A Sufis Connection To The World Essays - Sufism, Sufi Philosophy

A Sufi's Connection To The World A Sufi's Connection to the World 11/18/99 The attributes of the followers of the Sufi tradition are attributes that serve to loosen their connection to the world while bringing them closer to God. The attributes they have distinguish them from ordinary people. According to Teachings of the Sufis, by Carl Ernst, they are strict followers of a master, strive to be humble, and try to live without worldly possessions and desires. At the core of the practice of Sufism is reliance on the truth of God. It is very important that this reliance is maintained, otherwise the follower will become distracted by worldly things and ideas. The Sufi master Abu ?Ali al-Daqqaq said, ?The tree that grows by itself without a gardener puts forth leaves, but it does not bear fruit. Similar is the disciple who has no master from whom he can learn his path, one breath at a time. He remains a worshipper of his own desire and does not attain success.? It can be understood by al-Daqqaq's words that having a master is an integral part of a Sufi's path. Without one a Sufi will go astray and lose sight of God and not succeed. Abu Yazid said, ?One who has no master has Satan for a leader.? Those who fail to be humble are those who are concerned with their own desires. Sufis must forsake their desires. Desires lead to sins and sins separate people from God. The Sufi must be able to give up all sins no matter what the size. Because sins hide in things of worldly origin, such attachments must be given up. This is why wealth must be given up. Wealth provides worldly attachments. Worldly attachments lead people away from God. Power must be given up as well since it too creates attachments and ideas that will lead people away from God. A good example of what power creates is arrogance, a sin that has been warned against for thousands of years. Giving up these things consequently will lead someone to be humble. Another reason why Sufis must remain humble is that they must always be able to resist any opposition they might feel towards the master. He must never show any disagreement even if he knows that he is right and the master is wrong. If he is in the company of faqirs he must never oppose others. The only person he should oppose is himself. He should understand that none of the faqirs have an obligation to him, but that they do have an obligatory right over him. The Sufi must take care to never openly contradict the faqirs as well as the master. However, he may contradict them in his heart and his conscience. To be able to maintain that kind of silence and to live under that kind of subordination would take a great deal of humility. A proud person could never deal with that type of rank among a group of people. One of the hardest things a Sufi must be able to do is to deny the body its human cravings. This is because the master of any Sufi could order that Sufi to sleep only when necessary and to eat only very little until that Sufi could withstand even eating. A good Sufi must never satisfy the body more than is necessary. Sufis must also give up association with common, worldly people. According to the Qur'an, 18:28, God said, Do not obey those whose hearts we have made heedless of our remembrance. Such an association is considered a dangerous poison. These attributes that a good Sufi must have indicate that followers of Sufism lead a challenging life. Anyone who wants to come closer to God following the path of Sufism has to really stay focused. It obviously requires attributes that the majority of people do not possess. Religion

