Analysis of Fly Fishing - Method, Materials and Equipment Free Essay Example, 2500 words

Types of Rods; There are three basic types of rod, split bamboo, fiberglass and graphite. The types of material used in the production of the rods are what separate the categories. Split bamboos are traditional type with high sensitivity that aids the angler while fishing. The bamboo fly rods are heavier on the grounds of the raw material used but they offer better hold. However, the grip in fibreglass rod is almost the same with less weight but the one that is preferred in fly fishing is graphite fly rods because of the feature of vast flexes and ability to weight ratio. Fly Rod Design; the selection of the suitable line to carry specific weight line with the particular type of rod is the other necessary requisite for efficient casting. The weight of rod must correspond with the weight of line for playing flawless role in fly fishing / fishing. Fly Reel Drag System; The drag system of the reel must be evaluated for acquisition of appropriate tackle. The traditionally used model was the fixed drags. On the other hand, the spring and pawl drag system offer extension but the clicking sound can alter fishes. We will write a custom essay sample on Analysis of Fly Fishing - Method, Materials and Equipment or any topic specifically for you Only $17.96 $11.86/page (FFUSA). Furthermore, tippets are used for procedure refinement. A tippet is attached at the point where a leader is attached to the floating line.

The United States A Multibillion Dollar Industry

Healthcare in the United States is a multibillion-dollar industry. Over time, the number of elderly people which have fallen victim to Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud has sky rocketed at an alarming rate. The Elder Abuse Nursing Home Neglect Attorneys refer to this as an â€Å"overbilling epidemic† (n.d.). This means that many elders are being charged more money for the services they are receiving or in some circumstances, paying healthcare providers without receiving any care. Since most of them are unaware of what they are being charged for or how much they should be charged, they are easily taken advantage of. Medicare and Medicaid, which were formed to help and maintain the health of people deviated from that over time into an†¦show more content†¦Upon reading further into Medicare and Medicaid billing fraud, I have learned that there are many types of fraud. Doctors who commit fraud can do so in many ways, such as billing for services never received, perform ing unnecessary procedures, falsifying documents to perform more procedures, and even accepting money for patient referrals, among others. This signifies that some physicians are potentially physically harming their patients for their own financial benefit. Some providers, nevertheless, believe that they can â€Å"outsmart† the system and choose to overbill their elder patients. By overbilling their patients, it is harder for the government to keep track of that. However, with the Affordable Care Act, there have been new rules and regulations to avoid all types of fraud as much as possible. With the enactment of the Affordable Care Act, several organizations have begun bringing awareness to healthcare fraud and have fought to prevent it, some of which are the Health Care Fraud Prevention Partnership and Senior Medicare Patrols. Furthermore, the Affordable Care Act has taken many precautions to prevent fraud, such as using â€Å"fraud detection technology, enhancing provider screening and enrollment requirements, and having a greater oversight of private insurance abuses† (Centers for Medicare Medicaid Services, 2015). Private insurers typically â€Å"lose an [estimated] 1%-1.5% of their revenue to fraud alone† (Health Research

Answers to Questions About Islam Free Essays

ISLAMIC RESEARCH FOUNDATION Spreading the Truth of Islam www. irf. net ANSWER TO NON-MUSLIMS? COMMON QUESTIONS ABOUT ISLAM Authored by: Dr. We will write a custom essay sample on Answers to Questions About Islam or any similar topic only for you Order Now Zakir Abdul Karim Naik 1 * For more Queries contact: webmaster@irf. 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 Glorious 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 same 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 successful, if not in convincing non-Muslims about the complete truth of Islam, 2 * For more Queries contact: webmaster@irf. 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 by 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, the 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 clearing 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: webmaster@irf. 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 w hereby 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: webmaster@irf. 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 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 h aving 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 only 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: webmaster@irf. 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 suppose 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: webmaster@irf. 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, unprotected 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 equal, 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: webmaster@irf. 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: webmaster@irf. 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 ‘glorious’ 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: webmaster@irf. 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 Qurâ€⠄¢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 for 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 insist 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: webmaster@irf. 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 moral conduct, behaviour, attitude and intention of the individual. A person only fulfilling the c riteria 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 for the women so that they are recognized as modest women and this will also prevent them from b eing 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: webmaster@irf. 