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Asalam Alaykum readers, today I will be writing about fasting "O you who have believed, decreed upon you is fasting as it was decreed upon those before you that you may become righteous" Quran, Chapter 2:183. Fasting during the month of Ramadan is compulsory except you are suffering from an illness whether temporary or long term (such as diabetics), travelling for long, elderly (however, the elderly person can feed one person through out the fasting period if he/she is capable of doing so), menstruating, breastfeeding, pregnant.

Fasting is the act of refraining from food, drinks, sexual relations and evil deeds from dawn to sunset. It takes the 4th position when it comes to the 5 pillars of Islam. Some individuals that are exempted during fasting must pay it back after by fasting for the number of days that they were exempted for. These individuals include the temporary sick, the traveler, the pregnant woman, the nursing woman and the menstruating woman.

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. The month has 29 or 30 days. It depends on the sighting of the crescent moon. The Quran was first revealed to Prophet Muhammed (pbuh) during the month of Ramadan. The Night of Decree is the holiest Night of the year, it is Night the first revelation of the Holy Quran was sent down " Indeed, We sent the Quran down during the Night of Decree. And what can make you know what is the Night of Decree? The Night of Decree is better than a thousand months. The angels and the spirit descend therein by permission of their Lord for every matter. Peace it is until the emergence of dawn." Quran Chapter 97: 1-5


Laylat al-Qadr also known as the Night of Decree which is one of the last ten days of Ramadan. It is believed to be an odd numbered date which are 21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th or 29th. You are meant to worship Allah (SWT) on the night of those days.

It is good to fast 3 times every month. It is not compulsory. It helps to strengthen you spiritually. You should make sure you wake up to eat before dawn every time you fast

That is all for today, thank you for reading this article. cheers!

Hello readers, today I will be writing about prayers. It is obligatory to pray 5 times daily. You should check the internet or a qibla to know what time you are meant to pray as it varies between states and countries

Fajr Prayers
This prayer starts before dawn time and ends by sunrise. You make two rakats when observing this prayer. You can make 2 rakats (naflah) before saying your Fajr prayer.

Zuhr Prayer
This prayer takes the 2nd position when it comes to the 5 daily prayers. You make 4 rakats when observing this prayer while reciting the Tashahhud after every 2 rakats. 4 rakats (naflah) can be observed before saying your Zuhr prayers and 2 rakats (naflah) can be observed after saying your Zuhr prayers.

Asr Prayer
This is the 3rd prayer when it comes to the 5 daily prayers. You make 4 rakats when observing this prayer. You will recite the Tashahhud after every 2 rakats. No naflah should be made around this prayer.

Maghrib Prayers
This is the 4th prayer when it comes to the 5 daily prayers. You make 3 rakats while observing the prayer. Tashahhud should be recited after the first 2 rakats then it should recited again after the last rakat. 2 rakats (naflah) can be made after the Maghrib prayers.

Isha Prayer
This is the last prayer when it comes to the 5 daily prayers. You make 4 rakats while observing this prayer. Tashahhud should be recited after every 2 rakats. 2 rakats (naflah) can be made after the Isha prayer. Shafi (2 rakats) and Witri (1 rakat) is then made after the Isha prayers.

For the first two rakats while standing Surat Fatiha should be recited first followed by another short Surat.The rakat following the first two rakats while standing only Surat Fatiha should be read. When saying your Zuhri, Asri and Naflah you must recite Surat Fatiha and the short Surat whispering while the remaining three prayers Fajr, Maghrib and Isha should be said loudly. However, you should only recite what you saying loudly when standing (first 2 rakats). Ruku and Sujood must be done in a whisper for all prayers. The last rakat of Maghrib should be said in a whisper. The last 2 rakats of Isha should be said in a whisper. Your intention must be said in your mind

That is all for today. Thank you for reading this article. Cheers.

Asalam Alaykum, today I will be writing about Zakat. This is one of the 5 Pillars of Islam (the Pillars are obligatory). All the 5 Pillars of Islam are important, however, Zakat takes the 3rd position when it comes to importance, following Prayers which takes the 2nd position and Declaration of Faith which takes the 1st position. "And they were not commanded except to worship Allah, [being] sincere to Him in religion, inclining to truth, and to establish prayer and to give zakah. And that is the correct religion." Quran, Chapter 98: 5

Zakat is a compulsory alms giving. "Zakah expenditures are only for the poor and for the needy and for those employed to collect [zakah] and for bringing hearts together [for Islam] and for freeing captives [or slaves] and for those in debt and for the cause of Allah and for the [stranded] traveler -an obligation [imposed] by Allah. And Allah is Knowing and Wise." Quran, Chapter 9: 60. This verse tells you who zakat should be given to.

Zakat in literally terms means making pure, in other words, Zakat purifies your wealth for you. It does not purify ill-gotten wealth. It purifies wealth gotten from good sources. Zakat is calculated as 2.5% of your wealth after deducting your living expenses e.t.c. For your wealth to qualify for zakat (for you to pay zakat) your wealth must be above a minimum amount which is known as nisab. Nisab can be either measured by gold or silver. If you are using gold to measure nisab, your wealth must be above the market value of 3 ounces of gold (87.48 grammes).The cash equivalent of the value of 3 ounces of gold is the nisab if you are using gold. However if you want to use silver to calculate the nisab, the nisab will be the market value of 21 ounces of silver (612.36 grammes).

Zakat is due for payment one lunar year after the date your wealth equals or exceeds the nisab. Zakat is payable on cash, gold, livestock, silver and others, a zakat calculator which is available online will guide you when you want to calculate your zakat. The nisab used for livestock is different and will be discussed in another article.

