Sunday, December 13, 2009

:)

Was ist Optimismus?
Wenn ein Investmentbanker am Sonntagnachmittag 5 Hemden bügelt!

Ein Mann geht in die Bäckerei und bestellt 3 Brötchen. Da fragt die Verkäuferin: " Was hätten sie denn gerne für Brötchen?"
" Ich hätte gerne 3 Normale."

Wieviel ist 5 mal 20 war die Frage. Folgende Antworten kamen.
1. Vom Kaufmann: 100 plus die Mehrwertsteuer, also 119.
2. Vom Autohändler: 100 aber ich muss mindestens 10 % Nachlass geben, also 90.
3. Vom Juristen: Eigentlich 100, aber ich kann ihnen nicht garantieren, ob ich bei Gericht damit durchkomme.

Reaching the end of a job interview, the human resources person asked a young engineer fresh out of Stanford,
"And what starting salary were you looking for?"
The engineer said, "In the neighborhood of $125,000 a year, depending on the benefits package."
The interviewer said, "Well, what would you say to a package of 5-weeks vacation, 14 paid holidays, full medical and dental, company matching retirement fund to 50% of salary, and a company car leased every 2 years--say, a red Corvette?"
The engineer sat up straight and said, "Wow! Are you kidding?"
And the interviewer replied, "Yeah, but you started it.

Ein Computer mit grafischer Oberfläche ist wie ein U-Boot. Öffnet man das erste Fenster fangen die Probleme an.

Sagt die Oma zu Max: „ Du darfst dir von mir zum Geburtstag ein schönes Buch wünschen!“ Max strahl übers ganze Gesicht: „Ui! Das ist toll, Oma! Dann wünsch ich mir dein Sparbuch!“

Ein Dieb geht zu Mc Donals und sagt Geld her aber zz (ziemlich zügig ) .Der Typ an der Kasse sagt : Zum hierausgeben oder mitnehmen?

Wie lernen Kinder von Bankdirektoren zählen? Eine Million, zwei Millionen, drei Millionen, vier Millionen...
Und wie lernen Sie teilen? Ein Teil ans Finanzamt, ein Teil an die Mitarbeiter, 10 Teile nach Luxemburg, 20 Teile nach Liechtenstein, 25 Teile in die Schweiz, 30 Teile auf die Cayman-Inseln...

The European Commission has just announced an agreement whereby English will be the official language of the European Union rather than German, which was the other possibility.
As part of the negotiations, the British gouvernment conceded that English spelling had some room for improvement and has accepted a 5->year phase-in plan that would become known as "Euro-English".
In the first year, "s" will replace the soft "c". Sertainly, this will make the sivil servants jump with joy.
The hard "c" will be dropped in favour of "k". This should klear up konfusion, and keyboards kan have one less letter.
There will be growing publik enthusiasm in the
sekond year when the troublesome "ph" will be replaced with "f". This will make words like
fotograf 20% shorter.
In the 3rd year, publik akseptanse of the new
spelling kan be expekted to reach the stage where more komplikated changes are possible.
Governments will enkourage the removal of double letters which have always ben a deterent to akurate speling.
Also, al wil agre that the horibl mes of the silent "e" in the languag is disgrasful and it should go away.
By the 4th yer people wil be reseptiv to steps such as replasing "th" with "z" and "w" with "v".
During ze fifz yer, ze unesesary "o" kan be dropd from vords kontaining "ou" and after ziz fifz yer, ve vil hav a reil sensi bl riten styl.
Zer vil be no mor trubl or difikultis and evrivun
vil find it ezi tu understand ech oza. Ze drem of a united urop vil finali kum tru.
Und efter ze fifz yer, ve vil al be speking German like zey vunted in ze forst plas.

Zwei Arbeitgeber unterhalten sich. Sagt der eine, "deine Angestellten sind immer so pünktlich. Wie machst du das?" Der andere, "ganz einfach, 30 Angestellte und 20 Parkplätze!"

