many scholars at the present and in the past have tried to portray abulfida’ isma‘il ibn ‘umar ibn al-kathir ad-dimashghi as a truthful historian and without any fanaticism. however, the content of his “al-bidayah wa n-nihayah” indicates his utmost religious fanaticism, hiding and distorting truths, lack of politeness in writing, turning away from islamic ethics and even contradicting himself a...

Suicide terrorism is an international problem that endangers the well-being of whole populations. Standard explanations suggest that religious fanaticism is a primary driving force in the generation of suicide bombers. A growing body of empirically based scholarship, however, indicates that suicide terrorism is a multifactorial phenomenon that cannot easily be explained away as an outcome of re...

Religious excitement forms 110 small number of the assigned causes; and, in accordance with the humane purpose of the institution, I feel it a duty to mention any cause, against the operation of which it may be possible, in some degree, to guard. I do not believe tliat true religion is ever a cause of insanity, though fanaticism or erroneous theological views undoubtedly may. Mental derangement...

despite the great fame the well-known abbasid poet –abu nuwas- enjoys, his real character is covered in a misty cloud. one of the vague aspects of his character is his religious and political tendency in a way that his poems carry the features of both atheism and belief in god and the judgment day. from a political perspective, he is an advocate of abbasid government, and at the same time a shi...