Art Is The Free Expression Of The Human Mind And Its Senses

There are many Renaissance artists in which their art has influenced what we call art today. Art is the free expression of the human mind and its senses. Many modern day artists are influenced by these Renaissance artists. Picasso, a well-known modern day artist, was influenced by a not so known artist named Diego Rodriguez de Silva y Velazquez. Diego Velazquez was a painter during the 17th century known for his religious theme paintings and realism. This realism that Diego Velazquez painted could be argued was influenced by his slave Juan de Pareja. Not much is known about Juan de Pareja, but from what is known was written in the fiction novel I, Juan de Pareja written by Elizabeth Borton de Trevino. Going down the list of possible options for the analytical book review, most of the books I had read or seen movie versions. I wanted to read something that I never read before. Once I saw the title I, Juan de Pareja I was interested. After googling the title, not much came up regarding the book itself, but more on the author herself. After reading about the author Elizabeth Borton de Trevino I became interested in the type of novel she wrote. Elizabeth Borton de Trevino was an American author born in Bakersfield, California. Elizabeth graduated from Stanford University with a degree in Latin American studies. After becoming an international journalist and fluent in Spanish, Elizabeth met her husband in Monterrey Mexico. Elizabeth began to produce fiction work inShow MoreRelatedThe Importance Of The Renaissance937 Words   |  4 PagesThe Renaissance was a time where people decided to experiment with new forms of art, architecture, and learning. Many famous names in the art world stem from the Renaissance such as Leonardo da Vinci, Michelangelo, and Raphael. Their amazing, detailed paintings have inspired artists globally for hundreds of years to take after them. New ways of building, seemingly impossible, became possible because of educated decisions that Renais sance thinkers were able to make due to their humanist educationRead MoreCoping Mechanism: The Pianist1732 Words   |  7 Pagessituation. Rather, it is music’s ability to express emotions and reflect on complex experiences in order to begin to process them, which successfully function as coping mechanisms for Szpilman, allowing him to free his mind of burdensome emotions in order to continue on with his life. Emotional expression is an effective means of coping because it actively approaches the stressor rather than avoiding it. Claire Ghetti’s Active Music Engagement with Emotional-Approach Coping to Improve Well-being in LiverRead MoreArt And Its Influence On Art1553 Words   |  7 Pages The essence of art is the union of inspiration, discovery, imagination, and power displayed and interpreted through our five senses. Art cannot be demonstrated, nor identified by any absolute source; no one can or ever shall deem any one piece or sense as â€Å"true art.†. For art is individualized and perceived differently by each being. The appreciation of what one brings to be experienced by others classifies as art, for art is to be appreciated in different perspectives; whether it be in sorrow,Read MoreRomanticism Essay1493 Words   |  6 PagesRomanticism Romanticism is a movement in the arts that flourished in Europe and America throughout much of the 19th century from the period of the French revolution in 1789. Romantic artists’ glorified nature, idealized the past, and celebrated the divinity of creation. There is a fundamental emphasis on freedom of self expression, sincerity, spontaneity and originality. The movement rebelled against classicism, and artists turned to sources of inspiration for subject matter and artisticRead MoreHuman Anatomy Based On Dissection1356 Words   |  6 PagesArt is word that most individuals have an idea, a mental category, of yet often fail to truly define. This is due to the fact that art is a term that has existed for thousands of years and thus its meaning and lexicography has changed drastically over the years based on endless factors. Art started off being defined as a craft, measured by the technical prowess of the artist and used as tool in the retelling of history or for religi ous practices and doctrine. From there, it evolved into a practiceRead MoreSimilarities Between Jackson Pollock And Wassily Kandinsky1609 Words   |  7 Pagesavant-garde paintings exemplifies the redefinition of boundaries throughout their art making practices. Both artists challenged traditions both materially and conceptually using innovative and diverse approaches to materials and techniques when painting. Wassily Kandinsky goes against traditions and academies to create vivid, sensual and symbolic large-scale semi abstract expressionist oil paintings in a heightened state of mind. Many artworks of his convey bright and cheerful spontaneous colours that makeRead MoreImpressionist Works Of Claude Monet1394 Words   |  6 Pagesabstract- impressionist used reason and intellect, divided into figurative and non-figurative, the non-figurative had no known forms they are pure images coming from the author s mind. It is mechanical and can be cold. Figurative abstraction uses real for ms but distorted and simplified even to lose its basic characteristics -it is free- might please the eye, because the author seeks to convey our emotions without seeking cosmetic beauty - are simplified geometrics forms , without