A Sufis Connection To The World Essays - Sufism, Sufi Philosophy

A Sufi's Connection To The World A Sufi's Connection to the World 11/18/99 The attributes of the followers of the Sufi tradition are attributes that serve to loosen their connection to the world while bringing them closer to God. The attributes they have distinguish them from ordinary people. According to Teachings of the Sufis, by Carl Ernst, they are strict followers of a master, strive to be humble, and try to live without worldly possessions and desires. At the core of the practice of Sufism is reliance on the truth of God. It is very important that this reliance is maintained, otherwise the follower will become distracted by worldly things and ideas. The Sufi master Abu ?Ali al-Daqqaq said, ?The tree that grows by itself without a gardener puts forth leaves, but it does not bear fruit. Similar is the disciple who has no master from whom he can learn his path, one breath at a time. He remains a worshipper of his own desire and does not attain success.? It can be understood by al-Daqqaq's words that having a master is an integral part of a Sufi's path. Without one a Sufi will go astray and lose sight of God and not succeed. Abu Yazid said, ?One who has no master has Satan for a leader.? Those who fail to be humble are those who are concerned with their own desires. Sufis must forsake their desires. Desires lead to sins and sins separate people from God. The Sufi must be able to give up all sins no matter what the size. Because sins hide in things of worldly origin, such attachments must be given up. This is why wealth must be given up. Wealth provides worldly attachments. Worldly attachments lead people away from God. Power must be given up as well since it too creates attachments and ideas that will lead people away from God. A good example of what power creates is arrogance, a sin that has been warned against for thousands of years. Giving up these things consequently will lead someone to be humble. Another reason why Sufis must remain humble is that they must always be able to resist any opposition they might feel towards the master. He must never show any disagreement even if he knows that he is right and the master is wrong. If he is in the company of faqirs he must never oppose others. The only person he should oppose is himself. He should understand that none of the faqirs have an obligation to him, but that they do have an obligatory right over him. The Sufi must take care to never openly contradict the faqirs as well as the master. However, he may contradict them in his heart and his conscience. To be able to maintain that kind of silence and to live under that kind of subordination would take a great deal of humility. A proud person could never deal with that type of rank among a group of people. One of the hardest things a Sufi must be able to do is to deny the body its human cravings. This is because the master of any Sufi could order that Sufi to sleep only when necessary and to eat only very little until that Sufi could withstand even eating. A good Sufi must never satisfy the body more than is necessary. Sufis must also give up association with common, worldly people. According to the Qur'an, 18:28, God said, Do not obey those whose hearts we have made heedless of our remembrance. Such an association is considered a dangerous poison. These attributes that a good Sufi must have indicate that followers of Sufism lead a challenging life. Anyone who wants to come closer to God following the path of Sufism has to really stay focused. It obviously requires attributes that the majority of people do not possess. Religion

How to Identify Northern White Cedar

How to Identify Northern White Cedar Northern white-cedar  is a slow growing native North American boreal tree with the scientific name Thuja occidentalis.  Arborvitae  is another name for the tree in its cultivated and commercially grown from which is  planted in yards and landscapes throughout the United States. This nursery-derived version of the white-cedar is prized for the unique flat and filigree sprays made up of tiny, scaly leaves.   Northern white-cedar  has also been called eastern white cedar and swamp-cedar. The name arborvitae meaning tree of life was given the tree and was the first North American tree to be transplanted and cultivated in Europe.   Ethnobotanical history suggests that 16th-century French explorer Jacques Cartier learned from  Native Americans how to use the trees foliage to treat scurvy. Scurvy was an insidious  disease that ravaged humans that had no ready source of  ascorbic acid or vitamin  C. A decoction of the exported trees sap was sold in Europe as a curative medicine. A record tree in Michigans Leelanau County measures 18 feet in circumference and  113 feet  (34 meters)   in height.   Where the Northern White Cedar Lives You will find that the main range of northern white-cedar extends through the southern part of the eastern half of Canada and down to an adjacent northern part of the United States. Looking at its U.S. Forest Service range map, you will see specifically that it extends west from the Gulf of St. Lawrence through central Ontario to southeastern Manitoba. Eastern white cedars southern U.S range extends through central Minnesota and Wisconsin to a narrow fringe around the southern tip of Lake Michigan and east through southern Michigan, southern New York, central Vermont and New Hampshire, and Maine.   Northern white-cedar prefers a humid climate and where the annual precipitation ranges from 28 to 46 inches.  Although it does not develop well on extremely wet or extremely dry sites, the cedar will do well on cool, moist, nutrient-rich sites and particularly on organic soils near streams or boreal swamps. The principal commercial uses of northern white-cedar are for rustic fencing and posts because of the woods resistance to rot. Other important wood products made from the species includes cabin logs, lumber, poles, and shingles. The wood fiber is also used as paper pulp and particleboard. Identification of the Northern White Cedar The leaf (if you can call it a leaf) is actually evergreen and scale-like off main shoot sprays. They are  1/4 inch long with long points. Lateral shoots are flattened, 1/8 inch long with short points. The  species is monoecious meaning that the tree has both male and female reproductive parts. Female parts are green with 4 to 6 scales and male parts are green tipped with brown scales. The fruit is a  cone, only 1/2 inch long, oblong and protrude upright on the branches. Cone scales are leathery, red-brown and rounded, with a small spine on the tip. New growth on each twig is green and scale-like and occurring in very flattened foliar sprays.The bark is fibrous, red-brown, weathering to gray. You will often see diamond-shaped bark patterns and the trees form is a  small to medium-sized tree shaped like an arrowhead or a pyramid. The Commercial Arborvitae Varieties Probably the most commonly planted Arborvitae planted in the North American landscape is the Emerald Green variety. It has great winter color and is one of the most popular hedge plants within its range and is also extensively used outside its range in the Pacific Northwest. Many arborvitae varieties can be planted as a very reliable, small to medium ornamental in American yards outside the natural range of  Thuja  occidentalis.  You  can  see more than 100 cultivated varieties used extensively in dooryards, in hedgerows, in borders and as a single large striking specimen in a large landscape. You will also see this tree along driveways, building foundations, subdivision entrances, cemeteries, and parks. White-Cedar has many cultivars, many of which are shrubs. Popular cultivars include: ‘Booth Globe’  Ã¢â‚¬ËœCompacta’‘Douglasi Pyramidalis’‘Emerald Green’ - good winter color‘Ericoides’‘Fastigiata’‘Hetz Junior’‘Hetz Midget’ - slow growing dwarf‘Hovey’‘Little Champion’ - globe shaped‘Lutea’ - yellow foliage‘Nigra’ - dark green foliage in winter, pyramidal‘Pyramidalis’ - narrow pyramidal form  Ã¢â‚¬ËœRosenthalli’‘Techny’‘Umbraculifera’ - flat-topped‘Wareana’‘Woodwardii’

