a questionnaire. The data was then scientifically examined, analyzed, and interpreted. The findings are that respondents are very much aware of the existence of the conflict and its effects. The general perception is that, the ADR method when employed could result in an amicable resolution and transformation of the Dagbon conflict in Ghana. The research contributes to emerging literature on the relevance of Alternative Dispute Resolution and its success in the resolution of conflicts and disputes

Efficacy of single fixed dose of radioiodine (I-131) therapy in patients with hyperthyroidism at Groote Schuur Hospital

Aim: The aims of this audit were: To determine the proportion of hyperthyroid patients receiving I-131 therapy in whom treatment with a single fixed dose was successful, as defined by the achievement of euthyroidism or hypothyroidism 6-months after the therapy; To identify patients in whom treatment was not successful and a second dose needed; And, if possible, to establish the factors associated with treatment failure. Methods: A single observer reviewed the records of all patients who received I-131 therapy for hyperthyroidism between 23rd April 2010 and 23rd November 2017 in conjunction with their pre and post treatment thyroid function tests. Results of their thyroid ultrasound were retrieved and documented. The images of their Tc-99m sodium pertechnetate thyroid scans were also retrieved and reprocessed. Results: The records of 409 patients treated between April 2010 and November 2017 were retrieved. 223 (63%) patients were referred by the endocrine clinic at Groote Schuur hospital (GSH. Of the 409 patients, 56 (14%) patients that were excluded because their post therapy records were not available for analysis. Majority of our patients were females 310 (88%). Patients between the ages of 15 and 45 years are more likely to present with Grave’s disease while those aged more than 45 years presented with toxic multinodular gland (p=0.000). Patients that presented between the ages of 15 and 45 years are more likely to have moderately increased pretreatment FT4 (12-51 mmol/L) (p=0.002). We administered a radioiodine therapy dose of 456.6±54.8 MBq (Mean ± SD) to these 409 patients. Among the 353 patients, with complete records, 314(89%) achieved cure at some stage after receiving one dose of RAI; 239(76%) achieving cure ≤ 6 months of therapy and 75(24%) patients after 6 months. In our audit the patients who failed to achieve cure following the first RAI therapy appeared to be younger (median(interquartile range) age 39(16), p= 0.03), have severe hyperthyroidism as demonstrated by higher pre-treatment FT4 (median(interquartile range) 27 pmol/L(30.6), p= 0.05) and high pertechnetate uptake (median(interquartile range) uptake 9.9%(14), p= 0.002) on thyroid scintigraphy. CONCLUSION Our audit showed RAI therapy was found to be successful in 68% of patients at 6 month and 89% at a year. A second therapy with radioactive iodine would be indicated in 32% of patients, as these patients have not achieved cure at 6 months. Patients presenting with severe thyrotoxicity are likely to require more than one RAI therapy. Due to major deficiencies in referral, record keeping and follow up, other factors responsible for treatment were not be able to be evaluated. Based on these findings, suggested areas for further research are: should patients with severe hyperthyroidism be considered for pretreatment with antithyroid medication prior to RAI; would a one year follow up after radioiodine therapy be considered before second RAI. Now that the deficiencies in our current practice have been identified and suggestions put forward to address these deficiencies, a follow up audit would be needed

Delivery of broadband services to SubSaharan Africa via Nigerian communications satellite

Africa is the least wired continent in the world in terms of robust telecommunications infrastructure and systems to cater for its more than one billion people. African nations are mostly still in the early stages of Information Communications Technology (ICT) development as verified by the relatively low ICT Development Index (IDI) values of all countries in the African region. In developing nations, mobile broadband subscriptions and penetration between 2000-2009 was increasingly more popular than fixed broadband subscriptions. To achieve the goal of universal access, with rapid implementation of ICT infrastructure to complement the sparsely distributed terrestrial networks in the hinterlands and leveraging the adequate submarine cables along the African coastline, African nations and their stakeholders are promoting and implementing Communication Satellite systems, particularly in Nigeria, to help bridge the digital hiatus. This paper examines the effectiveness of communication satellites in delivering broadband-based services

