The Arab Gulf

The human species is inherently social; every individual is naturally disposed toward social life. Therefore, societies have existed since the dawn of humankind on this earth. Definitions of the concept of “society” vary, yet they generally converge on the idea of a group of individuals living within a specific geographical area, bound together by certain ties. Islam has paid great attention to organizing the affairs of society based on sound natural principles, endowing it with characteristics and features that stem from the creed and are founded upon solid moral values.

This research examines the evolution of political relations between Saudi Arabia and Turkey following the 2018 assassination of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, an event that caused severe tension due to divergent positions on regional and security issues. At the beginning of 2021, signs of renewed rapprochement emerged, driven by mutual strategic and economic needs, leading to the normalization of relations through high-level visits and the signing of cooperation agreements.
The study sheds light on the trajectory from escalation to partnership, based on an analysis of political and regional contexts. It concludes with the necessity of consolidating bilateral dialogue to enhance regional stability and mutual interests.

The establishment of the Dar al-Fonun School in 1851 marked a significant event and a major turning point in Iran’s educational system, culture, and political awareness. As the first modern educational institution—and essentially the first university in Iran—the school successfully prepared an informed and cultured elite who later managed the country’s affairs and institutions according to the modern methods practiced in European countries. These individuals became influential figures in Iranian society, adopting progressive political ideas opposed to Qajar despotism. They played a major role in raising awareness among various segments of Iranian society, being more cognizant of the nation’s political and social conditions than other classes due to their exposure to the political systems, reforms, and laws of European states. They had also studied works on the history of the French Revolution and other writings imbued with progressive, liberating ideas.

Amid the challenges faced by the Safavid state in the 18th century, certain figures emerged who sought to preserve the cohesion of its vast empire. Among the most prominent was Fath Ali Khan Daghestani, who exemplified leaders originating from non-Turkic peripheries contributing to decision-making. During his tenure, he encountered grave challenges, alongside efforts to reform the Safavid administrative system, which was plagued by declining efficiency and widespread corruption. However, his conflicts with the Safavid court entourage rendered his period in office short-lived and fraught with turmoil.

Civilization, in its broad sense, encompasses the political, social, economic, and urban systems of an urbanized society, in terms of its life aspects, development, and prosperity.
In ancient Yemen, the tribe represented a social unit with significant influence on the social structure in all its dimensions. The roots of tribal organization trace back to the days of the Sabaean Kingdom, which held substantial power in Yemen. Distinct tribal divisions emerged, the most notable being the Makaribah class, considered the highest stratum of Yemeni society at the time. Subsequently, other tribal unions and confederations appeared, referred to as “kingdoms” in Musnad inscriptions, including the Kingdoms of Saba, Qataban, Ma‘in, and Hadramawt.
This study, despite the scarcity of available information on the history and evolution of the Sam‘i tribe, aims to shed light on its role and civilizational contributions in ancient Yemeni history, as it was one of the important Arab tribes inhabiting the southwestern Arabian Peninsula and belonging to the group of South Arabian tribes.
Its civilizational contributions manifested in various fields. In agriculture, it innovated advanced irrigation techniques, leading to improved agricultural output. In trade, it played a pivotal role as an intermediary in exporting incense and spices between ancient Yemen and neighboring countries. In architecture, it established distinctive structures, including palaces and temples. These contributions illustrate how the Sam‘i tribe was an integral part of ancient Yemeni civilization.

The holy shrines are among the most significant religious and cultural landmarks for Muslims in general and for Shi‘ites in particular, especially in Iraq. This study examines the Al-Kadhimayn Shrine through the lens of Dwight Donaldson’s book The Shi‘ite Religion. The importance of this research lies in its focus on the history of this sacred site, which houses the graves of Imam Musa ibn Ja‘far al-Kadhim and his grandson Muhammad ibn Ali al-Jawad (peace be upon them), as recorded by Donaldson.
The study concentrates on several key aspects: defining the term “holy shrines” linguistically and technically; providing a brief biographical note on the orientalist Donaldson and an overview of his book; examining the legitimacy of visiting sacred sites; and, finally, addressing the major challenges faced by the Al-Kadhimayn Shrine throughout history.

