And, just like an orbit that travels along its path according to the gravity of its (eternal) laws, so does Al-Masar, which also travels along its orbit, also according to the laws of scholarly and scientific knowledge, and pure and strict objectivity. 

And, just as an orbit that regulates all aspects of life, including all those suns, moons and constellations, as well as mountains, seas, deserts, human beings and other creatures, Al-Masar hopes to be able to contribute, through the researches and studies it publishes, to regulate a human intellectual orbit along which these researches move securely, with guidance and sound mature thought feeding into it from every direction. Its ultimate objective will always be leading mankind to sublime knowledge and scholarship Just as an orbit supposedly starts its journey from a certain point in Space, so, too, does Al-Masar, which starts it journey – realistically, from a spot, wide and spacious on earth; i.e., the Yemen. The Al-Masar will, late on, move along the Arab and Islamic orbit, then the universal one, in a complete scientific cycle, looking for ripe fruit, clear thought, useful inventions and innovations, in order to present them to mankind in the form of delicious food and tasty drink. 

It is with these objectives in mind that a number of researchers, scientists and scholars in all historical, economic, social and literary fields, have come to the conclusion that Al-Masar, the march and the destiny outlined above are a need and an urgent necessity: They have committed themselves, in all the researches they prepare, and as far as they can, to utmost objectivity, and the laws of scientific knowledge, always guided by the words of Prophet Mohammad (PBUH): “Wisdom and knowledge are the believer’sever-sought and ultimate aim, to attain them whenever he finds them;” from whatever horizon they may rise, and in whatever field they may grow and ripen. 

For, it is the firm belief of this group that “knowledge” is universal, whether in its direction or in its guidelines; and that knowledge is the only way and means to achieve a harmonious, human civilised world. They are equally aware of the fact that, as long as it is as such knowledge does not belong to, nor is it the property of an elite group who may monopolise it (it is not the monopoly of any elite group); rather, it is boundless, just like the sun; with no dams or barriers to contain it, and unlimited by time. Like the sun, too, knowledge bestows its light on all mankind, never discriminating between green fields, barren mountains, vast oceans, or thick forests, so that every plain, mountain, sea and forest may benefit from it; each according to its needs and as much as its capacity can handle. Based on this viewpoint, those researchers are of the opinion that all mankind are equally entitled to the right to know and learn; and that, wherever circumstances are ripe and means allow it, human beings – all and everyone of them, can grow, flower, yield his/her product, and enrich human knowledge. That is why Al–Masar Statute/Constitutions, be it in the sphere of Eastern, Western,Northern or Southern concerns, seek only pure knowledge, look for the truth –for facts – wherever these may grow, and anywhere where they may throw their sun’s rays. 

This group of scholars and researchers, having taken upon themselves to adhere to pure and strict objectivity, and to identify themselves only with the sound judgement of the mind, never pretend or claim any monopoly to right, rightful or sound, nor claims to represent the most rightful and best-guided path; they only try to make available to every human being whatever knowledge they have, and pave the way, for anyone who may have that knowledge, to make it known to others; Knowledge and wisdom, as Prophet Mohammad taught them, is the ever sought after aim of all believers; They derive from it; quote it, and benefit from it. 

The Al-Masar will, therefore, open its doors wide of its pages for debates, dialogues, and for exchange of views so that the truth, the whole truth may be revealed, for people to contemplate and consider, unafraid of dictatorship, censorship, or terrorism of whatever form or nature. Anyone who feels they have enough courage to say the truth may – and will – find in Al-Masar pages their own field and welcoming space. There will be no censor to stop articles, no scissors to cut “unwanted” parts, and no blurring ink to distort or suppress any parts of these articles and researches. The only censor will be the pure, objective and scientific conscience and integrity; the only comment will be to those laws of knowledge and scholarship. 

Hence, and starting from this wide open horizon, those in charge of the Al–Masar hope that this magazine will not be a mere addition to the already rising heap of magazines rising in height on a table covered with the dust of common usual knowledge, familiar taste; but they hope to turn it – as its title indicates -an orbit or paths that gives to the hand and tongue, and mind, of imprisoned thought a space to express it ideas freely and without fear; to the blind, an eye; and to the restrained thought, all the freedom it seeks. 

Al–Masar hopes, too, to become a flame that will burn the already dry remains of falsehood, thus blowing away that falsehood’s dust with the wind, and eliminating all accumulated intentionally misguided information. 

That is why the Al–Masar will never be content with orbiting the present only, but will move along the orbit of all written past/history, always looking for and seeking -in it – everything new and useful. This is based on its deep-rooted conviction that every civilisational/cultural past/history has its new radiating ideas; but that, unfortunately for mankind, most of that new (thought) has never been fully applied or made use of; nor has it been welcome the way it should have been received. On the contrary, it can be argued that new thought/ideas were fought against and refuted vehemently as hypocritical and heresies on religious grounds, or as political rebellions, or intellectual imposterism — or even as outspoken atheism/denial of the existence of God. It was never anything like that; but oppressors’ and tyrants’tyranny had been obscenely cruel and eliminatory. That was how the “NEW” was disposed of, and buried under the rubble of unjust justifications invented by the religious cliques/clergy of the state/regime; by sheer brutal force, and by politicians’ machinations. The result of all that was a long delay in new mankind awakening. And, when, after a long period of dormant thought, those very same ideas were the starting point of the new awakening. Those ideas had persisted in radiating their light even under the every-accumulating passage of time, irrigating newly planted trees with their deep-hidden waters till modern civilisation grew and flowered The main concerns of the Al–Masar will, therefore, be the revival of this long-forgotten thought, on the grounds that it is one of the languages through which the dialogue of civilisations take place. It is also one of its bases/foundations: Whenever the connections between today’s new and yesterdays’, the lost time will be found, and the odd one will disappear. 

Yesterday’s new, like today’s, need a courageous confrontation – even challenge – with our own mentalities and their residues; with society and its traditions and customs; with politicians’ terrorism and oppression, and even with the deviation of the religious and the sacredness of such deviation. For, the chains of the past have deprived those chained, through chronic habit and custom, of any feeling of the real weight/burden, of those carrying them: The chains have become part of his own being/entity: A chained one, thus, became proud of his chains, defending them and even unjustly struggled for their victory. This is where the real confrontation lies: Are view – even a reconsideration and a second thought – of the very formations of the ideas of religious scholarship which moulded the societies of the era between the eighth and the thirteenth centuries must be confronted, objectively, seriously, and effectively. 

One other factor has also contributed to the drought of the language of civilisations is the changes in the area of meaning and connotations of terms and idiomatic expressions – according to the changes in their content. Such changes, or, rather, alterations have subsequently deviated and misdirected the passage of the intellectual and political march. A new society has formed, as a result, which alienated itself completely from its very constituent roots and identity. This new society could not, as a result, co-exist with its own civilisational orbit/march: It, therefore, slipped into a wilderness leading to nowhere; ditched into backwardness, and started a falling downwards persistently. In order to avoid the bitter experience of the past, comprehending terminology and idiomatic expressions according to their civilisational content is of paramount importance for the Al-Masar: Unless these idioms correlate to their connotations, we would never be able to get out of the wilderness of deviation; nor would we enter in any civilisational cycle unless that criminal and unjustified confusion and fault is put right. 

It is the sincere hope of those in charge of the Al–Masar to turn it into a scale of fairness, a straight path of the mind, even a bridge for dialogue, and neighbourly co-existence so that no human being would oppress another once the former feels powerful enough to do that, proud enough to inflict tyranny, and able and capable enough to use/or abuse or exploit his influence. Feeling that others are irrelevant is the same as egoism and exploiting monopolisation. Here is where such a person loses his prestige however great that might be, however wide – spread his influence could be. It is because of such feelings of irrelevance and egoistic monopolisation, among other factors, that civilisations collapsed and dialogue between them was suspended. 

In the light of all this, those in charge of Al-Masar will continue to commit themselves to the uninterrupted march of this magazine, never to deviate from it, never to let frustration dissuade their efforts to achieve its objectives, and never to leave its clear-cut path so long as the word is an accountable bond and a committing pledge. They, therefore give the lasting unshaken promise, a promise that shall never quiver, waken or relapse. 

May God lead our way to righteousness. 

Editor – in – Chief

(Translated by Dr. Tayseer Kamleh)