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. 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 ‘bolder’ 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: webmaster@irf. 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. † 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: webmaster@irf. 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-Muslims 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 opinion, 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: webmaster@irf. 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 Q ur’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: webmaster@irf. 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. F or 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 about 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 ‘strict 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: webmaster@irf. 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 selective 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, he 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: webmaster@irf. 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 nonvegetarian 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 vegetarian A 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 fact: 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: webmaster@irf. 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. 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-vegetarian 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: webmaster@irf. 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 (ances tors) 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 inexhaustible! 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 religions Though 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 Certain 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: webmaster@irf. 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 sounds 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: webmaster@irf. 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 time Meat 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: webmaster@irf. 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 viole nt 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"He 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 Aha dith 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: webmaster@irf. 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 th e 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 of 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: webmaster@irf. 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 connected 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, especially 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: webmaster@irf. 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 Bible The Christian is likely to be convinced by his religious scriptures. The Bibl How to cite Answers to Questions About Islam, Essay examples

Essay Role of Strategic HRM

Question: Write about theEssayfor Role of Strategic HRM. Answer: Introduction Among various functions in an organization, such as marketing, finance, production, etc., the human resource job has constantly experienced a struggle to justify its position in the organizations (Drucker 1954). During the growth periods and in times of abundance of cash, the companies splurged on training, recruitment, rewarding, and employee engagement programs without hesitations. But, when the organizations face difficulties in business, HR (Human Resources) functions and initiatives are discouraged, and fund allocation to HR activities are mercilessly cut (Stewart 1996). It requires every now and then reminding the executives in the organizations about the contributions of the HR. Businesses in the field of software development, research organizations, design centers, etc., have realized the vitality of the human resources for their progress. Now, the human resources have become the critical resource for the sustenance and growth of many business organizations, especially in the knowledge working enterprises. Also, many companies consider employees as their most valuable assets. In this scenario, HR has taken a central part in the organization, and automatically the Human Resource Management (HRM) function has critical role to play there. Instead of comparing the traditional function of HR and the emerging new role, this essay intends to highlight the contributions of HR as such in realistic terms. While keeping the traditionally successful role and incorporating the demands of the 21st century organizations, the essay enlists the functions of HR in a positive way. It is observed that HR is constantly under the pressure to shift from transactional role of admi nistration and record keeping to more dynamic value adding function that can positively impact the enterprise and its organization. The Scope and Functions of HR Broadly, the HR function can be classified into five domains i.e. Human capital management, people management practices, Employee relationship and behavior management, Organizational Capability management and Administrative function (Devanna et al. 1984). The human capital management involves talent acquisition and retention function; people management includes, training, work design, rewards and recognition, and performance evaluation; Employee behavioral management occupies issues relating to psychological contract, job satisfaction, job involvement, organizational citizenship, etc. ; organizational capability function demands leadership development, career advancement, strategic alignment, human resource planning, etc. and finally the administrative function includes, compliances, audits, etc. While acknowledging the above functions, this essay is intended to highlight only the selective critical functions of the HR. Emerging Role