Iran and France share a long history of relations across various fields, particularly in modern history, notably during the reign of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, who stood at the apex of Iranian authority. His era was characterized by generally positive relations with the West, owing to his pursuit of reforms in the country modeled after Western systems. France played a role in that process, particularly in its technical and economic dimensions.
For Iran, its enduring importance stemmed from its geostrategic location at the crossroads of three worlds—the Slavic, the Turkic, and the Arab—as well as from its natural resources, which have long been coveted by Western states. Between 1969 and 1979, Iran emerged as a regional power, while France was a medium-ranked global power. Consequently, relations between the two countries developed gradually during this period. An agreement was reached to exchange Iranian oil for French nuclear technology and agricultural food products, prompting France to compete with its European, American, and Japanese partners to benefit from Iran’s burgeoning consumer market.

This study examines the Fadak Sermon of Lady al-Zahra (peace be upon her) through a reading of its doctrinal themes. The sermon encompassed multifaceted dimensions across political, social, doctrinal, and devotional aspects of life. It represented a comprehensive revolution reflecting the ideas that occupied the mind of Lady Fatima al-Zahra (peace be upon her) and the profound memories she carried from the life of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). These memories inspired her to raise her voice and declare her readiness to confront, aiming to correct the course and prevent the realization of anticipated grave consequences.
The ultimate goal of her movement, in all its dimensions, was to alert the Muslim nation—its leaders, individuals, and masses—to the dire dangers awaiting them should they persist in that direction. Her outcry was for the preservation of the Islamic experience, ensuring its authenticity and purity.

The political activism of the Umayyads had a negative impact on the Islamic provinces, foremost among them Basrah, which became a fertile arena for political contention, marked by the diversity of Islamic factions ranging from supporters and advocates of Umayyad policies to those resentful of their corruption, injustice, and intimidation. The latter group endured the full force of the Umayyads’ hostility and oppression for their loyalty to the Commander of the Faithful, Imam Ali ibn Abi Talib (peace be upon him), prompting them to organize themselves and unite ranks in confronting this Umayyad recklessness and disregard.
The Shi‘a of Basrah, in their resistance and rejection of Umayyad rule, drew upon their well-known history of hostility toward Imam Ali (peace be upon him)—a hostility inherited from the enmity and battles waged against him. This animosity persisted toward his sons, the two Imams Hasan and Husayn (peace be upon them), and manifested in the intrigues and conspiracies they did not hesitate to orchestrate. Their motives were fueled by the grudges from the Battle of Badr, in which the sword of the Commander of the Faithful, Ali ibn Abi Talib, brought humiliation upon them, cutting down their elders with Dhu al-Fiqar and sending them to their fate in the fire.

The fāṣilah (verse-ending) in the system and discourse of the Qur’anic text constitutes a fundamental dimension firmly rooted in the divine design of Almighty Allah, mirroring the depth of the innate Arabic sensibility of the time, penetrating the recesses of the human soul, activating the signals of the intellect, probing the depths of thought, striking the melodic chime of the spirit, and captivating minds with the sweetest of rhythms.
From this premise, the present study focuses on examining the aesthetic elements—without delving into rhetorical analysis and its related fields—that shape the fāṣilah in Sūrat al-Takwīr, considering the architectural design of its structure, the arrangement of its sequence, and the harmony of its selection with the meanings of the sūrah, the meaning of each individual verse, and the meaning of each group of verses sharing a unified fāṣilah. This unique alignment justifies its exclusive selection for this study, as the sūrah is distinguished by the divine precision in depicting major events and monumental transformations occurring on the Day of Resurrection—its proceedings, outcomes, and consequences—which bring about a complete and radical change in two grand spheres of creation perfected by Almighty Allah: the sphere of the cosmos with all its non-sentient entities, and the sphere of humankind with all its intellectual faculties.
The transformations encompass the alteration and replacement of both the cosmic and human orders, manifesting the absolute power and will of Allah over all things, and the role of His Noble Messenger, embodying the truth that shatters falsehood and annihilates Satan. These thematic considerations, ordered in the sequence of the fawāṣil of the verses in Sūrat al-Takwīr, are distributed into three sections that determine the sūrah’s structural composition. The fāṣilah aligns partially with words and sentences, and fully with clauses and the broader context.
The study undertakes a critical aesthetic analysis, aiming to identify the secrets behind the formation of the architectural elements of the fāṣilah and the value of its aesthetic structure.

