Comparing and Contrasting the Followership and Mentorship in Wall Street and The Matrix

Flood Range essays

Flood Range essays Over the last few weeks we have learned quite a bit about the land around us. Floods, landslides, why things are caused, and what we can do to prevent some potential hazards. Here I will attempt to compare two possible properties and why they are either a good or bad investment. Things such as their location, the land around them and what alterations may be needed will all help in my evaluation. The first location is called Spectacular River Views. Overall it sounds like a great place to live. It is close to downtown, has a secure neighborhood, and a good view of the Ohio River. Overall this sounds like a great place to live but because of its location there are certain downsides to it. With a little time and money though, this could be one of the best investments a person could make. First off is the price of the property. At $200,000 per 1/4 acre it is a little pricey only because of the great view and because it is so close to downtown. Second, this property is located on a hill, which makes it prone to landslides and erosion, and even though the river view is a plus it is very possible that a flood will occur. Dont get me wrong, these problems are huge, but with a little time and money these problems can either be slowed down or prevented in the future. Because it is located on the river and there is a potential hazard for a flood there is the option of build ing a retaining wall. This will allow the river to flood but protect your property and keep it from being submerged in water. Also because you are up on a hill, the retaining wall will not obstruct your view of the river and of downtown Cincinnati. Next, you must resolve your landslide problem. This can cause a lot of damage if a landslide does occur. The best option would be to plant trees all along the hillside to provide some support and strength. The trees roots will inter-wind with the soil making it stronger and less prone to a l ...

Argument of fact, the death penalty, is it more expensive than life in Essay

Argument of fact, the death penalty, is it more expensive than life in prison - Essay Example However, spending five million dollars from the pocket of the tax payer’s pocket for punishing a single criminal seems to be too much. Many Americans believe that even a small percentage of money spent for the execution of Bundy was enough for meeting the full expenses of keeping Bundy in jail for his entire life span. Taking the life of a criminal or giving capital punishment to a criminal is an easy act- just put the criminal in an electric chair for a while. However the lengthy criminal procedures till that period is the most expensive part of a capital punishment. Life is the most precious thing in this world and nobody, even the court, has the right to take it without adequate reasons. Under no circumstances, an innocent should be punished which is the core principle of criminal justice system. Under such circumstances double checking or triple checking is necessary before giving capital punishments to a criminal. The criminal can appeal against his punishment many times citing many reasons. All such appeals will result in the repetition of the court procedures many times. All these activities are highly expensive because of the expert services required for these procedures from professionals like, advocates, juries, investigating officers, forensic experts, witnesses etc. In this paper, I argue that death penalty is far more expensive compared to other means of punishments with the help of facts and figures. When initially looking at the costs involved in the actual execution of an inmate, the cost appears to be relatively cheap. In the state of Florida, an execution costs less than $1,000 dollars. So, why capital punishment cases are costing millions more than life in prison? The answer is simple; the actual execution of an inmate is quick and simple whereas the capital punishment system is far more complex. â€Å"The death penalty is much more expensive than life without parole because the Constitution requires a long and complex judicial proces s for capital cases† (The High Cost of Death Penalty). The very structure of capital cases is one reason why the cost greatly exceeds those of noncapital cases. In 1976 the U.S. Supreme Court approved the principles which, in its opinion, would make the death penalty constitutional. (The Supreme Court) specified that (1) the sentencing in such cases must be done in trials that are separate from the trials which determine guilt or innocence; ( 2) the sentencing hearing must examine both mitigating and aggravating factors, including pertinent features of the defendant's life and character as well as the conditions of the crime; and ( 3) each death sentence must be followed by an automatic right of appeal to the highest state court. Due to these U.S. Supreme Court mandates, capital cases will spend years, even decades in the courts and in appeals, all the while passing the bill on to the tax payers. If these sentences were commuted to life in prison without the possibility of par ole, these mandated additional trials and appeals would be eliminated, thus greatly lowering the burden to taxpayers. Before the finalizing of capital punishment, the criminal went through a series of expensive trial procedures to reconfirm the punishment. It includes complex and expensive appeal process, evidence gathering, investigations etc. Moreover, mandatory review of all the death sentences by the state supreme court is necessary. If the criminal

Response Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 5

Response - Assignment Example According to Savan, most of the Black English spoken today came about during the period of slavery where most African Americans were slaves to the whites. They used these words when peaking to themselves before their â€Å"Massa† so that he did not understand what they were talking about. These words were simply used by the blacks to communicate without angering their masters. The use of these words today is associated with marketing and commercials where whites are using them for their own benefit, with total disregard to the origin of these words. According to Sava, consumer media is exploiting black language for fame and profits. Therefore, paying the dues means appreciating the origin of these words, and the struggle the African Americans underwent in making these terms. In the text by Manuel Muà ±oz, the term ‘Anglicize’ is used to mean changing something from a certain language and making it sound or look ‘English.’ It refers to taking something from a different language and creating an English equivalent. This usually applies to names. In this text for instance, Muà ±oz says that the Anglicized pronunciation of the Mexican gate agent would not be unusual in California. This means that since California is in America where English is the first language, Anglicized pronunciations are usual because they sound English. In his essay, Muà ±oz uses the term Anglicize to refer to the changing of Spanish names into their English equivalents in order to fit into the American society. Therefore, Anglicization is a strategy many people use in order to feel included in the society. It is simply changing of names for purposes of fitting into the society so as to enjoy the privileges and opportunities offered by that society. From my personal experience, I have interacted with a number of friends from other countries who

Markting 3000 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Markting 3000 - Essay Example This paper analyses the different aspects of brand image on the development and implementation of a new product. Branding should be unique and attractive in order to catch the attraction of the customers. Logos or trademarks are important in developing a brand. Logos must reflect the theme of the product we are going to develop. It should not be confusing to the customers. It is not possible to convince the customers by selling high quality products for cheaper rates alone. Low prices, superior quality, great advertising, stunning packaging etc are part of brand development. All these things develop a psychological attraction among customers towards the brand, not the product. Market is overcrowded with millions of products of same and different natures which made the customer’s task more difficult in selecting a suitable product for them. In such circumstances they will put their trust on brands rather than the products. New product developers must keep all the above points in their mind when they planning to develop a product. New product development is a difficult and complex thing for entrepreneurs. The entrepreneur must research thoroughly in the market in order to realize the needs of the customers which were unmet by other suppliers in order to conceptualize the new product development process. In other words, realization of opportunity is the first step in the development of a new product. These opportunities must be analysed thoroughly in order to learn more about the possible success and failure factors of the new product which is going to be developed. If the entrepreneur was confident about the success of the product, then he can start the idea generation process. During this period, he must evaluate different ideas about the production, packaging delivery and marketing of the products which will help him to fix

