The Festival of Ramadan Essay Example

The Festival of Ramadan Essay Example The Festival of Ramadan Essay The Festival of Ramadan Essay a) Describe what happens at the fast of Ramadan For Muslims, Ramadan is a very special time of the year. Not only is it special, the ninth month is also drastically different to any other part of the Muslim calendar. The most obvious aspect of Ramadan, when viewed from outside, is the fasting undertaken by most Muslims. They are required to refrain from eating, drinking, sexual intercourse and smoking from just before dawn to after sunset every day. However, not all Muslims will abstain from eating and drinking during the daylight hours throughout the month of Ramadan, those who are young, (often below the age of 15,) old, ill or travelling are exempt. Extreme examples of fasting, rarely seen in non-Muslim countries even forbid the swallowing of saliva or phlegm. In strict Islamic countries such as Saudi Arabia, it is not uncommon to see Muslims carrying buckets with them in which to spit, preventing them from having to swallow their saliva, which would, in their eyes, invalidate their fast. Muslims will often eat one meal before dawn, suhoor. This is often eaten very early, and some Muslims return to bed afterwards. The fast is ended with a small meal called iftar, which is taken as soon as possible after the sun has set. Iftar often comprises of dates and a glass of water, following the example of Muhammad (pbuh). However, physical restraint is far from the only aspect of Ramadan. It also involves many spiritual restraints; Muslims must strive to avoid cheating and lying, whilst also making extra efforts to be charitable and to appreciate what they have. Despite these restrictions Ramadan is not only a time of restraint, as fasting, self-control and moderation alone cannot make someone a good person or a good Muslim. Extra actions must also be undertaken. These can involve good deeds or charitable work, whether this be directly or through fundraising. During Ramadan, Muslims may attend extra prayers, (Tarawih), each night at the Mosque. Every evening, one-thirtieth of the Quran is recited, so that, come the conclusion of the month, the whole Quran has been read. Muslims will strive to read the whole Quran at least once throughout Ramadan. Laylat-ul-Qadr, or the night of power, is when Muhammad first received the Quran. It usually occurs within the last ten days of Ramadan, and Muslims may celebrate it by spending the entire night in the Mosque, often reading the whole of the Quran. Throughout Ramadan, Muslims will often greet others with, Ramadan Kareem or Ramadan Mubarak, which means a happy, successful and blessed month. In Muslim countries, Ramadan can change public life dramatically. Life during daylight hours will generally slow down, with many people resting and concentrating on the fast during the day and working during the evening. The end of Ramadan is marked by the feast, Id-ul-Fitr. This day commonly revolves around family. Zakat is often given on this day, and Muslims may also give extra alms to help those who are worse off, enjoy a better Id. On the morning of Id-ul-Fitr Muslims may attend special Id prayers at the Mosque. The day and evening are spent socialising, feasting and giving presents. As Id-ul-Fitr is such a special day of the Muslim calendar, new clothes are often bought for the occasion. At Id, many Muslims will give money known as Zakat-ul-Fitr. This is not compulsory, as Zakat is, but many people feel more obliged to give after experiencing the hunger of those in need throughout the month of Ramadan. The amount given will often represent the cost of a meal for each member of the donors family. b) Explain the importance of Ramadan to Muslims and ways in which it may affect their lives Ramadan is hugely important in the lives of Muslims. It is the fourth pillar of Islam and is compulsory for all Muslims who are able to complete it. The fact that it is a pillar of Islam also makes following it an act of Ibidah It is also important as Ramadan is the month during which the Quran was first revealed to Muhammad by God in 570 CE. This makes it a very holy month as the Quran and its revelation to the prophet are the basis of the Islamic faith. Massoud Shadjareh, chairman of the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission, stated that The best thing for a Muslim is to continue his or her life as normal. This is the real test. This implies that a Muslim should strive to allow fasting to have as little an effect on their life as possible. However, there are some inevitable effects from fasting. It