The Holy Qur’an has always been, and continues to be, a rich source for numerous studies examining its vocabulary and meanings in general, particularly those addressing the topic of linguistic differences. From this standpoint, and due to the importance of the subject, we have chosen one specific semantic field—namely, the linguistic differences among the terms denoting “falling” in the Qur’an.
The motivation for this choice lies in the fact that these terms have not been studied within the works dedicated to linguistic differences. This study is divided into two main sections: The first section addresses terms used within the same or closely related contexts, covering the following words: kharr (خرّ), hawā (هوى), and waqa‘a (وقع). The second section deals with terms used in independent contexts, including: radā (ردي), saqaṭa (سقط), qaḍḍa (قضّ), kabba (كبّ), hadama (هدم), and hawara (هور).
The study concludes with several findings, the most important of which is that each term for “falling” in the Qur’an cannot be substituted with another, as neglecting the matter of linguistic differences leads to a loss of precision in expression, as well as to errors and a loss of the intended meaning of the Qur’anic text. Each term signifies a specific and precise manner of falling.

This study seeks to explore the methods of adapting the historical event in the Iraqi novelist Jabir Khalifa Jabir’s Noor Khudhur Khan. The research proposes four approaches to reveal the manifestations of historical event adaptation in this novel, namely:
• Artistic adaptation of the historical event.
• Ideological adaptation of the historical event.
• Social adaptation of the historical event.
• Adapting the event to contemporary reality.
Through these forms of adaptation, the study was able to discern the vision driving the author in his novel, a vision through which he attempts to construct or reshape historical events according to its requirements. The primary artistic tool for this vision is adaptation. The author neither attempts nor claims to document events of the past; rather, he seeks to express his stance toward the past through a set of artistic, ideological, and social procedures imposed by the nature of the vision he adopts. Additionally, he strives to create a state of harmony resembling an overlap between past and present, examining how the latter is influenced by the former or how the past can be utilized to meet the necessities of understanding the present.

The character is a central element in narrative works, particularly novels, as it constitutes one of the most essential narrative components forming the body of the novel. Texts cannot dispense with characters, for the main character is the vital component of narrative that breathes life and movement into the story. It is an inseparable part of the other narrative elements, all of which work together to construct the text.
Basim al-Qatrani’s narrative discourse is considered one of the important contributions to Iraqi narrative writing, as he has taken a distinctive approach, employing the fantastic as a writing technique to convey what cannot be expressed through a narrative rooted solely in the realm of the natural and familiar. Among his novels imbued with a fantastic quality is Midnight Museum, which tells the story of the teacher “Saber Fayyad,” whose characters from his own novel Majnoon x Junoon rebel against him. In this work, al-Qatrani grants paper characters a human dimension, rendering them as beings the size of a fist.
Similarly, in his novel Ten O’Clock Washington Time, laden with fantastic events, al-Qatrani portrays the crisis of modern humanity through the main character “Barnaw
the Cat,” who can transform from a thirty-year-old man into a black cat. Al-Qatrani employs the symbol of the black cat, which carries multiple layers of interpretation.

One of the definitions of geography describes it as the science of distributions and the study of the locations of phenomena, making it a true lens through which we can observe how populations are dispersed over a given geographical area. Populations may cluster in specific focal points and locations within this area, forming various shapes and patterns of distribution, most of which differ in density depending on location, the character of geographic regions, and their impact on populations, varying over time and space. This leads us to the conclusion that the geographical distribution of populations constitutes the link between the number of people and the land they depend on, in accordance with the factors of attraction or repulsion that either draw them in or prevent their settlement.
The study aims to examine how the population is distributed across the neighborhoods of the city of Al-Zubair according to their size, and to determine the relative share of each neighborhood within the city. It also seeks to identify the reasons underlying this relative and numerical variation in population at the neighborhood level, the patterns of population distribution and concentration, as well as the temporal and spatial changes that have occurred in the city during the period (1997–2023).

With the increasing number of vehicles in Iraq in general, and particularly along the Al-Shamasiya–Al-Khalis Road, coupled with the need to expand fuel stations and provide maintenance and other services, it has become necessary to implement various planning and procedural measures along this route. Foremost among these is road furniture, which includes supplementary elements that enhance the road’s efficiency in terms of safety, traffic security, and comfort for users. Such elements play a major role in reducing traffic accidents, especially on intercity roads, making this topic worthy of research and elaboration within this study.
Road furniture components are generally divided into two main categories: natural and artificial. The latter is of particular importance and includes a variety of features such as pavement works and surfacing, fuel stations, maintenance stations, and traffic signs (including directional, mandatory, warning, and prohibitory signs). Despite the road’s strategic location between the governorates of Baghdad and Diyala and its role in linking and providing access to northern Iraq—particularly its connection to the governorates of Sulaymaniyah and Erbil—it suffers from a number of issues.
The study reached several conclusions, including that the road’s infrastructure is incomplete, lacking traffic signs, with lighting present only in part of the route, and without designated parking areas. This indicates a lack of attention to regular maintenance in all observed sections. Accordingly, the study recommends providing all necessary road furniture and services to preserve the road by equipping it with all the aforementioned elements, as it holds social importance and is public property.

This study aims to conduct a quantitative and survey-based examination of the extent of changes in the urban systems of the main cities in Basrah Governorate over time and space, noting a consistent increase throughout the period 1947–2024. The research relied on analyzing official data, namely the population censuses of the governorate’s main cities, as well as identifying the reasons for population disparities during the mentioned period. The findings reveal the presence of a dominant city system within Basrah’s urban centers, as the main city enjoys advanced spatial development that enables it to control all commercial, industrial, and service activities compared to other urban centers.
The study reached several key conclusions, most notably that the urban system in Basrah Governorate is characterized by instability. Moreover, the quantitative change in urban system trends has been on the rise, with the urbanization rate increasing from 44.5% in 1947 to 85% in 2024.

This study examines the natural and human geographical factors that have a direct impact on agricultural production in Al-Hartha District, in addition to analyzing the current agricultural situation. The aim is to identify the constraints that hinder the development of agricultural land. Among the most significant and interrelated obstacles are the high salinity of agricultural soils, scarcity of energy sources, reluctance to engage in agricultural work, low usage of agricultural mechanization, and urban encroachment on farmland—all of which have negatively affected agricultural productivity in the district.
The study also proposes recommendations for agricultural development in the study area to enhance agricultural activity in Al-Hartha District. The findings indicate a decline in the cultivated land area despite the suitability of the soil for most agricultural patterns. The study recommends the preparation of a land-use plan for agricultural areas in the district to regulate the urban development of population centers and ensure the optimal and sustainable use of farmland. Furthermore, it calls for the implementation of extension and training programs in various fields of sustainable agriculture to change negative attitudes and adjust neutral views toward sustainable farming techniques through intensive media campaigns aimed at raising farmers’ awareness

Remote sensing data are among the primary sources widely used for detecting changes in land cover. In this study, selected modern techniques were applied to detect changes using the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), along with the post-classification comparison method to distinguish two main land cover categories: vegetation and water bodies, in order to assess change detection in the study area.
Two Landsat satellite images were used—one from the Thematic Mapper (TM) sensor and another from the Operational Land Imager (OLI) sensor—captured in 1992 and 2024, respectively, for the purpose of calculating the NDVI and NDWI spectral indices. The main objective of this study is to monitor the nature of land cover changes in the marshes of the study area. The spectral signatures of the studied land cover classes were more distinct in the NDVI and NDWI imagery than in the original images, with class clusters being well isolated. Consequently, the modern techniques used proved to be both effective and reliable.

