...Note: This Introduction appears in Christopher Napier & Roszaini Haniffa (eds) Islamic Accounting (Cheltenham: Edward Elgar, 2011), pp. xiii-xx. The printed version may differ slightly from the text set out below, and the printed version should be regarded as definitive. An Islamic Perspective of Accounting: Introduction and Overview Christopher Napier and Roszaini Haniffa Introduction The emergence of Islamic banks and other Islamic financial institutions since the 1970s has stimulated a modern literature that has identified itself as addressing “Islamic Accounting”. What does the term “Islamic Accounting” mean in the rapidly growing contemporary literature? Napier (2009) has proposed three interrelated aspects: a historically-oriented sense, in which “Islamic Accounting” refers to ideas and practices in Muslim-majority countries in past periods; a practice-oriented sense, where the focus is on how entities describing themselves as “Islamic” account for and report their transactions and activities; and a principle-oriented sense, where fundamental accounting concepts and methods form a coherent body of ideas and practices based on the religion of Islam. The word “Islam” means total submission or surrender to the will of God (Allah), and a Muslim is one who so submits. However, this raises the question of how Muslims can determine what the will of God is. The principal sources are the Qur’an, which is considered by Muslims to be the exact words of revelation from...
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...Understanding Islam Christy A. Goff Dr. Thornton REL 212 September 8, 2012 In this paper, I will be reporting on my religious field research of Islam. The research that I have conducted has afforded me the opportunity to speak with, listen, and develop a stronger understanding of the Islamic faith. My research has also helped to dissolve some of the misconceptions that surround Islam. I will cover four major points throughout this paper. First, I will discuss preexisting misconceptions held against Islam. Second, I will analyze how my prior understanding of Islam was altered, or not, upon completion of my field research. Third, I will discuss whether or not I believe misconceptions of other people’s religions are common and explain in detail why or why not. Fourth, I will recommend at least one step that could be taken to help minimize misconceptions that people have in regards to other religions. I hope, through the reading of my field research report, to provide a stronger sense of understanding and receptiveness that I now have for other religions to the reader. Misconceptions of Islam In order to discuss the misconceptions that surround Islam, we must first delve into understanding what the word “Islam” actually means. “The word "Islam" means peace and submission. Peace means to be at peace with yourself and your surroundings. Submission means to submit to the Will of God. A broader meaning of the word "Islam," is to achieve peace by submitting to the...
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...Research Proposal The essay question that I have decided to research in further detail explores the struggles of establishing a successful democratic system in the Islamic World, with specific reference to the recent Arab Spring uprisings in Egypt and Algeria. These modern revolutions implement a series of unique tactics, (provoked by the triumph of the Egyptian rebellion in 2010), and provide a unique prospect for establishing a permanent democracy. However, with existing traditions practiced in the Islamic World that often run contrary to democratic ideals, the unanimous acceptance of democracy and its accompanying social values will indeed be a slow and challenging process in these relatively conservative states. The “lens” through which this essay will be examined is in a critical manner of the Arab Spring events. Although the media deemed the revolutions an overnight success during the time period in which they occurred, the accompanying affects and challenges were blatantly ignored. Indeed, while it is a commendable feat that dictator-like institutions were overthrown in a relatively short period of time (and disputably with little violence), the ability for these democratic institutions to successfully practice political norms modeled after centuries-old democratic states is an immense challenge. The thesis statement will essentially argue that although the Arab Spring revolutions provided the essential platform for institutionalizing democracy in Egypt and Algeria...
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...Yemen Culture The Culture of Yemen Each society throughout the world has developed its own unique culture within itself. Culture is defined as an integrated pattern of human knowledge, belief, and behavior that is both a result of and integral to the human capacity for learning and transmitting knowledge to succeeding generations (Merriam). Factors such as historical events and geographic location contribute to the development of a culture. Cultures in Middle Eastern countries are diverse full of history and traditions. In this research paper, we will discuss the characteristics that shape the culture make up of the country Yemen. Yemen is an Arab country that is based on Islamic beliefs. In Yemen, the Muslim population is for the most part evenly divided between Sunni and Shi’a. In southern Yemen, the population is predominantly Sunni to where as the northern part of the country the Shi’a. Within Islam there are different religious beliefs that socially divide Muslim groups. Each religious group follow basic Islamic beliefs however, interpret the historical pass of leadership within the religion differently. This difference has placed strain amongst the two groups for hundreds of centuries (Shi’a vs Sunni). In ancient times, the area around Yemen was known by the name of Arabia Felix which meant happy or prosperous (Nyrop). The area was well known for the trade of indigenous goods such as spices, silks, precious stones and a variety of goods. The country was divided...
