Here's an excellent overview of Islam from Harvard Divinity.
C3 Inquiry- Islam unit
Here is a link to a hyperdoc about the early spread of Islam. It inlcudes links to a biography of the Prophet Muhammad, his divine revelation, the hejira, the Battle for Mecca, the ascension to heaven, Islam's spread and its split.
Here is a link to pear deck covering Islamic beliefs and practices. It ask you to make a copy. Once you open it, just click add-ons to install Pear Deck. It will only work with the premium edition of Peardeck. Here's a link to the student paced Peardeck.
Here's an excellent Prezi that reviews the Sunni-Shia split. It comes from another teacher. There are also several good video resources. One of the best comes from the Council on Foreign Relations below.
And here is a terrific BBC site which explains the difference between Shiites and Sunnis.
And here is a terrific BBC site which explains the difference between Shiites and Sunnis.
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This lesson on Ramadan observance in Dearborn, MI, will help students better understand how Islam is practiced and experienced by a specific community of Arab-American Muslims.
Here is a link to the full lesson which comes from another teacher.
And here is a link to the video.
- Students will first need to learn about the fast of Ramadan via lecture, reading, research, etc.
- Students will read and answer questions regarding the Arab-American communities in and around Fordson, Michigan.
- Students will read and discuss an article in the New York Times regarding the observance of Ramadan in New York City schools. (Note: this reading could serve as a general introduction to Ramadan.)
- Students will watch selections from the film Fordson: Faith, Fasting, Football, and the American Dream. If you are not able to screen the entire film, I’d suggest screening from minute marker 33:26 to 45:55. Please see the website linked just above for information on viewing options and permissions.
- Students will respond to the film individually by writing in class for five minutes and then open up the conversation to the class as a whole.
- Individual class members would blog on their reactions to the documentary and their questions that they may still have. Teacher would develop a question regarding the lived religion aspect of the observance of Ramadan.
Here is a link to the full lesson which comes from another teacher.
And here is a link to the video.
Beginning of Islam Assignment
Directions: Read the three linked short essays, then answer the three questions below.
The Beginning of Islam Prothero, God is Not One, 36-40
Watch – Islam: Empire of Faith
Watch – Ariela Marcus-Sells, “How do we talk about Islam?”
Sarah Kendzior, “The Fallacy of the Phrase, 'the Muslim World'”
Asma Afsaruddin, “The Myth of the Muslim World” Omid Safi, “Allah = God”
Kate Mayberry, “Catholic Church 'Allah' appeal shot down in Malaysia”
The Beginning of Islam Prothero, God is Not One, 36-40
Watch – Islam: Empire of Faith
Watch – Ariela Marcus-Sells, “How do we talk about Islam?”
Sarah Kendzior, “The Fallacy of the Phrase, 'the Muslim World'”
Asma Afsaruddin, “The Myth of the Muslim World” Omid Safi, “Allah = God”
Kate Mayberry, “Catholic Church 'Allah' appeal shot down in Malaysia”
- What did religion look like in pre-Islamic Arabia?
- What was the role of pre-Islamic poetry? Who was the poet? What did they discuss? What was the status of women in pre-Islamic Arabia? Was this similar to other women in the Near East?
- How did family kinship shape pre-Islamic Arabian society? Who were the Arabs? Who is Allah? Does everyone agree?
- Where is the Muslim World?
.Here are readings and video clips about women and Islam from a syllabus developed by Professor Kristen Peterson.
Read: Where’s My Space to Pray in This Mosque?
Explore: Hind Makki: Side Entrance
Watch: Me and the Mosque, Hebah Ahmed and Mona Elthaway, “Mona Eltahawy on France's banning of face veils” (11 mins)
Listen: Monique Parsons: Muslim Women Challenge American Mosques: 'Now Is The Time' (5 minutes)
Write: As part of team of students who wish to internationalize UNO curriculum you have beengiven a meeting with the Board of Trustees. You argue for the importance of understanding
Islam within larger social, political, and economic contexts of a global world. However, some
board members believe Islam subordinates women and does not want to support your
proposal. You decide to discuss commonly misunderstood issues: domestic abuse, veiling, and
women’s leadership. Be sure to demonstrate the importance of social and historical context
and the role of interpretation. Do all interpretations lead to the same conclusion? Is there
interpretive space for difference in opinions? Are there legitimate claims that can both support
the boards objections and counter them? How do Muslims deal with difficult positions in the
Qur’an or tradition? What methods do they use to navigate them today? (from Kristen Petersen syllabus)
Read: Where’s My Space to Pray in This Mosque?
