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Population control policies implemented in developing countries are encouraged by developed countries. Now after the emergence of its dangerous consequences and damages, especially in the various aspects of health, officials and experts have been forced to review and do serious research and discussion on this issue. Since Islam in particular addresses the physical and spiritual health of all people therefore, in the present study, the population decrease and its effect on the health of individual and family from the perspective of Islam was studied. This review study was performed by collecting the data and describes them with reference to the religious and scientific literature and Internet search engines, also data sources through an Internet search on reputable sites are evaluated on the basis of appropriate keywords. Then, the obtained data has been classified and analyzed. In religious literature, decrease of population has been criticized and population increase (in terms of qualitative aspects) is encouraged. Studies have also shown that population control policies in developed countries have consequences on the health of individuals and families. In Iran according to the experts, the decrease in population has dimensions that are more critical. Families with few members and the children brought up in them are subject to serious injuries in various aspects of physical, psychological, moral and social. Depopulation policies not only affect individual and community health but also the countries implementing policy will face big security, economic, social, and religious problems. Thus, if the appropriate and well timed action is not performed, these countries will face irreparable problems in the future.

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Background and Purpose: Given the role of religious teachings in the health and education of students as created and qualified workforce, the investigation of the sources of these teachings is a matter of paramount importance. Regarding this, the present study was conducted to investigate the source of religious teachings in students of Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences (MAZUMS), Sari, Iran.
Materials and Methods: This study was conducted on 160 students studying at all faculties of MAZUMS in 2016. The data were collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. Data analysis was performed in SPSS software (version 20) using inferential statistics, including Chi-Square and Fischer's exact tests.
Results: According to the results, family played the role of the first, second, third, and fourth source of information in 92.5%, 4.4%, 1.9%, and 1.3% of the students, respectively. In addition, mosques were the first, second, third, and fourth sources of information for 1.3%, 21.3%, 18.1%, and 58.8% of the participants, respectively. The results of the Fisher's exact test showed that the ratio of choosing an information source for religious teachings in the second, third, and fourth priorities considerably varied across different colleges (P<0.05).
Conclusion: As the findings indicated, 92.5% and 58.8% of the students considered family and mosque as the first sources of information for religious teachings, respectively. Consequently, it is necessary for the families to make proper plans targeted toward making religious sites, such as mosques, more attractive for the younger generation.
 

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Background and Purpose: Research has shown that attending congregational prayer has constructive effects on spiritual guidance and mental relaxation of humans. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effective factors in the presence of university students attending congregational prayers of Masjid-Al-Nabi at Mazandaran University of Medical Sciences, Sari, Iran. Moreover, this study aimed to propose influential approaches to encourage participation in congregational prayer.
Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional study was performed on students studying at Payambar Aazam Complex of Mazandaran University of medical science, during 2016. A total number of 500 students were selected randomly out of 4000 students of this university. The data were collected using a questionnaire, which included demographic information and effecting factor on congregational prayer. The validity and reliability of the questionnaire were confirmed and data were analyzed using SPSS software (version 20).
Results: The survey showed that there was a significant relationship between the investigated variables (including family factors, friendship tendency, participation of authorities and teachers, coincidence of prayer and class time, personal motivation and education level) and the presence of students in congregational prayer.
Conclusion: According to the results of this study, supporting students, adjustment of class time, and attendance of the instructors at the mosque will encourage students to participate in congregational prayer. University authorities can appropriately prepare the ground for the presence of students in congregational prayer.
 

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Human cloning or human reproduction through nonsexual transplantation is an interdisciplinary issue that has been discussed by researchers from different dimensions, including theological dimension and perspective of science, religion, and health. Since some scientific discoveries, such as human simulation, are related to human beliefs, several religious scholars have shown special sensitivity to religious teachings and consider such discoveries to be contrary to the divine verses and religious beliefs; accordingly, in the case of human cloning, they banned it. Therefore, it is necessary to study and examine the evidence of their violation and show that scientific discoveries may not only not weaken beliefs but also strengthen faith. As a result, there is a kind of interference in this sacred domain, based on God's special monotheistic viewpoint, which both disrupts and weakens the belief in God.
The present study is a content analysis with the design and expression of verbal evidence on the prohibition of human cloning - regardless of the type of religion - and its evaluation to determine whether human cloning is of creation type, and human beings with this technology actually do the work of God and fail to worship God? According to the obtained results, it was revealed that God's creativity and cause in relation to the world and beings lay along the material causes and factors, not within it. In addition, this is only the God who creates, and scientific discoveries, including human cloning, not only undermine the belief in God but also strengthen it, indicative of the greatness of the Lord.