Islam Questions Essays - Sunni Islam, Ijtihad, Sharia, Faqh

Islam Questions Essays - Sunni Islam, Ijtihad, Sharia, Faqh Islam Questions 1.Islam is a religion with many sects in which all followers share the central theme of the belief in one God who sent His revelation, called the Quran, through the Prophet Muhammad and conduct their lives based on the rules given in the Quran and the Sunna of the Prophet and is set apart from other monotheistic religions by its followers belief in the finality of Muhammads prophetic mission. 2.The thing that surprised me the most while reading the book was the number of sects that fall under Islam and the major separation of the sects (primarily Sunni and Shi3i) and the sects that fall under them as well, yet they are all still united by the central theme and Shahada. 3.Elias characterizes Islamic law as follows: while being an important and visible part of the Islamic society, it is but one facet of the religion, and is just that, a very religiously based law. He seems to place faith and the core religious expectations over the devotion to traditions of law, but still places Islamic Law over Western Law in that it is a more mediating system. Notes on Islam Islamic Law: Sharia Sources Sharia the collected prescriptions dictated by God for the running of the universe Quran provides rules on diverse issues; cannot account for all situations; not a problem until the Islamic community spread/multiple generations after Muhammad Fiqh a system of law that provides a method by which rules can be developed to deal with new situations; four principles called Principles of Jurisprudence (Usul al-fiqh) The Quran Sunna Reasoning by analogy (qiyas) Consensus of the community (ijma) Principles of Jurisprudence Primary source of law is the Quran Rules are not open to debate, must be accepted at face value (i.e forbiddance of pork) Not in Quran, look to Sunna the example of the Prophet Muhammad Living Sunna preserved in traditions of a virtuous Islamic community Recorded Sunna preserved in hadiths, anecdotes concerning Muhammads actions Open to interpretation; often contradict one another In regards to Living Tradition/Sunna, not everyone agrees which traditions agree with what Muhammad would have done and which are innovations Balancing the Quran and Sunna and deriving laws from these sources that can then be applied to new situations involves reasoning by analogy and consensus of the community Ijtihad system of independent legal reasoning to come up with new laws Mujtahid someone qualified to engage in ijtihad Sunni Muslim jurists belong to four schools: Maliki North Africa; living Sunna of community > human reason Hanbali Saudi Arabia; literal interpretation of written texts > reasoning by analogy Shafi3i Arabs of Middle East and Indonesia; use ijtihad more frequently Hanafi South and Central Asia and Turkey; use ijtihad more frequently; most influential legal tradition in the Islamic world Shafi3i and Hanafi account for majority of Sunni Muslims Faqih scholar who engages in the theoretical study and interpretation of Islamic law Mufti appointed by the ruler for the purpose of answering questions concerning the law; many times a high-respected faqih Fatwa a legal opinion or decree, theoretically binding on the person who posed the question to the mufti, practically ignored if a displeasing answer Qadi someone who presides over a court and has the power of the state and its police to enforce his opinions; government officials appointed by rulers Sharia attempts to regulate all aspects of human life Divides activities into ritual/devotional acts and myriad details of relationships between humans Scholars have created a scale judging every human activity, ritual obligations on one end, forbidden behaviors at the other, with key points between the two occupied by recommended and discouraged actions Dietary matters vary by region Certain scholars said jurists should never rely completely on legal precedent, look at each case singularly, circumstances of each individual are unique Has prevented Shari3a from developing as a codified legal system Focus on the individual = mediatory not inquisitorial like Western law Western Law = accused by corporate entity, Islamic law = two individuals Goal = arriving at a settlement (Islamic,) not reaching a verdict (Western) If codified, people who are unfamiliar with the law have fewer safeguards than if they were subject to a rigid legal code