Explore: Hind Makki: Side Entrance
Watch: Me and the Mosque, Hebah Ahmed and Mona Elthaway, “Mona Eltahawy on France's banning of face veils” (11 mins)
Listen: Monique Parsons: Muslim Women Challenge American Mosques: 'Now Is The Time' (5 minutes)
Write: As part of team of students who wish to internationalize UNO curriculum you have beengiven a meeting with the Board of Trustees. You argue for the importance of understanding
Islam within larger social, political, and economic contexts of a global world. However, some
board members believe Islam subordinates women and does not want to support your
proposal. You decide to discuss commonly misunderstood issues: domestic abuse, veiling, and
women’s leadership. Be sure to demonstrate the importance of social and historical context
and the role of interpretation. Do all interpretations lead to the same conclusion? Is there
interpretive space for difference in opinions? Are there legitimate claims that can both support
the boards objections and counter them? How do Muslims deal with difficult positions in the
Qur’an or tradition? What methods do they use to navigate them today? (from Kristen Petersen syllabus)
Here is another lesson from Professor Kristen Peterson about Islam in the 20th century it focuses on the contributions of higher Muhammad Ali to Islam in America. And here is the link to the syllabus where you can actually click on the links. In addition to the material below, here is a link to an essay about Ali's conscientious objection. It's called Muhammad Ali, conscientious objection, and the Supreme Court’s struggle to understand “jihad” and “holy war”: The story of Cassius Clay v. United States.
ABC News has a five minute clip where Ali refuses induction into the army in 1967.
Read: Muhammad Ali: Unapologetically Black, Unapologetically Muslim
Watch: The Trials of Muhammad Ali, on Netflix or on PBS if you have a Passport account.
Listen: Zaheer Ali:How Muhammad Ali Shaped America's View Of Islam
Write: As Muslim communities grew and consolidated in the Twentieth century they
developed their own organizations and practices. Immigration drew many Muslims to
America leading them to interact with established American Muslim communities.
Outline the dynamics between American Muslim communities, Muslim immigrants,
and the broader United States government and populations during the twentieth
century. Who were Muslims? Where did the come from? How did they organize
themselves (ethnic, religious, or racial organizations – by mosque, town, state, nation)?
How did they construct Muslim identity? What did that identity mean to them (to
others)? What role did race play? Where might Muhammad Ali fit in this history of
Islam in America? What can we learn from his example? (From Kristen Petersen syllabus)
ABC News has a five minute clip where Ali refuses induction into the army in 1967.
Read: Muhammad Ali: Unapologetically Black, Unapologetically Muslim
Watch: The Trials of Muhammad Ali, on Netflix or on PBS if you have a Passport account.
Listen: Zaheer Ali:How Muhammad Ali Shaped America's View Of Islam
Write: As Muslim communities grew and consolidated in the Twentieth century they
developed their own organizations and practices. Immigration drew many Muslims to
America leading them to interact with established American Muslim communities.
Outline the dynamics between American Muslim communities, Muslim immigrants,
and the broader United States government and populations during the twentieth
century. Who were Muslims? Where did the come from? How did they organize
themselves (ethnic, religious, or racial organizations – by mosque, town, state, nation)?
How did they construct Muslim identity? What did that identity mean to them (to
others)? What role did race play? Where might Muhammad Ali fit in this history of
Islam in America? What can we learn from his example? (From Kristen Petersen syllabus)
Watch: Prince Among Slaves (57 mins) Students take notes on the three themes in the film: Identity, the global nature of slavery, and Muslim in America. You can stream the film here.