Synthesis & Characterization of Defects in Coatings and the Degradation of Polymeric Materials

The field of macromolecular science has explored the ability of invoking high degrees of functionality to increase the applications in which materials may be utilized. In doing so, new characterization methodologies are necessary to better qualify and quantify their abilities and understand the dynamics behind their novel performance. This dissertation describes both of these areas, including the development of characterization methods for understudied biopolymers and emulsion-produced latexes, as well as the synthesis of novel polymers for achieving on-demand, segmented material depolymerization. In Chapter 2, a method was developed for investigating the role of different constituents of an acrylic coating in creating film defects. The defect of film sag was studied utilizing an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spin probe. The probe allowed the curing process of a coating to be surveyed and how the binder of the coating responds to coalescence. By doing this for both horizontal and vertical orientations, the sag film defect was observed by a variation in polarity of the spin probe. This polarity was evident in the spectra of the probe and its shift in polarity was quantified over time. In Chapter 3, synthesis goals turn to creating copolymers possessing novel functionalities for use in self-healing materials and drug delivery methods. The described system utilizes self-immolative polymers (SIPs) to enable selective, on-demand depolymerization of materials. The triggers investigated were pH and heat, due to their relevance and abundance of use in biological applications. The synthesized polymers were able to be depolymerized to their monomeric parent molecules discriminately based on the stimulus which the copolymer was exposed to. Various characterization methods were utilized to ensure the kinetics of depolymerization, as well which material was depolymerized, could be controlled. To investigate the viability of this system in drug delivery, biologically relevant copolymers were synthesized to be incorporated in multi-dye possessing polymersomes capable of on-demand release of said dyes in response to orthogonal stimuli. Chapter 4 elucidates a method developed for the improvement of mucin characterization. Mucins are the macromolecules which make up mucus. The abundance of various mucins plagues patients with Cystic Fibrosis (CF) and Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). These patients utilize mucolytic agents, which are reducing agents that break down mucins. These agents, however, are largely ineffective and unsuccessful in their attempts to depolymerize mucins to-date. To aid mucolytic drug development and better understand the mechanism of mucin reduction, the described method aims to create more accurate molecular weight and size determination of mucins using Gel Permeation Chromatography (GPC) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS).Doctor of Philosoph

Determinants of financial stability of conventional and Islamic banks in GCC and selected non-GCC countries

The study is conducted to explore the determinants of stability in the banking sector of ten Middle East countries, both members and non-members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC). Financial instability is identified to be the major weakness of the banking sector in performing the intermediation role due to several factors, such as bank-specific, institutional, or macroeconomic factors. In this study, banking stability is measured using the z-score and probability of default. A sample of 167 conventional banks and Islamic banks covering the period from 2008 to 2016 is employed. The generalized dynamic method of moment (GMM) estimator shows that capital adequacy, liquidity, control of corruption, inflation, GDP, and oil price have significant effects on the banking stability in the ten Middle East countries. The results remain consistent when the impacts of the bankspecific, institutional, and macroeconomic factors on conventional and Islamic banks are compared. The result suggests that capital adequacy and liquidity have a positive and significant effect on banking stability in all the subgroups except the liquidity of Islamic banks in non-GCC countries. Proper measures to strengthen the corruption control will transmit a substantial impact on improving banking stability in the GCC member and non-member countries in the Middle East. The results of the macroeconomic factors indicate that protection measures are needed to mitigate the negative effect of inflation and GDP on banking stability, as the oil price shows a significant positive impact on banking stability in all subgroups except in Islamic banks in non-GCC countrie

Long-term ocular and visual outcomes following symptomatic and asymptomatic congenital CMV infection: a systematic review protocol