Thought, Force and Selfishness in Ajax and Prometheus Bound Essay

Thought, Force and Selfishness in Ajax and Prometheus Bound - Essay Example Sophocle's Ajax is a mighty Greek warrior in the time of the Trojan war, second only to Achilles in "perfect prowess" (Sophocles, Ajax 1415). His wife is "spear-won", and his entire presence on stage is marked by Hector's bloody sword, a room-full of "sword-slain cattle", or his "self-dealt wound". After Achilles' death, a competition is set up between him and Odysseus over who will inherit Achilles' armor, symbolizing the inheritance of the latter's prized status. When the Atreidae decide that Odysseus should get the armor, instead of humbly accepting the judges' decision, Ajax's pride over his power and valor spurs him in revenge against Agamemnon and Menelaus, a wild act that is only thwarted by the duplicitous intervention of Athena, the patron goddess of Odysseus. She drives Ajax mad and instead of massacring the Atreidae, he slaughters cattle instead. The double humiliation and the rancor that he has stirred up in the Greek camp against him drive him to commit suicide. Ajax's actions-both the madness-inducing revenge, and his suicide-show not only a lack of wisdom but selfish pride in his lust for power. Despite his wife's pleas not to do anything rash and so cause her and his son to become slaves and to be mistreated by the Greeks, he only responds by insulting her - "Woman, silence graces women" (Ajax 292) - and deceiving her and his friends (Chorus) about his suicidal intentions: "I feel the keen edge of my temper softened by yon woman's words; and I feel the pity of leaving her a widow with my foes, and the boy and orphan" (652). His brother Teucer bemoans the taunts and the revilement that he will receive both at home and abroad because of Ajax's selfish act (1020-2), and the Chorus the future lack of protection that "bold Ajax" provided for him (1214). Ajax's pride in his might is such that he is unable to weigh the effect of his actions on others, and sees everyone else as less than himself (even king Odysseus). Furthermore, we see that it is selfish pride and arrogance that instigates Athena against him, as he spoke arrogantly against her, which is not befitting of his place as a mortal. The messenger reveals that "Ajax, even at his first going forth from home, was found foolish" (760), and when his father encouraged him with the wisdom of his years, "haughtily and foolishly he answered: 'I, even without [the gods'] aid, trust to bring glory within my grasp'" (770). More foolhardily, he spurned the help of the goddess Athena, thinking that he is mighty enough to win any battle as, "where Ajax stands, battle will never break our line" (776). The messenger rightly concludes that Ajax's "thoughts were too great for man" (788). Ajax's downfall or hubris then is that he is nothing more than an empty-headed muscle man, a dangerous comb ination of force and lack of intelligence. Throughout the play, Ajax's use of force is misplaced: against the "poor sheep", in his language to Tecmessa, and against himself. Regaining his right mind, he bemoans: "Seest thou the bold, the strong of heart, the dauntless in battles with the foe,-seest thou how I have shown my prowess on creatures that feared no harm" (364-6). While we can say that the first instance of misused force is as a result of Athena's intervention, his brutish manner to his wife and his suicide are done when he is in full

The Painting 'Death of Elaine' Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

The Painting 'Death of Elaine' - Essay Example The essay "The Painting 'Death of Elaine' " discovers the painting of Home Watson. Elaine died on a boat with a letter in her hands addressed to the man she loved enough to die for. She remains a true idol of love and the decisions that surround love. Her story inspired the artist Homer Watson to make a painting of her body lying in the boat and holding a goodbye love letter in her hands. Like any other piece of art, the painting tells its story. In interpretation of this piece of art, Thompson’s ideas on the connection of art with history are important. The painting death of Elaine is a unique piece, carrying ideological of history and the social group it belongs to, and expressed in a unique style. Many painting that were done in the ancient times are no more relevant. However, death of Elaine painting, done along time ago, is still a meaningful painting today. In fact, present day painters still borrow much o their work from this painting. Homer did a painting of oil on can vas. The painting carries a heavy message. Thompson argues that every piece of work links closely with the history. Each piece of artwork is unique and carries its message. He starts from explaining what the purpose of art in society is. He describes art as a form of ideological expression that seeks to answer the same question that scientists seek answers for. He explains that although art may not present scientific ideas that need practical approval, it serves to express the consciousness with which man reasons with at different times. Science seeks to provide a direction on how to live life. Art in its own unique way seeks to give the same direction (Thompson 217). Thompson illustrates that art can address two different aspects of social themes. It can address the beliefs, doctrines, or seek to handle propaganda that exists in society. In some cases, people think that some pieces of art lack social reference. Art can carry social ideologies that society does not yet acknowledge. Some forms of art directly address the ideologies that society appreciates. Thompson asserts that the indirect way of addressing ideologies serves better when an individual views art historically. He acknowledges that there are different styles applied in art. There are various forms each of them is predominant during a specific time in history. However, he realizes that societies advance at different rates. Therefore, each of the various forms of art belongs to a certain time in the history of that society. The ideologies expressed in art belong to a certain social group (Thompson 222). Different social groups have different ideologies (Thompson 220). Thompson argues that each form of art must receive an interpretation of the sociological and historical ideologies it carries. Lack of suck kind of interpretation separates the piece of art from the world of the artist. He adds that any form of art must reflect some cultural and economic aspects of its time. From such an analysis, Tho mpson then asserts that any piece of artwork carries its unique message. According to him, generalizations in art or continuation do not exist. Each artist does a unique thing relevant to his or her time. Each piece of art is important. With such an understanding, nobody should discredit any form of art or compare different pieces of work. In addition, there are no aspects of progress in art. Traditional artists did their unique forms of art at that time. Modern artists on the other hand, are doing something different and unique to their time. It is wise to appreciate each of work and