Thank you for reading this article

@alegbeleye its not a perception it is the absolute truth

I will be telling you about some beliefs that are totally wrong. Here they are :

1. Some individuals do not believe Islam (which means submission to the will of God) is the only right religion. You are wrong if you are one of those individuals, it is the only religion that can let you make Heaven and have a good life. 'And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the life to come he shall be among the losers." Quran, Chapter 3:85

2. Some individuals believe that the reason why childbirth is painful and man have to work hard to make a living is because Adam and Hawa (Eve) disobeyed Allah. You are totally wrong if you believe that, this is because Allah made us know in the Quran that no soul carries the burden of another. "And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And if a heavily laden soul calls [another] to [carry some of] its load, nothing of it will be carried, even if he should be a close relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord, (He is beyond the reach of their perception) and have established prayer. And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for [the benefit of] his soul. And to Allah is the [final] destination." Quran, Chapter 35:18. "We have certainly created man into hardship." Quran, Chapter 90:4.


3. Some individuals believe that Jesus died on the cross for their sins, you are wrong if you believe that. He did not die on the cross, talk-less of dying for your sins."They declared, "We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God.' They did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them (as if it had been so). And those who differ in this matter are in doubt concerning it. They have no definite knowledge about it, but only follow mere conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him, God raised him towards Himself. God is Almighty and Wise." Quran, Chapter 4:157-158.

4. Some individuals believe that Jesus is the son of God, if you believe that, you are totally wrong. What you are doing is associating partners with Allah which is the greatest sin. It is the same as idol worshiping. "O people of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, "Three"; desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs." Quran, Chapter 4: 171

5. Some individuals believe that the hadith is intact, well the hadith is not intact, however, it contains some truth It is not one of the Books of Allah, the only Book of Allah that remain intact and that will remain intact is the Quran. Some hadith prohibits what God has not prohibited, it is a idol worshipping to prohibit what He has not prohibited. For example, some will say music, dancing or drawings and sculptures of animals or humans are prohibited. They are totally wrong, nothing of such was mentioned in the Quran. Some narrates stories that contradicts what was written in the Quran, do not believe anything that contradicts what is in the Quran "And who is more unjust than one who invents about Allah a lie or denies His verses? Those will attain their portion of the decree until when Our messengers come to them to take them in death, they will say "Where are those you used to invoke besides Allah? They will say, "They have departed from us," and will bear witness against themselves that they were disbelivers." Quran, Chapter 7:37.


Thank you for reading this article

Amin

Hello readers , today I will be telling you about the Istikharah prayer. It is a prayer of guidance. When you want to make a major decision in your life, it is best you seek Allah's guidance. You should always pray to Allah to guide you through the right path in your daily activities. Istikharah prayer is recommended for a major decision such as getting married, starting a business and others.

How do you perform the Istikhara prayer?
Make two rakats (Nafila). During your first rakat, after reciting Surat Fatiha recite Surat Ikhlas, during your second rakat after reciting Surat Fatiha recite Surat Kaafirun. After saying Asalam Alaykum Waramatullahi to the right and then the left recite this:

"Allahumma inni astakhiruka bi-ilmika wa astaqdiruka biqudra-tika, wa as'aluka min fadlikal Azeemi fainnaka taqdiru wa la aqdiru, wa ta'lamu wa la a'alamu, wa Anta Allamul-Ghuyubi, Allahum-ma in kunta ta'lamu anna [then mention the thing to be decided] khairun li fee deeni wa ma'aashi wa aaqibati amri - [or say] - Aajilihi wa aajilihi. Faqdurhu li wa yassirhu li thumma baarik li feehi, wa in kunta ta'lamu anna haadhal amra sharun li fee deeni wa ma'aashi wa aaqibati amri - [or say] -Aajilihi wa aajilihi Fasriflu `anni wasrifni ' anhu waqdur liyal Khaira haithu kaana thumma ardini bihi."

It means " Oh Allah, I seek the counsel of Your Knowledge, and I seek the help of Your Omnipotence and I beseech Your Magnificient Grace. Surely You are Capable and I am not. You know and I know not. You are the Knower of the unseen. Oh Allah, surely You know so if this matter [then mention the thing to be decided] is good for me, in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come -[or say] - then ordain it for me and make it easy for me, then bless me in it. And if this matter is bad for me, in my religion and in my life and for my welfare in the life to come - [or say] - then distance it from me, and distance me from it, and ordain for me what is good wherever it is to be found and help me to be content with it.

"When you sleep, a guidance could be revealed to you in your dream. If you see anything white or green or both colours in your dream then you go ahead with your plan. However, if you see anything red or black in your dream then it means it is bad for you. If you get mixed answers in your dream like you see both something green and red then you have to repeat the Istikhara prayer till you get a definite answer. The Istikhara prayer should only be repeated for at most 7 times ( for a specific question). If you do not get any answer, then repeat it for at most 7 times (one Istikhara prayer for one day). If you still do not get any answer, some individuals say you should follow your heart."

Allah is the Greatest. One of the 99 names of Allah is Al Ghaffar which means The Repeatedly Forgiving. Allah is the Most Forgiving and the Most Merciful. There is absolutely no one like Him.