will have both positive and negative effects. Firstly it will help them learn self-discipline, which is a hugely important characteristic for a Muslim to have. Self-discipline helps Muslims abide by Allahs will, as many aspects of their lives depend on it, such as keeping prayer times and not giving in to temptations which surround us. This is especially important for Muslims in non-Islamic countries, who often also have to resist peer pressure as well as the temptation itself. Ramadan also helps Muslims have a greater appreciation of Allahs gifts to them and they will be better able to understand the plight of those less fortunate than themselves, who do not fast out of choice, but out of necessity. One of Ramadans other main benefits is that it strengthens the Ummah through unity, those in more economically developed countries can have more empathy for those in less economically developed countries; being able to identify with their difficulty concentrating on being a good Muslim, obeying Allah and focusing on Allah during prayers whilst also being consumed by hunger. Ramadan also helps Muslims purify their minds and bodies, which are a gift from Allah and therefore need to be treated with the utmost respect. However, it will have negative effects, one of these a problems undertaking physical activities. This can affect both a Muslims career and their leisure time, especially in non-Muslim countries. Manual workers will have less energy, and will find their workload more difficult. They may also suffer from dehydration, headaches, weakness and nausea. However, it is not only manual workers who will suffer these conditions. To a lesser extent, Muslims in other careers will also suffer, especially in a hot environment or climate. The importance of Ramadan goes further than this however, it was commanded by Allah and is one of the compulsory five pillars of Islam. Many Muslims may argue that as it is a struggle which enables them to become a better person, this means Ramadan is often seen as a Jihad. Ramadan may only last a month, but its impact should continue throughout the year. It is an annual lesson in becoming a better person and a better Muslim. If its effect does not last into Shawwal then it has been unsuccessful. This is another reason why Ramadan is so important for Muslims; it has such a huge impact on their whole lives, during the month and beyond it. c) For Muslims, fasting has both advantages and disadvantages, How far do you agree? Give reasons to support your answer, and show that you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Islam in your answer. I agree with this statement as Ramadan has advantages such as teaching self-discipline, but also has obvious disadvantages such as illness caused by dehydration or hunger. However, some Muslims may disagree, saying that fasting only advantages. They would argue that illness is not a disadvantage, just a trial that must be overcome in order to become a better person. It is not a problem with Ramadan, but an essential part of it, without which Ramadan would be pointless. Some people may say that there are only disadvantages of Ramadan, especially in non-Muslim countries where public life continues as normal. Muslims in careers requiring concentration, quick thinking or strength and stamina may be hindered by dehydration or hunger. Medical careers for example may have life-endangering consequences from bad decisions. Some may argue then that fasting is the wrong thing to do as it is selfish, failing to take into account the welfare of those under a Muslims care who may be put in danger by a famished carer. Some other may agree with this statement, saying that although fasting may teach a Muslim a degree of self-control, do we really need to deny ourselves things in order to become a better person? Surely we are defined as a person by what we do, not by what we do not; the only way to become a better person, both in the eyes of people and of God is to help those in need, not put ourselves in their position. Others may also agree that Ramadan does not have any advantages as it does not put a Muslim into the position of a person living in poverty, as they are not suffering from long term effects of malnutrition and most are guaranteed iftar and a large meal once the sun has set, something alien to those in extreme poverty. To conclude, I feel that most Muslims would disagree with this statement, as they feel that any act of Ibidah can have only advantages. However, many people may also disagree, saying that there are advantages as it develops a persons character, but it also has physical disadvantages.