Do Modern Finance And Government Intervention Crash The Financial Research Paper

Do Modern Finance And Government Intervention Crash The Financial System - Research Paper Example This crisis resulted in severe issues including threat of total failure of large financial institutions, evictions, foreclosures, stock market downturns, housing market meltdowns, job terminations, and prolonged unemployment. Evidently, the 2008 global financial crisis significantly reduced the growth rate of countries worldwide and many western economies including US suffered huge net losses. A large number of business organizations went out of the business and thus many investors lost their money. Investigation reports indicate that it was the US housing bubble that led to the damage of financial institutions worldwide. Even though the US Federal government has pumped a huge volume of money into the market, the US economy has not yet completely recovered from the impacts of the crisis. This research paper will critically analyze the crash of the global financial system by referring to the book ‘Alchemists of loss: How modern finance and government intervention crashed the fin ancial system’ written by Dowd and Hutchinson. The paper will particularly evaluate whether the elements of modern finance and government intervention have played a role in crashing the financial system. An Overview of Modern Finance Emergence of floating currencies was a major event led to the development of modern finance. In 1971, Richard Nixon, the 37th president of the United States, suspended the dollar’s convertibility into gold in order to resolve financial difficulties associated with a huge trade deficit and Vietnam War. This policy brought an end to the Bretton Woods system of fixed exchange rates whereby capital flow from one country to another had been limited by exchange regulations. Since investing abroad was an expensive task under the Bretton Woods system, pension funds had kept their money home. According to Caldentey and Vernengo (2010), the policy amendment made the currencies floatable and entirely changed the way financial markets operate; and this change also created the need of currency hedging and resulted in the introduction of futures in financial markets. The floating exchange rates played a crucial role in the development of liberalized markets, which eliminated credit controls and promoted the entry of new lenders. Another effect of the new exchange rate system was the abolition of capital controls and this process led to a sharp appreciation of the dollar and pound. Institutions like insurance companies and pensions funds could freely move money without cross border limitations. In 1975, America introduced a financial reform to eliminate the distinction between brokers and jobbers and thereby to slash commissions. This reform gradually led a long term decline of broking revenues and widely restructured the industry. The increased need for capital forced investment banks either to make money on the stock market or to combine with commercial banks. The broadening of banking businesses resulted in more complex banking transactions and firms started to engage in more risky business ventures. In order to mitigate the growing level of business uncertainty, new forms of exchange rate risk reduction mechanisms such as options and swaps were introduced. In the w ords of Ryder, â€Å"futures, options, and swaps all have the same characteristic: a small position can lead to a much larger exposure† (cited in The Economist). In order to take advantages of the changes in global business environment resulting from globalization, creditors began to lend huge amounts of money to entrepreneurs and other