of HR Some of the recent emerging stand points about HR function states that it is not merely a promoter of feel-good factors among employees, but about involving in people related problems and resolving them successfully. While discharging its function, HR is now expected to deliver results in alignment with business goals. With the arrival of the informational technology tools, HR is equipped with huge data processing facilities which can be put to use for analyzing employee data and forecasting the trends in HR management. Many top management squad now, include HR managers in their meetings and teams and expects them to participate in the strategy execution. Previously the HR was least concerned about the customers of the company; however, now customers are the prime focus of HR functions. The people mangers are poised to help both, the internal and external customers. The HR managers have stakes in the business results of company and are required to provide leadership in business decis ions such as strategy, investments, product development, etc. With the changed perspective, HR professionals are now offering distinctive information, ideas, insights, and suggestions to the top executives in developing competitive advantage. Some of the prominent contributions of the HR function to the organization are provided below. Engaging in Talent Acquisition Though this function looks relatively easier, the challenge of filling a key position in the organization with right candidate is significant to the HR manager. Because of the demographic movements and the changing business scenarios, the HR manager has to scout in unfamiliar employment markets with innovative ways of recruitment. As we have discussed earlier, human resources are becoming the strategic assets of organization, the contribution of HR manager in identifying and placing a talented employee is critical to the success of the origination. Fetching right people into the business, inducting and managing them with strategic alignment is vital to the organizational success (Allen and Ulrich 2013). Managing People and their Performance As per Gardner et al (2011) the major role of HR in adding value to the organization is by encouraging employees to perform better through developing leadership skills in the line managers. The HR managers persuade the executives to take up leadership roles to train their colleagues and reward them with appreciation, promotion, etc. Ulrich (1998) suggested a formula for people management i.e. Talent = Competence Commitment Contribution. All the three dimensions of the formula are related to the role of the HR management, and all of them must be integrated for an effective organizational performance. First dimension of the formula, competence signifies the presence of knowledge, skills, and values required for performance of the job. The HR responsibilities are to help the job incumbents to master the competences required for current and future jobs (Lorenzet et al 2006). It is a well-known fact that committed employees deliver superior customer service and bring profits to the investors. HR mangers promote commitment among the employees through various innovative techniques of employee engagements such as best performance awards; monetary incentives, etc. With respect to the enhancement of the contributions by the employees, the emotions of the workers play a major role in this aspect. Getting emotional engagement from the employees is not an easy task, the HR mangers have to identify the meaning associated with each job and, organizational missions, and encourage the employees to acknowledge and accept the purposes of the enterprise (Panagiotakopoulos 2011). By establishing a connection between the employees emotions and the purposes of the organizations the people managers gain commitment to add value to the product or service. Only by peoples work a business can achieve growth, and HR mangers contribute intangibly to the competitive advantage of the organization. Enhancing Organizational Capability The HR manager not only should promote individual talent within the organization, but also promote collective capacity to compete in the market (Michaels et al 2001). The principle is, the performance of the organization should be greater than the individual actions. It has been known for a long time that teams outperform individuals. Integrating employees and departments towards a common goal of the organization is a function of HRM. HR professionals must develop and design systems that integrate the efforts of the individuals and departments, promote a suitable organizational culture and build team to achieve wins in the market (Allen Ulrich 2013). Developing Leadership Pipeline It has been an accepted norm that the presence of leaders in an organization has positive effects on its performance. It is the leaders who bring together diverse resources to create value to the customers and market. By providing inspiration, driving innovations, and integrating the works of individuals and teams, the leaders take the organization to a different level. The HR managers are critical in developing leadership pipeline and career advancement within an organization. The outcomes of effective leadership are varied; it not only promotes employee commitment, organizational effectiveness, and business growth, but also enhances shareholder and stakeholder confidence. People invest in a company with trust and faith on the leaders who run the company. Following Compliances and Legal Shielding Though, many of the new generation managers give emphasis to strategic aspect of the HR, the HR mangers provide an invaluable service to the organization by protecting its operations from unnecessary legal entangles. By educating the executives about the compliances and employment laws, the HR managers have been instrumental in the development of various policies that are in line with the employment laws (Jackson et al 1989). By practicing the ethics and working within legal frameworks an organization is protected from