Destination Management Report On Singapore

Destination Management Report On Singapore Travel and tourism attention has the heading upon all sides in many countries especially due to the capability to emanate over-abundance for the economy. The industry is counted as the single of the many critical apparatus of income as well as foreign exchange. Travel as well as Tourism commercial operation especially emphasizes to magnetize the foreigners. There have been countless examples of tourism destinations around the universe that have been adversely impacted upon by tourism development. Tourism formulation formed upon the philosophies of sustainability has emerged as the single of the many extensive as well as supposed approaches. However, the tolerable proceed to tourism formulation hinges upon dual pass caveats firstly an extended turn of mixed stakeholder appearance in the tourism formulation routine is compulsory as well as secondly, the need for the vital course towards tourism formulation (Simpson, 2001). While Ritchie and Crouch (2000) explain that more destinations have been taking advantage of vital perspectives towards tourism development, Simpson (2001: 4) finds that although the concepts of stakeholder appearance as well as vital course have been at large permitted as profitable contributors to tolerable development, there have been no prior attempts to sign the border to that such considerations play their role in genuine universal tourism formulation processes. The foremost impending of this investigate is quite straightforward, to coop down the tourism planning and policy of the tourist destination. The literature is mainly focused on branding, financial and product development policies of the selected destination. Destination can be basically described as a place in which tourism is comparatively dominant business and the main economic activity that contributes to the local and national governments. The concept of destination management as a matter of fact is therefore a complex one since a particular place regarded as a destination may be covering a wide area like a metropolis, a region, a whole state or sometimes an entire nation for example the Caribbean Island. Ritchi Crouch (2003) indicated that running and administering places frequented by tourists is a vital component of being in charge of the effects and damages brought about by tourism. For example in tourist destinations like sub- Saharan Africa where game watching is the prominent tourist attraction, administration of such places is of essence in order to retain the natural environment where game animals live and to discourage unsustainable human activities as much as possible. Destination management is composed of adjudication and allocation of available space, issuing trading licenses for tour operators and hotel owners, developing and implementing operational policies, safeguarding the parks or the museums, drafting government and local support programs and undertaking related relevant activities or interventions that will help in advancing progresses and day to day running of visitors destinations and associated events. Roland Buck (2008) Indicated that the presence of power and authority over these places as may be represented by the county councils or national governments, not for profit bodies, special interest groups, the experts and scholars on environment and the home business council form what is known to be destination management society. A group composed of tourist operators, logistic firms, lodge and bistros, sites, game parks, museums and others form a majority portion that makes a destination. Another issue that should be taken into account is the means through which the marketing would be done. Most destinations use the internet and television. The promotions about the forth coming world cup in South Africa may be a good case study. It must be noted that management of a single destination is different from anothers because the requirements, size and the location of the area it covers and the number of interested parties may differ. Marketing is a commerce term which refers to actions taken by a business in order to satisfy its customers on a continued basis and achieving the sales projections it set out. Marketing is a deliberate step of actions that are taken by businesses which sell its goods and services in a market where competitors are many. Customers would always want to choose the best commodities of those available in the market. To create leverage over the competitors and to attract as well maintain a desirable market share, firms must integrate marketing into their operations. Destination marketing can therefore be defined as a conscious effort by tourism management institutions to sell a certain tourist attraction place or activities to prospective tourists, to meet their sales projections and maintain a sizable percentage of market share compared to other destinations. Several factors are considered when marketing a destination. For example, the target tourists must be identified, their needs taken into account, the competitors must be known, determining the fees and prices paid and so on. Pike (2004) indicated that several interest groups as well as governments, who depend on a given destination, are necessary for them to come together for the purpose of marketing it. They could achieve this by agreeing on standardizing the services they offer, contributing money for joint advertisements and improving the tourism facilities in and around the destination. However there is a concern by observers that these several parties have divergent interest in the sense that they collude to market the destination they operate from while also competing amongst themselves. A point that should be taken into account is that businesses in a tourist destination are the major contributors to marketing efforts while the authorities are concerned about managing the destinations. Destination planning can be defined as premeditated efforts by tourism businesses and authorities to arrange and prepare a tourist attraction place or activities with the aim of realizing order and harmony in their operations. According to Clare Turgut (2006) without a plan, there would be evident disorganization with regard to service delivery. It evidently acknowledged all over the world that it is necessary to employ the use of better alternatives in setting up as well as improving the tourist attraction places. This takes two dimensions. One is of offering the tourists an excellent value for money in the services provided. The second dimension takes into account the effects of human activity on the environment. It also involves the development and improvement of communication and transport networks around and within the destination together with connecting this business to supplementary cost effective industries. Furthermore, there is an aspect of working with and integrating the neighbouring group of residents. This is because the destination might be their ancestral land and of economic value by virtue of them working and living there. Adequate planning also checks unrestrained or illegal tourism. Singapore as a tourist destination Singapore is an international tourist destination with excellent basic and general infrastructure, a great range of activities, events and entertainment. It is regarded as a destination of family oriented, safe, modern, shopping paradise, plenty of sun and good food. It also features one of the most efficient airports in the world and a national airline with strong reputation for reliability and service (Wan T.W.D. Hui T.K. 2003). Singapore has a great potential to attract tourist, as it is a stopover for many other countries and considered as a tourist hub. The country has been ranked 5th in global competitiveness in 2009 by world economic forum, which reveals its management and marketing efficiency. Even though the country doesnt have an exclusive ministry for tourism, the political will and support for tourism industry is great. Singapore experienced visitor arrivals of 10.1 million and tourism receipts of 15.2 billion in 2008 and the government is targeting triple tourism receipts by 2015. Singapore tourism board Singapore tourism board is the supreme destination management organisation (DMO) for tourism in Singapore which have four divisions namely tourism marketing, corporate services, tourism business and regional marketing, under ministry of industry and trade. Apart from tourism promotion, STB also performs the role of economic development for tourism industry. The mission of STB is to ensure the position of tourism as a key economic pillar of the country through well thought out strategy in collaboration with public and private sector stakeholders. STB also strives for exciting and innovative experience for the visitors in close partnership with small and medium enterprises. The key focus areas of STB are enhancing position of Singapore as a leading convention and exhibition city in Asia, developing the country as a leading Asian leisure destination and establishing Singapore as service centre of Asia. According to the Singapore tourism board act, the functions of the management include: Promotion and development of Singapore as a tourist destination Advice the government on matters regarding tourism Maximise the contribution of tourism sector to the national economy. Regulation functions of tourism enterprises Develop new tourism products Develop destination marketing campaigns Encourage investments in tourism infrastructure Tourism policies DMO of Singapore is well aware of the total system definition of the country as a tourist destination since its independence, which is evident from well defined, efficient and dynamic tourism policies. The management of tourism in Singapore has undergone assorted changes over decades and the current tourism strategies are based on three focuses; elevating its position as leading exhibition and convention city in Asia with strong and dynamic business environment, leading Asian leisure destination, and the service centre of Asia. The embracing cause of opposite policies as good as strategies directed during compelling and championing tourism in Singapore has been theme to socio mercantile changes upon an internal as well as tellurian fronts. A deeper bargain of issues regarding tourism growth in Singapore necessitates an examination of a behind belligerent of these hurdles as they describe to sold amicable mercantile as good as domestic conditions of Singapore. Singapore tourism board has sought to be variable to changes in a wider socio mercantile environment. Tourism policies as well as strategies have to illustrate mostly corresponded to tellurian forces conversion trends in tourism as well as mercantile growth and responded to internal factors such as becoming different amicable conditions in a city state. Branding marketing strategy The dramatic improvement in Singapores technology has lead to a shift in its brand strategy where it was initially known as instant Asia since its independence in 1965. After a period of time, Singapore tourism board has deployed the brand Uniquely Singapore (government of Singapore 2006) to showcase the identity of the country, which has now evolved as yoursingapore. Different ministries and statutory bodies of Singapore are marketing the country with different brands using different images. For this reason, Singapore has an umbrella positioning exercise in place to coordinate the efforts of different agencies and statutory bodies. STB has derived well thought out strategies to communicate the brand image to all domestic and overseas stakeholders and of course the potential travellers. Singapore has recognised the potential value of the brands and has well addressed the matter by employing professional marketing methods and strategies. It also realises the potential of mega events in promoting the brand and is doing the best to attract such events to the country in conjunction with the government (for example, formulae one race and youth Olympics). Initiatives have also been taken to boost up the brand image through media and technology which could bring about a great positive impact to the countrys reputation. STB communicates the brand yoursingapore through its 18 overseas offices and various media like advertising, photography, brochures, online initiatives and also the film industry (film in Singapore scheme). The website www.yoursingapore.com delivers a new experience that no other tourism destinations are currently offering. STB gives equal importance to brand awareness by travellers as well as residents and several initiatives has been taken in macro and micro level to address this. It also claims that the brand is globally well known which is apparent from awareness and recall among the target markets. A few surveys have ranked Singapores brand among the top in terms of all roundedness, consistency, economic environment and supremacy. STB is also striving to associate the brand with positive aspects like place of opportunity, creativity, research and development. Since the size of the country is smaller, its comparatively easy for STB to represent the country in a holistic way without a dilemma of which one to focus on. Singapore sees branding as a platform for marketing, advertising and public relations efforts of the country. Realising the fact that Singapore is already advanced in landscape and technology, the marketing focus has shifted from hard aspects to soft aspects like lifestyle, visitor experience and innovative tourism products and services. This is evident from a number of new tourism developmental strategies implemented to achieve the vision of tourism sector to be a leading economic development agency in tourism, known for partnership, innovation and excellence. The above said strategies include promotion and encouragement of diversity, experimentation, innovation, high level of customer service, IT oriented business frame, strategic alliance and so on which underpins the destination vision. The country is well addressing the issue of transforming the old mindset of international audience and market the current reality as a dynamic and culturally vivacious city. Singapore is also an example of glocalisation (Foley M. et.al 2006) by increasingly differentiating visitors, by invention of consumer traditions in terms of marketing. Product / Facility development strategy With the image of a high tech city, tourism products and services of Singapore has always been revolving around technology, regardless of the fact that the adoption of technology in tourism sector is comparatively low. The product and service development in tourism, hospitality and retail sector is being differentiated with the 10 year master plan of technology namely intelligent nation 2015 (iN2015). iN2015 is a master strategy to maximise the use of technology in all economic sectors including tourism across Singapore. iWealth is another management policy under iN2015, seeks to strengthen Singapore as a wealth management centre. It also promote investments and product development to enable better risk management and timely market of innovative products and services. With a clear pragmatic vision of tourism and hospitality industry, the strategies are concentrated on three main areas. In the first strategy, the outlook has gone beyond visitor experience to superior visitor experience with seamless and personalised service. The two programmes under this strategy are digital concierge and speedy registration for visitors. The second strategy focuses on improving industry efficiency by adopting more technology and supply chain integration, where as the third policy ponder on evolution of new ideas utilising technology in the tourism industry. The funding for instigating technology in tourism is well taken care by the government with a scheme called tourism technology fund of S$10 million, which is a catalyst for iN2015 to transform the tourism industry and sustain long term. In addition, STB is also looking forward for huge projects like worlds best shopping complex in orchard road and iconic resorts to improve tourism attractions. Financial policy The tourism industry in Singapore has got a great level of political will and support which consequently lead to sound economic policies for developing and sustaining tourism growth. Tourism industry in Singapore is funded 100% through STB, by the government, from hotel room night taxes, (SRI international 1999) which is 4.6% of the total government expenditure. Apart from this STB also receives funds from private sector for joint ventures. STB is a spearhead for tourism development in close collaboration with public and private sectors to adapt a comprehensive and holistic approach to build a strong economic policy to derive greater economic growth. The abolition of its long standing prohibition of gambling and casinos by the government resulted in huge increase in visitor arrivals and subsequently larger economic growth. As such, liberalisation and long-short term incentives in the transport industry have lead Singapore to emerge as a marine and aviation hub in Asia. STB in association with the government has come up with various economic policies to assist areas like investment promotion, product and industry development, financial grants and tax incentives to further develop Singapore as a tourist destination and sustain the economic growth. The economic policies are as follows; Tourism development assistance scheme (TDAS) to accelerate the pace of tourism development in Singapore. Double tax deduction for inbound tourism promotion and local trade exhibitions to encourage private sector to market Singapore in local and overseas trade fairs and exhibitions. Investment allowance scheme for flagship concepts to promote investments in small and medium enterprises and entertainment. Concessionary tax rate for mega events to attract event organisers to stage Singapore for mega events. Film in Singapore scheme (FSS) to encourage and attract film makers to shoot in Singapore (Consider the positive image created for Newzealand through the film lord of the rings). BE in Singapore incentive scheme to promote and expand business events in Singapore. Assessment of strategies Branding positioning The branding strategy of Singapore largely influences the way they want their target market and the tourism industry as a whole to view the country in terms of tourist attractions just as the way it should be according to Ritchie and Crouch (2003). YourSingapore differentiates Singapores worth tender from which of competitors; ensuring Singapore stays applicable as well as constrained to todays travellers, as code equity as well as code recall impact visitor arrivals as well as tourism receipts. YourSingapore is an innovative judgment which focuses upon personalisation as well as an aberration of Singapore and knowledge to any visitor. It uses a smart platform, www.yoursingapore.com, to simply capacitate travellers to renovate their preferred Singapore experience into reality. Yoursingapores digital approach in branding/positioning, blogging, social media monitoring, and travel e-commerce can aggressively enhance pre-experience selection, such as identification, differentiation, anti cipation, expectation and re assurance, while promising truth in the advertising policy as Crouch and Ritchie recommends. Consolidation and reinforcement of post -experience recollection is also successfully accomplished by the brand image of Singapore with its efficient communication network. The idea of brand umbrella also helps STB to consolidate the efforts of different agencies in Singapore to market it and at the same time coordinating and enhancing the status of the whole community. While the brand images position the destination among the target markets, the policy of changing the brand names by Singapore from instant Asia to Uniquely Singapore and further to yoursingapore is to be scanned for what impacts it brings about in the mind of tourists around the globe. STBs Assistant chief executive of marketing Ken Low justifies the policy that a brands life span is not more than seven years. But it should be considered that many other brand campaigns have been in action for decades and still efficient. Product / Facility development This stage of planning phase of singapore could be considered as efficient and effective as they are well directed towards two themes out of three, prescribed by Crouch Ritchie such as facility planning for competent destination, new and innovative event development for tourism attractions enhancement. However, strategies for expanding and strengthening STB through memberships are not detectable in the tourism policy context of Singapore. It can be seen that the nature of Singapore tourism policies is governing the tourism sector solely by public sector with limited private sector participation, which is indeed competent. iN2015 would be a great advantage for tourism products and service development in Singapore considering the current unprofessional operations in a major part of food and retail sector which often results in creating undesired visitor interpretations. The project is expected to provide the individual tourists with satisfying and challenging experiences to a great extend. Financial resource strategy The rapid growth of industries reveals the efficiency of economic policies of Singapore ever since it is independent and when it comes to the new era policies for tourism economy, the constant increase in tourism receipts which reached S$15 billion in 2008 divulges its effectiveness. As recommended by Ritchie and crouch (2003) and Tourism Working Group, aggressive strategies are developed to attract global players for investment promotion, thus raising more capital through taxes from private sector for tourism growth. Investment allowance scheme, BE in Singapore scheme, and concessionary tax rates along with free trade policy are a few examples of these policies. These are key financial policies to increase tax returns with other supplementing strategies, considering that tourism industry in Singapore is 100% funded by the government through taxes from the tourism business itself. There are no visible policies of raising debt and equity capital or direct funding from private sector w hich is not much necessary for Singapore with greater business investments from foreign and private sector. Apart from public funding, STB also aims to encourage investments from private sector for infrastructure development and joint tourism promotional campaigns. In contrast, Singapore has a mix of well defined public and private sector funding policies, which is an ideal model of financial resource policy. The cost effectiveness of policies like tax deduction and non tax incentives on offer is, however, open to question. Conclusion From the analysis and assessment, it is evident that Singapore has a proactive approach which tries to achieve a vivacious tourism destination through forward planning, timely interventions, policy and infrastructural development. Whereas, the positive outcomes of destination development may be attributed to integration, flexibility and strong aspiration of the policy and strategy. The involvement of the government in tourism has been positive and likely to be continued so. Most policies of STB and government seem to serve the tourism practitioners better, rather than policy makers. This is a key component of policies in order to encourage practitioners to implement theoretical policies into practice. Success of Singapore as a sustainable and competent tourism destination depends mostly upon the effectiveness and efficiency of policy and planning, as far as Singapore tourism board is examined. The balanced brand strategy of Singapore positions itself in its niche markets, whereas, marketing, product development and financial policies acts as a catalyst to boost up tourism receipts at the same time, sustainably competing in the international tourism market.