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...Islamic Culture My first encounter with the Islamic faith was a result of the 9-11 tragedies. While I like to think that I think for myself, I must admit to being a sheep during that time. I did not know anything about Muslims or their faith. I also confess to believing that is was only practiced in the Middle East. The Central Asian Arabian desert saw birth to the Islamic religion around 600 AD. The religion started with the teachings of Prophet Muhammad who is considered to be the messenger of the one and only, formless, all-powerful God, Allah. Islam spread rapidly from the Arabian Peninsula in less than 30 years and managed to defeat the Persian and Roman Empires. Over the next several centuries, Islam reached as far east as India and westward to Spain. Through traveling traders, Islam spread to Southeast Asia; where today Indonesia is the largest Muslim country. Today, Islam is considered to be the fastest growing religion in the world. According to ncccusa.org, “there are about 1.2 billion Muslims and about 2 billion Christians in the world. By 2025, it is expected that Islam will grow by 50%, and Christianity will grow by 31%. Indonesia has the greatest number of Muslims with over 170 million adherents. Pakistan is next with 136 million”. If one follows the Islamic faith, women and men are equal in rights and life. They are not seen as equal in physical attributes therefore it is the man’s duty to be the physical laborer and be the main financial supporter of the...
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...Selecting a strong research paper topic often daunts students. The key to writing a good research paper is finding a topic that interests you and focusing your research on a specific question. Social studies research encompasses the fields of history, sociology, political science, religion, psychology, civics and anthropology. Extend previous research in these areas by asking a new question or exploring a social issue. Other People Are Reading  Topics for Qualitative Research  A List of Research Paper Topics  1.Civil Rights ◦The civil rights movement was at its peak in the 1960s, ultimately resulting in laws abolishing discriminatory hiring and education practices. Possible research paper topics may focus on the role of individuals or groups that affected the outcome of the movement. The contributions of Martin Luther King Jr., Malcolm X, the Black Panther Party, the Weathermen, the Brown Berets or Jesse Jackson to civil rights demonstrations and legislation may be appropriate paper topics. 2.Cultural History ◦Social studies classes often explore the contributions of certain cultures in history. Focus on Native American culture by writing about the Trail of Tears, Paleoindian tool development, cooperation between colonists and Native Americans, the effects of the reservation system or Native American participation in the U.S. military. Other possible social studies papers may focus on Mayan culture, scientific advances in early Islamic cultures, the creation of...
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...Apologetics Application Paper: Part 1 Submission Form Curtisha Lawrence APOL 500 November 2, 2014 1. Target Audience: The target audience I have chosen is from the false theistic system. The world religion of Islam is a monotheistic world religion. Islam is an important religion that Christians should research in order to respond effectively and in a manner that does not appear to be condescending to the other. However, the Christian should develop a level of apologetics to defend the faith in a -knowledgeable and Christ-like fashion. 2. Summary of Significant Elements of the Worldview of the Target Audience: Muslims live in a monotheistic society devoting themselves to one god, Allah. Any gods or belief contrary to Allah is known to be blasphemous. In Islam, the Quaran is the source of ultimate authority. It goes into detail of who Allah is and highlights the humans are to treat others with dignity and with good deeds. Humans are to be believed as coming from clay and jinn created from smokeless flames. They also believe that there has been a succession of prophets with specifically identifying Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus preceding Muhammad. Muslims believe that Allah will return and resurrect the dead and every person will be judged in the Day of Judgment. At that time there will be a balance of good deeds verses bad deeds, and those who have good deeds overweighing the bad will live in paradise and those who have lived a life of bad choices...