"Lo! men who surrender unto Allah, and women who surrender, and men who believe, and women who believe and men who obey and women who obey, and men who speak the truth and women who speak the truth, and men who presevere (in righteousness) and women who persevere, and men who are humble and women who are humble, and men who give alms and women who give alms, and men who fast and women who fast, and men who guard their modesty and women who guard (their modesty), and men who remember Allah much and women who remember-Allah hath prepared for them forgiveness and a vast reward" Quran Chapter 33:35

We all commit sins, it is very possible to avoid the major sins. When you avoid the major sins, Allah says He will overlook your minor sins. Allah loves charity, when you give out charity, Allah says you have given Him a loan and He will double it for you and He will forgive you. The only One that forgives sins is Allah. He forgives all sins. However, if you offend someone, it is okay for you to ask the person to pardon you. That will please Allah.

Seek for forgiveness from Allah every time you pray. Saying SubhanAllahi Wa Bihamdihi (which means Glory and Praise belongs to Allah) 100 times during Fajr and Maghrib prayers is a way of seeking forgiveness from Allah. Saying La ilaha illallahu wahdahu la shareeka lahu, lahul mulku wa lahul hamdu wa Huwa'ala kuli sha'in Qadeer (which means There is no God but Allah alone. He has no partner, His is dominion and His is praise and He is Capable of all things) 100 times during the Fajr prayers is another way of seeking His Forgiveness. Saying Astaghfirullahal wa atoobu ilaihi (which means I seek the Forgiveness of Allah and repent unto Him) 100 times during the Fajr prayers is another way of seeking forgiveness from Allah

Saying Astaghfirullahal 'Azeemalladhi la ilaha illa Huwal Hayyul Qayyomu, wa atoobu illahi (which means I seek the Forgiveness of Allah the Mighty other than Whom there is no other God, the Living, the Eternal and repent unto Him) after every prayer (5 daily prayers) is another way of seeking His Forgiveness.

That is all for today. Thank you for reading this article.

Hi

Hi

Allah is the greatest. Today, I will be writing about how you can achieve Heaven and a good life, may Allah guide us all. Before I start, it is good to note that God forgives all sins even shirk. "Say: O my slaves who have been prodigal to their own hurt. Despair not of the mercy of Allah. Lo! Allah forgiveth all sins. Lo! He is the Forgiving, the Merciful" Quran Chapter 39:53. "Those who never invoke any other deity besides God, nor take a life which God has made sacred, except with the right to do so , nor commit adultery. Anyone who does that shall face punishment: He shall have his suffering doubled on the Day of Resurrection and he will abide forever in disgrace except those who repent and believe and do good deeds. God will change the evil deeds of such people into good ones. He is Most Forgiving and Most Merciful" Quran Chapter 25:68-70. So repent now from your sins.

There are some websites out there that answer Islamic questions, some might answer them appropriately, some do misguide. You should read the Quran, It will guide to Heaven and also you achieve a good life on earth. "Surely, this Quran guides to the most upright way and gives good news to the believers who do good deeds, so that they will have a great reward and warns those who deny the life to come with grievous punishment" Quran Chapter 17: 9-10. A revelation from God, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful, a Book whose revelations are well expounded, a Lecture in Arabic for people who possess knowledge, proclaiming good news and a warning. Yet most of them turn away and so do not listen" Quran Chapter 41: 2-4. Really, pick up the Quran and read It, It will guide you better than any article even this one. "Say, 'if all men and jinn gathered together to produce the like of this Quran they could not produce one like it, however much they helped one another" Quran, Chapter 17: 88. "If they say, "He has invented it himself.' Say, 'If you are truthful, produce ten invented chapters like it, and call on whom you can beside God , to help you" Quran, Chapter 11:13.

I once read on one so called credible website , yes I used the word so called credible because it misguides. I was informed on the website that land snails are not permissible to eat. Well they are permissible to eat. It is a great sin to prohibit what God has not prohibited. " He has forbidden you only carrion, blood and the flesh of swine: also any (flesh) consecrated in the name of any but God. But if anyone is forced by dire necessity, not desiring it or exceeding his immediate need, God is forgiving and merciful towards him. Do not falsely declare, "This is lawful and this is forbidden, 'so as to invent a lie against God. Surely, those who invent a lie against God do not prosper - their enjoyment of this life is brief, and they shall have a painful punishment" Quran, Chapter 16: 116 - 117. Music or dancing is also not prohibited. However, the words of the song will help you decide whether it is sinful to listen to

Allah says you avoid the major sin the minor sins will be overlooked. The greatest sin of all is the association of partners with Allah. Idol worshiping is the greatest sin. The ten commandments of Allah which was given to Prophet Moses (peace be unto him) remained intact. "Say, 'Come bring your witnesses, who can testify that God forbade (all) this, if they bear witness (falsely), do not bear witness with them; nor yield to the wishes of those who deny Our signs, nor of those who do not believe in the life to come and set up others as equals with their Lord. Say,'Come I will tell you what your Lord has really forbidden you! Do not associate anything with Him; be good to your parents; and do not kill your children for fear of poverty - We shall provide sustenance for you as well as them - refrain from committing indecent deeds whether openly or in secret; and do not kill the life which God has made sacred, save in the course of justice. That is what He has enjoined upon you, so that you may understand. Stay well away from an orphan's property except with the best intentions before he comes of age. Give full measure and weight, according to justice - We never charge a soul with more than it can bear -when you speak, observe justice even though it concerns a close relative; and fulfill the covenants of God. That is what He has enjoined you so that you may take heed. And (He commandeth you saying), "This is My straight path; so follow it, and do not follow others ways: this will lead away from His path. This is what He enjoins upon you, so that you may guard yourselves. Then We gave Moses the Book, completing to the righteous explaining everything clearly, as guidance and mercy, so that they believe in meeting their Lord. This is a Book which We have revealed as a blessing -follow it and fear your Lord, so you may receive mercy" Quran, Chapter 6: 150-155. The first commandment of God was "You shall have no other god before me. The sabbath day which is Friday must be kept holy, Jumat must be observed by men, however it is not compulsory for women or children but it is a good thing if they attend Jumat. However, you can work on the sabbath day.