any apparent order nor purposeRead MoreOutline and discuss Marxs theory of Alienation Essay1585 Words   |  7 Pagesalienation from Hegel and Feurbach. According to the philosopher Georg Hegel, humans continuously aspire to create at a level that is beyond our capacity to do so. This creates a sense of frustration as there is a gap between that which we conceive and that which we can materialise. For example, an artist can hold a vision of a painting in his mind but finds it difficult to depict his exact idea. Therefore, there is a sense of alienation amongst humanity as we can never reach a state of divine creationRead MoreThe Importance Of Pornography1432 Words   |  6 Pagesthe free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances. Therefore, pornography fall into the free expression, both in its spirit and the judicial branch’s interpretation, thus protected by the Amendment of the United States of America. Susan Jacoby in A First Amendment Junkie says, â€Å"The argument over pornography also blurs the vital distinction between expression of ideasRead MoreSurrealism and Film Essay1653 Words   |  7 PagesSurrealism is a movement that built off of the burgeoning look into art, psychology, and the workings of the mind. Popularly associated with the works of Salvador Dali, Surrealist art takes imagery and ideology and creates correlation where there is none, creating new forms of art. In this essay I will look to explore the inception of the surrealist movement, including the Surrealist Manifesto, to stress the importance of these artists and their work in the 20th century and beyond. I also w ill look

The Melancholic Tone of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Essay

The Melancholic Tone of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe Edgar Allan Poes The Raven, is representing Poes own introvertedness, which is strangely moving and attractive to the reader. In his essay entitled The Philosophy of Composition, Poe reveals his intent in writing The Raven and also describes the work of writing the poem as being carefully calculated in all aspects. Of all melancholy topics, Poe wished to use the most understood, death, specifically death involving a beautiful woman. The tone in Edgar Allan Poes The Raven represents a painful state of mind, a mind that is vulnerable to madness that is brought upon by the death of his beloved lady. Which is representing Poes own personal problems, with those of the†¦show more content†¦The raven patronizes Poe that he will never see his lost love again when uttering, forget this lost Lenore (Thompson, 83). Alcohol taunts Poe into never-ending depression and caused Poe to have a life-long problem with alcoholism, which led to his death. In a similar way that the alcohol explored Poes inner devastation, the raven gives a look into the narrators innermost fears that he will never see his Lenore again. In the first stanza, questioning from what direction the tapping came, he throws open the door, the narrators nemesis not to be found. In fact it was some other realm that must have been opened up about his lost love and the noise, which is driving him insane. The narrator then opens the shutter, which could be interpreted as opening his soul to the outside world. To his surprise, he discovers a raven, a beast upon the sculptured bust above his chamber door (Thompson, 53). The raven directs all further action in the poem, it ridicules and patronizes the narrator throughout the poem and its evil force creates a sense of suffering and anguish within the character. The climax of the poem is when the narrator faces his confused and disordered world and in the narrators madness he cries out, Get thee back into the tempest and the Nights Plutonian shore! (Thompson, 98). Poes use of symbolism was influential in making the literary reputation of The Raven. The raven is symbolized as the narratorsShow MoreRelatedEssay about Literary Analysis of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe565 Words   |  3 PagesLiterary Analysis of The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe The life of Edgar Allan Poe was as morbid and melancholy as his works. After the abandonment by his father and the disturbing death of his mother, both prominent traveling actors, Edgar was reluctantly forced into orphanage. He was later taken into the home of John Allan, a wealthy tobacco merchant. Their relationship was shaky, at best, and the contention between the two would last until Allans death, where his willRead MoreEssay about Edgar Allen Poe: The Raven1151 Words   |  5 PagesEdgar Allen Poe: The Raven Creating the Melancholic Tone in â€Å"The Raven† Edgar Allan Poe’s The Raven, representing Poe’s own introverted crisis of hell, is unusually moving and attractive to the reader. In his essay entitled The Philosophy of Composition, Poe reveals his purpose in writing â€Å"The Raven† and also describes the work of composing the poem as being carefully calculated in all aspects. Of all melancholy topics, Poe wished to use the one that was universally understood, death; specificallyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Poem The Raven 2111 Words   |  9 PagesThe Raven versus Ode to a Nightingale â€Å"The Raven† by Edgar Allan Poe is a story of a young adult who has lost the woman he was in love with and is struggling cope. The story-teller compulsorily builds self-destructive understanding of his mourning in a raven’s constant Nevermore reminder to him, until he eventually gives up about being reconnected with Lenore in the new world. On the other hand, John Keats’ â€Å"Ode to a Nightingale† is another interesting poem set in London, which tells the storyRead MoreEssay about Mans Need For Woman in the Works of Edgar Allen Poe2186 Words   |  9 PagesMans Need For Woman in the Works of Edgar Allen Poe      Ã‚   In the beginning, there was Adam.   Adam felt incomplete in the Garden of Eden and needed a companion.   Eve was created and Adam had his woman.   Edgar Allen Poe experimented with mans eternal necessity and drew his final conclusion near the end of his literary career.   With the publication of Eureka, Poe made his final realization that tied every one of his love driven short stories together and triumphantly proclaimed: I have no desire

Global Human Resource Management Samples †MyAssignmenthelp.com

Question: Discuss about the Global Human Resource Management. Answer: Human resources are the most valuable and significant assets of an organization. The success and failure of an organization depends on the competence and abilities of the people, who are working in that organization. Without creative and positive contributions of people, the companies cannot grow and succeed. In order to attain the goals and objectives of the organization, they need to hire the human resources with effective and required skills, experience and qualifications. The human resources of an organization are very important, as the qualities and abilities of human resources cannot be replaced by any machine and they are largely connected with the profitability of organization. There are many tasks and business functions, which cannot be completed without recruiting human resources (Chand, 2016). These functions are such as; cash flow management, making business transactions, communication through all the media and handling and talking with the customers. There are so many studies, which have shown that, effective and efficient utilization of human resources contributes to the get better productivity and performance. In todays work place, it is accepted that the employees are the major strategic resources for organizations because their ideas, expertise, knowledge and their work and services bring innovations, enhance product developments and make better relationships with the customers and other clients. These activities in turn enhance the organizational performance by various means, like; increasing profits, enhancing the productivity and increasing the customer base. For example, Sears, an MNC in the United States credited its success by believing in the 3 Cs, i.e. compelling place to invest, compelling place to work and compelling place to shop (Bagga Srivastava, 2014). The top management of the company responded that by the optimization of human resources, like; enhancing motivation and skills, the organization is able to be an attractive workplace for employees and venue for the customers to purchase the products with the higher satisfaction. Human resources are a significant part of successful business strategy. The business managers of successful organizations realize that significance of motivated and properly trained employees to attain the goals and objectives of organization. Human resources have a huge impact on the HR business strategy of organization. It can be seen in the organizations that there are some tools, capabilities, competencies and operation of human resources, which support the company in bringing its strategy to existence. HR at different levels can assist the organization to process the different activities of strategic planning. In an organization, the managers are responsible for sharing the objectives, goals and other targets to the people. They do this in the ways that they can feel that they are the important part of the process and have an important role in success of HR business strategy of organization (Hendry, 2012). Moreover, the HR department empowers, enables and engages the human resou rces for the objectives of the organization. The top management of an organization conducts training and development program for increasing and transferring the skills, knowledge and abilities, which are required to obtain the goals. The strategic planning of the training promotes the business objectives. The evaluation of this training programs outcomes helps in determining that the training is effective for its business strategy (Purce, 2014). Thus, the HR operations can impact the business strategy of an organization. There is an example of a firm, i.e. Arthur Anderson, where HR participates in formulation of strategy by providing information about the core aspects of the organization. In this organization, the unique and specific capabilities of HR work as a driving factor in the strategy formulation and converting it into reality. The firm got succeed by using its human resources in implementing and processing its business strategy. References Chand, S. (2016). Strategic Human Resource Management. Retrieved from https://www.yourarticlelibrary.com/hrm/strategic-human-resource-management-meaning-benefits-and-other-details-hrm/35236/. Bagga, T. Srivastava, S. (2014). SHRM: alignment of HR function with business strategy". Strategic HR Review, Vol. 13 Issue: 4/5. Hendry, C. (2012).Human resource management. Routledge. Purce, J. (2014). The impact of corporate strategy on human resource management.New Perspectives on Human Resource Management (Routledge Revivals),67.

The Five Doctrinal Tenets Of Islam Essay Example For Students

The Five Doctrinal Tenets Of Islam Essay Final Graded CopyGrade: 95The Five Doctrinal Tenets of Islam:Supporting Pillars for the FaithfulThe Five Doctrinal Tenets of Islam:Supporting Pillars for the Faithful I. Introduction to IslamA. Numbers in IslamB. The Prophet Muhammad and the HadithII. The Five Pillars of IslamA. The Statement of Faith (Shahadah)B. The Establishment of Prayers (Salah)C. The Giving of Alms (Zakah)D. Fasting (Sawm)E. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj)III. The Effect of the Five Pillars on the Islamic Life The Five Doctrinal Tenets of Islam:Supporting Pillars for the Faithful Islam is, debatably, the fastest growing religion in the world today. At a level of 1.2 billion, they represent approximately 22% of the worlds population. Moslems make up the second largest religion in the world, surpassed only to Christianity at 33%. This is according to the 1999 World Almanac and Book of Facts (724). What is Islam? Who is a Moslem? What do they believe? How does one become a Moslem? In 1964, Philip K. Hitti addressed the rapid emergence of Islam throughout the world in his writing History of the Arabs. In his book, he stated that every eighth person in our world today is a follower of Muhammad. He continues to say The Moslem call to prayer rings out through most of the twenty-four hours of the day, encircling the large portion of the globe in its warm belt (Hitti 3). Today, some thirty-six years later, Islam has become the place of comfort, peace, and faith for over one billion people. To have this type of growth there must be an underlying foundation to the movement. As any builder can attest, in order for a structure to maintain its integrity the support for that structure must be stabilized and strengthened. Within the holy writings of Islam the support and structure of the faithful is proclaimed. The concept of no deity except God is always alive within the heart of a Moslem. They recognize that he alone is the Creator, the Provider and Sustainer, and the true Reality; the source of all things of all benefits and harm. This belief requires that He be worshipped and obeyed. We will write a custom essay on The Five Doctrinal Tenets Of Islam specifically for you for only $16.38 $13.9/page Order now In the Holy Koran, God has made obedience to the teachings of the Prophet Muhammad incumbent upon the all believers. The teachings of Prophet Muhammad are available today in the form of Hadith. Although Islamic faith and beliefs are vast, the establishing doctrine, i.e., foundation, for Islam remains to be the five pillars of faith. The first is a statement of faith, the subsequent four are major exercises of faith of which some are daily, some weekly, some monthly, some annually, and some are required as a minimum once in a lifetime. The Five Pillars of IslamThese Five Pillars are the frameworks of a Muslims life. At one time, when the Prophet Muhammad was asked to give a definition of Islam, he named the Five Pillars. In the Hadith, the collection of sayings of Muhammed, these exercises of faith are stated to serve mans spiritual purposes, satisfy his human needs, and to mark his whole life with a Divine touch (Hadith Shih Bukhari, Volume 1, Book 2, Number 7). The writings comprising the Hadith, while regarded as an excellent guide to living, are not regarded as having the same status as the Holy Koran (Quran). The major duties, nevertheless, in the life of a Moslem are to fulfill these Five Pillars. They are:1. The Statement of Faith (Shahadah) 2. The Establishment of Prayers (Salah)3. The Giving of Alms (Zakah)4. Fasting (Sawm), and5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj). .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 , .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .postImageUrl , .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 , .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997:hover , .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997:visited , .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997:active { border:0!important; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997:active , .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997 .