The History of Efforts Towards Islam Ecumenism Essay Example for Free

The History of Efforts Towards Islam Ecumenism Essay The discord between the Shia and Sunni has a long and bloody history. The split between these sects was a product of a political conflict which was exaggerated, if not baseless. It allowed the proliferation of wrongful assumptions which have been exploited and taken out of context. For example, the Shiites believe that Sunnis are enemies of the Ahl-e Bayt,the family of the prophet (Mazhari). On the other hand, the Sunnis believe that the Shiites regard the present day Quran has been tampered with (Mazhari) and that they abuse the companions of the prophet. While is true that there are Shiites who openly abuse the companions of the prophets, there number is relatively small. Also, Sunni scholars quote arguments from a long forgotten Shia groups which were known to uphold un-Islamic views (Mazhari). The issues could’ve been easily resolved through a dialog between the leaders of these two sects and yet, over the centuries, no serious efforts were made to address these differences. The situation has worsened and the conflict between Shia-Sunni extremist forces has become so severe that many ordinary Muslims have expressed anger and consternation against suicide bombers and terrorist acts. In a paper (Rahim) written after the November 18, 2005 bombing of mosques in Eastern Iraq, an imam was quoted speaking these words: I have said this before and I say it again, the imam said, his voice trembling with anger. The suicide bombers and their planners are murderers, not martyrs. They are the real enemies of Islam. We must confront and defeat them, wherever they may lurk. The quarrel between Sunnism and Shiism is more than just a debate on what is â€Å"true Islam†. In several countries such as Iran and Iraq, it has become a jihad, a holy war destroying the lives and futures of the very population they are part of. At present, there is now a resounding call for intrafaith harmony – a dialogue between the Shiites and Sunnis so as to allow better understanding between these two sects and ensure respect and peaceful coexistence. The beginning of efforts to resolve Sunni-Shia antagonism While the idea of Islam ecumenism is a new one, there were already efforts to resolve the Sunni-Shiite conflict in the past, though these were not widespread. A highlight in Islamic history is the victory of the Shah Ismail in Tabriz in 1501. With the ascension of the Safavids to power, Shiism became the official sect in a largely Sunni country. For Iran, this was the first time that Shiite leaders could organize without repression from their Sunni counterparts. Because of this move, Shiite leaders developed into an educated class and have accepted the â€Å"use of reason in the process of evaluating the traditions and in jurisprudence† (R. Brunner 28). The Shiite clergy began to consider their political interests when confronting with representatives of both Shiism and Sunnism. The first attempt at formal dialogue between Sunni and Shiite leaders happened in fourth and fifth decades in the 18th century, following the defeat of the Safavids to Afghan invaders (R. Brunner 28). In the meeting convened by Nadir Shah and culminated on December 1743 (R. Brunner 31), it was reported that a considerable number of scholars from both sects were present. Some of the topics discussed involved the legitimacy of the rule of the first caliphs, and the issues surrounding the prophet’s companions and temporary marriage. The meeting produced a written accord which obliged the Shiite scholars from performing activities which the Sunnis may find offensive. Unfortunately, scholars from both sects were not yet mentally ready to maintain peace and the accord failed to fulfill its function after Nadir Shah’s death in 1747. Repeated clashes and outbreaks of violence between the Sunnis and Shiites soon commenced. While the first official agreement for Islam ecumenism was a failure, this was not an indication that there is no hope for peace between the warring sects. The re-emergence of pan-Islamic tendencies happened in the later part of the 19th century, after the spreading European colonialism (R. Brunner 34). During this time, activists of Islamic descent called on the Muslim community to unite and forge against a common enemy. In order to overcome the dominance of European culture and assert the uniqueness of the Islamic world, activists such as Jamal al-Din al-Afghani and Muhammad Abduh called on â€Å"Muslims†¦to reflect on the virtues of unity and cooperation†¦the most powerful pillars of Muhammadan denomination† (R. Brunner 35). Unfortunately at this time, ecumenical dialogue was still non-existent, and there was no mention of rapprochement between the Sunnis and Shiites. As a matter of fact, there was no mention â€Å"of the two denominations by name [since activists preferred to] stress their common opposition to British politics† (R. Brunner 35). One scholar who is notable for making leading the first efforts towards dialogue and Islam ecumenism is the Sunni Muhammad Rashid Rida (R. Brunner 40). He called for the revival of â€Å"true Islam† through the adaptation of Islamic law to modern needs and its reinterpretation for Islamic jurisprudence. Unlike al-Afghani and Abduh, Rida recognized that the mutual aversion and distance between the two sects were a mistake. He called for a unified language and the creation of an Islamic society in Mecca which consisted of both Shiites and Sunnis. The recognition of the Azhar University as highest Islamic institution in Egypt also helped spread the move towards Islam ecumenism. It served both a a Sunni and Shiite authority in Egypt when it created the Council Supreme ulama which was â€Å"commissioned by law to oversee the religious standards of all other Egyptian ulama and [use] disciplinary means to enforce their decisions† (R. Brunner 48). With the success of the Azhar in Egypt came the call for the revision of the educational system in Iran. Alim Asad Allah Mamaqani and Muhsin Shahara believed that by adapting the reforms made by Azhar in training young theologians Najaf can also â€Å"master the prevailing chaos† (R. Brunner 49) in the country. If there was one scholar who created the greatest impact to Islam ecumenism, then it would be Muhammad Rashid Rida. From his philosophy came a need for greater understanding of Islam and a move towards modernization. As a matter of fact, a secret society headed by Mirza Mohammad Baqer Bawanati was setup to promote â€Å"rapprochement among Islam, Christianity and Judaism† (R. Brunner 38). As early as 1986, leaders of different religions in the world were already meeting with the Pope John Paul II, with the Catholic pope being the spokesman and central figure in these gatherings (Veith). These meetings hosted by the Pope showed the world that peace among religions is not impossible, and that peace between the Shia and Sunni sects of Islam is still within reach. Main Institutions and Personalities and their Contribution to Islamic Ecumenism It was in the Safavid Empire when openings for dialogue took place. It was when Ismail Safavi made a religious edict to make Shiism as official state religion amidst a dominantly Sunni population. By force and violence, Sunnis were compelled to convert until the Sunnis turned from majority to minority by the end of the 18th century. Although there was an element of repression involved, the discourse on Sunni and Shiite theology was pursued with the intention of converting Sunnis by giving little concessions here and there (Brunner, 2004). A major contributor to Islamic unity in history is Sharaf al-din. He is a Shiite whose correspondence with Shaykh Salim al-Bishri, who is the chief of al-Azhar Mosque which was eventually published in a book Murajaat provided the foundations of Muslim Unity. Sharaf al-din also published works for uniting the Ummah where he tackled the various issues that prevent Shi’is and Sunnis from uniting. Perhaps one of his major moves in the direction of unity is on coordinating the 12th of Rabi al-Awal to commemorate Muhammad’s birthday rather than the 17th so that it can be celebrated together with Sunni Muslims (Brunner, 2004). The Taqrib Movement from 1947 to 1960 which literally means â€Å"to bring together† is also instrumental in paving the way towards the institutionalization of the ecumenical dialogue. This coincided with the effort from different countries to form an International Muslim Brotherhood. Eventually pan Islamic associations and other scholars joined the effort culminating into the Muslim World Congress in 1949 (Brunner, 2004). A pivotal moment in Islamic solidarity happened during the Islamic Revolution led by Ayatollah Khomeini. For one, he was able to neutralize the historical enmity between the Sunnis and Shi’ites by focusing on a single enemy which was the United States. Khomeini also bridged the division between Shiites and Sunnis by permitting Twelvers to pray behind Sunni imams while at the same time forbidding the criticism against the Caliphs who ruled before ‘Ali (Khan). There are other prominent figures in the ecumenical movement such as Muhammad Jawad Mughniyya who advocated for Arab and Muslim unity and supported the Islamic revolution. Together with Khomeini, they were able to merge religious and political emancipation in a single movement (Mallat, 2003). Notable also is the contribution of Shaykh Ma? mud Shaltut (1893-1963) in the history and contribution of Al-Azhar. He can be credited as a major influence to Al-Azhar’s openness, liberalism and ecumenical spirit. He is one of the first to teach Shi’a teaching in a Sunni institution teaching the Twelver of Shia Islam alongside four Sunni madhhabs (traditions of jurisprudence) (Brunner, 2004). Perhaps one the most influential institution that is paving the way for greater ecumenical dialogue and Islamic unity is Cairo’s Al-Azhar University. Considered as the most credible center of Sunni Scholarship, it is now propagating a reconciliatory stance that is aimed at mutual respect and understanding. The Al-Azhar Verdict (fatwa) on the Shia is considered to be a landmark position. To wit: 1) Islam does not require a Muslim to follow a particular Madh’hab (school of thought). Rather, we say: every Muslim has the right to follow one of the schools of thought which has been correctly narrated and its verdicts have been compiled in its books. And, everyone who is following such Madhahib [schools of thought] can transfer to another school, and there shall be no crime on him for doing so. 2) The Ja’fari school of thought, which is also known as â€Å"al-Shia al- Imamiyyah al-Ithna Ashariyyah† (i. e. , The Twelver Imami Shi’ites) is a school of thought that is religiously correct to follow in worship as are other Sunni schools of thought. (Al-Azhar) This position that recognizes the validity of Shia doctrine is a radical position that can really ease the historical tensions between the two denominations. The International Islamic Conference in Ammam (Landau) also issued the same position convening 200 Islamic scholars who all unanimously voted to recognize all 8 schools of Islam as having their own validity. Moreover they prohibited all Muslims from different denominations to call each other heretics or apostates while exposing what they see as ignorant edicts issues falsely in the name of Islam. On December 2005, the Amman Conference Statement was adopted by the Organization of Islamic Conference Summit in Mecca providing a clear legitimacy and thrust towards Muslim Solidarity. Eventually six other international Islamic scholarly assemblies adopted this position making a clear and distinct position for Muslim pluralism (Statement of the International Islamic Conference in Amman). Abdul Malik Mujahid is a modern day figure in Islamic ecumenism who is calling on all the Muslim world to unite and giving concrete and workable steps towards unity. He argues the principle of â€Å"no compulsion in matters of faith† (Quran 2:256) as well as he gives persuasive points in history as well as in actual practice (Mujahid).

Employee morale Essay -- essays research papers

NON-TRADITIONAL WORKING HOURS IMPROVE EMPLOYEE MORALE & INCREASE PRODUCTIVITY Prepared for Mr. Robert Pigg, President Lakedale Manufacturing 1 Desert Storm Drive Niceville, FL 33870 Prepared by Human Resource Department Lakedale Manufacturing 320 Ardennes Street Arabia, NC 28357 Lakedale Manufacturing Human Resource Department 320 Ardennes Street Arabia, NC 28357 Mr. Robert Pigg, President Lakedale Manufacturing 1 Desert Storm Drive Niceville, FL 33870 Dear Mr. Pigg: Here is the report on the productivity and morale study concerning working hours you asked us to conduct. As you will see we have made recommendations to support the benefits of flexibility in working hours which will increase productivity and morale in the work place. This office is confident you will see the benefits in flexible working hours at the Lakedale Manufacturing Plant in North Carolina. We really appreciate the opportunity you have given this office to conduct a study of this magnitude. If you need additional information concerning this report or in implementing our recommendations, please call us. Sincerely yours, Gary Gobble Chief, Human Resources Department Laws and Regulations Policies and Procedures When it comes to laws and regulations, we must keep in mind that the relationship between an employee and the organization is a contractual one. The employee and the organization must agree on the terms and conditions that will govern their relationship. This agreement is made at the time the employee is hired for a certain position. Any change or modification to the original agreement must be agreed upon by both the employee and the organization. The laws and regulations that govern the contractual relationship come from several different sources and place constraints on the relationship. They may be statutory federal laws or state and local laws that supplement those found at the federal level. The constraints placed on the relationship are necessary. They seek to ensure a balance of power in the relationship as well as provide specific protections to both the employee and the organization. Up to this point Lakedale Manufacturing is in compliance with all federal, state and local laws. At this time the only legislation to mandate rights to alternative working time options is the Federal Part-Time Career Employment Act of 1978. This act made reduced-time options available... ...w skills and work at different tasks? Is there any specific schedule you need? Would you be available for over-time if needed? TIME REPORTING After we make selections of the teams we need to be define how we will record hours worked by these teams. How can we simplify the documentation process without having a mountain of paperwork? Since we already use Excel, we can design a flextime spreadsheet template for keeping track of hours worked by each employee. We can also buy the software from IT Resource Services. IT Resource Services offers this software in both the Mac or PC format. This spreadsheet automates all the time-consuming calculations necessary to track actual daily time worked and the balance of time accumulated under the flextime system. The spreadsheet can be printed at the end of each flextime reporting period to be submitted as the official report to Personnel Services. RECOMMENDATION To promote these family friendly programs, I recommend that we facilitate the team work project. I also recommend we begin the survey of our employees. To save time and man hours I believe we should contact IT Resource Services for procurement of the time keeping spreadsheet template.

Is Man Naturally Good or Evil? Philosophy of Man University of Santo Tomas Essay

I. Summary All men are equal by nature, are we not? We all have the same faculties, all needing the same provisions. From this equality and needs comes the survival of the fittest. One could go to any length just to attain his ends, ends such as dominion over the majority. Now, dominance can only exist if there are people you can dominate on. If one feels that his companion is a threat, there is a possibility of him subduing this companion, or maybe looking for another company he could dominate over. The existence of these competitions could be attributed to the principle that man is inherently evil. With these competitions, comes diffidence and glory. Man is constantly in pursuit of these three, whether we are aware of it or not. Man exists in the external world as a reactive creature that senses objects and is driven to act by the constant motions of the world. These constant motions lead to man’s constant and insatiable desires and wants, which in a state of nature pits everyone against another in a perpetual state of war. Here men are equal in that anyone can kill anyone else, and as such men live in a constant state of fear and anxiety. Humans live to survive. This goes way back to our very beginnings as cave people who, would hunt and do anything to live and keep on living. Now, living consists of more than just eating and not being killed. There are ones that live in the lap of luxury, and ones that live with much lower standards. As so, selfishness also has different levels depending upon lifestyle and what makes you ‘live’. So, technically, selfishness is something that we as humans are born with, but it’s perceived differently usually depending upon how the person was brought up as a child or has learned over time. However, overtime, it can be proven that everything we do will always lead back to one point: We do it for ourselves. Man is basically good since it is a fact that man is a social animal whose existence depends on the continued physical and spiritual relations between human beings, these relations must be based either on affinity, solidarity and love, or on hostility and struggle. If each individual thinks only of his well-being, or perhaps that of his small consanguinity or territorial group, he will obviously find himself in conflict with others, and will emerge as victor or vanquished; as the oppressor if he wins, as the oppressed if he loses. Natural harmony, the natural marriage of the good of each with that of all, is the invention of human laziness, which rather than struggle to achieve what it wants assumes that it will be achieved spontaneously, by natural law. In reality, however, natural Man is in a state of continuous conflict with his fellows in his quest for the best, and healthiest site, the most fertile land, and in time, to exploit the many and varied opportunities that social life creates for some or for others. For this reason human history is full of violence, wars, carnage (besides the ruthless exploitation of the labour of others) and innumerable tyrannies and slavery. If in the human essence there had only existed this punitive instinct of wanting to prevail and to profit at the expense of others, humanity would have remained in its barbaric state and the development of order as recorded in antiquity, or in our own times, would not have been possible. This order even at its nastiest, always signifies a kind of mitigating of the despotic spirit with a minimum of social solidarity, indispensable for a more civilised life. But fortuitously there exists in man another feeling which lures him closer to his neighbour, the feeling of sympathy, of love, and, thanks to it, mankind became more civilised, and from it grew our idea which aims at making society a true gathering, all working for the common good. Reaction The topic of human nature has been debated over for years, maybe even centuries. Who wouldn’t be tempted to wonder about the logic of human behaviour? Nonetheless, the bigger question is: Is the answer a sheer ‘good’ or ‘evil’? If your answer to that is a yes, then I beg to disagree. Experiences have pushed me to the conclusion that there is no such thing as good or evil. This notion is a meagre attempt to the conception of the underpinning of an organization. We are all different; we would cease to exist otherwise. People have diverse everything: perspectives, habits, feelings, senses, and methods. God made us so. Each of us has functions vital to each society we belong in. The loss of one function would create a ripple effect that would spread all over the society that could bring it to its demise. . The good and evil that you see don’t even exist in reality, at least outside of the mind that believes in them. They are only judgments passed by the individual from their own unique perspective. What one person sees as bad or evil may seem to be the only logical thing to do from some other perspective. The ideas of both good and evil are point of view specific. To sum it all up good is the name we give to people who do things that we think we like. Evil is the name we give to people who do the things that we don’t like. This is of course based solely on our particular point of view. This ‘Good and Evil’ concept DOES NOT EXIST. It is merely an illusion. What people have is what we should call ‘diverse perceptions’. I don’t think we have to the right to judge a person ‘evil’ especially if we do not know their story. After all, we are mere human beings giving our best shot at survival.

The Crucible By Arthur Miller - 1001 Words

Today there are kids and adults that wonder why the events of the Salem witch trials actually happened because everyone was blamed for no reason and all people did was make excuses. Those types of people also wonder how the people back then were tricked into believing that witches existed and they had to deal with everything that happened in a harsh manner because everyone was in a â€Å"I can’t get in trouble let me blame someone else† type of attitude. There are many beliefs today that witches like things in the past. Many people would agree that they are no longer existent today; however Arthur Miller, author of the play, The Crucible, shows the audience that people have not progressed that far from those days when people believed during the Salem witch trials. A common belief is that witches hunt for things in the past. Many people would agree that they no longer exist today; however Arthur Miller, author of the play, The Crucible, points out that society has not co me very far from the days of the Salem witch trials. All throughout this play, Arthur used the trials to parallel to the McCarthy Era because he noticed that the events were the same from the late 1600’s. Arthur Miller wrote The Crucible to help everyone today notice that people back then weren’t going crazy they were just believing what they heard and they were all man for themselves attitude. Miller finished writing The Crucible in the 1950’s and at that time America was facing a crisis in the civil rightsShow MoreRelatedThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1269 Words   |  6 PagesAt first glance, the playwright Arthur Miller in The Crucible highlights the historical significance of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but in fact it is an allegorical expression of his perception of McCarthyism. If the reader has some background information on Arthur Miller’s victimization as a communist, it is evident that the play is a didactic vessel illustrating the flaws of the court system in the 1950’s. The communist allegations were launched at government employees, entertainers and writersRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1681 Words   |  7 Pagesof their way to the last dying breath to make sure they leave with a good or bad reputation. In one of the recent literature study in class â€Å"The Crucible† by Arthur Miller, Miller uses characterization to il lustrate reputation throughout the play. â€Å"The Crucible† takes place in Salem, Massachusetts. It is based upon the Salem witch trails. In â€Å"The Crucible†, we journey through the life of three characters who reputations plays a major role in the play. The three characters are John Proctor, AbigailRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1333 Words   |  6 PagesAs the various characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller interact, the dominant theme of the consequences of women’s nonconformity begins to slide out from behind the curtains of the play. Such a theme reveals the gripping fear that inundated the Puritans during the seventeenth century. This fear led to the famous witch-hunts that primarily terrorized women who deviated from the Puritan vision of absolute obedience and orthodoxy. Arthur Miller presents his interpretation of the suffering by subtlyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller998 Words   |  4 Pagesmotivated by jealousy and spite. The Crucible is a four-act dramatic play production that was first performed on January 22, 1953. Arthur Miller used dialogue within the characters to cover the multiple themes; conflicts and resolutions, plus the few directions for the different actions of the play. The Salem Witch Trials were intended to be performed as the play however, when read, it can be more carefully examined and broken down to analyze the techniques. Miller, the playwright, uses literaryRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1145 Words   |  5 PagesUnbalance Through The Centuries In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the author reflects the persecution of communists in America in the 1950’s through a recount of the Salem witch trials. It is often presumed that Miller based his drama directly off of events that were particularly prevalent in the years surrounding the publication of The Crucible- which was released in the year 1953, towards the conclusion of the Korean War. Although there was not a literal witch hunt occurring during this timeRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1063 Words   |  5 PagesIn the English dictionary, there are three definitions of the word crucible. One is a metal container in which metals are mixed and melted. Another is a severe test. But the third definition, and the one that I think fits the best for this book, is a place or situation in which different elements interact to create something new. In my mind, this fits because all of the characters had their little grudges and dirty secrets. But when all th ose seemingly little things interact, they formed somethingRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1285 Words   |  6 Pages Rationale, Morality, Stereotypes, Pressure, Self-Censorship, Unanimity, and Mindguards. Groupthink has also taken place in our history a a country. The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about a the real-life Salem Witch Trials that happened in 1692 - 1693, in Salem, Massachusetts. Some symptoms of Groupthink found in the Crucible are Rationale, Pressure, and Self-Censorship. The Groupthink symptom, Rationale, is described as when victims of Groupthink ignore warnings: they also collectivelyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller811 Words   |  4 Pages While The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is only a four act play, it still resembles the format of a five act play. The five-act structure evolved from a three-act structure, which was made famous by Roman Aelius Donatus. Donatus came up with three types of plays: Protasis, Epitasis, and Catastrophe. The five-act structure helped to expand the three act structure, mainly made famous by Shakespeare through his many tragedies. Even though The Crucible contains only four acts, it still has the commonRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1052 Words   |  5 PagesBuddy Al-Aydi Ms.Healy English 9 CP 14th October 2014 The Crucible Essay The Crucible was a novel written by Arthur Miller in the 1950’s. It was written in a format of the play, portraying an allegory of the Salem Witch-Hunts led by Senator Joseph McCarthy. The book is known to have a inexplicable plot. This plot is advanced by multiple characters in the book in order to ensure that the reader maintains interest with the material that is being read. The farmer, John Proctor, would be theRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller841 Words   |  4 PagesThe Crucible is a chaotic play, throughout this American classic Arthur Miller takes the reader through multiple events of terror and insanity. While creating a great on-stage play, Arthur Miller portrays his life through the events, the characters, and plot of The Crucible. Using vivid imagery and comprehensible symbolism, Miller manipulates the real personalities of the characters and events in 1600 Salem, Massachusetts to create a symbolic autobiography. Throughout this play, the reader experie nces