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...INTERNSHIP PROPOSAL Green Banking Initiatives of IBBL-A study on progress and performance Green Banking Initiatives of IBBL-A study on progress and performance Submitted by Md. Fahmidul Huque ID: BBA 090250548 Email: fahmidulhuque@gmail.com Department of Business Administration Northern University Bangladesh Submitted to Md. Masukujjaman Senior Lecturer of Finance Department of Business Administration Northern University Bangladesh Introduction: Bangladesh is one of the largest Muslim countries in the world. The people of this country are deeply committed to Islamic way of life as enshrined in the Holy Qur'an and the Sunnah. Naturally, it remains a deep cry in their hearts to fashion and design their economic lives in accordance with the precepts of Islam. One of the nation’s leading banking specialists of uncompromising quality in several world class banking. The leading banking company of Bangladesh has been making every effort to ensure the effectiveness and safety of the financing which it makes sure. Islami bank provides the highest quality financing at comfortable facilities to fulfill the needs of the millions of people of the country. The establishment of Islami Bank Bangladesh Limited on March 13, 1983, is the true reflection of this inner urge of its people, which started functioning with effect from March 30, 1983. This Bank is the first of...
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...Sunni and Sh’ia: The Branches of Islam By Kendra Craig March 5, 2010 Strayer University Abstract The paper is focused on Sunni and Sh’ia, which are two branches of Islam. The paper will compare the different religious belief that is practiced throughout Islam. It will also show the laws and the cultures of each religious branch. The paper will show the major dispute that caused separation of these religions in Islam. Sunni and Sh’ia Sunni and Sh’ia are two of the most dominate cultures in Islam. In my research, I learned that these two branches were among the worst enemies of the Islamic culture. In this paper I will show the differences in the belief of each religious group. I will also show the division within the Islamic community between these groups. Sunni Muslims are individuals that were firm believers in the prophet Muhammad. The words that were spoken through Muhammad influenced and provided them with strong religious belief. Sunni means “customary practices” (Macmillan Reference USA 2001-2006) which referred to the teaching and preaching of Muhammad. The Sh’ia Muslims are individuals that believe that the political leader position should have gone to Ali (Penay). Sh’ia means “group” or faction”. After the death of Muhammad is when things began to turn for the worst between these communities. The main belief of the Sunni Muslims was those that came after Muhammad were true believers of Muhammad teachings. This allowed them to become comfortable with...
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...Understanding the Cultural Differences of Islam Muslims differ significantly in their evaluations of the importance of religion based on the region they are located. There are variations of views on such topics of education, prayer, worshiping and morality found in different regions. In this paper I will argue that many differences that exist between various Islamic communities can be explained by understanding the role of regionally specific political problems and cultural practices outside of the Islamic tradition. Though people around the world practice an allegedly unified Islam, their understandings of the tradition reflect the specific local contexts and circumstances of individuals, communities, and nations. The challenge of western colonialism caused Muslims to be against European imperialism as it threatened their political, religious and cultural identity. Their responses to colonialism varied from rejection and confrontation to admiration and imitation (PP Islam and the West 24). Showing how reactions to westernization can be specific to region. The country Turkey operates one example of a nonviolent revolution. In Turkey, Islam was showing a more dominant position is the social-economic and political life of society. With the acceptance of westernization, Turkey had been able to experience the power of religion in Muslim politics cordially. A little to the East, the Iranian revolution in Iran reinforced the belief that Muslims wanted to emulate the ideas of the...
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...Studying Religion Paper Andrea Mateo University of Phoenix World Religious Traditions II REL/134 Rafael Frim October 19, 2015 Today, there is a vast variety of religions and beliefs all around the world. These Religions may have similar and different views and beliefs, but at the end, despite the differences in religious, cultures and practices, certain fundamentals in religion remain the same. The following paragraphs will discuss the essentials in the practices and beliefs for a tradition to be called religion, the commonalities of the three Western religions, how do different fields of study approach religion and some critical issues in the academic study of religion. All religions share the same essential element, the sacred or the holy, is not palpable and cannot be seen or explained by language, it is beyond humans’ imagination. Although they share the same sacred, they may differ in their traditions, organization, and beliefs. Traditions are the grounds and organization in each religion. Some of the key elements found in these traditions are the beliefs, practices, and structure. The Believe system, also known as a worldview, is a group of beliefs that explains the human being place in the universe. The Ethic Rules specifies how the community should live by, and establish how followers should behave based on their beliefs. Myths are the stories that support the religion held as truths are fundamental to their beliefs. A supporting element of religious traditions...
