Islam in New York City Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Islam in New York City - Essay Example Knowing these objectives in advance, I recognized the willingness of the Center to provide a comprehensive and immersive experience for the pursuit of truth for its own sake. Since the Center is devoted to enlightening the public, I knew they would be open to providing instruction and first-hand experience. In addition, I gained much from not only visiting the mosque itself, but also touring the other parts of the Center, which are an asset to Muslims living in Manhattan. These experiences represented an opportunity to apply what I have learned about the history, doctrine, and practices of Islam in the classroom. Before visiting the Center, I phoned the front desk to inform them that I would like to visit the Center, its mosque and other parts. They quickly agreed after realizing that my visit was for the purpose of education. I came on a Sunday, which is a day that the Center offers classes for children and adults. I did not know that these classes are open to non-Muslims as well. I was impressed by the inclusiveness of the mosque, especially in the fact that every student (regardless of their religious affiliation) learned Qur’anic Arabic, prayers, and general Islamic teachings touching upon different aspects of life. If I had more time and had planned to take one of these courses ahead of time, I would have. I learned that the Center is in the final stages of building a full-time Islamic school by seeing the final touch-up work on the building. Before coming to the mosque, I knew to respect the thought that a Muslim should wear clean, loose-fitting clothes that cover ankles and wrists. Respectful of this tradition, I approached the mosque in the morning. The doors leading up to the mosque were very large and constructed from a hard material. I noticed immediately that the mosque itself was very large and stood apart from the rest of the building. I understood why this might be because, throughout history and still today, mosques serve as both social a nd political centers for Muslims. The integration of religious and political life means that the same building serves two very essential functions, which was even more reason to be respectful when visiting the site. When I entered the mosque portion of the Center, I immediately noticed the shoe racks against the wall to my left and my right. I thought this was logical, given the need for worshippers to put away their shoes or slippers to pray. I am still unsure why specifically Muslims remove their shoes when they enter a mosque: whether it is because of hygienic reasons to protect the rugs in the prayer chamber or because it is holy ground and a sign of admiration for the surroundings Regardless, I removed my shoes and continued into the reception area of the mosque. I noticed also very classical vases and pottery that was symbolic of Islamic history. In some of these pots and vases were plants that seem to have come straight from the Middle East. I saw this as an acknowledgement o f Islam’s long and storied history in the arts, which I recognized as overall very important the Center as far as it is concerned with promoting knowledge and awareness of Islamic history. Also in the reception area was the Lillah box, which collects charity given voluntarily. The Lillah represents more giving than the Zakah, which is obligatory giving. The proceeds from the Lillah

US Army Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

US Army - Essay Example A) Supporting evidence – The leader’s self confidence and effectiveness positively impacts team performance (Stephen, 2011). B) Explanation – This statement was completely true in the team that I belong too. The leader was instrumental in inspiring the team to achieve a higher level of performance. C) So what? – I firmly believe that if our team leader was not so inspiring and effective the team would not perform so well. Body Paragraph II: Topic sentence - Communication is an extremely important aspect of group work. A) Supporting evidence - â€Å"Communication traits are an individual's verbal and nonverbal behaviors that explain the individual's consistency in message sending and receiving† (Anderson & Martin, 1999). B) Explanation – The article described different ways in which verbal and non verbal communication affects small teams. C) So what? The team that I was a part of created its own nonverbal communication language. Body Paragraph III: Topic sentence - Task and maintenance roles played a big part in the functionality of the team. Tasks roles help get the job done, while maintenance roles provide the oil for the machinery (Srds). ... Verbal and nonverbal communications are important to send and receive messages effectively during conversations. Task and maintenance roles are a way that groups are able to achieve their desire outcome The group that I will describe is a special task force group which I belong too at a former employer. The group was composed of five members. The size of the group was adequate. The purpose of the group was to brainstorm ideas for new products. The group was extremely effective. The first attribute that made the group so successful was the presence of a tremendous team leader. The team leader had superb communication, leadership, and people skills. She made everyone feel that their opinions and input were valuable. All the team members got along well and they supported each others ideas. One of the primary reasons that the group was so effective was due to the fact that the group was able to achieve synergy. Synergy occurs when the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Three cha racteristics that made the team effective were leadership, effective verbal and nonverbal communication, and clearly defined tasks and maintenance roles. The team leader was very flexible and from time to time she let the other members take charge of the group to help them develop their leadership skills. This enabled other team members to develop their leadership skills. Everyone on the team was very responsible, attentive to details, and they delivered their work tasks on a timely manner. Absenteeism among team members to meetings was minimal and rarely would a team member arrive late. Team meetings were held during and after work hours. The meetings after work hours were informal and its purpose was to socialize more than to do actual work. The team