World War II and the Role of Women Research Paper

World War II and the Role of Women - Research Paper Example The businesses and industries of America required labor for their continued functionalities due to which, they recruited women in place of men, as the war required a major contribution from men in order to secure the homeland. According to Marc Miller (1980), â€Å"the war led to a dramatic rise in the number of women working in the United States† (42). Women that previously worked in homes and managed only their homes came out during the war in order to save their country from economic downfall. Ellen J. Babb (1994) informs that women were supported by the government and private sector (43). In fact, they were not only supported but also encouraged to work for their country’s welfare by getting employment in business and industrial sector. Women volunteered for the employment offered by the government and private sector, as their services were acutely required by the state. The lives of women changed as a whole, as because of their work outside their homes, they got recognition and respect, as they never enjoyed before. It was during the war that women were considered as a substitute for men; otherwise, they were regarded as less capable in comparison to men. The jobs offered to the women were temporary and there was a plan to ask the women to go back to their previous household activities when the war was over (Anderson 78). Women were not only required to manage the outside works but also their children, which was there all time job. According to Babb (1994), â€Å"One thing they had to do was find new ways to balance family and work roles† (46). The lives of American woman transformed as previously they were only to manage their homes and children but then, during the war, they were to protect the economy of their country and help it to sustain while their children and their homes were their responsibility as before. They had to do manage many works whether they were home related or work related.  

Democratic Leadership in Education Assignment Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2750 words