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .ubf4837d2b69fe52b459ae13b36376997:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Minimum wage EssayAs distinct as the Ten Commandments are to members of the Christian and Judaic faiths, each of the Five Pillars are direct commands from Allah for his children. The first of these Pillars is:The Statement of Faith (Shahadah). Shahadah is the bearing of witness to Allah. This is a declaration of faith. In his declaration, a Muslim proclaims ASH-HADU ANLA ELAHA ILLA-ALLAH WA ASH-HADU ANNA MOHAMMADAN RASUL-ALLAH. The English translation is I bear witness that there is no deity (none truly to be worshipped) but, Allah, and I bear witness that Muhammad is the messenger of Allah. The Shahadah is repeated at least on a daily basis. Having acknowledged this withi n his heart, the second Pillar of Islam is instituted:The Establishment of Prayers (Salah). Ordered time for prayers is essential for maximum benefit to both the faith and to the believer. The Shahadah is to be performed five times a day: morning, at noon, mid-afternoon, after sunset and just before sleeping. Ones body is to be toward the holy city of Mecca, or toward the east, where the Prophet Muhammad was born. No other form of worship can be compared to the prayer (Salah), for it is the basis of religion, without which there would be no religion or faith. The earlier prophets (e.g., Abraham, David, and Jesus) and their followers practiced prayer in some form as an essential part of the religion of God. Islam, which is considered the final stage, completion, and confirmation of a monotheistic religion, considers prayer essential. Its denial removes one from the ranks of Islam. Obligatory prayers are performed the aforementioned five times a day, and are a direct link between the worshiper and God. As stated by Sayyid Abu Al-Ala Maududi in Islam: Its Meaning and Message, There is no hierarchical authority or priesthood in Islam, so a person learned in the Quran leads group prayers. These prayers contain verses from the Quran, and they are said in Arabic, the language of the revelation itself (Al-Ala Maududi 12). Personal prayers, on the other hand, may be offered in ones own language. While the shahadah is paramount in becoming a true Moslem, and the Salah is necessary in maintaining a close relationship with Allah, a concern for others is stressed within the confines of the third of the Five Pillars of Islam: The Giving of Alms (Zakah). Synonymous with the tithe of the Christian faith, Zakah is expected and ordered of the faithful of Islam. It is an act of worship and spiritual investment. The literal meaning of Zakah is purity, and it refers to the annual amount that a Moslem with means must distribute among the rightful needy. Ibrahim Shabaan, a Tyler, Texas business owner and native of Libya, North Africa, commented recently in a conversation that the Zakah is not viewed as an obligation, although it is one. It is, to the Moslem, viewed as an honor in which to help his brother in need. It must be noted, however, that Zakah is intended for ones Moslem brothers in need. The charity given not only purifies the contributor, but also purifies his heart from selfishness and greed. Furthermore, it purifies the heart of the needy one from envy, hatred, or jealousy, and replaces these undesirable thoughts with those of good will and wishes of happiness for the contributors. The list of recipients of Zakah is multiple: the Moslem poor and needy, the new Moslem converts, and the Moslem prisoners of war (as a means to free them). It is also intended for Moslems in debt, those appointed to collect the charity and Moslems in service of research or study or propagation of Islam. This is not an exhaustive list. As needs arise within the family of the Islamic faith, the charity is distributed. .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d , .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .postImageUrl , .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .centered-text-area { min-height: 80px; position: relative; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d , .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d:hover , .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d:visited , .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d:active { border:0!important; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .clearfix:after { content: ""; display: table; clear: both; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d { display: block; transition: background-color 250ms; webkit-transition: background-color 250ms; width: 100%; opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #95A5A6; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d:active , .