Culture and Migration: Visiting a Curandera :: Latino Doctor Immigration Globalization Essays

Culture and Migration: Visiting a Curandera If a person had never experienced it before it would probably be strange but through stories and personal experiences the setting was familiar and inviting. Curanderas are almost the equivalent of over-the-counter medicine for Latinos, not really, but close. If there is a symptom it is easier, faster and more comforting to visit the local curandera than it is to visit a doctor. Doctors require tests and until they are certain of the illness, their remedy is Tylenol. Typically, curanderas treat individuals in rooms inside their homes. The curandera we interviewed, Rosa heals in her home and has a small porch that serves as the waiting room which people are lucky if they find a seat because usually curanderas have many patients that are waiting to be cured. As the door opens you can feel your eyes adjust to the dim light within the narrow stretch of porch but once focused it is evident that standing is not an option because there are at least twelve other people waiting for â€Å"la mano santa† roughly translated means the curanderas heavenly touch. Sitting there it is difficult not to listen in on the many conversations that people are engaging in, while waiting. So many different voices all whispering because in the next room everyone knows that the curandera is healing; using her spiritual tools (prayer) to cure. Two women sitting to the right of us were having a detailed conversation about their reasons for coming to the curandera. The younger women with skin the color of â€Å"canela† (cinnamon) as is typical among Latinas was sharing her story with an elderly women that seemed to be in her early sixties, she had so many laugh wrinkles around her eyes and mouth that it was easy to diverge into another train of thought about the type of life that the old women might have lead. The younger girl was telling the older women that she works at the United Postal Service (U.P.S.) unloading boxes from the back of semi-trucks. This is where she was injured, in an attempt to pick a box she hurt her shoulder. The elderly wom an asked her a series of questions such as why she worked at a place that seemed so labor intensive and if see complained to her supervisor. What was