How educational institution affect the impact you have on our Essay

How educational institution affect the impact you have on our society(for urban sociology) - Essay Example Education results in evolution of a human beings as education adds to society and society can be seen as a mechanism which enables humanity to adapt to its environment, to survive and to reproduce (Parsons: 1959). Urban sociology explains two functions of modern educational systems which are socialization and selection. In socialization the process of passing skills on to the coming new generations is conceptualized which allows individuals to fulfill tasks in an occupation and as a citizen. The allocation of students to occupational positions matching their abilities and interests is served by selection. The structure of the school class is ideally suitable for fulfilling these tasks by modeling the process of qualification and modification. This is proved by comparing the social structure of the family and the school and also by elucidating the corresponding norms and values. In a family each member occupies a unique status thus a family represents a particularistic institution whe reas school is seen as a universalistic social system where students are treated equally and all the differences if present are due to the universalistic norms of achievement. This equality has to be established in the educational institutions so that the purpose for which the educational institutions are meant could be fulfilled in the real sense. ... The effects of differences between financial statuses of students studying at the same place and in the same environment are far deeper than the other scenario i.e. the case of difference in schools and systems. It is a common observation that in a school where fees are high and education is more expensive, some students manage to get into them on the basis of certain scholarships, outreach and fellowship programs. In such cases the scholarship money covers the educational expenditure of the students i.e. books and academic fees, but when it comes to extra-curricular activities and the way of living a difference is always present between the rich and poor. This difference also arises when a co-curricular activity require extra funds. Such differences have very adverse effects on the society. As the educational systems serve as the medium for formulating the mindset of individuals and developing the personality, differences based on financial status have very deep impacts on the socia l structure as a whole. The most important effect which needs special consideration is the sense of being ignored. In such scenarios the developments of negative sentiments for a certain class of a society develops which ultimately results in social divide and sometimes can be as detrimental as turning of an individual into a terrorist. Considering the split between official ideologies of achievement based on upward mobility and actual rules for social reproduction, the students with the correct cultural habits and who also belong to the families with strong financial backgrounds have greater opportunities. This privileged position is sometimes reproduced via school system. This results in the absence of the real process of development and achievement based on social

My Special Education Philosophy Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

My Special Education Philosophy - Essay Example They will be allowed to inform about their problems and needs to their teacher and they will be encouraged by their task performance. Each and every student will be dealt separately for his/her specific needs. Students will be given facilities to learn practically by the help of audio-visual aids. The software installed on the computers will be for the students’ convenience. Along with theoretical knowledge, they will also be facilitated with theoretical knowledge to a smaller extent as to inform them with the information linked to a practical performance. They will be allowed to make use of the things about which, they will be informed also. The students will also be taken to places where they can learn practically such as the zoo, construction places, manufacturing factories and other places for obtainment of knowledge. I will facilitate students with special needs with required practical knowledge and skills that are required for the obtainment of suitable knowledge. My opt ed special educational philosophy is very constructive and I feel that the students with special needs are going to get benefit with it because all the needs of the students are considered in it. With practical knowledge, students will get access to knowledge more easily and will learn in a manner that is also effective for them. Practical learning can be considered as the best form of learning and each and every student should be considered an individual who has special needs that require fulfillment.

Appearance of colonies microorganism Essay Example for Free

Appearance of colonies microorganism Essay VRBA |Appearance of Colonies |Microorganisms | |Red, surrounded by reddish precipitation zones, diameter1- 2 mm |Lactose-positive Enterobacteriaceae: coliform bacteria, E. coli | |Pink, pin-point colonies |Enterococci, possibly Klebsiella | |Colorless |Lactose-negative Enterobacteriaceae | CCA E. coli: dark-blue to violet colonies (Salmon-GAL and X-glucuronide reaction). Total coliforms: salmon to red colonies (Salmon-GAL reaction) and dark-blue to violet colonies (E. coli). Other Gram-negatives: colorless colonies, except for some organisms which possess ÃÆ'Ã… ¸-D-glucuronidase activity. These colonies appear light-blue to turquoise. In order to confirm E. coli, coat the dark-blue to violet colonies with a drop of KOVACS indole reagent. If the reagent turns to a cherry-red color after some seconds, a positive indole formation confirms the presence of E. coli. E. coli in Macconkey Agar MACCONKEY AGAR |Appearance of Colonies |Microorganisms | |Colorless, translucent |Salmonella, Shigella, others | |Large, red, surrounded by turbid zones |Escherichia coli | |Large, pink, mucoid |Enterobecter, Klebsiella | |Very small, opaque, isolated colonies |Enterococci, Staphylococci, and others | [pic] [pic] S. aureus in baird-parker agar BAIRD-PARKER AGAR |Appearance of colonies |Microorganisms | |Black, shiny, convex colonies 1-5 m in diameter with a narrow, white edge surrounded by a clear zone 2-5 mm |Staphylococcus aureus | |wide. Opaque rings within the clear zones only appear after 48 hours of incubation | | |Black, shiny, irregular shape. Opaque zone develop around the colonies after 24 hours. |Staphylococcus epidermidis | |Growth sometimes: | | |Very small, brown to black, no clear zones. |Micrococci | |Dark brown, dull, clear zones sometimes appear after 48 hours. |Bacillus species | |White, no clear zones. |Yeasts | [pic] P. aeruginosa in cetrimide agar [pic] [pic] Salmonella in Macconkey Agar [pic]