Dramatic and relevant to a modern audience Essay Example for Free

Dramatic and relevant to a modern audience Essay Lots of the characters under go personal development: for example Reverend Hale, who at first is all to eager to shout witch but in the end is very disbelieving. My personal belief is that the events are a testament of how people shouldnt live in a social structure that is overly tight. A crucible is a metal container in which metals are melted to extract their pure element from the impurities. This can easily be linked to the play: first witches supposedly boil potions in cauldrons and a synonym for cauldron is crucible. Secondly, it has a metaphorical meaning: the society of Salem is being heated and stirred in an attempt to remove the impurities and leave only the pure members of the society. An artificial Noahs Ark, as it were, however this plan backfires some. Act 1 mainly revolves around Abigail and the girls being caught dancing in the woods. The drinking of blood is supposedly a charm to kill Elizabeth Proctor. Abigail wants to be with Proctor after Elizabeth kicked her out for having an affair with Proctor: I know that you clutched my back out side your house and sweated like a stallion when ever I come near, or did I dream that? It is she put me out, you cannot pretend it were you. I saw your face when she put me out. You loved me then and you do now! Abigail Proctor is fighting an internal conflict; we know that on one side he wants to be with Abigail because: [Looking at Abigail now, the faintest suggestion of a knowing smile on his face] Stage direction But we also know that he feels very guilty about Elizabeth: I mean to please you Elizabeth Proctor However, he does tell Abigail that he wants nothing more to do with her: Abby, I may have thought of you softly from time to time. But I will cut off my hand before I reach for you again. Wipe it out of mind. We never touched Abby. Proctor All the time this encounter has been in occurrence, sexual tension is building in the audience. They are also learning about Proctors and anti-hero characteristics. We learn that his name is not entirely white. He is not perfect, and the same applies to most of the characters, they all have good and bad points. I think there are two important points here. One is that Abigail is trying to seduce Proctor with seductive language, and two: Betty is only pretending to be inert. She would have heard all of this, and that is most likely the reason behind her getting up and trying to jump out of the window. Also in Act 1 Abigail threatens marry Warren, Betty and the other girls against telling anyone anything: Let any of you breathe a word, or the edge of a word, about the other things and I will come to you in the black of some terrible night and bring a pointy reckoning that will shudder you and you know I can do it I can make you wish you had never seen the sun go down Abigail It is here that we learn just how aggressive and manipulative that Abigail really is. She was trying to manipulate Proctor and now she is being extremely aggressive and even explicit towards the girls. We can tell that this is a frantic and tense moment on stage by the over average use of exclamation marks and use of short sentences. We can also see physical violence from Abigail as she violently shakes Betty around. Visually this would be interesting for the audience, creating both anger and tension. There is contrast in the loud violence of this moment to the quiet seduction from Abigail before. Act 2 contrasts from the end of Act 1, in the fact that it is a calm and peaceful scene, over the loud fear-driven hysteria of the end of Act 1. Proctor comes home from seeding his farm late at night, and he sits down to eat, with Elizabeth. From the general feel of the scene we can gather that the common room of Proctors house is cold, empty and unwelcoming. This parallels with the relationship between John and Elizabeth. Theres is a great amount of tension between the pair, and they idly make chit-chat at the table, as they feel they need to: Proctor: Pray now for a good summer. Elizabeth: Aye It should be noted that it is Proctor who is trying to make conversation; Elizabeth is spoiling his attempts with one-word answers. Proctor is feeling frustrated because Elizabeth is not acknowledging that Proctor is trying his hardest to repair the relationship. He is forever claiming his desire to please Elizabeth: I mean to please you Elizabeth. Proctor I believe that the audience would to be getting frustrated with Elizabeth not forgiving him. The tension in the audience would also rise, due to the complete lack of any sexual tension. Arthur Millers The Crucible raised issues that were as relevant in the 1950s as they were today. The idea of conformity will always exist. People who define this ideologies and beliefs by which groups of people live will always exist. As will accusations made towards one group from another group, to solve their problem, or help their cause. Arthur Millers play took on some very strong issues, that are still relevant to date, it is one that cannot be ignored because of Millers ability to touch issues and themes that have plagued mankind all through history, and will continue to do so in the future.