Answers to Questions About Islam

ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 1 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik INTRODUCTION Da’wah is a duty Most Muslims know that Islam is a universal religion, meant for all mankind. Allah (swt) is the Lord of the entire Universe, and Muslims have been entrusted with the duty of conveying His message to all mankind.Alas, most Muslims today have become callous towards this duty! While accepting Islam as the best way of life for ourselves, most of us are unwilling to share this knowledge with those to whom the message has not yet been conveyed. The Arabic word Da’wah means a call or an invitation. In Islamic context, it means to strive for the propagation of Islam. The Glo rious Qur’an says: â€Å"Ah! Who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah? But Allah is not unmindful of what ye do! † [Al-Qur’an 2:140] Twenty Most Common Questions In order to convey the message of Islam, dialogue and debate become inevitable.The Glorious Qur’an says: â€Å"Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord, with wisdom and beautiful preaching, and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious! † [Al-Qur’an 16:125] In conveying the message of Islam to a non-Muslim, it is usually not sufficient to highlight only the positive nature of Islam. Most non-Muslims are not convinced about the truth of Islam because there are a few questions about Islam at the back of their minds that remain unanswered. They may agree with your contentions about the positive nature of Islam. But, in the same breath, they will say – â€Å"Ah! But you are the same Muslims who marry more than one woman.You are the sa me people who subjugate women by keeping them behind the veil. You are fundamentalists, etc. † I personally prefer asking the non-Muslims upfront, with their limited knowledge, whether right or wrong, from whichever source it may be, what they feel is wrong in Islam. I encourage them to be very frank and open and convince them that I can take criticism about Islam. In the past few years of my Da’wah experience, I have realized that there are barely twenty most common questions that a common non-Muslim has regarding Islam. Whenever you ask a non-Muslim, â€Å"what do you feel is wrong in Islam? , he poses five or six questions, and these questions invariably fall among the twenty most common questions. Logical replies can convince the majority The twenty most common questions about Islam can be answered with reason and logic. A majority of non-Muslims can be convinced with these answers. If a Muslim memorizes or simply remembers these answers, Inshallah he will be succe ssful, if not in convincing non-Muslims about the complete truth of Islam, 2 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr.Zakir Abdul Karim Naik then at least in removing misconceptions about Islam and neutralizing the negative thinking about Islam and Muslims that the non-Muslims have. A very few non-Muslims may have counter arguments to these replies, for which further information may be required. Misconceptions due to media The common misconceptions about Islam arise in the minds of a majority of non-Muslims, because they are constantly being bombarded with misinformation about Islam. International media is mainly controlled by the western world, whether it is international satellite channels, radio stations, news papers, magazines or books.Recently the Internet has become a powerful medium of information. Though it is not controlled b y anybody, one finds a large amount of virulent propaganda about Islam on the Internet. Of course, Muslims too are utilizing this tool to portray the right image of Islam and Muslims, but they are far behind as compared to the propaganda against Islam. I hope the efforts by the Muslims will increase and continue to be pursued. Misconceptions change with time The most common questions about Islam are different in different periods and eras. This set of twenty most common questions is based on present times.Decades earlier, the set of questions was different and decades later too, the set of questions may change depending upon how Islam is projected by the media. Misconceptions are the same throughout the world I have interacted with people in different parts of the world and have found these twenty most common questions about Islam to be the same everywhere. There may be a couple of additional questions depending upon the locale, the surrounding or culture. For instance in America, t he additional common question is – â€Å"Why does Islam prohibit taking and giving of interest? I have included among these twenty most common questions, certain questions more common among the Indian non-Muslims. For instance, â€Å"why do Muslims have non-vegetarian food? † The reason for including such questions is that people of Indian origin are spread throughout the world and constitute about 20% i. e. 1/5th of the world population. Thus, their questions become common questions asked by non-Muslims throughout the world. Misconceptions of non-Muslims who have studied Islam There are many non-Muslims who have studied Islam. Most of them have only read books on Islam written by biased critics of Islam.These non-Muslims have an additional set of twenty common misconceptions about Islam. For instance, they claim to have found contradictions in the Qur’an, they contend that the Qur’an is unscientific, etc. There is another set of additional replies clear ing these twenty misconceptions among non-Muslims who have studied Islam from distorted sources. I have also given the replies to twenty additional less common questions among the non-Muslims in my public talks and book on â€Å"Answers to Common Questions about Islam by Non-Muslims who have some knowledge about Islam†. * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 1. POLYGAMY Question: Why is a man allowed to have more than one wife in Islam? i. e. why is polygamy allowed in Islam? Answer: 1. Definition of Polygamy Polygamy means a system of marriage whereby one person has more than one spouse. Polygamy can be of two types. One is polygyny where a man marries more than one woman, and the other is polyandry, where a woman marries more than one man.In Islam, limited polygyny is permitted; whereas polyandry is completely prohibited. Now coming to the original question, why is a man allowed to have more than one wife? 2. The Qur’an is the only religious scripture in the world that says, â€Å"marry only one†. The Qur’an is the only religious book, on the face of this earth, that contains the phrase ‘marry only one’. There is no other religious book that instructs men to have only one wife. In none of the other religious scriptures, whether it be the Vedas, the Ramayan, the Mahabharat, the Geeta, the Talmud or the Bible does one find a restriction on the number of wives.According to these scriptures one can marry as many as one wishes. It was only later, that the Hindu priests and the Christian Church restricted the number of wives to one. Many Hindu religious personalities, according to their scriptures, had multiple wives. King Dashrat, the father of Rama, had more than one wife. Krishna had several wives. In earlier times, Christian men were permitted as many wives as they wished, since the Bible puts no restriction on the number of wives. It was only a few centuries ago that the Church restricted the number of wives to one.Polygyny is permitted in Judaism. According to Talmudic law, Abraham had three wives, and Solomon had hundreds of wives. The practice of polygyny continued till Rabbi Gershom ben Yehudah (960 C. E to 1030 C. E) issued an edict against it. The Jewish Sephardic communities living in Muslim countries continued the practice till as late as 1950, until an Act of the Chief Rabbinate of Israel extended the ban on marrying more than one wife. (*Interesting Note:- As per the 1975 census of India Hindus are more polygynous than Muslims.The report of the ‘Committee of The Status of Woman in Islam’, published in 1975 mentions on page numbers 66 and 67 that the percentage of polygamous marriages between the years 1951 and 1961 4 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spr eading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik was 5. 06% among the Hindus and only 4. 31% among the Muslims. According to Indian law only Muslim men are permitted to have more than one wife. It is illegal for any non-Muslim in India to have more than one wife. Despite it eing illegal, Hindus have more multiple wives as compared to Muslims. Earlier, there was no restriction even on Hindu men with respect to the number of wives allowed. It was only in 1954, when the Hindu Marriage Act was passed that it became illegal for a Hindu to have more than one wife. At present it is the Indian Law that restricts a Hindu man from having more than one wife and not the Hindu scriptures. ) Let us now analyse why Islam allows a man to have more than one wife. 3. Qur’an permits limited polygyny As I mentioned earlier, Qur’an is the only religious book on the face of the earth that says ‘marry on ly one’.The context of this phrase is the following verse from Surah Nisa of the Glorious Qur’an: â€Å"Marry women of your choice, two, or three, or four; but if ye fear that ye shall not be able to deal justly (with them), then only one. † [Al-Qur’an 4:3] Before the Qur’an was revealed, there was no upper limit for polygyny and many men had scores of wives, some even hundreds. Islam put an upper limit of four wives. Islam gives a man permission to marry two, three or four women, only on the condition that he deals justly with them. In the same chapter i. e.Surah Nisa verse 129 says: â€Å"Ye are never able to be fair and just as between women†¦. † [Al-Qur’an 4:129] Therefore polygyny is not a rule but an exception. Many people are under the misconception that it is compulsory for a Muslim man to have more than one wife. Broadly, Islam has five categories of Do’s and Don’ts: (i) ‘Fard’ i. e. compulsory or obligatory (ii) ‘Mustahab’ i. e. recommended or encouraged (iii) ‘Mubah’ i. e. permissible or allowed (iv) ‘Makruh’ i. e. not recommended or discouraged (v) ‘Haraam’ i. e. prohibited or forbidden Polygyny falls in the middle category of things that are permissible.It cannot be said that a Muslim who has two, three or four wives is a better Muslim as compared to a Muslim who has only one wife. 5 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 4. Average life span of females is more than that of males By nature males and females are born in approximately the same ratio. A female child has more immunity than a male child. A female child can fight the germs and diseases better than the male child.For this reason, during the pediatric age itself there are more deaths among males as compared to the females. During wars, there are more men killed as compared to women. More men die due to accidents and diseases than women. The average life span of females is more than that of males, and at any given time one finds more widows in the world than widowers. 5. India has more male population than female due to female foeticide and infanticide India is one of the few countries, along with the other neighbouring countries, in which the female population is less than the male population.The reason lies in the high rate of female infanticide in India, and the fact that more than one million female foetuses are aborted every year in this country, after they are identified as females. If this evil practice is stopped, then India too will have more females as compared to males. 6. World female population is more than male population In the USA, women outnumber men by 7. 8 million. New York alone has one million more females as compared to the number of males, and of the male population of New York one-third are gays i. e sodomites. The U. S. A as a whole has more than twenty-five million gays.This means that these people do not wish to marry women. Great Britain has four million more females as compared to males. Germany has five million more females as compared to males. Russia has nine million more females than males. God alone knows how many million more females there are in the whole world as compared to males. 7. Restricting each and every man to have only one wife is not practical Even if every man got married to one woman, there would still be more than thirty million females in U. S. A who would not be able to get husbands (considering that America has twenty five million gays).There would be more than four million females in Great Britain, 5 million females in Germany and nine million females in Russia alone who would not be able to find a husband. Suppose my sister happens to be one of the unmarried women living in USA, or supp ose your sister happens to be one of the unmarried women in USA. The only two options remaining for her are that she either marries a man who already has a wife or becomes ‘public property'. There is no other option. All those who are modest will opt for the first. 6 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. rf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik Most women would nto like to share their husband with other women. But in Islam when the situation deems it really neccessary Muslim women in due faith could bear a small personal loss to prevent a greater loss of letting other Muslim sisters becoming ‘public properties'. 8. Marring a married man preferable to becoming ‘public property' In Western society, it is common for a man to have mistresses and/or multiple extra-marital affairs, in which case, the woman leads a disgraceful, unprotecte d life.The same society, however, cannot accept a man having more than one wife, in which women retain their honourable, dignified position in society and lead a protected life. Thus the only two options before a woman who cannot find a husband is to marry a married man or to become ‘public property'. Islam prefers giving women the honourable position by permitting the first option and disallowing the second. There are several other reasons, why Islam has permitted limited polygyny, but it is mainly to protect the modesty of women. 