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...JJBB[Type text] [Type text] [Type text] Ban the Burqa? The Argument Against ð Jasmine Jaber -‐ 42886090 GEN320 End of Semester Independent Research Project Master of Research Thesis Proposal Jasmine Jaber Introduction The Argument Against 42886090 Over the past few years, the veiling practices of Muslim women have been the issue of public debate and come under direct government gaze. In particular, countries such a France and Turkey have issued a ban on wearing the burqa in public. The ban relates to the general wearing of the burqa and not for certain situations such as identity checks. This debate has spread to Australian soil where dozens of Australians, such as Cory Bernardi, have enunciated their approval and have called for such a ban in Australia. While some countries have similar meaning of the veil, the majority of non-Islamic individuals across Europe and Australia have interpreted the veil in their own way and thus attached to it different meanings causing different perceptions as to why or why not it should be worn. Using the article by Bernardi (2010) as a starting point, I will critique the feeble objections writers of the topic have against the burqa and justify why their reasons for a burqa ban are invalid and cannot benefit society, and if anything, set society backwards. By interpreting...
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...Responsibility in Islamic Banks of Bangladesh Quazi Sagota Samina* The evolution of Shariah based profit –loss sharing centered Islamic banking, worldwide has changed the thought of financial institutions even of the developed countries in the west. On the other hand the recognition of importance of corporate social activities in the business organizations as well as in financial institutions has accelerated the significance of Islamic banks as in Islam these CSR practice have been emphasized in different ways. Likewise the Islamic financial institutions all over the world, Islamic banks in Bangladesh are also being engaged in various social activities as a part of their responsibilities. In this study it has been tried to find out whether the Islamic Banks of Bangladesh are adhering to the prescribed forms of the CSR activities or not. This paper is mainly designed based on the CSR forms to be followed by Islamic banks as has been prescribed by Farook (2007) in his study “On Corporate Social Responsibility of Islamic Financial Institutions” under the light of Islamic Shariah. The research found compliance to the mandatory forms by the 6 full fledged sample Islamic banks in Bangladesh whereas variety in involvement in recommended forms of CSR activities by considering the scenario of banks from 2007 to 2011. The study also finds a strong positive correlation between CSR expenditure and sample banks’ deposit, loan and profitability. Keyword: Corporate social responsibility, Islamic banking...
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...Islam and science The road to renewal THE sleep has been long and deep. In 2005 Harvard University produced more scientific papers than 17 Arabic-speaking countries combined. The world’s 1.6 billion Muslims have produced only two Nobel laureates in chemistry and physics. Both moved to the West: the only living one, the chemist Ahmed Hassan Zewail, is at the California Institute of Technology. By contrast Jews, outnumbered 100 to one by Muslims, have won 79. The 57 countries in the Organisation of the Islamic Conference spend a puny 0.81% of GDP on research and development, about a third of the world average. America, which has the world’s biggest science budget, spends 2.9%; Israel lavishes 4.4%. Many blame Islam’s supposed innate hostility to science. Some universities seem keener on prayer than study. Quaid-i-Azam University in Islamabad, for example, has three mosques on campus, with a fourth planned, but no bookshop. Rote learning rather than critical thinking is the hallmark of higher education in many countries. The Saudi government supports books for Islamic schools such as “The Unchallengeable Miracles of the Qur’an: The Facts That Can’t Be Denied By Science” suggesting an inherent conflict between belief and reason. Many universities are timid about courses that touch even tangentially on politics or look at religion from a non-devotional standpoint. Pervez Hoodbhoy, a renowned Pakistani nuclear scientist, introduced a course on science and world affairs, including...
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...POTENTIALS AND CHALLENGES Isa Ma1 ABSTRACT This paper aimed to evaluate Halal markets in China including Halal market potentials and challenges in China through analysis of Chinese Muslim populations (market size), purchasing powers, geographic locations (market places), and Chinese Muslim living situations in China (challenges). This paper also combated some problems relating to Halal markets in China and provided some basic information about Chinese Muslims and on Halal markets in China for potential Halal marketers. Keywords: Chinese Muslims and Halal markets in China 1. INTRODUCTION As companies head towards a global market that deals with people from many different cultural backgrounds, it has become essential for marketers to understand culture’s influence on consumer behaviours. The recognition of the importance of culture on consumer behaviours has led to an increasing amount of research across cultures (Sojka and Tansuhaj 1995). More significantly, many studies have succeeded in establishing links between culture and consumer behaviours (McCracken 1986). As the cultural variables and differences increase, the number of communication misunderstandings also increase. Barnlund (1989) suggests that a way to approach cultural understanding is to undertake a careful description of how people relate to one another in search of the norms that regulate social acts or behaviours. The most powerful elements of cultures are those that lie beneath the surface. Kluckhohn...
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