Why did God create economists?
In order to make weather forecasters look good.

Wednesday, December 2, 2009

Doing Business In Germany

Doing business in different countries of Europe helps you understand the cultural diversities and influences. Knowing about factors like work culture, etiquette and negotiating patterns of a country before doing business there is extremely essential for the success of the venture.

Germans have a reputation of being to the point and extremely professional. So is it true that most of their interactions are rather dull without any humour?

Read on and know more:

1.Germans have a natural aversion towards uncertainty while doing business. They prefer things that are strategically planned and neatly documented. Facts, figures, research and analysis are almost mandatory in Germany, if you want your clients to take you seriously. A slip-up in any documentation can be perceived as frivolous and unprofessional behavior.

2.Germans are often labeled as cold people. Exactly how true is this? Do they have an attitude problem? Well, not exactly. Germans are very private; so dont expect to talk about children, pets or spouse over your business meeting. They prefer keeping their professional life and personal life as separate as possible. Also, most of them have a hard time building trust. So it is best to give your client his space; as the awkwardness will automatically wear off once he gets to know you better.

3.In Germany it is considered rude to communicate on first name basis in professional relationships. Reference with professional titles may be seen as a sign of good manners. While meeting a group of people, greet each individual with a firm handshake.

4.Germans are sticklers for time; so being punctual is an unwritten rule. Remember coming early is considered as rude as coming late. German work culture can be stressful and they really value their own time as well as the time of others. So late or early comers are definitely not welcome.

5.Unlike Italy, small talk has no place in German business meetings. So please refrain from cheesy banter or slapstick jokes. However relevant and intellectual humour may be taken in good stride.

6.Germans prefer to have their schedules planned weeks in advance. So make sure to schedule your meeting at least couple of weeks ahead. In fact, even a long conference call is best planned in advance.

7.The word formality is not a mere formality in Germany. Things like greeting the senior before greeting anybody else in the room is very vital. Also, dont just enter the meeting room and choose your place; let them tell you where to sit.

8.Being dandy or charming is almost pointless with Germans. They are interested in result oriented projects and hard-core facts. Please do not try to speed things, as they take their time to come to a decision and really dislike rushing to conclusions. Previous success stories and high professional qualifications may be mentioned to ensure sincerity on your part.

Doing business in Germany may seem like an overly-painstaking task, but here is the good news. Once you prove yourself, there is no looking back. So you can look forward to a long-term business relationship.


Article Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com
http://www.cu-factor.com/tool-box/doing-business-in-germany/overview

Monday, November 16, 2009

Principles of Success

It is a well-known fact that the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) was the supremely successful man in the entire human history. But he was not just a hero, as Thomas Carlyle has called him. According to Quran, he was a good example for all mankind. He has shown us the way of achieving supreme success in this world.

By studying the life of the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), we can derive those important principles which were followed by the Prophet (p.b.u.h.). In short, the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) was a positive thinker in the full sense of the word. All his activities were result-oriented. He completely refrained from all such steps as may prove counter-productive.

First Principle: (To begin from the possible) This principle is well explained in a saying of Aishah. She said: "Whenever the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) had to choose between two options, he always opted for the easier choice." (Al-Bukhari). To choose the easiest option means to begin from the possible, and one who begins from the possible will surely reach his goal.

Second Principle: (To see advantage in disadvantage) In the early days of Makkah, there were many problems and difficulties. At that time, a guiding verse in Quran was revealed. It said: "With every hardship there is ease, with every hardship there is ease." (94/5-6). This means that if there are some problems, there are also opportunities at the same time. And the way to success is to ignore the problems and avail the opportunities.

Third Principle: (To change the place of action) This principle is derived from the Hijrah. Hijrah was not just a migration from Makkah to Madinah. It was to find a more suitable place for Islamic work, as history proved later on.

Fourth Principle: (To make a friend out of an enemy) The prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) was repeatedly subjected to practices of antagonism by the unbelievers. At that time Quran enjoined upon him the return of good for evil. And then, as Quran added, "You will see your direst enemy has become your closest friend" (41/34).
It means that a good deed in return of a bad deed has a conquering effect over your enemies. And the life of the Prophet is a historical proof of this principle.

Fifth Principle: (To turn minus into plus) After the Battle of Badr, about 70 of the unbelievers were taken as the prisoners of war. They were educated people. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) announced that if any one of them would teach ten Muslim children how to read and write, he would be freed. This was the first school in the history of Islam in which all of the students were Muslims, and all of the teachers were from the enemy rank. Here I shall quote a British orientalist who remarked about the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.): "He faced adversity with the determination to wring success out of failure."

Sixth Principle: (The power of peace is stronger than the power of violence) When Makkah was conquered, all of the Prophet’s (p.b.u.h.) direst opponents were brought before him. They were war criminals, in every sense of the word. But the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) did not order to kill them. He simply said: "Go, you are free." The result of this kind behavior was miraculous; they immediately accepted Islam.

Seventh Principle: (Not to be a dichotomous thinker) In the famous Ghazwa of Muta, Khalid Bin Walid decided to withdraw Muslim forces from the battlefield because he discovered that the enemy was disproportionately outnumbered. When they reached Madinah, some of the Muslims received them by the word "O Furrar" (O deserters!) The Prophet said: "No. They are Kurrar (men of advancement)."
Those Madinan people were thinking dichotomously, either fighting or retreating. The Prophet said no. There is also a third option, and that is to avoid war and find a time to strengthen yourself. Now history tells us that the Muslims, after three years of preparation, advanced again towards the Roman border and this time they won a resounding victory.

Eighth Principle: (To bring the battle in one’s own favorable field) This principle is derived from the Ghazwa of Hudaibiyya. At that time, the unbelievers were determined to engage Muslims in fighting, because obviously they were in an advantageous position. But the Prophet (p.b.u.h.), by accepting their conditions unilaterally, entered into a pact. It was a ten-year peace treaty. Until then, the meeting ground between Muslims and non-Muslims had been on the battlefield. Now the area of conflict became that of ideological debate. Within two years, Islam emerged as victorious because of the simple reason of its ideological superiority.

Ninth Principle: (Gradualism instead of radicalism) This principle is well-established by a Hadith of Al-Bukhari. Aishah says that the first verses of Quran were related mostly to heaven and hell. And then after a long time when the people’s hearts had softened, the specific commands to desist from adultery and drinking were revealed in Quran. This is a clear proof that for social changes, Islam advocates the evolutionary method, rather than the revolutionary method.

Tenth Principle: (To be pragmatic in controversial matters) During the writing of Hudaibiyya treaty, the Prophet (p.b.u.h.) dictated these words: "This is from Muhammad, the Messenger of God." The Quraishi delegate raised objections over these words. The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) promptly changed the word and ordered to write simply Muhammad, son of Abdullah.
These were the principles through which the Prophet of Islam (p.b.u.h.) gained that success which has been recognized by historians as the supreme success.


By: Maulana Wahiduddin Khan
Source: alrisala.org

Saturday, October 17, 2009

Tips for Dealing with Difficult People

Unfortunately, the world isn’t filled with great communicators; it is more dominated by difficult people.

  • Other people will bring knowledge, skills, and more persuasive power in handling a difficult person.
  • Listen to the difficult person and let them express their point of view. It will help you understand more about why they are difficult. This tip alone can be enough to deal with the person as you allow the person to let off some steam. Listening honestly, actively, and empathically will make the person feel understood and bridge the interpersonal gap between the two of you. You gain little or zero information about the situation by talking.
  • Feel miserable is only damaging to you and will not assist you in solving the problem
  • Take responsibility for how you feel, stop blaming, and remind yourself that the personal's difficulty is their problem.
  • Like the previous tip, take responsibility and look at your weaknesses, mistakes, and improve on them. Practice the Japanese principle of Kaizen where you make small continual improvements for an overall large change. You could be tipping fuel over the fire and removing your contribution to the problem will reduce the person’s difficult attitude.
  • When we see someone in a negative spotlight it can take a while to shift that negative understanding into a positive spotlight – even when the person has not been difficult for sometime.
  • Perhaps you are the problem, their father was diagnosed with cancer, or they are in financial trouble.Having an open mind that allows for the other person’s point of view and possible explanations for their behavior
  • Keep conditioning the person’s behavior, and you will soon see a change.
  • Another day can bring different possibilities. Emotions, thoughts, and attitudes change all the time and having some downtime is often beneficial for healthy communication. Giving the two of you some space gives both of you time to think the problems through and cool down your emotions.

Difficult people are everywhere so you can probably begin using these tips today!

  1. Rights and Responsibility
  2. Stop Becoming a Victim
  3. Being Apart of the Problem
  4. Keep an Open Mind
  5. Control Criticism
  6. Behavioral Conditioning
  7. Walking Away

Sunday, September 6, 2009

Emotional Recitation

Let's start with this beautiful voice from Salmaan al Utaybee

Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The similitude of His light is as a niche wherein is a lamp. The lamp is in a glass. The glass is as it were a shining star. (This lamp is) kindled from a blessed tree, an olive neither of the East nor of the West, whose oil would almost glow forth (of itself) though no fire touched it. Light upon light. Allah guideth unto His light whom He will. And Allah speaketh to mankind in allegories, for Allah is Knower of all things. (QS. 24:35)

And this heartbreaking ...

Al-Imran

And to Allâh belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth, and Allâh has power over all things. (189) Verily! In the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, there are indeed signs for men of understanding. (190) Those who remember Allâh (always, and in prayers) standing, sitting, and lying down on their sides, and think deeply about the creation of the heavens and the earth, (saying): "Our Lord! You have not created (all) this without purpose, glory to You! (Exalted are You above all that they associate with You as partners). Give us salvation from the torment of the Fire. (191) "Our Lord! Verily, whom You admit to the Fire, indeed, You have disgraced him, and never will the Zâlimûn (polytheists and wrong-doers) find any helpers. (192) "Our Lord! Verily, we have heard the call of one (Muhammad SAW) calling to Faith: ‘Believe in your Lord,’ and we have believed. Our Lord! Forgive us our sins and expiate from us our evil deeds, and make us die (in the state of righteousness) along with Al-Abrâr (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism). (193) "Our Lord! Grant us what You promised unto us through Your Messengers and disgrace us not on the Day of Resurrection, for You never break (Your) Promise." (194)

...can u hold ur tears? i couldnt, it flooded...

So their Lord accepted of them (their supplication and answered them), "Never will I allow to be lost the work of any of you, be he male or female. You are (members) one of another, so those who emigrated and were driven out from their homes, and suffered harm in My Cause, and who fought, and were killed (in My Cause), verily, I will expiate from them their evil deeds and admit them into Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); a reward from Allâh, and with Allâh is the best of rewards." (195) Let not the free disposal (and affluence) of the disbelievers throughout the land deceive you. (196) A brief enjoyment; then, their ultimate abode is Hell; and worst indeed is that place for rest. (197) But, for those who fear their Lord, are Gardens under which rivers flow (in Paradise); therein are they to dwell (for ever), an entertainment from Allâh; and that which is with Allâh is the Best for Al-Abrâr (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism). (198) And there are, certainly, among the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), those who believe in Allâh and in that which has been revealed to you, and in that which has been revealed to them, humbling themselves before Allâh. They do not sell the Verses of Allâh for a little price, for them is a reward with their Lord. Surely, Allâh is Swift in account. (199) O you who believe! Endure and be more patient (than your enemy), and guard your territory by stationing army units permanently at the places from where the enemy can attack you, and fear Allâh, so that you may be successful. (200)

Friday, August 28, 2009

The best of men are those that are best to their wives

Muhammad, The Beloved Slave and Messenger of Allah
by Masood


How can my words do justice trying to express the greatness of Allah's beloved one?
How can a few drops of ink reflect a light that's greater then a magnificent
sun?