2. POLYANDRY Question:If a man is allowed to have more than one wife, then why does Islam prohibit a woman from having more than one husband? Answer: A lot of people, including some Muslims, question the logic of allowing Muslim men to have more than one spouse while denying the same ‘right’ to women. Let me first state emphatically, that the foundation of an Islamic society is justice and equity. Allah has created men and women as equa l, but with different capabilities and different responsibilities. Men and women are different, physiologically and psychologically. Their roles and responsibilities are different.Men and women are equal in Islam, but not identical. Surah Nisa’ Chapter 4 verses 22 to 24 gives the list of women with whom Muslim men can not marry. It is further mentioned in Surah Nisa’ Chapter 4 verse 24 â€Å"Also (prohibited are) women already married† 7 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik The following points enumerate the reasons why polyandry is prohibited in Islam: 1.If a man has more than one wife, the parents of the children born of such marriages can easily be identified. The father as well as the mother can easily be identified. In case of a woman marrying more than one husband, only the mother of the children born of such marriages will be identified and not the father. Islam gives tremendous importance to the identification of both parents, mother and father. Psychologists tell us that children who do not know their parents, especially their father undergo severe mental trauma and disturbances. Often they have an unhappy childhood.It is for this reason that the children of prostitutes do not have a healthy childhood. If a child born of such wedlock is admitted in school, and when the mother is asked the name of the father, she would have to give two or more names! I am aware that recent advances in science have made it possible for both the mother and father to be identified with the help of genetic testing. Thus this point which was applicable for the past may not be applicable for the present. 2. Man is more polygamous by nature as compared to a woman. 3. Biologically, it is easier for a man to perform his duties as a husband despite having several wives.A woman, in a similar position, having several husbands, will not find it possible to perform her duties as a wife. A woman undergoes several psychological and behavioral changes due to different phases of the menstrual cycle. 4. A woman who has more than one husband will have several sexual partners at the same time and has a high chance of acquiring venereal or sexually transmitted diseases which can also be transmitted back to her husband even if all of them have no extra-marital sex. This is not the case in a man having more than one wife, and none of them having extra-marital sex. The above reasons are those that one can easily identify.There are probably many more reasons why Allah, in His Infinite Wisdom, has prohibited polyandry. 8 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 3. HIJAB FOR WOMEN Question: Why does Islam degrade women by keeping them behind the veil? Answer: The status of women in Islam is often the target of attacks in the secular media. The ‘hijab’ or the Islamic dress is cited by many as an example of the ‘subjugation’ of women under Islamic law.Before we analyze the reasoning behind the religiously mandated ‘hijab’, let us first study the status of women in societies before the advent of Islam 1. In the past women were degraded and used as objects of lust The following examples from history amply illustrate the fact that the status of women in earlier civilizations was very low to the extent that they were denied basic human dignity: a. Babylonian Civilization: The women were degraded and were denied all rights under the Babylonian law. If a man murdered a woman, instead of him being punished, his wife was put to death. b.Greek Civilization: Greek Civilization is considered the most glorious of all ancient civilizations. Under this very â⠂¬Ëœglorious’ system, women were deprived of all rights and were looked down upon. In Greek mythology, an ‘imaginary woman’ called ‘Pandora’ is the root cause of misfortune of human beings. The Greeks considered women to be subhuman and inferior to men. Though chastity of women was precious, and women were held in high esteem, the Greeks were later overwhelmed by ego and sexual perversions. Prostitution became a regular practice amongst all classes of Greek society. c.Roman Civilization: When Roman Civilization was at the zenith of its ‘glory’, a man even had the right to take the life of his wife. Prostitution and nudity were common amongst the Romans. d. Egyptian Civilization: The Egyptian considered women evil and as a sign of a devil. e. Pre-Islamic Arabia: Before Islam spread in Arabia, the Arabs looked down upon women and very often when a female child was born, she was buried alive. 9 * For more Queries contact: [email  protecte d] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik . Islam uplifted women and gave them equality and expects them to maintain their status. Islam uplifted the status of women and granted them their just rights 1400 years ago. Islam expects women to maintain their status. Hijab for men People usually only discuss ‘hijab’ in the context of women. However, in the Glorious Qur’an, Allah (swt) first mentions ‘hijab’ for men before ‘hijab’ for the women. The Qur’an mentions in Surah Noor: â€Å"Say to the believing men that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty: that will make for greater purity for them: and Allah is well acquainted with all that they do. [Al-Qur’an 24:30] The moment a man looks at a woman and if any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he should lower his gaze. Hijab f or women. The next verse of Surah Noor, says: â€Å" And say to the believing women that they should lower their gaze and guard their modesty; that they should not display their beauty and ornaments except what (must ordinarily) appear thereof; that they should draw veils over their bosoms and not display their beauty except to their husbands, their fathers, their husbands’ fathers, their sons†¦ † [Al-Qur’an 24:31] 3. Six criteria for Hijab.According to Qur’an and Sunnah there are basically six criteria for observing hijab: 1. Extent: The first criterion is the extent of the body that should be covered. This is different for men and women. The extent of covering obligatory on the male is to cover the body at least from the navel to the knees. For women, the extent of covering obligatory is to cover the complete body except the face and the hands upto the wrist. If they wish to, they can cover even these parts of the body. Some scholars of Islam insis t that the face and the hands are part of the obligatory extent of ‘hijab’.All the remaining five criteria are the same for men and women. 10 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 2. The clothes worn should be loose and should not reveal the figure. 3. The clothes worn should not be transparent such that one can see through them. 4. The clothes worn should not be so glamorous as to attract the opposite sex. 5. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the opposite sex. 6. The clothes worn should not resemble that of the unbelievers i. . they should not wear clothes that are specifically identities or symbols of the unbelievers’ religions. 4. Hijab includes conduct and behaviour among other things Complete ‘hijab’, besides the six criteria of clothing, also includes the mor al conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the criteria of ‘hijab’ of the clothes is observing ‘hijab’ in a limited sense. ‘Hijab’ of the clothes should be accompanied by ‘hijab’ of the eyes, ‘hijab’ of the heart, ‘hijab’ of thought and ‘hijab’ of intention. It also includes the way a person walks, the way a person talks, the way he behaves, etc. . Hijab prevents molestation The reason why Hijab is prescribed for women is mentioned in the Qur’an in the following verses of Surah Al-Ahzab: â€Å"O Prophet! Tell thy wives and daughters, and the believing women that they should cast their outer garments over their persons (when abroad); that is most convenient, that they should be known (as such) and not molested. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful. † [Al-Qur’an 33:59] The Qur’an says that Hijab has been prescribed f or the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from being molested. . Example of twin sisters Suppose two sisters who are twins, and who are equally beautiful, walk down the street. One of them is attired in the Islamic hijab i. e. the complete body is covered, except for the face and the hands up to the wrists. The other sister is wearing western clothes, a mini skirt or shorts. Just around the corner there is a hooligan or ruffian who is waiting for a catch, to tease a girl. Whom will he tease? The girl wearing the Islamic Hijab or the girl wearing the skirt or the mini? Naturally he will tease the girl wearing the skirt or the mini.Such dresses are an indirect invitation to the opposite sex for teasing and molestation. The Qur’an rightly says that hijab prevents women from being molested. 11 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSL IMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 7. Capital punishment for the rapists Under the Islamic shariah, a man convicted of having raped a woman, is given capital punishment. Many are astonished at this ‘harsh’ sentence. Some even say that Islam is a ruthless, barbaric religion!I have asked a simple question to hundreds of non-Muslim men. Suppose, God forbid, someone rapes your wife, your mother or your sister. You are made the judge and the rapist is brought in front of you. What punishment would you give him? All of them said they would put him to death. Some went to the extent of saying they would torture him to death. To them I ask, if someone rapes your wife or your mother you want to put him to death. But if the same crime is committed on somebody else’s wife or daughter you say capital punishment is barbaric. Why should there be double standards? 8.Western society falsely claims to have uplifted women Western talk of women ’s liberalization is nothing but a disguised form of exploitation of her body, degradation of her soul, and deprivation of her honour. Western society claims to have ‘uplifted’ women. On the contrary it has actually degraded them to the status of concubines, mistresses and society butterflies who are mere tools in the hands of pleasure seekers and sex marketeers, hidden behind the colourful screen of ‘art’ and ‘culture’. 9. USA has one of the highest rates of rape United States of America is supposed to be one of the most advanced countries of the world.It also has one of the highest rates of rape in any country in the world. According to a FBI report, in the year 1990, every day on an average 1756 cases of rape were committed in U. S. A alone. Later another report said that on an average everyday 1900 cases of rapes are committed in USA. The year was not mentioned. May be it was 1992 or 1993. May be the Americans got ‘bolderâ€⠄¢ in the following years. Consider a scenario where the Islamic hijab is followed in America. Whenever a man looks at a woman and any brazen or unashamed thought comes to his mind, he lowers his gaze.Every woman wears the Islamic hijab, that is the complete body is covered except the face and the hands upto the wrist. After this if any man commits rape he is given capital punishment. I ask you, in such a scenario, will the rate of rape in America increase, will it remain the same, or will it decrease? 10. Implementation of Islamic Shariah will reduce the rate of rapes Naturally as soon as Islamic Shariah is implemented positive results will be inevitable. If Islamic Shariah is implemented in any part of the world, whether it is America or Europe, society will breathe easier.Hijab does not degrade a woman but uplifts a woman and protects her modesty and chastity. 12 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf . net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 4. WAS ISLAM SPREAD BY THE SWORD? Question: How can Islam be called the religion of peace when it was spread by the sword? Answer: It is a common complaint among some non-Muslims that Islam would not have millions of adherents all over the world, if it had not been spread by the use of force.The following points will make it clear, that far from being spread by the sword, it was the inherent force of truth, reason and logic that was responsible for the rapid spread of Islam. 1. Islam means peace. Islam comes from the root word ‘salaam’, which means peace. It also means submitting one’s will to Allah (swt). Thus Islam is a religion of peace, which is acquired by submitting one’s will to the will of the Supreme Creator, Allah (swt). 2. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. Each and every human being in this world is not in favour of maintaining peace and harmony.There are many, who would disrupt it for their own vested interests. Sometimes force has to be used to maintain peace. It is precisely for this reason that we have the police who use force against criminals and antisocial elements to maintain peace in the country. Islam promotes peace. At the same time, Islam exhorts it followers to fight where there is oppression. The fight against oppression may, at times, require the use of force. In Islam force can only be used to promote peace and justice. 3. Opinion of historian De Lacy O’Leary.The best reply to the misconception that Islam was spread by the sword is given by the noted historian De Lacy O’Leary in the book â€Å"Islam at the cross road† (Page 8): â€Å"History makes it clear however, that the legend of fanatical Muslims sweeping through the world and forcing Islam at the point of the sword upon conquered races is one of the most fantastically absurd myth that historians have ever repeated. â €  4. Muslims ruled Spain for 800 years. Muslims ruled Spain for about 800 years. The Muslims in Spain never used the sword to force the people to convert.Later the Christian Crusaders came to Spain and wiped out the Muslims. There was not a single Muslim in Spain who could openly give the adhan, that is the call for prayers. 13 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 5. 14 million Arabs are Coptic Christians. Muslims were the lords of Arabia for 1400 years. For a few years the British ruled, and for a few years the French ruled. Overall, the Muslims ruled Arabia for 1400 years.Yet today, there are 14 million Arabs who are Coptic Christians i. e. Christians since generations. If the Muslims had used the sword there would not have been a single Arab who would have remained a Christian. 