Allah has no Son, the Bible has been adulterated. They say "The Gracious One has begotten a son. Assuredly, you have uttered a monstrous falsehood, the Heavens might well - nigh burst thereat, and the earth break asunder; and mountain fall down in pieces because they ascribe a son to the Gracious One. It does not become the majesty of the Compassionate God to take to Himself a son, there is none in the Heavens or in the earth but shall return to the Merciful in utter submission. He has counted them and numbered them precisely, each one of them shall come to Him one by one on the Day of Judgement. The Lord of Mercy will bestow affection upon those who believe and perform righteous deeds" Quran, Chapter 19: 88-96. Jesus is not the son of God. Christains are practicing polytheism which is the same as associating partners with God. It is the greatest sin. Jesus did not also die on the cross, He made it appear that way to those wicked people. "They declared, "We have put to death the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, the Messenger of God.' They did not kill him nor did they crucify him, but it only seemed to them (as if it had been so). And those who differ in this matter are in doubt concerning it. They have no definite knowledge about it, but only follow mere conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him, God raised him towards Himself. God is Almighty and Wise" Quran, Chapter 4:157-158.

Prophet Jesus (peace be unto him) was sent to correct the wrongdoings of the Jews, the same way Prophet Muhammed (peace be unto him) was sent to correct the wrongdoings of the christians. Islam is the only religion that can earn you Heaven and a good life on earth. All Prophets practiced Islam which is monotheism (no association of partners with Allah). They worshiped him alone. Jesus never said you should worship him or go through him in prayers to God or call him the son of Allah, are all lies invented. Jesus was great on earth and he will be great in the life after death, however, he is a servant of Allah, he bows in prostration to Allah. Jesus is a friend of Allah, he is also my friend but he is not God, he is not the son of God to enter the Kingdom of God you must believe this. Prophet Jesus (peace be unto him) also said "I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. However, when he, the spirit of truth (Prophet Muhammed (peace be unto him), comes, he will guide you into the truth: for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will tell you things to come. He will glorify me, for he will take of what is mine and declare it to you" Bible John 16: 12 -14. "If anyone seeks a religion other than Islam (total submission to the will of Allah), it will not be accepted from him; he will be among the losers in the Hereafter". Quran , Chapter 3:85

Dealing with interest is also another major sin that will prevent anyone from entering Heaven if you persist in it. Do not pay or receive interest. "Those who live on usury shall rise up before God like men whom satan has demented by his touch; for they say,'Buying and selling is only a kind of usury.' But God has made trade lawful and made usury unlawful. Therefore , he who desists because of the admonition that has come to him from his Lord may retain what he has received in the past; and it will be for God to judge him. Those who revert to nit shall be inmates of the fire; they shall abide therein forever. God blights usury and blesses charitable deeds. God does not love the ungrateful wrongdoers." Quran, Chapter 2 :275

"God has promised to those among you who believe and do good works that He will surely grant them power in the land as He granted to those before them; and that He will surely establish for them their religion which He has chosen for them. He will cause their fear to be replaced with a sense of security. Let them worship Me and associate no other with Me. Whoever still chooses to deny the truth is truly rebellious. Attend to your prayers and pay the zakat and obey the Messenger, so that you may be shown mercy" Quran, Chapter 24:55-56. Your wealth and children are a test, yes He blesses the righteous with them, however, He also gives the wrongdoers the same, He says it is a short term comfort as Hell is their permanent home if they die in that state of being a disbeliever. To enter Heaven you must believe in the oneness of Allah, in the Angels, in the Holy Books, believe in the Prophets of Allah,believe in the Last day (the Day of Judgement), believe in Divine Predestination which implies that Allah knows everything, Allah know what has happened and what will happen, whatever Allah wills to happen happens and whatever He will not to happen does not happen, however, Humans do have freewill, they can choose right or wrong and they are responsible for their choices. It also implies God is the Creator of everything.

Allah is Mightier than we think. "There is no God except Him, Ever living, the One who sustains and protects all that exists. Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in Heaven and whatever is on earth. Who is he that can intercede with Him except with His Permission? He knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them in the Hereafter. And they will never compass anything of His Knowledge except that which He wills. His throne extends over the Heaven and the earth and He feels no fatigue in guarding and preserving them. And He is the Most High, the Greatest" Ayat Kursi.

The Ayat says alot about Him. He is the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful, the King, the Holy, the Peace, the Granter of Security, the Controller, the Almighty, the Irresistible, the Majesty, the Creator, the Evolver, the Fashioner, the Repeatedly Forgiving, the Subduer, the Bestower, the Provider, the Opener, the All-Knowing, the Restrainer, the Extender, the Abaser, the Exalter, the Giver of Honor, the Giver of Dishonor, the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing, the Judge, the Utterly Just, the Gentle, the All-Aware, the Forbearing, the Greatest, the Much-Forgiving, the Grateful, the Sublime, the Preserver, the Nourisher, the Bringer of Judgement, the Majestic, the Bountiful, the Watchful, the Responsive, the Vast,the All-Wise, the Loving, the All-Glorious, the Resurrector, the Witness.

He is also the Truth, the Trustee, the Strong, the Firm, the Friend, the All-Praiseworthy, the Accounter, the Originator, the Restorer, the Giver of Life, the Bringer of Death, the Living, the Subsisting, the Perceiver, the Illustrious, the Unique, the One, the Eternal, the All-Powerful, the Determiner, the Expediter, the Delayer, the First, the Last, the Manifest, the Hidden, the Patron, The Supremely Exalted, the Good, the Ever Returning, the Avenger, the Pardoner, the Kind, Owner of Sovereignty, Lord of Majesty and Generosity, the Equitable, the Gatherer, the Rich, the Enricher, the Withholder, the Distressor, the Propitious, the Light, the Guide, the Incomparable, the Immutable, the Heir, the Guide to the Right Path, the Timeless. There is absolutely no one like Him and Prophet Muhammed (Peace be unto him) is His messenger. He has no son. He begot none nor was He begotten. He is a Mightier than we think

Allah is the greatest, that is all for today. Thank you for reading this article.

I will be talking to you about the life cycle of your products this includes goods, services or both. Did you know Nokia is back? Yes they are back, so let us see what they will be dishing out to us. Today, I am going to look at every stage of a product then I will be giving you ways to bounce back after your product has reached its final stage. Here they are:

The Introduction Stage
This is the stage whereby you have seen an opportunity in the market and you are ready to introduce your product to your target market. At this stage, the demand for your products will be low, as such, the income will also low. This stage could be seen as the stage whereby you penetrate your target market. Strategies I will recommend during this stage are the rapid penetration strategy for all products except technological products and the rapid skimming strategy for the technological products.

The rapid penetration strategy implies that the promotion for your product will be high, however, the prices for your products will low. This way you will attract a percentage of the market. I have excluded technological products from using this strategy and recommended the rapid skimming strategy because these products have a short life span and they have invested a lot of money into the product as such they need to make their money back with profit before their product's life get terminated. The rapid skimming strategy implies that you place the prices high and you also promote your products highly as well.

Growth Stage
This is the stage whereby the demand for the products start to increase. The market is now familiar with the products, as such, have started patronizing your products. The aim of this product life cycle stage will be to sustain growth. Strategies used during this stage will be the differentiation of product, thus, you will improve the quality of your product to attract more customers. You will also use the rapid penetration strategy for all other products while the rapid skimming strategy should be still be used for the technological products.

Maturity Stage
This is the stage whereby you have acquired the amount of customers you want to acquire. It is called the maturity stage, as such you now have matured products, Well, this stage is technical cause you do want this products to last long, in other words make this stage last long. During this stage the prices of technological products can be dropped as new products will have entered the market and will be competing for their market share.

As for other products, make sure you maintain the quality of your products as it plays a good role in keeping your customers. Prices can also be slightly increased during this stage, you noticed I used the word slightly because if the price increment is too much you will discourage your customers. Promotion should also be reduced. Maintain or even improve the quality of your products, it will keep customers coming back for more.

The demand for your products can still increase slightly during this stage, however, you should not aim for that. You should aim at keeping your present customers happy. The growth should come on its own, as you will be contending with competitors more swiftly for the market share.

Decline Stage
This is the stage whereby the demand for your products start to drop. It happens to all products, however, you can make the maturity stage last long. During this stage, prices should be dropped slightly with the hope of making this stage last long. However, the technological product will have to drop prices hugely, as they will have covered their costs and made profit during the introduction and the growth stages. They can drop prices as that product leaves the market and then focus on their new product. This stage can also be seen as the exit stage. The end!

No, its not the end, products can enter the introduction stage again and go through the production cycle again. Which brings us back to Nokia, Nokia was the market leader but lost its market share to Blackberry and then to Samsung and the owners eventually sold it to Microsoft. Now it has been bought back by the previous owners. Let us see what they have in stock for us. They are going to make products that will go through all the stages and keep making products, that is the way to stay competitive in their market. With other products, the same products can be re-introduced to the market again with a better pack and an improved quality. You will just have to go through all the stages of production.

I will be looking at control systems you put in place in your business to safeguard your assets. A control system is the actions you put in place to record and protect the assets of a business organisation. A control environment can be seen as one of the five components of the internal control system. In other words, it is not responsible for the overall effectiveness of the internal control system but it contributes positively to it. A strong control environment includes the attitudes of the directors and management. They must be full of integrity; they must communicate and enforce integrity when it comes to dealing with employees. This will increase the confidence of the individuals charged with governance (directors) and management that their financial statement will be free from false information. In other words, it will reduce the risk of theft within business organisations.

A strong control environment also encourages competency. Your staff must not be given responsibilities that are beyond their level of competence, this will help minimize errors during the execution of business activities, as such enabling the business to achieve its goals easily. When staff are given tasks beyond their level of competency, there is a high possibility that they will not achieve the goal of the task. The way duties are assigned to all level of management and staff must be planned properly, the plans must be executed and enforced. Directors must also be a part of the business, in other words they must contribute to the managerial activities of a business organisation.

Another component that encourages an effective control system is the segregation of duties. When the accounting processes are segregated into smaller business tasks it also minimizes the risk of fraud and errors within an organisation as it will be difficult to carry out fraudulent activities or make errors that way. Maintaining records by using the appropriate information system is another component that ensures an effective and efficient control systems. Transactions should be recorded appropriately. The information system must record and report the business transactions correctly, following all the accounting policies and procedures.

A business must also carry out risk assessment processes. Risks must be assessed, the likelihood and the probability of the risks must also be analysed. When likelihood and probability of the risk occurring are high the risk should be avoided, however when one of them is high and the other is low the risk should be mitigated for example you can get insurance. When the likelihood and probability of the risk are both low, they can be overlooked. The last component of a control system is the monitoring of controls. You must monitor your controls to ensure that they are carrying out the goals they have been instilled to achieve. This will help you know when it has a loophole, thus, actions can be carried to eliminate such loopholes. In other words, businesses must review their control systems to ensure they are effective and efficient.

satan was not created to tempt you to do evil, he was disobedient and full of pride which made Allah(SWT) to send him astray and satan decided to tempt mankind ,however,with Allah's permission. As anything that Allah(SWT) does not permit can never happen. He permitted so that you can earn a good life and heaven. satan had freewill just like any jinn does, as such he decided to disobey Allah (SWT) by not bowing before Adam which he was able to do because he had freewill. Stay away from evil, it is not of God to do evil. satan is an open enemy to man and should be treated as an enemy. Mankind has freewill too so you can either say yes or no to satan's temptation. Its best to say no, God has said if you stay away from the major sins, He will overlook your minor sins. Always ask for forgiveness of your sins. Allah(SWT) is the Most Forgiving. Be grateful to Allah(SWT) for challenges you have, that way you can get closer to Him and He will help you get out of it. Evil anyone does brings about some challenges the person has, these challenges are tests from Allah (SWT), the only way you can get to eliminate those evil deeds that are bringing you challenges is by getting closer to Allah(SWT) and carrying out good deeds. One of the best ways to get closer to Him is by being grateful to Him. Allah(SWT) is the greatest

Allah is the greatest, I read an article which gave examples of how some people have the best things in life and are still ungrateful and unhappy. After reflecting on the examples, I thought to myself if you do not have a good relationship with Allah you cannot be happy. He blesses you with the emotions. Part of having a good relationship with Him is being thankful to Him for all the blessings He has bestowed upon you. When you are grateful for His blessings upon you He blesses you with more. That is the truth. A negative mindset attracts negativity which ungratefulness is an example and when you are ungrateful you attract worries, anxiety, depression and the likes. While a grateful heart attracts joy, love, happiness, peace and the likes. A positive mindset can also help you achieve business growth, personal growth and help you increase your wealth. This all depends on your relationship with Allah (SWT).

The Islamic prayers which is the only acceptable prayer by God is one medium that helps you remain thankful to Him. While making the 5 daily prayers (obligatory prayers and some of the so many ways you can use to pray to Allah), you always recite Surat Al-Fatiha, quoting verse 2 of the Surat its says 'Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds'. Thus, you are always thankful. You also always recite Alhamdulillahi 33 times at the end of every prayer. So you will always be thankful when you pray 5 times daily, however, you must concentrate and pay attention to your prayers while remembering Allah (SWT) in your heart during your prayers. Allah loves those that are faithful to Him and He blesses them abundantly. The fact that you are emotionally stable is not by your might but by His grace, as such, you should always be thankful to Him. Blessings come in so many ways, the air that you breathe in is a blessing, the water is a blessing and you should be thankful to Allah (SWT) for them. Even when challenges occur you should be thankful to Allah for the challenges because they make you a better person while strengthening you.

satan wants you to be ungrateful, and you know he is all about evil. As such being ungrateful is evil. Find something in your life that makes you happy and be thankful for it, even the challenges be thankful to Allah (SWT) for it and He will bless you more and change the challenges to blessings. You do not want satan to win. A verse in the Quran we were informed by Allah(SWT) that satan said "Because You have sent me astray, i will sit and wait against them (human beings) on Your straight path, then i will certainly come to them from before them and from behind them, and from the right-hand side and from the left-hand side, and Thou (Allah) shall not find most of them thankful" (Quran, Chapter 7: Verse 16,17). satan also said "By Your Might, then i will surely mislead them all. Except Your chosen slaves amongst them (i.e faithful, obedient, true believers of Islamic Monotheism)" (Quran Chapter 38, Verse 82, 83). You do not want satan to have power over you, so be always thankful to Allah (SWT)

Allah (SWT) says "And if an evil whisper from satan tries to turn you away (O Muhammad) from doing good, then seek refuge in Allah. Verily, He is the All Hearer, the All Knower" (Quran, Chapter 41: Verse 36). Anytime you find yourself ungrateful, seek refuge in Allah from satan the outcast. Allah also says "And whoever fears Allah and keeps his duty to Him, He will make a way for him to get out of every difficulty. And He will provide him from sources he never could imagine, Allah suffices for anyone who puts his trust in Him. Allah will surely bring about what He decrees. He has set a measure for all things" (Quran, Chapter 65: Verse 2,3). Be thankful to Allah when facing any challenge and He will strengthen you, bring you of it and bless you. Always reflect on blessings regularly.

Thank you for reading this article

I will be writing about suave leadership. Can you remember in school, they gave you the qualities of a good leader? If you can remember a good leader must be honest, confident, tolerant, committed and emotionally stable. Well, a good leader must have these qualities.

A suave leader must have all those qualities and much more. You must believe in the organisational goals. You must know that you and your team can achieve your goals if you work hard enough to achieve them. The decision still rest in Allah's Hands and hopefully He will enable you. However, He rewards hardwork. You must be able to communicate clearly to your team members. You must also be able to delegate duties to your staff members.

A suave leader has self control and empathy. They enjoy building good working relationship. A suave leader does not have to know everything but must be willing to learn from other team mates; encouraging contributions from team members. A suave leader must exhibit a positive attitude, thus there must be a good balance between work and play at the office. A good leader must also be able to inspire others, thus motivate others without having to resort to force. That is all for today. Keep checking my blog regularly. Cheers!

Some companies end up changing ownership over and over again. By this I mean that some companies are sold over and over again. Simple actions like equipping your staff with the right tools to serve customers appropraitely is one of the reasons for such collapses within business organisation. You only sell your business if it is not profitable

When an individual calls a customer service agent, the individual expect them to provide him/her with solutions to their challenges. In a situation whereby an individual knows more about the products of a company better than the customer service agent then there is a problem. Poor customer service is one of the reasons why businesses fold up. This is because when the customer service is poor most customers switch to other brands. Without your customers you will lose a lot of income as such as you need to train your staff.

Training your staff adequately at the initial stage of employment is neccessary. At least one month should be dedicated to training your new employee. Training should also be continuous, you should train them at least once a year so that your staff are up to date with your new products. That way they are able to provide value added services to customers. The good news is you get to keep your customers, yay!

Anyone can start a business, however, it has to be something you are passionate about (which has to be good for you, good for others and good for the community). I am going to be giving you tips on starting a new business.

The first step you need to take when you want to start a business is to develop an idea, it has to be related to something you are passionate about and it has to be realistic. The next step will be to develop the skills required like if you want to provide make-up services then get the required skills, if you want to provide IT services get the education needed (it could be a professional course). I know that it is quite expensive to attend universities in developed nations, however, professional courses are not so expensive. It could be a short course, that will be influenced by the level you are willing to take your business too. Be rest assured any skill can be developed, it all as to do with your determination and your effort. The next step will be to identify your target market, is it a particular age group? is it for men?, afterwards understand that market and then work on developing a product that will give them what they want.

You will then have to come up with a business name, your business must potray the right image and must be competitive. You will then have to develop a business plan, that will include your goals, sales target, how you intend to penetrate the market, strategies to be used, financial estimates (halal) and others. This business plan will help you measure your progress generally. Then, develop a strategic plan that will help you stay competitive in the market. .

The next thing you would do is to work on your supply chain, make enquiries about reliable suppliers who sell the best materials or equipment at a very good price and start to develop a relationship with them. Then raise capital for your business following the guides in my previous articles and register your business. If I give $1000 today, you won't know what to do with it because you got it unexpectedly and you might end up spending it lavishly, but if you have plan and then I give $1000, then it will be spent wisely since you already have a plan for it. So you need to draw up your business and strategic plan first before raising capital. Advertise your products (goods and services) and then start selling.

Halal means anything lawful Islamically.

It is quite easy to blame the government for the reason Nigeria is still developing. As much as I believe that the government plays a vital role in Nigeria. I also believe each individual play a role in Nigeria, you can either be part of the problem or be part of the solution. Little drops of water makes a mighty ocean we say, as such each little contribution made by each individual will be that drop or drops of water that will end up making that ocean. Some individuals are into yahoo yahoo (thats rubbish), why not use your brain for something that will be productive for yourself and for the nation. One good action by an individual can contribute positively to the impression about safety in Nigeria. As a potential investor why would I start a business in country If I don't believe that most people in the country are full of integrity and credibility. As such play your own part by being a person of high integrity. A country full with people of high intergrity will attract investors which will lead to the creation of more employment opportunities and as such contribute to the growth of our GDP. You can also play your part by using our local products that way those companies can grow and therefore contribute to the development of the country.

The government plays a vital role in Nigeria, leadership they say is by example. Inspire the youths of today positively. It is common knowledge that funds meant for the general public are being transferred as their own personal funds to foreign nations. How that add value to you by doing that I still can't understand. Yes you have the funds but yet your generations will still suffer as a result of that action, you will suffer as a result of it cause of bad roads one which can cause your own accident, robbers which can attack and other factors. Allah says man shall reap the reward for the good he has done and pay for the evil he has done. You are still going to be punished for it so why do it? Even if there is no punishment for such, integrity is beautiful. I must commend the Lagos State government for their contributions so far, Lagos has experienced some developments. Nigeria has been blessed with crude oil, it generates income from exporting crude oil but yet it still imports refined oil. Government please work on the refineries and stop importing refined oil. The reduction of importation will contribute positively to the GDP of Nigeria, it will also reduce the cost of petrol, diesel and so on in the country and money saved from such reduction by individuals can be employed in other areas like starting a business which will contribute to sustainable development of the country. Constant power supply is also another factor, a step as being taken to make the sector a private one. I believe it will contribute immensely to the development of the country cause it will reduce the overall cost of carrying out business activities in the country and as such attract potential investors.

I also believe prices for the power supply will be competitive just like what happened in the telecommunications industry. The agricultural sector used to be our major source of income before the crude oil was found. Do not only have one source of income. The government should work on developing the agricultural sector again so it can also yield a high income for the country. The teachers in primary schools should incorporate subjects that will stimulate creativity in children. This creative side can also contribute immensely to the development of products by Nigerians that will be respected all over the world. Hopefully this post will be a little drop of water that will form part of the ocean. I know it won't happen overnight but it can happen eventually with persistent actions toward the development of the country. Nigeria is beautiful and blessed.

The basis of any good thing is for you to have a good foundation in Allah. He leads, He guides, He sees it all . He sees the end before you do. A prayer asking Him for guidance and following His advise is the most important in any business. Working hard to achieve your business goals also gives attributes to Allah cause you are working for it and thus once He thinks you deserve it. He will bless you with success.

A lot of people are so concerned about what people will say when they are about to start a business that will add value to their lives. As long as you are comfortable about it do not let the thoughts of others (not even mine) deter you from pursuing your business goals cause at the end of the day one man's food is another man's poison. Follow the godly advise and guidance. We all know the difference between right and wrong, if the business is bad for others and the community please do not embark on it. A business that will earn earthly and heavenly rewards is what you should pursue. Guidance do come through dreams or advises from someone who has experience in that business field.

Allah is the greatest, He has no son. He has no partner. Never associate partners with Him.

@tunebob. Thank you

@Mquadrant1, that product is not halal. I said halal products. That is a form of interest and not profit. Paying interest or giving interest to anyone is a major sin.

@ Cashreport, you can contact via email on suliatts@suavefinanceinaglamorousbusinessbox.com

Allah is the greatest.

Some people want to invest but do not know how to go about it. Investing your money to achieve financial growth is a good thing for everyone. You can either invest your money in the capital market (halal), real estate market (halal), commodities like gold, oil etc. I spoke about the risk appetite for businesses in my last post 'managing risks'. Risk appetites should not only be used in making business decisions but also be used in determining how individuals should invest their money. So you need to ask yourself some questions like what will be the impact of losing this amount of money that you are about to invest on your life and that of the people in your lives. Will it affect you drastically, if yes then do make low risks investments. In other words, know the amount of money you can afford to lose. The amount you want to make from the investment (investment goals) should also determine how you should invest your money. The time you can tie up this money for should also help determine how you should invest your money. The money market (halal) is a good place to save money for individuals that are risk averse.

For people with medium risk appetites, investing in the shares (capital market (halal)) of companies whose financial statements have been analysed is advisable. However, diversifying your share portfolio helps you to minimize your risks, by diversify, I mean do not put your eggs in one basket, invest in different sectors, different stock exchange market (halal stocks) that way a loss in one market/sector can be compensated by the gain in another. Shares (halal) can be invested for long term purposes or short term purposes, that will be dependent on your investment choice. For long term investors, people who want to tie up their money for more than 1 year, investing in commodities like gold, oil will be advisable cause they will increase over a long period. The real estate market is advisable for people who have a lot of money they are willing to tie for a period longer than one year. Land will always appreciate in value, although buildings will depreciate, the appreciated value of the land will always bypass the depreciated value of the building. The risk involved in buying a land is medium, just make sure you buy the land from the right people like going to a registered agency. The return from owning a land for a period longer than one year is high. Some investments (halal) might cost additional charges. An investment should be well diversified, investment in different investment markets and sectors.

Halal means anything lawful Islamically. Zakat must also be paid appropriately.

Some people want to invest but do not know how to go about it. Investing your money to achieve financial growth is a good thing for everyone. You can either invest your money in the capital market (halal), real estate market (halal), commodities like gold, oil etc. I spoke about the risk appetite for businesses in my last post 'managing risks'. Risk appetites should not only be used in making business decisions but also be used in determining how individuals should invest their money. So you need to ask yourself some questions like what will be the impact of losing this amount of money that you are about to invest on your life and that of the people in your lives. Will it affect you drastically, if yes then do make low risks investments. In other words, know the amount of money you can afford to lose. The amount you want to make from the investment (investment goals) should also determine how you should invest your money. The time you can tie up this money for should also help determine how you should invest your money. The money market (halal) is a good place to save money for individuals that are risk averse.

For people with medium risk appetites, investing in the shares (capital market (halal)) of companies whose financial statements have been analysed is advisable. However, diversifying your share portfolio helps you to minimize your risks, by diversify, I mean do not put your eggs in one basket, invest in different sectors, different stock exchange market (halal stocks) that way a loss in one market/sector can be compensated by the gain in another. Shares (halal) can be invested for long term purposes or short term purposes, that will be dependent on your investment choice. For long term investors, people who want to tie up their money for more than 1 year, investing in commodities like gold, oil will be advisable cause they will increase over a long period. The real estate market is advisable for people who have a lot of money they are willing to tie for a period longer than one year. Land will always appreciate in value, although buildings will depreciate, the appreciated value of the land will always bypass the depreciated value of the building. The risk involved in buying a land is medium, just make sure you buy the land from the right people like going to a registered agency. The return from owning a land for a period longer than one year is high. Some investments (halal) might cost additional charges. An investment should be well diversified, investment in different investment markets and sectors.

Halal means anything lawful Islamically. Zakat must also be paid appropriately.

I will be telling you few things to note before you decide to make your business go global. You have to make very smart decisions about your strategies and structure because once you go international they will always reflect in all the future strategies or business structure you develop. The moment your business goes international it will be difficult to change the whole strategy and structure totally.

Different multinationals have different strategies that they employ. Some multinationals try to tailor their strategies to suit the taste of nationals, meaning each country will have adjusted strategies to meet the needs of nationals. Some other companies look at their international counterparts to bring in new product development designs while others do all their research and development in their headquarters while they sell and distribute their products via subsidiaries. It really depends on what strategy that will suit the type of products you make.

Factors that will help you stay competitive in a business include the unique resources and capabilities you have as well as the country you decide to set up a business in. A thorough research must be done before going international to make sure that a company can compete internationally because a lot of companies that performed well locally failed when they decided to go international.

The basis of any good thing is for you to have a good foundation in Allah (SWT). He leads, He guides, He sees it all . He sees the end before you do. A prayer asking Him for guidance and following His advise is the most important in any business. Working hard to achieve your business goals also gives attributes to Allah (SWT) cause you are working for it and thus once He thinks you deserve it. He will bless you with success.

A lot of people are so concerned about what people will say when they are about to start a business that will add value to their lives. As long as you are comfortable about it do not let the thoughts of others (not even mine) deter you from pursuing your business goals cause at the end of the day one man's food is another man's poison. Follow the godly advise and guidance. We all know the difference between right and wrong, if the business is bad for others and the community please do not embark on it. A business that will earn earthly and heavenly rewards is what you should pursue. Guidance do come through dreams or advises from someone who has experience in that business field. Allah is the greatest, He has no son. He has no partner. Never associate partners with Him.