Organic Anion Transporters Essay -- Biology

The main location of the protein organic anion transporter 3 is in the kidney and the function of the kidney is to get toxins, usually in the form of organic anions, or even medications out of the body. In order to separate and transport these toxins through the blood to the kidney, specific proteins called organic anion transporters (OAT) exist. The sole function of these proteins is to bind to these molecules and take them to the kidney where they can be separated from the blood and excreted. The way these proteins work is that they have a highly specific active site (or binding site) which has unique properties that make it prone to attaching to various organic anions. To better understand the role of OAT 3, a specific OAT protein which is present in the choroid plexus (spinal fluid) and the kidney, an experiment was conducted in which this protein was removed from rats by replacing the DNA code for OAT 3 with a similar, but not functional code. These OAT 3 knockout rats showed an inability to transport certain organic anions including toxins, hormones, and drugs. Methods Procedures: 1. Isolation of the OAT3 Gene 2. Analysis of changes in tissues of the wild type and OAT3 type 3. Northern Analysis 4. RT-PCR 5. Methods of Measuring Transport 6. Confocal Fluorescence Microscopy 1. Isolation of OAT3 gene: The strategy used here was a deletion of exon 3. An exon is a portion of a DNA molecule that codes for part of a polypeptide, which gets expressed. So the deletion of this particular exon caused a frame-shift mutation and a premature stop codon to be brought in. This just means that the messenger RNA (mRNA) that is transcribed from the gene gets translated normally until the ribosome co... ...family will allow humans to further expand the effectiveness of drug treatment. First, if the organic anion transport system could be blocked, certain medicines then would stay in the system longer that would otherwise have been excreted. This would allow for more effective and shorter treatment. Second, not everyone has the same amount of organic anion transporters in their system, thus by genotyping a patient and discovering the amount of the transporters present in the individual, a personalized drug regiment could be devised , making it more effective for the individual. Third, by identifying the anion transported by each OAT (OAT 1-4), certain toxins could be transported out of the system much faster and prevent less damage of certain toxins to the system. By altering the amounts of the OAT family present doctors could speed up the recovery process.