Read: Khaled A Beydoun, “Ramadan: A centuries-old American tradition”
Assignment: Respond: An opinion-piece appears in the Omaha World-Herald that argues that the UnitedStates should ban all Muslims from our country because they have no place in
America and have only coming here in the contemporary period. You decide to write a response piece to the World-Herald that explains that Muslims have had a long history in America. In your response, you outline at least three (3) different developments or major trends from the early period of Muslims in American history to show that Muslims have been here for centuries. Demonstrate and justify your argument through detailed examples. (comes from Kristen Petersen syllabus)
Read: Khaled A Beydoun, “Ramadan: A centuries-old American tradition”
Assignment: Respond: An opinion-piece appears in the Omaha World-Herald that argues that the UnitedStates should ban all Muslims from our country because they have no place in
America and have only coming here in the contemporary period. You decide to write a response piece to the World-Herald that explains that Muslims have had a long history in America. In your response, you outline at least three (3) different developments or major trends from the early period of Muslims in American history to show that Muslims have been here for centuries. Demonstrate and justify your argument through detailed examples. (comes from Kristen Petersen syllabus)
Here's a research project about issues in Islam that I copied i from another religion teacher (Seth Brady). Students research one issue, find three news stories about that issue, summarize important points about the issue, write a synthesis paragraph and then present their issue to the class. The directions include links and an outline of the exact requirements.
Here's a list of the topics I used this year.
Topic #1: Controversial Representations of Muhammad (South Park/Muhammad Cartoons etc.)
Topic #2: Jihad (Greater & Lesser)
Topic #3: Prejudice, Persecution, against American Muslims
Topic #4: Hijab Controversies/Civil Rights Regarding Dress
Topic #5: Does Islam Need a Reformation
Here's a list of the topics I used this year.
Topic #1: Controversial Representations of Muhammad (South Park/Muhammad Cartoons etc.)
Topic #2: Jihad (Greater & Lesser)
Topic #3: Prejudice, Persecution, against American Muslims
Topic #4: Hijab Controversies/Civil Rights Regarding Dress
Topic #5: Does Islam Need a Reformation
Here's an excellent lesson about Islamic architecture. It comes from another teacher. Students analyze the spread of Islam through architecture. Using images, students move through stations determining the origins of the different buildings. Students also learn the identifying characteristics of Islamic art.
You can download the pdf. It includes the images, maps, and chart.
And here is a link to an excellent 10 minute clip about Muslim architecture.
You can download the pdf. It includes the images, maps, and chart.
And here is a link to an excellent 10 minute clip about Muslim architecture.
France's banning of face veils
Here is a lesson plan for the World on Trial about the banning of face veils in France. It comes from Penn State here.
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Documentaries
Films & Documentaries
- The Message: The Story of Islam is a dramatized epic depicting the founding of Islam (DVD)
- Allah Made Me Funny follows three comedians on a tour covering Islam, comedy and stepping outside our cultural perceptions (online for purchase)
- One Day in the Haram is a beautifully shot documentary about Mecca, one of the holiest locations in Islam (online for purchase)
- PBS: Islam: Empire of Faith (free online)
- Part 1: Prophet Muhammad and the Rise of Islam
- Part 2: The Awakening
- Part 3: The Ottomans
- BBC: The Life of Muhammad (free online)
Islam: Fact or Fiction
This short clip presents a prettyh accurate snapshot of Muslims aroundthe world based data from the Gallup research organization
(Source: Harvard Divinity) Ask students to read the first page of the article “On Salafi Islam” by the scholar Yasir Qadhi, who used to identify with the modern, Salafī reform movement, though he now distances himself from the label. The can get a good definition of the movement and understand some of the basic tenets. Students do not need to read beyond the first page. The other pages cover the author's opinion on the positive and negative aspects of Salafism and a conclusion.
Watch the video introducing Salafism below. Jonathan Brown begins by contrasting Salafism with Sufism.
Watch the video introducing Salafism below. Jonathan Brown begins by contrasting Salafism with Sufism.
The Dome of the Rock Explained
Did you know that the founder of Kinkos was a Muslim or that the founder of Bob''s Big Boy was also a Muslim?
And did you know that one of the first Arab American immigrants to America in 1511 became a slave and later a chief guide for a Spanish expedition exploring new territory in the southwest. There's a statute honoring him in El Paso, Texas.
Finally, did you know that greater Detroit is home to one of the largest and most diverse Arab-American communities in America.
Here are two great resources to help students understand this migration.
And did you know that one of the first Arab American immigrants to America in 1511 became a slave and later a chief guide for a Spanish expedition exploring new territory in the southwest. There's a statute honoring him in El Paso, Texas.