Competitive Advantage Essay -- essays research papers fc

Corporate Strategy "Sources of competitive advantage rarely yield added value that can be sustained over time." The following essay is going to attempt to assess the above proposition and try to find if it is possible to add value continually over a period of time. I will first discuss what competitive advantage is and what it means to a firm. Then I will explain the sources of competitive advantage and how the distinctive capabilities of a firm allow it to sustain added value. The discussion is based on a number of viewpoints from different authors who will be clearly indicated and acknowledged. I begin with explaining what competitive advantage is. So, what is Competitive Advantage? In a number of industries, the average performance of the industry is usually no better than the average performance of industries' as a whole. However particular firms or groups of firms manage to do considerably better than average. In this case, the high performing firm or sub-group has something special and difficult to imitate to offer which allows it to outperform it's rivals. Porter (1985) refers to such special assets as the firm's competitive advantage. "A firm's competitive advantage are those characteristics that allow it to do well even in the face of mediocre industry wide performance and free entry into the industry as a whole." The firm has certain capabilities which allow it to be different from the other firms in the industry. It has certain distinctive capabilities which cannot be reproduced by competitors. However, it is not enough for that characteristic to be distinctive. It is also necessary for it to be sustainable over a period of time. As Oster (1994) points out, " The key success factors in an industry are those assets that allow a firm to outperform it's rivals for a sustained period of time." Competitive advantages are always relative. For example, Sainsbury's has a very slight competitive advantage over Tesco. These firms serve similar markets and they see themselves as members of the same industry and strategic group. Tesco has a competitive advantage over Argyll. In a paired comparison one firm will have a relative competitive advantage over another. The resource based theory of the firm indicates, " If all firms in a market have the same stock of resources and capabilities, no strategy for value creation is... ...ge a firm has in the market. Word Count: 1450 words Bibliography Combined Bibliography for essay an related case study. Firm Resources & Sustained Competitive Advantage, 1991 J. Barney Foundations Of Corporate Success, 1995 J. Kay Modern Competitive Analysis, 1994 S.M. Oster Competitive Advantage, 1985 Micheal Porter Other sources: Exploring Corporate Strategy, 1989 G. Johnson & K. Scholes IBM website on the Internet, http:/www.ibm.com Newspaper articles and CD ROM Combined Word Count: 2500 words

Outline And Evaluate The Working Model Of Memory

Baddeley and Hitch proposed that memory has 4 components. The central executive, phonological loop, visuospatial sketchpad and the episodic buffer. The central executive decides how to share out and direct attention to incoming information. The phonological loop can be thought of as a maintenance rehearsal mechanism for retaining verbal information. It is sub-divided into two other components, the phonological store (inner ear), which holds acoustically coded information, and the articulatory process (inner voice), which allows for sub vocal rehearsal (words you are about to say).Furthermore, the visuospatial sketchpad (inner eye) is responsible for storing visual and spatial information. In other words, it codes information in images and can create and manipulate visual and spatial images. Finally, the episodic buffer. This component takes information from different sources and integrates them together. For example, Baddeley suggested if we imagine an elephant playing ice hockey, we have to draw out images stored in long term memory and combine them into a moving image.The working memory model is good and is an improvement over the multi-store model. It demonstrates how the short term memory works because it explains how we can store information briefly and simultaneously manipulate it, for example, mental arithmetic. This shows that the model has face validity, which means that the test appears to measure what it is intended to. There is evidence to prove the existence of the phonological loop.Baddeley thought that because longer chunks of information take longer to say, this may affect how much the short term memory can hold, rather than the capacity. This is known as the word length effect and it supports the existence of a phonological loop. However, there are also arguments to suggest weaknesses of the working memory model. The main limitation is the lack of clarity about the central executive. A psychologist argued that the central executive may be more than just one system, possibly consisting of more than one component.This could make the working memory model appear reductionist because it has only been described as being unitary and over simplified. From this, it could be suggested that it is lacking in detail and is not fully reliable. Finally, much of the supporting evidence for this model was by one of the psychologists who proposed it (Baddeley). Here, assumptions could be made as to whether investigator effects play a part as Baddeley may want to prove his beliefs. This means that the supporting evidence many not always be fully reliable.