Statement of Facts

This case in Fenton, Missouri involves 17 yrs. old Christopher Simmons born in 1993. Charles Benjamin and John Tessmer were Christopher Simmons friends and accomplices. Christopher Simmons planned and committed a capital murder along with Charles Benjamin. The plan was to commit burglary and murder by breaking and entering, tying up Shirley Crook, and tossing her off a bridge. The three boys met at 2am in the morning however, Tessmer then dropped out of the plan. Simmons and Benjamin broke into Mrs. Crook's home, bound her hands and covered her eyes. They put Mrs. Crook in a minivan drove her to a state park and threw her off a bridge. Once the case was brought to trial court, the evidence was solid and overwhelming. Simmons had confessed to the murder, performed a videotaped reenactment at the crime scene, and there was testimony from John Tessmer against him that showed premeditation. After the crime Christopher discussed the plot in advance and later bragged about the crime. After 2 hours of investigation Christopher broke down and confessed. At trial the State introduced Simmons confession and the videotaped reenactment of the crime, along with testimony that Simmons discussed the crime in advance and him bragging to fellow classmates about it later. The defense called no witnesses due to the evidence and confession. The jury having returned a verdict of murder, the trial proceeded to the penalty phase. The jury returned a guilty verdict. The jury recommended a death sentence in which the trial court imposed despite Christopher not having a criminal background. The State charged Simmons with burglary, kidnaping, stealing, and murder in the first degree. Simmons was 17 at the time of the crime. He was outside the criminal jurisdiction of Missouri’s juvenile court system. Charles Benjamin and was 15 years old and John Tessmer was 16 years old. The State later charged Tessmer with conspiracy, but dropped the charge in exchange for his testimony against Simmons. The jury recommended the death penalty after finding the State had proved each of the three aggravating factors submitted to it. Accepting the jury’s recommendation, the trial judge imposed the death penalty. Defense counsel reminded the jurors that juveniles of Simmons age couldn’t drink, serve on juries, or even see certain movies, because â€Å"the legislatures have wisely decided that individuals of a certain age aren’t responsible enough. Defense counsel argued that Simmons age should make a huge difference to the jurors in deciding just exactly what sort of punishment to make. Procedural History At eh age of 17, Christopher Simmons along with partner Charles Benjamin planed and killed Shirley Crook. After, he turned 18 he was sentenced to death. Christopher processed a direct appeal and subsequent petitions for state and federal post convictions relief but was rejected. Simmons filed a new petition for state post convection relief arguing that Atkins v. Virginia reasoning established that the constitution prohibits the execution of a juvenile who was under the 18 when he committed the crime. The Supreme Court agreed in favor of Simmons and abandons the death sentence in agreement of life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. Issues Does the Eighth Amendment prohibit the execution of juveniles who commit capital crimes prior to turning 18 years of age? Arguments For Roper * Currently, juries are very careful when they decide whether a 16 or 17 year old should be given the death penalty. When sentences are made, the jury considers the defendant’s age and other relevant information. Since only one juvenile has been executed in Missouri, this shows that juries only use the death penalty for the worst offenders. * Since 1989, only Indiana, Montana, South Dakota, and Wyoming have changed their laws to make it impossible for 16 and 17 year olds to get the death penalty. The previous amount of states was not enough show the nation agrees on this issue. * The Supreme Court case that ruled against using the death penalty for the mentally retarded Atkins v. Virginia should not be compared to this case. Sixteen and seventeen year old offenders should not be placed in the same category with the mentally retarded. Juries should decide in each individual case whether a juvenile was mature enough to take responsibility for a crime. * Some crimes are so horrible that the death penalty is the only appropriate sentence. It is better for society to remove the worst criminals with the death penalty. Using the death penalty will also discourage other youth from committing crimes. Arguments For Simmons * In many cases, juries are overwhelmed by how horrible the crimes are that some juveniles commit. It is a problem, then, for juries to consider the maturity of a juvenile in each individual case, because the crime itself may make it difficult for the juries to be fair. The juries may get distracted by the crime and not consider the offender’s age as an explanation for the crime. * A national consensus has developed in which the majority of states do not support the use of the death penalty for juveniles. Currently, 30 states prohibit the juvenile death penalty, and 12 of those states have banned the death penalty completely. In addition, since 1989, five states that previously allowed the juvenile death penalty have banned its use. Most other countries in the world disapprove of using the death penalty on juvenile offenders. The United States is one of the only countries in the world that still allows the execution of juveniles. There is a clear global opinion that the death penalty is too strong a punishment for offenders under the age of 18. * There is research that shows that adolescents do not have the maturity and judgment necessary to fully weigh decisions and control their impulses. Brain research shows that the brain is not fully developed until adulthood. Our society has decided that age 18 is an important turning point. The majority of states do not allow people under the age of 18 to vote, serve on juries, or marry without their parents’ permission. It makes sense then that 18 should also be the age when a person can be held fully responsible for committing a crime. Judgment The United States Supreme Court judgment in the Roper v. Simmons cases ruled in favor of Simmons. The United States Supreme Court said, â€Å"that sentencing a minor to death was indeed cruel and unusual punishment and voided against the 8th amendment†. The United States Supreme Court overturned the ruling that was established in Sanford v. Kentucky case that took place in 1989, in which the court decided that minors could be subject to the death sentence only if the charges warrant execution. Christopher was sentenced to life in prison with out the possibility of parole. Holding The Eighth and Fourteenth Amendments forbid obligation of the death penalty on offenders who were under the age of 18 when their crimes were committed. Supreme Court of Missouri affirmed and the United States overruled the Atkins v. Virginia case and Simmons original sentence. Rule Of Law Or Legal Principles Applied The 8th amendment is prohibits cruel and unusual punishment. Any amendment is an unchanging statue. Therefore the case itself or whatever the ruling is has to change if proven justified. Reasoning The Missouri Court voted 6 to 3 that he should receive the death penalty. They believed if he was older and committed murder it would just get worse f rom there. The lawyers argued that this was unfair punishment for a boy who couldn’t see an R rated movie. The Supreme Court voted 5 to 4 that executing a minor is cruel and unusual punishment. Society didn’t like the view of executing children. What he did was wrong but at the same time he is still a child and should be treated like one. If they had executed him society would have a negative aspect on the criminal justice system. Additional Comments I think Christopher Simmons deserve the death penalty. Despite he background and rough up bringing that doesn’t give you the right to kill an innocent lady for no reason. Due to the planning and precision behind the murder he deserves to die. His intentions from the beginning were for her to die and die painfully. Tying her up and throwing her off the bridge requires a lot of hatred and regards for humanity. Despite his confessing to the murder Chris didn’t feel remorseful for the family or his actions. My opinions would be different if he had a mental disorder, suffered more serious child neglect or maybe Shirley harmed his family in retaliation he killed her. Other wise Chris actions are similar to the James Holmes massacre and the Newtown shooting. All three deserve to die slow in my opinion.