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d:hover { opacity: 1; transition: opacity 250ms; webkit-transition: opacity 250ms; background-color: #2C3E50; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .centered-text-area { width: 100%; position: relative ; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .ctaText { border-bottom: 0 solid #fff; color: #2980B9; font-size: 16px; font-weight: bold; margin: 0; padding: 0; text-decoration: underline; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .postTitle { color: #FFFFFF; font-size: 16px; font-weight: 600; margin: 0; padding: 0; width: 100%; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .ctaButton { background-color: #7F8C8D!important; color: #2980B9; border: none; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: none; font-size: 14px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 26px; moz-border-radius: 3px; text-align: center; text-decoration: none; text-shadow: none; width: 80px; min-height: 80px; background: url(https://artscolumbia.org/wp-content/plugins/intelly-related-posts/assets/images/simple-arrow.png)no-repeat; position: absolute; right: 0; top: 0; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d:hover .ctaButton { background-color: #34495E!important; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .centered-text { display: table; height: 80px; padding-left : 18px; top: 0; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d-content { display: table-cell; margin: 0; padding: 0; padding-right: 108px; position: relative; vertical-align: middle; width: 100%; } .u9179ecfa71cf47222920ff735042705d:after { content: ""; display: block; clear: both; } READ: Unemployment EssayIn order to increase ones spiritual depth it is necessary at times to purge the needs of the body. In Islam, the needs of the body are considered to complicate closeness to Allah. To become the vessel needed to accept all Allah has to give, the Moslem faithful practice another purging of the soul. Fasting (Sawm). Personal fasting and prayer may be done at the discretion of the individual. Recommended personal fasting times and dates are suggested, but are not viewed as an obligation. Once a year, however, during the month of Ramadan (the ninth month of the Islamic year), obligatory fasting takes place. Abstinence is ordered in the form of eating, drinking, allowing intimate sexual contacts, and smoking. These restrictions of the daily life are in place from the break of dawn until sunset. Fasting teaches man the principle of sincere love to God. It brings to an individuals heart the understanding of hope, devotion, patience, and self-control. Willpower, discipline, unity, and brotherhood are also learned. The obligatory fast is intended for every adult Moslem, whether male or female, if he/she is mentally and physically able. If on a journey, the fast may be postponed, but the exercise is to be made up later. Exceptions to the fast are women during their unclean period (menstruation) or while nursing a child, and in case of travel and sickness for both men and women. Sheikh (sic) Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid, in Al-Siyaam 70 Matters Related to Fasting, states:It is better for a menstruating woman to remain natural and accept what Allaah has decreed for her by not taking any medication to prevent her from bleeding. She should be content with what Allaah accepts from her of breaking her fast during her period and making those days up later. This is how the Mothers of the Believers and the women of the salaf were (Al-Munajjid 66). Pilgrimage (Hajj)The fifth, and final, Pillar of Islam is an obligation to those within the faith that are able physically and financially. Similar to a Christians desire to journey to the Holy Land, the Hajj is the ordered pilgrimage of all able Moslems to the city of Prophet Mohammeds birth, Mecca in Saudi Arabia. Pilgrims who participate in the Hajj wear very simple garments that denote no status or wealth. Without the appearance of wealth, all people stand equal before God. Moslems pray for Allahs forgiveness while they fulfill the once in a lifetime duty that is their pilgrimage to Mecca. In Islamic history, the Hajj commemorates the Divine rituals observed by Prophet Abraham and his son, Ishmael, who were the first pilgrims to the house of Allah on earth: the Kabah. It is also to remember, and anticipate, the great assembly of the Day of Judgment when people will stand equal before Allah. Moslems go to Mecca to glorify Allah, not to worship a man. The Five Pillars are the basis of Islamic religion because they structure the spiritual life of an individual Moslem. The spiritual life has a direct effect on the personal and interpersonal life of the faithful. The personal life of the Islamic man or woman is hoped to influence the spiritual life of the non-Moslem. It will bring the non-Moslem to the point of conversion to Islam. The choice, however, is to the individual. There are no pressure tactics used, but only the prayer that example will lead one to Allah. In essence, the Prophet Muhammad declared of the Five Pillars of Islam to serve mans spiritual purposes, satisfy his human needs and to mark his whole life with Divine touch (Muhammed). Religion Essays