Introduction: Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is one of the most common congenitally acquired infections worldwide. Visual impairment is a common outcome for symptomatic infants, with long-term ophthalmic surveillance often recommended. However, there are no clear guidelines for ophthalmic surveillance in infants with asymptomatic disease. We aim to conduct a systematic review to establish the overall prevalence and incidence of eye and vision related disorders following congenital CMV infection (cCMV). // Methods and analysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis (pending appropriate data for analysis) of cross-sectional and longitudinal studies will be conducted. The PubMed, Embase and CINAHL databases will be searched up to 29 March 2022 without date or language restrictions. Studies will be screened by at least two independent reviewers. Methodological quality of included studies will be assessed using the Joanna Briggs Institute tool. The primary outcome measures will be incidence and/or prevalence of vision impairment or ophthalmic disorders in patients with symptomatic and asymptomatic cCMV infection. A narrative synthesis will be conducted for all included studies. The overall prevalence will be estimated by pooling data using a random-effects model. Heterogeneity between studies will be estimated using Cochran’s Q and the I2 statistics. Egger’s test will be used to assess for publication bias. // Ethics and dissemination: Ethical approval is not required as there is no primary data collection. Study findings will be disseminated at scientific meetings and through publication in peer-reviewed journals

Exploring professional work-ready graduate attributes from the employer perspective

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore what we mean by professional work-ready graduate attributes from the employer perspective. Design/ Methodology/ Approach - The research design was essentially qualitative. Following, Yin’s (2003) suggestion, the researcher gathered data through three primary sources, namely, document, conducted semi-structured interviews and recorded observations, at three large multinational companies. The researcher analyzed and interpreted the data collected in form of field notes, interview scripts, audio recording and information from documents. Yorke and Knight, (2004), emergent work of skills research initiative known as USEM account of employability was integrated as conceptual frameworks. Findings - Three themes emerged, the findings highlighted three broad areas considered to constitute, what employers described as graduate attributes, this includes soft skills/personal attributes; subject specific skills and disciplinary content knowledge and understanding. Research/Limitation/Implication - Collective voice of employers on acceptable meaning of what graduate attribute stands for, will lead to establishing a common higher education programme or curricula that is work-based and skill oriented, which in turn help students to develop broad range of skills, work attitudes and values to face future challenges of the world competitive market. Original value - This paper seek to fill the ‘skill gap’ occurring between the demand and the level of educational preparation of graduates, by providing acceptable meaning of work-ready graduate attributes

The impact of reserves debt ratio on profitability of commercial banks : lesson from Nigeria

This study attempts to explore the impact of the change in international reserves to external debt ratio positions of Nigeria on the profitability of domestic deposit money financial institutions. Using the sample of 14 listed banks operating in the market from the period 2004 to 2014, in the study we employed dynamic fixed effect (DFA) methodology to the banking institution. The result reported that a change in international reserves to debt ration position has a significant impact on bank returns during the short run period. However, in the long run, position the change affect banking return negatively.peer-reviewe

Business, Industry and Higher Education Collaboration: A Panacea in Developing Professional Work-Ready Graduates

The purpose of this paper is to explore how institutions of higher learning, industries and businesses work together to accomplish mutual goals, intended to help shape and inform up-to-date curriculum and course design. The aim was to improve mutual understanding and exchange of ideas between the Education and business sectors that can lead to produce professional work-ready graduates. The research method was essentially qualitative case-study design method (Yin, 2003), was used. The researcher collected documents, conducted semi-structured interviews and recorded observations at the selected multinational companies and recognized institutions of higher learning. The emergent themes from the data, in form of field notes, interview scripts, audio recordings and information from documents, representing the views of both Educationists and Industrialists were analyzed. The four emergent themes as characterized by the participants views on collaborative efforts between business and Education were identified as; cooperative study programme, technical support and programme delivery, representation in the institution governing council and collaboration through shared facilities. The study represent a means of contributing quality in teaching and learning graduate employability skills, that is vital in the survival and challenge to industry to succeed in an increasingly competitive world market. This paper attempts to provide new ways of thinking as well as formal flexible commitments from business and Education in forming partnership, that enable both sectors share the needs, problems, issues, strengths and weakness of in training professional work-ready graduates. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2015.v6n6p51