Dialogic utterance is one of the fundamental forms in theatrical arts through which the stage actor communicates with another actor and, subsequently, with the audience. It is distinguished by characteristics and features that can convey the ideas of the theatrical character in a manner that provides the audience with direct reception and positive interaction during the delivery of the dramatic discourse. Moreover, this type of discourse is set apart from others by its ability to evoke a mixture of fear, pity, and sorrow through the intellectual and psychological transformations it embodies, all of which are tied to reality.
The present study is organized into three chapters. The first chapter, the methodological framework, addresses the research problem and its necessity, the significance of the study, and its aim: to identify the intellectual data of voice and language and to clarify their importance in human communication, as well as in artistic communication among students during laboratory applications.
The second chapter, the theoretical framework, comprises two sections: the first entitled “Voice and Language and Their Importance in Human Communication,” and the second entitled “The Functions Performed by Language.”
The study concludes with indicators adopted by the researcher for analyzing the sample model, leading to the results and conclusions presented in the third chapter, followed by an abstract in English

Abstract:
This study, entitled Al-Isra and Al-Mi‘raj between History, Creed, and Art, focuses on the Isra and Mi‘raj journey, one of the most important events in Islamic history, as it intertwines historical, doctrinal, and artistic dimensions. The research is divided into four chapters as follows:
The first chapter, the general framework of the study, defines the research problem in the following question: What is the nature of the Isra and Mi‘raj journey between history, creed, and art? The significance and necessity of the research lie in its connection to a pivotal event in the Prophet’s biography. The aim is to examine the Isra and Mi‘raj journey through its historical, doctrinal, and artistic dimensions, and its representation in Islamic art. The spatial boundaries are Persia during the Timurid and Safavid periods, while the temporal boundaries span 1436–1571, within the thematic scope of Islamic illustrated works from these two eras.
The second chapter contains three sections: the first reviews the Isra and Mi‘raj journey historically, the second explores it doctrinally, and the third examines it artistically. The third chapter, Research Procedures, outlines the research population of 20 artworks, from which 5 samples were selected. The researcher employed the descriptive–analytical method to analyze the samples. The fourth chapter presents the findings and conclusions.
Findings include:
1- The Muslim artist succeeded in blending religious and decorative symbolism, giving the work a symbolic dimension that represents the Isra and Mi‘raj as a sacred scene.
2- The journey is depicted as an event in which the material and spiritual worlds intertwine, embodying the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ celestial ascent and closeness to God Almighty.
3- Ornamental aesthetics, meticulous detail, and the interplay of light and shadow highlight the creativity of the Muslim artist in presenting religious narratives through an innovative aesthetic approach.
Key conclusions include:
1- The Muslim artist reinterprets historical accounts, transforming them into impactful visual scenes through artistic treatments that become part of Islamic artistic heritage celebrating the miracle of Isra and Mi‘raj.
2- The symbolism inherent in the Isra and Mi‘raj highlights its aesthetic and intellectual dimensions, portraying the Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ divine journey between earth and heaven, thus creating a scene that unites ornamental beauty with spiritual elevation.
The study concludes with recommendations, proposals, and references.

The body and the voice constitute the most important artistic elements upon which the stage actor relies, as the theatrical actor embodies the living, kinetic, and vocal components of performance. The actor serves as the central link between these elements and other theatrical components such as set design, lighting, costumes, and props.
This study undertakes the examination of the artistic applications employed by the stage actor, as well as the developmental stages of these elements and their visual and symbolic significance. The research is divided into four chapters: the first chapter presents the methodological framework, including the research problem, formulated as the following question: Has the actor successfully employed the artistic elements and their semantic functions in preparing and presenting the theatrical character in Iraqi stage productions?
The second chapter constitutes the theoretical framework in two sections, while the third chapter presents the research population and sample analysis based on the tools and criteria derived from the theoretical framework. The fourth chapter is devoted to the results, conclusions, recommendations, and suggestions, followed by the list of sources and references.

Directorial values in children's theatre are reflected in auditory, visual, and kinetic aspects that convey the performance's message in an imaginative way combining education and entertainment. This research is divided into four chapters. The first chapter presents the research problem, with the central question being: What are the interrelated directorial values in children’s theatre performances? It also outlines the research significance, objective, and definitions of key terms.
The second chapter contains two sections:
1. The concept of directorial values in world theatre performances.
2. Intellectual and artistic values in children's theatre performances.
The chapter concludes with the indicators of the theoretical framework.
The third chapter focuses on analyzing the play Okaz al-Saghir (Little Okaz) as the research sample, followed by the presentation of results and conclusions. The study ends with a list of sources and references.