Democratic Leadership in Education - Assignment Example The finance department was considered by many as superfluous to the Agency, but the government was demanding more financial information, so the Agency was â€Å"forced to broaden their focus to make a bigger role for financial reporting.† Even without the Finance Branch, the Agency was able to function in a manner consistent with world-class standards both in its core business and in other areas of its business. In this case, the Agency felt that it would have done well without the finance department, but it is a subjective and therefore imbalance point of view. The imperative to form a new department enhances the function it discharges – in this case, financial reporting and management – according to the needs and strategies identified by the higher unit (i.e., the government). What the Agency considers its â€Å"world class† performance may only be in its view, which a balanced financial reporting system using accrual accounting should provide an imparti al view into. Issue Two: The existing system had to be upgraded, according to the senior financial officer, but it would result in a non-standard system. Furthermore, it was perceived as risky due to the fact that â€Å"so much money had already been spent on the existing system without providing a satisfactory system.† Establishing a new system would necessitate new substructures; for it to pertain only to the finance department would necessarily create a system not consistent with the rest of the Agency, but this should not deter the move where it is deemed necessary. As Alfred Chandler (1993) put it, a structure must support strategy, not impede or constrain it. Issue Three: The new Finance Director formed a small project team including Mark Black (MIS) and Henry Tell (senior financial officer) to determine requirements for the new financial management system. She also requested funding for the team. Consultants were not used for this assessment, but latitude and confidenc e were given to the existing staff and their technical background, with inputs drawn from key stakeholders through interviews. This appeared to be a wise move. In the development of new structures within an existing organization, it is important to build a sense of legitimacy and acceptance. Bringing in outside consultant who hardly knows the Agency would have been a mistake; although the resultant system might have been superior, if it were prejudged as unacceptable for being irrelevant, then the new unit may not get the chance to prove its system’s merits and the benefits it may provide the organization. The benefits of taking a structural perspective are that it focuses corporate activity to the specific goals it wishes to achieve, organizes and coordinates the efforts taken towards this effort, and therefore optimizes the firm’s resources. Resources should be organized to support vital functions, and organizational units seen as superfluous should be taken out (Lie vegoed, 1973). The usefulness of the structural frame, in this case, is to realign roles and responsibilities according to a new (accounting) environment, as well as to transmit facts and information.