Where do I go now, from what facet of the most shimmering gem shall I start?
From what star, out of his countless constellations of virtues, shall I first try to impart?

Shall I began with his mercy that could cover the universe like a baby in a fleece?
If so, what grain of sand from the deserts of examples of it, shall I put in this piece?

Should I write about the time he forgave the town that stoned him tell he bleed?
Or the time he pardoned Mecca, yet before that, they waged wars to get his head?

Or shall I sail though the rivers of tears that he shed in anxiety for the human race?
How many books would I need to write, just to show a single ray from the spectrum of his mercy's embrace?

Or shall I write about his humbleness that made the dust around him look proud?
If so, then what drop shall I show as an example of it, that fell as abundantly as rain does from a cloud?

Shall I write about how he welded the power of a nation, yet how he still slept on just a palm fiber mat?
Or how he had no personal concern for the riches that passed through his hands, so you couldn't tell him apart by his dress in a gathering where he sat?

Or should I talk about his home that was made of just mud and straw?
How can I abridge the countless volumes written on his humbleness in just a single poem, and not be in flaw?

Shall I then write about his dedication to Islam, and how he strove for it with all his heart?
If so, then from what leaf out of a forest worth of examples of it, shall I start?

Shall I write about how he was offered the riches of the world if he just stopped his call, but how he stuck with Islam and rejected the huge offer, without a second to stall?

Or shall I write about how he didn't leave Islam,
even though he was starved by the scansions placed on him in his town?
Or shall I write about how his neck was even stepped on in sajdah, yet with all the hardships of being a Messenger, to Allah he never gave a frown?

Or shall I write about how he was firm on Islam even when he was threatened with death by the superpowers of his time?
How could I ever do justice to showing his love and adherence to Islam in just a few lines of a little rhyme?

Maybe I should write about his love for Salat and how it was the coolness of
his eyes.
If so, how can I narrow down an example of this,
when they're as numerous as the clouds that fill up the skies?

Shall I write about his feet that would swell from standing so long in salat at night?
Or should I talk about how he yearned for salat because it was his heart's
delight?

Or shall I talk about his firmness to salat no matter if it was dark, hot of if he was sick?
Yet how could I ever impart his true love for salat, even if my poem filled a book that was a mile thick?

And how could I not mention that he was a loving family man as well?
And again, how can I narrow down examples of this, when there's so many beautiful ones to tell?

Shall I say that when he was in his house he was serving those inside?
Or should I tell the story about how Anis lived with him for years, and not once received from him a single chide?

Or could it be summed up by mentioning that he said:
"The best of men are those that are best to their wives"?
Like the rain, each drop from his teachings, brings so much enrichment to our lives.

And how could I not talk about his highest virtue of all?
It was his total faith in the Oneness of Allah; and to that, the people he would call.

How could I forget to mention that he never said a prayer to someone other than Allah?
Or how could I overlook the fact that only to his Creator did he direct his salah?

He knew Allah did not have children, The Most High just does not give birth.
He knew Jesus was his brother as a Prophet, just a man created from the earth.

Muhammad was sent as the last Messenger to guide us and to perfect our morality.
The highest of which is the correct belief in the Oneness of Allah, anything else is a gross abnormality.

I have tried to show you a glimpse of this most wonderful man, yet out of the vastness of his greatness, I have only shared with you a little span.

It is hard to sum him up in such a small space, because his virtues reach such a high number, of it we can't even think.
There would still be something wrong with us, if we thought they could all be contained in even a trillion strokes of ink.

Yet I have tried to show at least one shimmer from that luminous star.
May Allah forgive me, how can these few words reflect a light that shines so
far?

Source:http://www.islamicity.com/KidsCorner/poems/poems_by_masood.htm

Monday, August 24, 2009