stray litigations. Often the job designs, work place communications, employment contracts, etc. are scrutinized by the HR managers with awareness of the regulations, and illegal aspects in the workplace activities are removed sooner. As the organization opens up for diversity, this contribution of HR manager becomes more relevant. Human Resource Planning The demands of the current business environment and the employment scenarios force an HR professional to abandon the reactive habits and embrace the proactive strategies. They are required to play stronger and assertive in planning for human resources in alignment with emerging business strategies. Now, many senior HR mangers serve on the organizations top management teams and take part in strategic processes. In analyzing the strengths and weaknesses, and opportunities and threats, an HR director can guide the strategy based on the capacity of the human resources within the organization. Conclusion The HR managers have realized that the real focus must be on the deliverables i.e. creating value to the business and not merely getting the HR jobs done (Colbert 2004).. The HR professionals must not only create value in revenue generation of the company, but also assert their contributions. A system to assess the effectiveness of the HR function in relation to business competitiveness and employee satisfaction must be established. The HR mangers must help the organizations to become learning organizations so that the organization is not just a provider of a product or service but capable of adjust with the changing business situation. Bibliography Allen J and D Ulrich (2013) Talent accelerator: Secrets for driving business growth in Asia, South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, 1(1) 123. Asian countries have gained economic success in the recent past, and one of the factors that led to this growth is due to the appropriate management of the most important resource of an organization i.e. human talent. Investments in managing talents have found to have positive effect on business performance and retention of the employees. This article intends to encourage the HR mangers to expedite the utilization of talent to boost business results. References Allen J and D Ulrich (2013) Talent accelerator: Secrets for driving business growth in Asia, South Asian Journal of Human Resources Management, 1(1) 123. Colbert, B.(2004).The complex resource-based view: implications for theory and practice in strategic human resource management.Academy of Management Review,29, pp.341358. Devanna, M. A., Fombrun, C. J., Tichy, N. M. (1984) A Framework for Strategic Human Resource Management, Strategic Human Resource Management, Chapter 3: (pp. 33-51). New York: Wiley. Drucker, P. (1954) The practice of management. New York: Harper. Gardner, Nora. McGranahan, Devin, and Wolf, William (2011) Question for your HR chief: Are we using our people data to create value?, Mc Kinsey Quarterly, March 2011. Available at https://www.mckinsey.com/business-functions/organization/our-insights/question-for-your-hr-chief-are-we-using-our-people-data-to-create-value. Accessed on 12th December 2016 Jackson, S. E., Schuler, R. S., Rivero, J. C. (1989). Organizational Characteristics as Predictors of Personnel Practices. Personnel Psychology, 42, 727-786. Lorenzet, S.J.,Cook, R.G.andOzeki, C.(2006).Improving performance in very small firms through effective assessment and feedback.Education + Training,48, pp.568583 Michaels E, H Handfield-Jones and B Axelrod (2001) The war for talent. Harvard Business School Press, Boston, MA Panagiotakopoulos, A. (2011).Workplace learning and its organizational benefits for small enterprises: Evidence from Greek industrial firms.The Learning Organisation,18, pp.350360. Rowley C and D Ulrich (2012) Setting the scene for leadership in Asia, Asia Pacific Business Review 18(4), 451464. Stewart, T. A. (1996) Human resources bites back, Fortune ,May 13, 175 Ulrich D (1998) Intellectual capital = Competence * commitment. Sloan Management Review 39(2), 1526.

Actinides (Actinide Series) Element Properties

Actinides (Actinide Series) Element Properties At the bottom of the periodic table, there is a special group of radioactive metallic elements. These elements have interesting properties and play a key role in nuclear chemistry. Actinides Definition The actinides or actinoids are a set of radioactive elements on the periodic table, usually considered ranging from atomic number 89 to atomic number 103. Location of the Actinides The modern periodic table has two rows of elements below the main body of the table. The actinides are the elements in the bottom row. The top row is the lanthanide series. The reason these two rows of elements are placed below the main table is that they dont fit in the design without making the table confusing and very wide. However, these two rows of elements are metals, sometimes considered a subset of the transition metals group. In fact, the lanthanides and actinides are sometimes called the inner transition metals, referring to their properties and position on the table. Two ways of including the lanthanides and actinides within a periodic table are to include those elements in their corresponding rows with the transition metals (makes the table wider) or ballooning them out to make a three-dimensional table. List of Elements in the Actinide Series There are 15 actinide elements. The electronic configurations of the actinides utilize the f sublevel, with the exception of lawrencium (a d-block element). Depending on your interpretation of the periodicity of the elements, the series begins with actinium or thorium, continuing to lawrencium. The usual list of elements in the actinide series is: Actinium (Ac)Thorium (Th)Protactinium (Pa)Uranium (U)Neptunium (Np)Plutonium (Pu)Americium (Am)Curium (Cm)Berkelium (Bk)Californium (Cf)Einsteinium (Es)Fermium (Fm)Mendelevium (Md)Nobelium (No)Lawrencium (Lr) Actinide Abundance The only two actinides found in appreciable quantities in the Earths crust are thorium and uranium. Small quantities of plutonium and neptunium are present in uranium orders. Actinium and protactinium occur as decay products of certain thorium and uranium isotopes. The other actinides are considered synthetic elements. If they occur naturally, it is part of a decay scheme of a heavier element. Common Properties of the Actinides Actinides share the following common properties: All are radioactive. These elements have no stable isotopes.Actinides are highly electropositive.The metals tarnish readily in air. These elements are pyrophoric (spontaneously ignite in air), particularly as finely divided powders.Actinides are very dense metals with distinctive structures. Numerous allotropes may be formed (plutonium has at least 6 allotropes!). The exception is actinium, which has fewer crystalline phases.They react with boiling water or dilute acid to release hydrogen gas.Actinide metals tend to be fairly soft. Some can be cut with a knife.These elements are malleable and ductile.All of the actinides are paramagnetic.All of these elements are silver-colored metals that are solid at room temperature and pressure.Actinides combine directly with most nonmetals.The actinides successively fill the 5f sublevel. Many actinide metals have properties of both d block and f block elements.Actinides display several valence states (typically more than the lanthanides). Most a re prone to hybridization. The actinides (An) may be prepared by reduction of AnF3  or AnF4  with vapors of Li, Mg, Ca, or Ba at 1100 - 1400 °C. Actinide Uses For the most part, we dont encounter these radioactive elements much in daily life. Americium is found in smoke detectors. Thorium is found in gas mantles. Actinium is used in scientific and medical research as a neutron source, indicator, and gamma source. Actinides may be used as dopants to make glass and crystals luminescent. The bulk of actinide use goes to energy production and defense operations. The primary use of the actinide elements is as nuclear reactor fuel and for the production of nuclear weapons. The actinides are favored for these reactions because they readily undergo nuclear reactions, releasing incredible amounts of energy. If the conditions are right, the nuclear reactions may become chain reactions. References E. Fermi (1934). Possible Production of Elements of Atomic Number Higher than 92.  Nature.  133  (3372): 898–899.Greenwood, Norman N.; Earnshaw, Alan (1997). Chemistry of the Elements (2nd ed.). Butterworth-Heinemann. pp. 1230–1242.Theodore Gray (2009).  The Elements: A Visual Exploration of Every Known Atom in the Universe. New York: Black Dog Leventhal Publishers. p.  240.

Service Management CNN

Service Management CNN Introduction Services providing firms, just like the goods manufacturing companies, need to establish sound strategies and operations in order to develop their overall businesses. Such strategies may involve determining new services, identifying a perfect competitive strategy, and defining target markets to serve the market effectively.Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Service Management: CNN specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More This paper seeks to discuss in detail the aspect of service management with special focus on one of the world’s leading news broadcaster, Channel Television Network (CNN). The paper designs a proposal for a new services offering for the company, as well as gives recommendations on the alternative ways through which CNN can improve its services offerings. Thesis Statement CNN’s differentiation strategy can provide the company with more competitive advantage globally if it is integrate d with a focus strategy. Components of CNN’s Service Offerings CNN is a TV channel that mainly broadcasts news for 24 hours. The TV channel is based in the United States of America, but it has a global outreach across all the continents. The services are mainly categorized into two, that is, CNN America and CNN international. CNN America is customized for the local US market, while CNN international includes content for the global market. News by the channel is structured into several categories to appeal to varying audiences. The categories include politics, justice, entertainment, and technical news. Other categories are health, living, travel, money, and sports. CNN international runs dedicated channels that focus on specific countries or regions. These specialized channels include CNN Chile, CNN Airport, CNN enEspanol, CNN TURK, CNN IBN, which is dedicated for the Indian subcontinent, and CNNj for Japan. The n-tv channel is a dedicated CNN affiliate that is focused on the German news market. CNN also provides its news services through the online platform via the web address cnn.com. Users can read news articles on the website or watch video clips directly. A highly interesting and interactive feature of the online news services, iReport, allows users who are amateur journalists to upload videos and photos. The firm has launched a recent service, CNN Films, which distributes and produces TV, as well as feature documentaries.Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More Target Markets Different CNN service components target varying market categories. The TV platform particularly targets viewers with a minimum of 45 years. Most people falling within this age bracket often consider TV as a traditional news channel. The younger generation of CNN’s viewers, mainly falling in the 15-40 age brackets, considers the online platform as more accommo dative than the traditional TV platform. Additional features of the online platform, such as iReport, allow users to increase their interaction by allowing them to send videos and photos that are later on uploaded on the company’s website.  CNN International (CNNI) is a 24-hour global channel that specifically focuses on news (CNN, 2013). Up to 212 countries throughout the world can watch the channel through 23 satellites (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2006). CNNI has further been regionalized in order to narrow down its content to specifically suit specific regional markets. The regions include CNN International Europe/Middle East/Africa, for the general European, Middle East, and African markets. Other regional markets include CNN International Latin America, for mainly the Southern American market, CNN International Asia Pacific, for countries in the Asia Pacific region, as well as CNN International South Asia for the Southern Asia market.  Finally, CNN International USA a lso exists, with its special focus being to provide international news to the local US viewers (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2006). CNNmoney, on its part, delivers comprehensive news about business for 24 hours for every weekday. Viewers enjoy broad range news on business, consumer, and financial news, which specifically targets both small investors, as well as business professionals (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2006). The details are credibly analyzed for purposes of helping viewers to enjoy high quality content that is not offered in other rival channels (CNN, 2013). CNN’s HLN service, which was previously referred to as CNN Headline News combines all top stories on health matters, technology, entertainment, breaking news, travel, as well as sports, and weather information (Ireland, Hoskisson, Hitt, 2006). This service targets an audience in need of relevant comprehensive news for purposes of their urgency and schedules. The news is delivered by a team representing four anchors , who interactively engage to ensure a lively delivery of the news content (Ireland, Hoskisson Hitt, 2006).  The specialized CNN channels have been particularly designed to focus on the national audience markets of the specific countries involved. CNN Chile, for instance, is customized for the Chilean market, as is the same case for CNN TURK, which specifically targets Turkey as a market (CNN, 2013).Advertising We will write a custom essay sample on Service Management: CNN specifically for you for only $16.05 $11/page Learn More Competitive Strategy CNN employs a differentiation strategy in order to achieve competitive advantage in the industry and market (Gershon, 2009). CNN has sought to create a unique operation and service delivery that makes it stand out exceptionally compared to other cable networks. CNN has succeeded to establish itself as a global leader in terms of delivering news that covers the entire world. The news coverage by the channel is more global, creating the feel, as well as look similar to a news magazine. This tends to vary with the positioning attained by its main rival Fox News, for instance, which is looked at as being mainly conservative and earning the â€Å"proAmerican news organization† tag. This is more evidenced by the presence of a US flag in its studio background (Gershon, 2009). Tools and Processes Supporting Differentiation Strategy Specialized channels CNN has introduced specialized channels that seek to customize its services for specific national markets in order to enhance its strategy of differentiation. Although CNN is an American firm, its focus and attention has been to cover international news comprehensively, in the same breadth that it covers local news, in order to effectively differentiate itself as an international news channel. Currently, there are up to eight specialized channels that are run by the broadcaster. CNN Chile, CNN TURK, CNN-IBN, CNNj, and n-tv, all represent e fforts by the company to support its competitive strategy (CNN, 2013). While CNN may still be regarded as foreign to the national markets represented by these channels, which include Chile, Turkey, India, Japan, and Germany, the company has sought to drop the tag by introducing special channels. These channels broadcast in the local languages, as opposed to English which is CNN’s main language of broadcasting, and give priority to events and features that occur within the countries. The specialized channels have been structured in a similar format to CNN/US, which mainly focuses on local US news. While distribution of international news remains the main purpose of CNN, the company realizes the importance of customizing each national market in order to effectively serve the specific needs. Bureaus CNN operates several bureaus, both within the US and on the international scene, to enable the firm to differentiate its service delivery to the diverse market that it serves. In the US, the bureaus are set up in ten states, including Atlanta, which also doubles up as the company’s headquarters, Boston, Chicago, Miami, New York City, San Francisco, and Washington DC (CNN, 2013).Advertising Looking for essay on business economics? Let's see if we can help you! Get your first paper with 15% OFF Learn More While the US is a single national market, CNN seeks to achieve more competition in the delivery of its news by giving all the country’s regions special attention. This ensures that the audiences residing in all the US regions are able to find services that have been specially designed to suit their interests. With the US being CNN’s home country, the company has given it special attention mainly because of the intense competition that exists within the country. Other well established cable channels, such as Fox News, have given the market more attention, which makes it critical for CNN to equally give it special attention.  On the worldwide scene, CNN runs several bureaus that are mainly established in the specific country’s capitals. In Africa, CNN has run bureaus in Cairo, Lagos, Nairobi, and Johannesburg in a bid to effectively cover regional news within the African continent. The Indian sub-continent, with a massive population exceeding one billion, is ser ved by the New Delhi bureau. Other bureaus established within the region include Islamabad in Pakistan, Jakarta in Indonesia, as well as in Istanbul Turkey (CNN, 2013).  Northern America, other than the USA market, is also served by an established bureau in Mexico City, while the European regional market relies on bureaus in Italy, Paris, Moscow, Madrid, London, and Berlin. Another significant market in the Asian continent, China, is served by an existing bureau in Beijing. Several other bureaus also exist in the Middle East region, South America, as well as in the Pacific region that includes Australia. In other regional areas where no established bureaus exist, CNN relies on affiliate station reports as strategic sources for filing their stories. CNN Films CNN’s latest launched operations target the film industry, which highlights the company’s competitive strategy more elaborately (CNN, 2013). Although films may appear to be a departure from the company’s m ain business objective of distributing news, CNN targets to increase its competitive capability by venturing into the operations. The company intends to distribute news through this new feature, where it will report on social, political, and economic aspects using documentaries. This represents a new business idea that has not been employed traditionally by news companies. Recommendations for Service Improvement CNN should consider employing a strategic scope to integrate it with its differentiation strategy in order to improve on its service delivery. In other words, CNN should consider narrowing down its target market such that it only focuses on a niche market. Currently, the firm focuses on a wide market that eventually affects its ability to tailor the marketing mix to the specialized market. With its global target market, and a wide service component, CNN cannot efficiently achieve its objective of emerging as the market leader in a more effective manner.  The company should begin by identifying distinct groups amongst its wide audience base and determine their special needs before coming up with ideal services for the groups. Using a focused strategy, CNN should narrow down its market segmentation to consider audience groups that are less susceptible to substitutes (Xiang et al., n.d.). The news broadcasting industry is highly competitive, and it is difficult for firms to be highly competitive in their delivery of service unless players adopt a focus strategy. BBC news, which is one of CNN’s main competitors, has aggressively employed the focus strategy by launching various specialized channels across the world in order to serve its wide audience effectively.  To succeed in this new focus strategy, CNN must create high efficiency and skill where completion of value chain activities, both primary and secondary, is involved (Xiang et al. n.d.). CNN must also narrow the target market by increasing the number of its specialized channels throughou t the regions that it serves. Only Chile, India, Germany, Turkey, the USA, and Japan enjoy a more focused service delivery from CNN at the moment. CNN has established local channels that are more dedicated for these markets, which also use the local language in their services. However, other significant global markets receive less focused service delivery, which gives too much room for competitors to create more competitive advantage over the firm. In China, for instance, CNN has not considered focusing its differentiation strategy to specifically suit its needs, yet there is a market potential of more than 1.2 billion people. A specialized news channel for China should adopt the local Chinese dialect and focus more on the events happening in the country. The idea should be to minimize the attention on CNN International service component, and instead seek to establish more specialized channels that focus on national markets. Priority should be given to market sizes since it is not c apable to establish specialized channels in all the countries of the world. Regional specialized channels, on the other hand, should focus on several national markets with common unifying factors. These may include language, especially where the countries use a similar language for communication. The ‘international news channel’ differentiation position that CNN currently enjoys will be enhanced further through specialized channels that focus on specific national markets. Collecting news within smaller national market areas will be more elaborate in a focus strategy, while this news can be shared throughout the other existing specialized channels to make the news content international. With CNN’s elaborate service component, a focused differentiation strategy will cement the company’s position as the world’s leading international news channel. Conclusion CNN has successfully established itself as a global leader in the distribution of international news. The company employs a differentiation strategy with the main focus of attaining a leadership position in international news. This is sustained through the establishment of its several specialized channels that exist in Germany, Chile, India, Japan, and Turkey. It also runs several bureaus across selected capital cities in the world, including in Europe, Asia, Africa, and North and South America regions. However, CNN should consider integrating its main strategy of differentiation with focus strategy. This will allow the company to improve its service delivery by introducing additional specialized channels for specific national and regional markets in order to achieve market customization. Equally, a focused strategy will enhance the company’s position as an international news-broadcasting channel by ensuring more elaborate news content for its audience. Special emphasis should be given to significant markets, such as China, that have huge populations. References CNN. (2 012). CNN. Web. Gershon, R. A. (2009). Telecommunications and business strategy. New York, NY: Routledge. Ireland, R. D., Hoskisson, R. E., Hitt, M. A. (2006). Understanding business strategy: concepts and cases. Mason, OH: Thomson-South Western. Xiang, Z., et al. (n.d.). Multi-focused strategy in value co-creation with customers: Examining cumulative development pattern with new capabilities. International Journal of Production Economics, 132, 122-130.