6. More than 80% non-M uslims in India. The Muslims ruled India for about a thousand years. If they wanted, they had the power of converting each and every non-Muslim of India to Islam. Today more than 80% of the population of India are non-Muslims. All these nonMuslim Indians are bearing witness today that Islam was not spread by the sword. 7. Indonesia and Malaysia.Indonesia is a country that has the maximum number of Muslims in the world. The majority of people in Malaysia are Muslims. May one ask, â€Å"Which Muslim army went to Indonesia and Malaysia? † 8. East Coast of Africa. Similarly, Islam has spread rapidly on the East Coast of Africa. One may again ask, if Islam was spread by the sword, â€Å"Which Muslim army went to the East Coast of Africa? † 9. Thomas Carlyle. The famous historian, Thomas Carlyle, in his book â€Å"Heroes and Hero worship†, refers to this misconception about the spread of Islam: â€Å"The sword indeed, but where will you get your sword?Every new opini on, at its starting is precisely in a minority of one. In one man’s head alone. There it dwells as yet. One man alone of the whole world believes it, there is one man against all men. That he takes a sword and try to propagate with that, will do little for him. You must get your sword! On the whole, a thing will propagate itself as it can. † 10. No compulsion in religion. With which sword was Islam spread? Even if Muslims had it they could not use it to spread Islam because the Qur’an says in the following verse: â€Å"Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from error† [Al-Qur’an 2:256] 4 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 11. Sword of the Intellect. It is the sword of intellect. The sword that conquers the hearts and minds of people. The Qurâ€⠄¢an says in Surah Nahl, chapter 16 verse 125: â€Å"Invite (all) to the way of thy Lord with wisdom and beautiful preaching; and argue with them in ways that are best and most gracious. † [Al-Qur’an 16:125] 12. Increase in the world religions from 1934 to 1984.An article in Reader’s Digest ‘Almanac’, year book 1986, gave the statistics of the increase of percentage of the major religions of the world in half a century from 1934 to 1984. This article also appeared in ‘The Plain Truth’ magazine. At the top was Islam, which increased by 235%, and Christianity had increased only by 47%. May one ask, which war took place in this century which converted millions of people to Islam? 13. Islam is the fastest growing religion in America and Europe. Today the fastest growing religion in America is Islam. The fastest growing religion in Europe in Islam.Which sword is forcing people in the West to accept Islam in such large numbers? 14. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson. Dr. Joseph Adam Pearson rightly says, â€Å"People who worry that nuclear weaponry will one day fall in the hands of the Arabs, fail to realize that the Islamic bomb has been dropped already, it fell the day MUHAMMED (pbuh) was born†. 5. MUSLIMS ARE FUNDAMENTALISTS AND TERRORISTS Question: Why are most of the Muslims fundamentalists and terrorists? Answer: This question is often hurled at Muslims, either directly or indirectly, during any discussion on religion or world affairs.Muslim stereotypes are perpetuated in every form of the media accompanied by gross misinformation about Islam and Muslims. In fact, such misinformation and false propaganda often leads to discrimination and acts of violence against Muslims. A case in point is the anti-Muslim campaign in the American media following the Oklahoma bomb blast, where the press was quick to declare a ‘Middle Eastern conspiracy’ behind the attack. The culprit was later identified as a soldier from the American Armed Forces. 15 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. rf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik Let us analyze this allegation of ‘fundamentalism’ and ‘terrorism’: 1. Definition of the word ‘fundamentalist’ A fundamentalist is a person who follows and adheres to the fundamentals of the doctrine or theory he is following. For a person to be a good doctor, he should know, follow, and practise the fundamentals of medicine. In other words, he should be a fundamentalist in the field of medicine. For a person to be a good mathematician, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of mathematics.He should be a fundamentalist in the field of mathematics. For a person to be a good scientist, he should know, follow and practise the fundamentals of science. He should be a fundamentalist in the field of science. 2. Not all ‘fundamentalists’ are the same One cannot paint all fundamentalists with the same brush. One cannot categorize all fundamentalists as either good or bad. Such a categorization of any fundamentalist will depend upon the field or activity in which he is a fundamentalist. A fundamentalist robber or thief causes harm to society and is therefore undesirable.A fundamentalist doctor, on the other hand, benefits society and earns much respect. 3. I am proud to be a Muslim funda-mentalist I am a fundamentalist Muslim who, by the grace of Allah, knows, follows and strives to practise the fundamentals of Islam. A true Muslim does not shy away from being a fundamentalist. I am proud to be a fundamentalist Muslim because, I know that the fundamentals of Islam are beneficial to humanity and the whole world. There is not a single fundamental of Islam that causes harm or is against the interests of the human race as a whole.Many people harbour misconceptions abou t Islam and consider several teachings of Islam to be unfair or improper. This is due to insufficient and incorrect knowledge of Islam. If one critically analyzes the teachings of Islam with an open mind, one cannot escape the fact that Islam is full of benefits both at the individual and collective levels. 4. Dictionary meaning of the word ‘fundamentalist’ According to Webster’s dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ was a movement in American Protestanism that arose in the earlier part of the 20th century.It was a reaction to modernism, and stressed the infallibility of the Bible, not only in matters of faith and morals but also as a literal historical record. It stressed on belief in the Bible as the literal word of God. Thus fundamentalism was a word initially used for a group of Christians who believed that the Bible was the verbatim word of God without any errors and mistakes. According to the Oxford dictionary ‘fundamentalism’ means ‘s trict maintenance of ancient or fundamental doctrines of any religion, especially Islam’. Today the moment a person uses the word fundamentalist he thinks of a Muslim who is a terrorist. 6 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 5. Every Muslim should be a terrorist Every Muslim should be a terrorist. A terrorist is a person who causes terror. The moment a robber sees a policeman he is terrified. A policeman is a terrorist for the robber. Similarly every Muslim should be a terrorist for the antisocial elements of society, such as thieves, dacoits and rapists. Whenever such an anti-social element sees a Muslim, he should be terrified.It is true that the word ‘terrorist’ is generally used for a person who causes terror among the common people. But a true Muslim should only be a terrorist to s elective people i. e. antisocial elements, and not to the common innocent people. In fact a Muslim should be a source of peace for innocent people. 6. Different labels given to the same individual for the same action, i. e. ‘terrorist’ and ‘patriot’ Before India achieved independence from British rule, some freedom fighters of India who did not subscribe to non-violence were labeled as terrorists by the British government.The same individuals have been lauded by Indians for the same activities and hailed as ‘patriots’. Thus two different labels have been given to the same people for the same set of actions. One is calling him a terrorist while the other is calling him a patriot. Those who believed that Britain had a right to rule over India called these people terrorists, while those who were of the view that Britain had no right to rule India called them patriots and freedom fighters. It is therefore important that before a person is judged, h e is given a fair hearing.Both sides of the argument should be heard, the situation should be analyzed, and the reason and the intention of the person should be taken into account, and then the person can be judged accordingly. 7. Islam means peace Islam is derived from the word ‘salaam’ which means peace. It is a religion of peace whose fundamentals teach its followers to maintain and promote peace throughout the world. Thus every Muslim should be a fundamentalist i. e. he should follow the fundamentals of the Religion of Peace: Islam.He should be a terrorist only towards the antisocial elements in order to promote peace and justice in the society. 17 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 6. EATING NON-VEGETARIAN FOOD Question: Killing an animal is a ruthless act. Why then do Muslims consume no nvegetarian food? Answer: ‘Vegetarianism’ is now a movement the world over. Many even associate it with animal rights.Indeed, a large number of people consider the consumption of meat and other non-vegetarian products to be a violation of animal rights. Islam enjoins mercy and compassion for all living creatures. At the same time Islam maintains that Allah has created the earth and its wondrous flora and fauna for the benefit of mankind. It is upto mankind to use every resource in this world judiciously, as a niyamat (Divine blessing) and amanat (trust) from Allah. Let us look at various other aspects of this argument. 1. A Muslim can be a pure vegetarianA Muslim can be a very good Muslim despite being a pure vegetarian. It is not compulsory for a Muslim to have non-vegetarian food. 2. Qur’an permits Muslims to have non-vegetarian food The Qur’an, however permits a Muslim to have non-vegetarian food. The following Qur’anic verses are proof of this f act: â€Å"O ye who believe! Fulfil (all) obligations. Lawful unto you (for food) are all four-footed animals with the exceptions named. † [Al-Qur’an 5:1] â€Å"And cattle He has created for you (men): from them Ye derive warmth, and numerous benefits, And of their (meat) ye eat. † [Al-Qur’an 16:5] And in cattle (too) ye have an instructive example: From within their bodies We produce (milk) for you to drink; there are, in them, (besides), numerous (other) benefits for you; and of their (meat) ye eat. † [Al-Qur’an 23:21] 3. Meat is nutritious and rich in complete protein Non-vegetarian food is a good source of excellent protein. It contains biologically complete protein i. e. all the 8 essential amino acid that are not synthesized by the body and should be supplied in the diet. Meat also contains iron, vitamin B1 and niacin. 18 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] netISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. ir f. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 4. Humans have Omnivorous set of teeth If you observe the teeth of herbivorous animals like the cow, goat and sheep, you will find something strikingly similar in all of them. All these animals have a set of flat teeth i. e. suited for herbivorous diet. If you observe the set of teeth of the carnivorous animals like the lion, tiger, or leopard, they all have a set of pointed teeth i. e. suited for a carnivorous diet.If you analyze the set of teeth of humans, you find that they have flat teeth as well as pointed teeth. Thus they have teeth suited for both herbivorous as well as carnivorous food i. e. they are omnivorous. One may ask, if Almighty God wanted humans to have only vegetables, why did He provide us also with pointed teeth? It is logical that He expected us to need and to have both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food. 5. Human beings can digest both vege-tarian and non-v egetarian food The digestive system of herbivorous animals can digest only vegetables. The digestive system of carnivorous animals can digest only meat.But the digestive system of humans can digest both vegetarian and non-vegetarian food. If Almighty God wanted us to have only vegetables then why did He give us a digestive system that can digest both vegetarian as well as non-vegetarian food? 6. Hindu scriptures give permission to have non-vegetarian food a. There are many Hindus who are strictly vegetarian. They think it is against their religion to consume non-vegetarian food. But the true fact is that the Hindu scriptures permit a person to have meat. The scriptures mention Hindu sages and saints consuming non-vegetarian food. b.It is mentioned in Manu Smruti, the law book of Hindus, in chapter 5 verse 30 â€Å"The eater who eats the flesh of those to be eaten does nothing bad, even if he does it day after day, for God himself created some to be eaten and some to be eater. † c. Again next verse of Manu Smruti, that is, chapter 5 verse 31 says â€Å"Eating meat is right for the sacrifice, this is traditionally known as a rule of the gods. † d. Further in Manu Smruti chapter 5 verse 39 and 40 says â€Å"God himself created sacrificial animals for sacrifice, †¦ , therefore killing in a sacrifice is not killing. † 19 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] et ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik e. Mahabharata Anushashan Parva chapter 88 narrates the discussion between Dharmaraj Yudhishthira and Pitamah Bhishma about what food one should offer to Pitris (ancestors) during the Shraddha (ceremony of dead) to keep them satisfied. Paragraph reads as follows: â€Å"Yudhishthira said, â€Å"O thou of great puissance, tell me what that object is which, if dedicated to the Pitiris (dead ancestors), become ine xhaustible!What Havi, again, (if offered) lasts for all time? What, indeed, is that which (if presented) becomes eternal? † â€Å"Bhishma said, â€Å"Listen to me, O Yudhishthira, what those Havis are which persons conversant with the rituals of the Shraddha (the ceremony of dead) regard as suitable in view of Shraddha and what the fruits are that attach to each. With sesame seeds and rice and barely and Masha and water and roots and fruits, if given at Shraddhas, the pitris, O king, remain gratified for the period of a month. With fishes offered at Shraddhas, the pitris remain gratified for a period of two months.With the mutton they remain gratified for three months and with the hare for four months, with the flesh of the goat for five months, with the bacon (meat of pig) for six months, and with the flesh of birds for seven. With venison obtained from those deer that are called Prishata, they remaingratified for eight months, and with that obtained from the Ruru for nine months, and with the meat of Gavaya for ten months, With the meat of the bufffalo their gratification lasts for eleven months. With beef presented at the Shraddha, their gratification, it is said , lasts for a full year.Payasa mixed with ghee is as much acceptable to the pitris as beef. With the meat of Vadhrinasa (a large bull) the gratification of pitris lasts for twelve years. the flesh of rhinoceros, offered to the pitris on anniversaries of the lunar days on which they died, becomes inexhaustible. The potherb called Kalaska, the petals of kanchana flower, and meat of (red) goat also, thus offered, prove inexhaustible. So but natural if you want to keep your ancestors satisfied forever, you should serve them the meat of red goat. 7. Hinduism was influenced by other religionsThough Hindu Scriptures permit its followers to have non-vegetarian food, many Hindus adopted the vegetarian system because they were influenced by other religions like Jainism. 8. Even plants have life Certa in religions have adopted pure vegetarianism as a dietary law because they are totally against the killing of living creatures. If a person can survive without killing any living creature, I would be the first person to adopt such a way of life. In the past people thought plants were lifeless. Today it is a universal fact that even plants have life.Thus their logic of not killing living creatures is not fulfilled even by being a pure vegetarian. 20 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 9. Even plants can feel pain They further argue that plants cannot feel pain, therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime as compared to killing an animal. Today science tells us that even plants can feel pain. But the cry of the plant cannot be heard by the human being.This is due to the inability of the human ear to hear sou nds that are not in the audible range i. e. 20 Hertz to 20,000 Hertz. Anything below and above this range cannot be heard by a human being. A dog can hear up to 40,000 Hertz. Thus there are silent dog whistles that have a frequency of more than 20,000 Hertz and less than 40,000 Hertz. These whistles are only heard by dogs and not by human beings. The dog recognizes the masters whistle and comes to the master. There was research done by a farmer in U. S. A. who invented an instrument which converted the cry of the plant so that it could be heard by human beings.He was able to realize immediately when the plant itself cried for water. Latest researches show that the plants can even feel happy and sad. It can also cry. 10. Killing a living creature with two senses less is not a lesser crime Once a vegetarian argued his case by saying that plants only have two or three senses while the animals have five senses. Therefore killing a plant is a lesser crime than killing an animal. Suppose your brother is born deaf and dumb and has two senses less as compared to other human beings. He becomes mature and someone murders him.Would you ask the judge to give the murderer a lesser punishment because your brother has two senses less? In fact you would say that he has killed a masoom, an innocent person, and the judge should give the murderer a greater punishment. In fact the Qur’an says: â€Å"O ye people! Eat of what is on earth, lawful and good† [Al-Qur’an 2:168] 11. Over population of cattle If every human being was a vegetarian, it would lead to overpopulation of cattle in the world, since their reproduction and multiplication is very swift. Allah (swt) in His Divine Wisdom knows how to maintain the balance of His creation appropriately.No wonder He has permitted us to have the meat of the cattle. 12. Cost of meat is reasonable since all aren’t non-vegetarians I do not mind if some people are pure vegetarians. However they should not condemn non-vegetarians as ruthless. In fact if all Indians become nonvegetarians then the present non-vegetarians would be losers since the prices of meat would rise. 21 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 7.ISLAMIC METHOD OF SLAUGHTERING ANIMALS APPEARS RUTHLESS Question: Why do Muslims slaughter the animal in a ruthless manner by torturing it and slowly and painfully killing it? Answer: The Islamic method of slaughtering animals, known as Zabiha has been the object of much criticism from a large number of people. One may consider the following points, which prove that the Zabiha method is not only humane but also scientifically the best: 1. Islamic method of slaughtering animal Zakkaytum is a verb derived from the root word Zakah (to purify). Its infinitive is Tazkiyah which means purification.The Islamic mode of slaughtering an animal requires the following conditions to be met: a. Animal should be slaughtered with sharp object (knife) The animal has to be slaughtered with a sharp object (knife) and in a fast way so that the pain of slaughter is minimised. b. Cut wind pipe, throat and vessels of neck Zabiha is an Arabic word which means ‘slaughtered’. The ‘slaughtering’ is to be done by cutting the throat, windpipe and the blood vessels in the neck causing the animal’s death without cutting the spinal cord. c. Blood should be drained The blood has to be drained completely before the head is removed.The purpose is to drain out most of the blood which would serve as a good culture medium for micro organisms. The spinal cord must not be cut because the nerve fibres to the heart could be damaged during the process causing cardiac arrest, stagnating the blood in the blood vessels. 2. Blood is a good medium for germs and bacteria Blood is a good media of germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. Therefore the Muslim way of slaughtering is more hygienic as most of the blood containing germs, bacteria, toxins, etc. that are the cause of several diseases are eliminated. 3. Meat remains fresh for a longer timeMeat slaughtered by Islamic way remains fresh for a longer time due to deficiency of blood in the meat as compared to other methods of slaughtering. 4. Animal does not feel pain The swift cutting of vessels of the neck disconnects the flow of blood to the nerve of the brain responsible for pain. Thus the animal does not feel pain. While dying, the animal struggles, writhers, shakes and kicks, not due to pain, but due to the contraction and relaxation of the muscles defecient in blood and due to the flow of blood out of the body. 22 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. rf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 8. NON -VEGETARIAN FOOD MAKES MUSLIMS VIOLENT Question: Science tell us that whatever one eats, it has an effect on one’s behaviour. Why then, does Islam allow Muslims to eat non-vegetarian food, since eating of animals could make a person violent and ferocious? Answer: 1. Only eating of herbivorous animals allowed I agree that, what a person eats has an effect on his behaviour. This is one of the reasons why Islam prohibits the eating of carnivorous animals like lion, tiger, leopard, etc. who are violent and ferocious.The consumption of the meat of such animals would probably make a person violent and ferocious. Islam only allows the eating of herbivorous animals like cow, goat, sheep, etc. that are peaceful and docile. Muslims eat peaceful and docile animals because Muslims are peace loving and non-violent people. 2. The Qur’an says Prophet prohibits what is bad The Qur’an says: â€Å"The Prophet commands them what is just and prohibits what is evil†. â€Å"H e allows them as lawful what is good (and pure) and prohibits them what is bad (and impure),† [Al-Qur’an 7: 157] â€Å"So take what the Messenger assigns to you and deny yourselves that which he withholds from you. [Al-Qur’an 59: 7] For a Muslim, the Prophet’s statement is sufficient to convince him that Allah does not wish humans to eat some kinds of meat while allowing some other kinds. 3. Hadith of Mohammad (pbuh) prohibi-ting eating of carnivorous animals According to various authentic Ahadith narrated in Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim including hadith narrated by Ibn Abbas in Sahih Muslim, Book of hunting and slaughter, Hadith No. 4752 and Sunan Ibn-I-Majah chapter 13 Hadith no. 3232 to 3234, the Holy Prophet (pbuh) prohibited the eating of: (i) Wild animals with canine teeth, i. e. meat eating carnivorous animals.These are animals belonging to the cat families such as lion, tiger, cats, dogs, wolfs, hyenas, etc. (ii) Certain rodents like mice, rats, rabbits with claws, etc. (iii) Certain reptiles like snakes, alligators, etc. (iv) Birds of prey with talons or claws, like vultures, eagle, crows, owl, etc. There is no scientific evidence that proves beyond doubt that eating nonvegetarian food makes one violent. 23 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 9.MUSLIMS WORSHIP THE KAABA Question: When Islam is against idol worship why do the Muslims worship, and bow down to the Kaaba in their prayer? Answer: Kaaba is the Qibla i. e. the direction Muslims face during their prayers. It is important to note that though Muslims face the Kaaba during prayers, they do not worship the Kaaba. Muslims worship and bow to none but Allah. It is mentioned in Surah Baqarah: â€Å"We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now shall We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. [Al-Qur’an 2:144] 1. Islam believes in fostering unity For instance, if Muslims want to offer Salaah (Prayer), it is possible that some may wish to face north, while some may wish to face south. In order to unite Muslims in their worship of the One True God, Muslims, wherever they may be, are asked to face in only one direction i. e. towards the Kaaba. If some Muslims live towards the west of the Kaaba they face the east. Similarly if they live towards the east of the Kaaba they face the west. 2. Kaaba is at the Centre of the World Map The Muslims were the first people to draw the map of the world.They drew the map with the south facing upwards and north downwards. The Kaaba was at the centre. Later, western cartographers drew the map upside down with the north facing upwards and south downwards. Yet, Alhamdullilah the Kaaba is at the centre o f the world map. 3. Tawaf around Kaaba for indicating one God When the Muslims go to Masjid-e-Haram in Makkah, they perform tawaf or circumambulation round the Kaaba. This act symbolizes the belief and worship of One God, since, just as every circle has one centre, so also there is only one Allah (swt) worthy of worship. 4. Hadith of Umar (may Allah be pleased with him)Regarding the black stone, hajr-e-aswad, there is a hadith (tradition), attributed to the illustrious companion of the Prophet Muhammed (pbuh), Umar (may Allah be pleased with him). According to Sahih Bukhari, Volume 2, book of Hajj, chapter 56, H. No. 675. Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) said, â€Å"I know that you are a stone and can neither benefit nor harm. Had I not seen the Prophet (pbuh) touching (and kissing) you, I would never have touched (and kissed) you†. 5. People stood on Kaaba and gave the adhaan At the time of the Prophet, people even stood on the Kaaba and gave the ‘adhaan’ or the call to prayer.One may ask those who allege that Muslims worship the Kaaba; which idol worshipper stands on the idol he worships? 24 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 10. NON-MUSLIMS NOT ALLOWED IN MAKKAH Question: Why are non-Muslims not allowed in the Holy cities of Makkah and Madinah? Answer: It is true that non-Muslims are not allowed in the holy cities of Makkah and Madinah, by law.The following points will serve to elucidate the possible reasoning behind such a restriction. 1. All citizens are not permitted in the cantonment area I am a citizen of India. Yet, I am not permitted to enter certain restricted areas like the cantonment. In every country there are certain areas where a common citizen of that country cannot enter. Only a citizen who is enrolled in the military or those who are connec ted with the defence of the country are allowed in the cantonment area. Similarly Islam is a Universal Religion for the entire world and for all human beings.The cantonment areas of Islam are the two holy cites of Makkah and Madinah. Here only those who believe in Islam and are involved in the defence of Islam i. e. the Muslims are allowed. It would be illogical for a common citizen to object against the restriction on entering a cantonment area. Similarly it is not appropriate for non-Muslims to object against the restriction on non-Muslims against entering Makkah and Madinah. 2. Visa to enter Makkah and Madinah a. Whenever a person travels to a foreign country he has to first apply for a visa i. e. the permission to enter that country.Every country has its own rules, regulations and requirements for issuing a visa. Unless their critera are satisfied they will not issue a visa. b. One of the countries which is very strict in issuing a visa is the United States of America, especiall y when issuing visas to citizens of the third world. They have several conditions and requirements to be fulfilled before they issue a visa. c. When I visited Singapore, it was mentioned on their immigration form death to drug traffickers. If I want to visit Singapore I have to abide by the rules. I cannot say that death penalty is a barbaric punishment.Only if I agree with their requirements and conditions will I be permitted to enter the country. d. The Visa – The primary condition required for any human being to enter Makkah or Madina is to say with his lips, La ila ha illallah Muhammed ur Rasulullah meaning that ‘there is no God but Allah and Muhammed (pbuh) is His Messenger. ’ 25 * For more Queries contact: [email  protected] net ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 11. PORK FORBIDDEN Question: Why is the eating of pork forbidden in Islam?Answer: The fact that consumption of pork is prohibited in Islam is well known. The following points explain various aspects of this prohibition: 1. Pork prohibited in Qur’an The Qur’an prohibits the consumption of pork in no less than 4 different places. It is prohibited in 2:173, 5:3, 6:145 and 16:115. â€Å"Forbidden to you (for food) are: dead meat, blood, the flesh of swine, and that on which hath been invoked the name of other than Allah. † [Al-Qur’an 5:3] The above verses of the Holy Qur’an are sufficient to satisfy a Muslim as to why pork is forbidden. 2. Pork prohibited in the BibleThe Christian is likely to be convinced by his religious scriptures. The Bibl