Finally, did you know that greater Detroit is home to one of the largest and most diverse Arab-American communities in America.
Here are two great resources to help students understand this migration.
- The Arab American National Museum has a terrific on line exhibit called Coming to America. You will need flash player to launch the exhibit.
- Here is a terrific essay from a Michigan radio station explaining why so many Arabs came to Detroit called What explains Michigan's Large Arab American Community? I gave it to my to students this year as a reading assignment.
Muslim Doctor in Minnesota
Representative Ilhan Omar
'As Muslim legislators we are constantly being asked to waste our time speaking to issues that other people are not asked to speak to.' — Watch @IlhanMN shut down this biased, 'appalling' question pic.twitter.com/m1mthJxK8J
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) July 23, 2019
Muslims face stereotypes that are often difficult to break. I spend time in class showing kids some attempts to break down those stereotypes.
- The CBC series, Little Mosque on the Prairie, is an excellent sit-com about Muslims in a fictional town in Mercy, Saskatchewan. It features a young Imam who has just moved to the town and confronts many stereotypes in a humorous way. Not all episodes are suitable for the classroom but a few certainly are and help students to see Muslims as ordinary citizens. Here's the 20 minute first episode which aired in 2006. You'll meet the town's new Imam, Amaar Rashid. Here is a review from the New York Times
- Maz Jobrani's comedy show called "Axis of Evil," goes a long way tin stacking stereotypes. Jobrani is an Iranian American. He's written a book called “I’m Not a Terrorist, But I've Played One On TV” and continues to tour the country performing at comic studios.
- The third clip comes from a TedX talk by Ahmed Ahmed, called "When it Comes to Laughter, We Are All Alike." Ahmed is an Egyptian comic who performs regularly at the Comedy Store in Hollywood.
- Finally, here's a 2007 New York Times review of the Axis of Evil, called "Comedians as Activists, Challenging Prejudice."
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Stop telling women who wear burqas to go home... THEY LIVE HERE. pic.twitter.com/db5zcFg8dd
— BBC Three (@bbcthree) August 1, 2017
FILMS ABOUT ISLAM
PBS Prince Among Slaves: "Prince Among Slaves tells the story of Abdul Rahman, trilingual, a military general and heir to a West African nation the size of Great Britain, who did not return to Africa for 40 years. In that time, he toiled on Foster's plantation. He married a fellow slave, Isabella, and they had nine children. Gradually, he also became the most famous African in America, attracting the support of President John Quincy Adams and Secretary of State Henry Clay. Abdul Rahman returned to Africa at the age 67, only to fall ill and die just as word of his return reached his former kingdom. Throughout a life of Shakespearean dimensions, Abdul Rahman maintained his dignity and hope for the freedom of his people." (summary from Unity Productions
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Koran by Heart: "There are 1.6 billion Muslims in the world, many of whom grapple with the role religion should play in their lives, and the lives of their children. Each year during Ramadan, more than a hundred of the best young students from more than 70 countries across the Islamic world converge on Cairo for Egypt’s International Holy Koran Competition, one of the Islamic world’s most prestigious contests. Some of the competitors are as young as seven, and several have memorized the entire 600-page Koran without actually speaking Arabic.Directed by Greg Barker (HBO’s “Sergio”), the inspiring documentary KORAN BY HEART captures the drama of the 2010 edition of this annual event, following three extraordinary ten-year-olds who have dedicated their lives to honoring their families, countries and culture through memorization of the religious text." (summary from HBO site)
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Inside Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think: "The book Who Speaks for Islam: What a Billion Muslims Really Think is based on the massive Gallup polling project conducted in the United States, Muslim and other countries, which has been made into a documentary film by Unity Productions Foundation with the title Inside Islam."
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Leo Africanus, a Man between Worlds: The BBC Arabic film Leo Africanus: A Man between Worlds by Moroccan journalist Badr Sayegh retraces key locations visited by Leo Africanus, the Muslim born as Hasan al-Wazzan in the 1480s. Captured by pirates, he was given as a slave to the Pope and converted to Christianity. Leo Africanus, as he came to be called, was a sixteenth century historian, diplomat, author and adventurer, having traveled in North Africa, the Arabian Peninsula, and sub-Saharan Africa as ambassador. While in Italy, he wrote The Description of Africa, which became the most important primary source on interior West Africa available to Europeans until the nineteenth century.