STANDARD OPERATING PROCEDURE - 5008 Words

AFVB-RFB-SOP 8 February 2014 MEMORANDUM FOR RECORD 1. PURPOSE This SOP defines how 3rd Platoon will conduct clearing, disassembling, cleaning, inspection for serviceability, and lubricating and reassembling of the M4 and/or the M4A1 carbine on a weekly basis. 2. APPLICABILITY: 3rd Platoon, C Co, 1-36th IN, 1ST SBCT, 1ST AD 3. REFERENCES: Lubricate order (LO); STP 21–1–SMCT; TM 9–1005–319–10; and DA Form 2404, Equipment Inspection and Maintenance Worksheet. 4. RESPONSIBILITIES: Squad Leaders are responsible for their squad’s serviceability of their M4/M4A1 carbine and the ability for their squad to pass inspection by the platoon†¦show more content†¦(7) Ensure that all new personnel have a DA Form 3749 (Equipment receipt) issued to them. (8) Maintain a current Master Authorization List (MAL). (9) Ensure that all cleaning/maintenance supplies are on hand or on order. (10) Coordinate with 1SG to schedule times to conduct weapons maintenance. (11) Ensure arms room is kept is clean of debris. (12) Perform operational tests on the JSIIDS every two weeks. (13) Maintain all required documentation pertaining to the arms room (access rosters, security construction statement, inventories, JSIIDS records, security checks, daily physical count of AAE, etc). 4. ACCESS CONTROL a. Unaccompanied access by enlisted personnel of the 568th Medical Company Arms Rooms will be limited to the least number of responsible persons designated by the commander. DA FM 7281-R must be used to conduct a local files check. These persons will be authorized unaccompanied access to the arms room only after they have undergone an interview with the unit commander, enlisted records, medical records, and a local file check conducted by the Provost Marshal. b. The access roster will be prepared on memorandum format listing the names and duty positions of personnel approved for unaccompanied access. The memorandum must be signed by the unit commander and stamped approval by the Provost Marshal Office, Physical Security. c. Any of theShow MoreRelatedQuality Improvement328284 Words   |  1314 Pagestremendous value. There are four chapters in Part IV that present more advanced SPC methods. Included are the cumulative sum and exponentially weighted moving average control charts (Chapter 9), several important univariate control charts such as procedures for short production runs, autocorrelated data, and multiple stream processes (Chapter 10), multivariate process monitoring and control (Chapter 11), and feedback adjustment techniques (Chapter 12). Some of this material is at a higher level thanRead More_x000C_Introduction to Statistics and Data Analysis355457 Words   |  1422 PagesInterval for a Population Proportion 515 Activity 9.3 Verifying Signatures on a Recall Petition 516 Activity 9.4 A Meaningful Paragraph 516 Graphing Calculator Explorations 521 10 Hypothesis Testing Using a Single Sample 10.1 Hypotheses and Test Procedures 526 10.2 Errors in Hypotheses Testing 531 525 10.3 Large-Sample Hypothesis Tests for a Population Proportion 537 10.4 Hypotheses Tests for a Population Mean 550 10.5 Power and Probability of Type II Error 562 10.6 Interpreting and CommunicatingRead MoreProject Managment Case Studies214937 Words   |  860 Pagesnew products1 services provided, and one for bringing on board new corporate clients. There were several similarities among the three models. However, personal interests dictated the need for three methodologies, all based upon rigid policies and procedures. After a year of using three models, the company recognized it had a problem deciding how to assign the right project manager to the right project. Project managers had to be familiar with all three methodologies. The alternative, considered Read MoreLibrary Management204752 Words   |  820 Pages261 Employee Benefits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 262 Conclusion . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 265 12—Other Issues in Human Resource Management . . . 267 Human Resources Policies and Procedures . . . . . . . . . 268 Career Development . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 269 Plateauing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 272 Mentoring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .