Cultural Analysis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 2500 words

Cultural Analysis - Essay Example since the horrific images of September 11, 2001, one of the greatest obstacles proponents of a global community overcome is the image of the Muslim people as blood-thirsty, murdering terrorists. There are in fact millions of Muslims around the globe, in virtually every country of the world, who are in fact not terrorists and have little desire to do more than – like most people – provide for their families and live out their lives in a peace. In Arabic, the word â€Å"Muslim† means one who surrenders, and for Muslims the surrender to God, or Allah (Merriam Webster on-line dictionary). Mary Pat Fisher (1999) describes how the Arab people received the Word of God through the Prophet Muhammad (p. 346). Just as those whose faith rests in Judaism and Christianity, Islam can also be traced to the patriarch Abraham (p. 344). Also, just as the expression of Judaism is held within the Old Testament of the Bible, as is the expression of Christianity held in the New Testament of the Bible, the expression of Islam rests within the Qura’an (p. 344). The revelations of the Qur’an unto the Prophet Muhmmad by an â€Å"angel in human-like form, Gabriel†¦,† began about 600 C.E., which began with the words â€Å"Proclaim! (or Recite!) In the name of they lord and Cherisher, who created – created man, out of a (mere) clot of congealed blood: Proclaim! And they Lord is Most Bountiful – He who t aught (The use of) of the pen, - Taught man that which he knew not (p. 347).† The revelations made unto Muhmmad by the angel Gabriel continued â€Å"intermittently,† says Mary Pat Fisher (p. 347). The central theme of the revelations was that there was but one God, and that one God was calling the people of Islam unto Him (p. 347). The word â€Å"Islam† means â€Å"complete trusting surrender to God (p. 347).† At first Muhammad shared his revelations only with those people he believed he could trust; his wife, Khadijah; his cousin Ali; a friend named Abu Bakr; and a freed slave

Discuss to what extent the existence of corporate and personal taxes Essay - 1

Discuss to what extent the existence of corporate and personal taxes could affect companies' dividend policy and capital structure decisions - Essay Example Dividends could be said to be the reward for the shareholders' participation in contributions towards the corpus of company and its management. The dividend policy plays a crucial role in the financial operations of corporate in the UK because it is closely dependent on current profits and also future profitability of the entity. As per law, Companies could distribute dividends, only out of earnings or reserves of the Company, since otherwise; it would amount to paying back its own capital to the shareholders. Thus, a Company could only distribute dividends out of its accumulated profits and free reserves available for such distribution: It may choose not to pay any dividend and may retain its earnings for future plans, the Company's decision not to pay dividends may stem from the need for maintaining reserves for market expansions, need to buy back shares at later date, building funds for heavy investments projects, programmes, etc. It may decide to pay minimum dividends out of its retained earnings, keeping the long term prospects of the Company in view, with the optimistic view that in future years, it would be able to maintain or increase, the level of profitability, and thus its rate of dividend. This is because a falling rate of dividend may discourage potential investors and they may become circumspect about investing in such companies. This would have detrimental consequences on the company's market image. The Company's operations are such that it is in a strong position to regularly pay high rates of dividends, even quarterly basis, in terms of a strong market position and market realisations. Moreover, because of reputation and goodwill gained by the Company, it is also able to attract outside investors for future growth plans and expansion, and it need not depend entirely on the present earnings and Capital reserves at its disposal. It would not be wrong to say that dividend policies, besides the tax element, is also dependent upon available of consistent profits and dividend yielding assets Role of Taxation in determination of dividend policies: Taxation plays an important role in the determination of dividends because of the following reasons: Incidence of double taxation, especially in developed countries. Capital gains being subject to a lower rate of taxation than