Research for a Database For a Travel Agents Essay Example for Free

Research for a Database For a Travel Agents Essay Introduction I have been given a task to make things easier for a travel agent called Type a Flight. Type a Flight is a travel agent which is situated in Warrington and it was established in 2005 and it also has about 500 customers. The company does all its work manually. They keep their documents in filing cabinets. So when customers call in to book flights then they have to look in the cabinets for a document. This is very time consuming and due to this problem they could loose a fantastic amount of customers because they will get tired on the phone. Filing cabinets also take up a lot of space. This is getting very difficult and time consuming as the number of customers is rising on a daily basis. One of the problems is that it takes time writing letters by hand .For this problem I have come to conclusion that I will create template letters for the company and these can be sent out to customers to tell the customers that their ticket is ready or for any reasons. The conclusion I have come to is that I am going to help the agency in every single way. My main aim is to make the agency more professional and more modern and make things easier for them. For me to do my task, I will need a computer and a few important application softwares with which I shall make a database, logo and other things. Research I had a look at a database which I was shown by my class teacher. It was called Type of Flight. In the database it had things like name, ID, gender, telephone number. Database: Type a Flight Comment: The logo is located on the centre of the switchboard. The logo is got to do with holidays and other things which the agency offers. Around the logo there are the buttons which will be needed. The database has things like name, town, address, telephone numbers, date of birth, gender postcode and other few things. The database makes things easier and quicker now. This was done by putting queries, forms and a switchboard. Tasks To do my task I have broke the task into the following five parts: 1. Getting information about the travel agency. 2. Design a logo and a slogan for the travel agency. 3. Create a database, Queries, Forms and switchboard. 4. Create a letterhead and design letter templates. 5. Writing reports at the end (User Guides). 1. Getting information about the travel agency a. I can do this task by going on the internet but I will not do it this way because on the internet it will not tell you how the agency works. b. I can also do this task by going around and asking a few people but will not use it because people might not have the correct and up to date information. c. I will do this task this by Interviewing the agency manager because he will know the latest information and what problems there are in the agency. 1. What problems do you have in the agency? 2. How many customers does the agency have? Less than 100 100-250 250-500 More than 500 3. How are the documents of the customers stored? Filing Cabinet Other 4. What do you think of a computerized way to remove your problems? 5. Do your employees know how to use Microsoft Access? Yes No Do not know 6. Are your employees capable of using a switchboard? Yes No Do not know 7. Does the agency have letter templates? Yes No 8. Does the agency have a good logo? Yes No 9. Do the employees need a user guide? Yes No 10. What changes will the agency have if the computerized way was used? 2. Design a logo and a slogan for the travel agency a. I can do this task by using Microsoft Word but will not do it this way because it does not have many of the tools needed to make a logo but I can make the slogan on it. b. I can also do this task by using Adobe Photoshop but will not use it because the application is quite complicated for me. c. I will do this task this by using Paint because It offers a good amount of tools which can be used to make a good logo and a slogan. 3. Create a database, Queries, Forms and switchboard a. I can do this task by using pen and paper but will not do it this way because it will be time consuming and many mistakes can be made. b. I can also do this task by using Open Office Base but will not use it because it is harder to use than Microsoft Access. c. I will do this task this by using Microsoft Access because I can make databases, Queries, Forms and switchboards more quicker because I have used it many times before. 4. Create a letterhead and design letter templates a. I can do this task by using Microsoft Publisher but will not do it this way because it is a little hard to create a letter template but a letterhead can be produced easily. b. I can also do this task by using Paint but will not use it because it is not suitable for large amount writing. c. I will do this task this by using Microsoft Word because this application is good for making letterheads and letter templates as it gives a step by step way of making it. 5. Writing reports at the end (User Guides) a. I can do this task by using WordPad but will not do it this way because it is not possible to put in arrows to make things clearer to people. b. I can also do this task by doing it on paper and there after scan it but will not use it because it may not be neat and professional enough. c. I will do this task this by using Microsoft Word because I can take screen shots and then I can paste them onto the page. There after I will put in arrows and any other things if needed to label it clearly with information so that people fully understand. Input, Output, Process and Storage After my research and looking at the various tasks, I can establish what the input, output and storage of the system is. Ease of use The final product that I will make would consist of database, queries, forms and letterheads. It would be easy for the agency to use because I think the employees are more or less familiar with computers and using the applications needed. I will also supply them with a user guide. The user guide will be simple and very easy to use. It will have screenshots and clear labeling with arrows so if the employees get stuck any where then they could refer to the user guide which has clear instructions and easy step by step of using any application. After using the user guide the employees should have no doubt in using an application. Description of problem = 1 Plan of solution = 1 Methods = 1 Solution meets requirement = 1 Ease of use = 1

Majority vs Minorities :: essays research papers

Majority vs Minorities The majority and the minority bring forth change in policy in a democratic society. Majority rule means that, if there were an over whelming amount of support on a issue their voices would be heard by the government. Our government is run on a majority rule. People in our society elect officials and put their faiths in them to make their choices. In a majority rule the basic concept of democracy is that the people ultimately rule. The Government passes laws that appear to be the â€Å"deliberative will† of the people. However, Government doesn’t do everything the people wants. It takes in information absorbs it and comes with a solution for the majority. In order for the people to be heard they have to get out and participate in the political process. It is our constitutional right to vote, speak and contribute in the selection of our representative in a majority. The minority rights in a democratic society appear to even out with the majority rule in an unusual way. There are some incidents where the minority may have loss, but on the other hand won. For example, when Rosa Parks didn’t give up her seat on that hot Alabama day, she stood up to the majority tyranny. The majority won by putting her in jail, however; the minority prevailed by establishing the civil rights movements. There are many differences between majority rule and minority rights. One of the big differences between the two is majority tyranny. This is when the majority violates the rights of minority’s. When the majority thinks they are in the right they may happen to pass judgment or abuse the minorities who opposes them. Majorities for a long time believed that political equality and political liberty doesn’t belong to the minorities. Minorities believed they have the right to speak or participant in whatever function they believed in.