Saving Water

The Solution is in the Tips of our Hands. â€Å"We think this water may one day be lost to us forever,† a phrase said by Mohanbhai G. Patel, a hopeless well owner from India mentioned on the essay Water Pressure, presented in the book Green. This essay portrays a great understanding of how humans can change the water scarcity problem in remote places, such as villages in India and Africa, by just spreading their knowledge and showing methods that will decrease the effect of this ceaseless issue.Some of us do not have the capacity and resources to help third world countries, but we do have the ability to change the community we live in; and it all starts at home. A simple, sustainable method we could practice is running the clothes washer and dish washer only when full. This concept may seem extremely appealing to members of a household but the actual idea of practicing the method might turned out to be unrealistic.In order to make this water saving practice effective, one pers on should begin the trend of implying the practice in their daily life, demonstrating to the people surrounding him/her it’s not difficult to become a guardian of this crucial element. The conception on how the problem should be faced are based on my beliefs and inexperienced perception of human action, for this reason I consulted my grandmother's judgment on this matter. Agueda grew up in the Cuban countryside where washing machines didn’t even exist less than a decade ago. If you need three pieces of clothes for the next day, just fill a little bucket with water, place the items inside, and let it sit there for thirty minutes; your clothes would be as wearable as if you wash it twenty times in the washer. †(Delgado) It was important taking into consideration the concerns of person my age and how water shortage worldwide was affecting his life. One of my classmates, named Carlos Garcia, who seems very passionate about this issue, was the perfect candidate to pro vide some information on this method. I asked him about the dishwasher and how he believed using this machine only when needed as going to make a change. He laughed at the fact that people actually use them as an instrument for washing dishes. â€Å"Just because a person got a patent on an invention do not means is useful at home,† Carlos quoted. From his point of view having a dishwasher at home is a waste of space, water, and electricity. His mother, who is the main user of the dishwasher, stores kitchen appliances and has never turn power button on. The author of the essay presented earlier, Fen Montaigne, shows a variety of approaches on how to solve the water deficiency problem and demonstrates how this water distress affects different regions of the world.The story starts as he travels throughout India with a popular dam constructor that has built, with his movement, an estimated of 4,500 dams in about 1000 villages. This break of events illustrates how a person can imp act thousands of people by just showing them how to work together to alleviate the great necessity of water sources that were nonexistent to this time. Now how do I relate his experiences to my sustainable practice at home? We start conserving water using a simple method will then expand our horizons little by little when we get our families involved, and later on our community.Judging on the opinion of an elderly person, a college student, or an educated writer should not be well structure evidence on how the problem should be confronted. You would make your own decision according to your beliefs, and understanding of the concept. By investing on researching any of the earlier stated methods and creating greater knowledge, anyone can help to promote water preservation, and anyone can help to halt this international crisis.