Al-Risala (English), October 1986

Earning more money does not make one into a better person

1986 10 October 22 Earning more money does not make one into a better person (78) Anas told of two brothers who lived in the Prophet’s time. One of them used to come and sit in the Prophet’s company, while the other used to earn a living for his household. The latter came to the Prophet and complained about his brother not doing any work, and leaving it to him to do all the earning. “Perhaps it is because of him that you are provided with sustenance,” the Prophet told him.

(Riadh al Saliheen)

Engineering Not Enough

1986 10 October 22 Engineering Not Enough (274) Dr. Fazlur Rahman Khan was a world-famous architectural engineer. Born in Dhaka, he obtained his degree in architectural engineering from Calcutta, then went to the United States to gain his doctorate in the same subject, he started his practice by taking on a contract to design a 43-storey building in Chicago. His extraordinary brilliance enabled him to make great innovations in his field, and the 110-storey Sears Tower in Chicago earned him worldwide fame as a master of modern construction. This highest building in the world was the outcome of his own unconventional concept, now known as tubular design.

Despite his extraordinary success, Dr. Fazlur Rahman was never inwardly satisfied. Mr. K.M. Amladi of the Hindustan Times met him in 1982 in his Chicago office, and as he felicitated him on his success, Dr. Fazlur Rehman listened with an expressionless face. During his conversation he said to Mr. Amladi: “There is more to life than engineering.”

Dr. Fazlur Rahman died on 27 March 1982 at the early age of 52, leaving behind him a new concept in the field of architectural engineering. By developing this concept, the German engineer, Robert Gabriel, has made plans for a 365-storey building, which will stand one mile above the ground. During their conversation, Mr. Amladi asked Dr. Fazlur Rahman whether such a building could be constructed. Dr. Fazlur Rahman replied in the affirmative. Citing this incident Mr. Amladi concludes his article by writing that Europe and America will have such buildings in future, but “the man who laid the foundation for making them possible, alas, will no longer be there to witness them” (Hindustan Times, May 9, 1982).