Here is a good blog post with videos about Islam.
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- SYRIAN BRIDE: Set in the hotly disputed Golan Heights area between Syria and Israel in 2000, Eran Riklis' remarkable film explores the combined effects Middle Eastern geopolitics and age-old repressive conventions have on a 25-year-old bride. Mona (RANA'S WEDDING's striking Clara Khoury) is one of many ethnic Druze who live in the Heights.
- Budrus: From the NY Times: Much of the film’s power — it has won awards at a number of events, including the Berlin, Tribeca and San Francisco film festivals — comes from its principal subjects: Ayed Morrar, the soft-spoken, iron-willed organizer; his charismatic 15-year-old daughter, Iltezam, who suggests involving the women; and Yasmine Levy, the Israeli border police captain assigned to get the village to stop its protests. “Budrus,” however, is not just the story of its surprising principals playing out gritty real-time confrontations. It raises some of the most difficult and contested questions surrounding the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, notably the ability of each side to understand the other and the role of popular, nonviolent struggle in bringing it to an end. The film itself has become a part of that debate: it is now being shown in villages and towns in the West Bank to spur Palestinians to embrace nonviolence.
- Six Million and One: A family retraces their Holocaust survivor father's footsteps in David Fisher's documentary.
WEBSITES ABOUT ISLAM
- The IslamProject: "The Islam Project is a multimedia effort aimed at schools, communities, and individuals who want a clearer understanding of this institution: complex, diverse, historically and spiritually rich, and--to many--mysterious and even forbidding. The project comprises two PBS documentaries, a vibrant community engagement campaign, and an ambitious educational effort." (summary from the Islam Project)
- Bridging Cultures Bookshelf Muslim Journeys: "The Muslim Journeys project presents to the American public resources representing diverse perspectives on the people, places, histories, beliefs, practices, and cultures of Muslims in the United States and around the world.
- Georgetown School of Foreign Service: Past Workshops: The page includes material like Powerpoints, links to articles and websites. Some of the topics for past workshops include: Contemporary Status of Christianity in the Middle East, Approaches to Islam and Muslims Through Film, and Material Culture Through Indian Ocean Trade.
- Georgetown University Center for Arab Culture: This is a link to the K-14 Educational Outreach of the Center. It includes background modules and teaching units, among other things.
Prince among Slaves: the Legacy of Muslims in Early America: This Unity Productions Foundation and PBS website features rich content expanding on three theme areas: Muslims in early America, the Trans-Atlantic slave trade, and Identity. In addition to a film, the project has created educational modules on topics including “African Muslims Enslaved in the United States” and “Islam and the Blues.”
On, March 26, 2016, Professor Shibley Telhami talked with C-SPAN and guest callers about U.S. perceptions of those who practice Islam based on his recent polling and in light of the terrorist attacks in Brussels, Belgium, earlier that same week. He also looks at statements made by Donald Trump and Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), candidates for the 2016 Republican presidential nomination.
A video clip was shown of Senator Cruz on CBS News March 23, 2016. Professor Telhami teaches at the University of Maryland, College Park, and is the Anwar Sadat Chair for Development and Peace. Extracts of this video (43 minutes), shared in full below, could be used to frame classroom debate about the diversity of American demographics and differences in American public opinion. Specific discussion prompts are provided at the end QUESTIONS TO CONSDIER:
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how
This is a great website from the UNC Center for European Studies. It's all about veiling in in various religions including Islam. Here's how the Center defines its site: It "explores Islamic veiling practices in transnational contexts and from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The site has multiple entry points for educators and students alike who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the nature, meaning and displays of Islamic veiling around the world."
This is a great website from the UNC Center for European Studies. It's all about veiling in in various religions including Islam. Here's how the Center defines its site: It "explores Islamic veiling practices in transnational contexts and from a multi-disciplinary perspective. The site has multiple entry points for educators and students alike who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the nature, meaning and displays of Islamic veiling around the world."
A Land Called Paradise
My Neighborhood
Here is a synopsis of the film from the film-maker site and a discussion guide from the film's site.
Mohammed El Kurd is a Palestinian boy growing up in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah in the heart of East Jerusalem. When Mohammed turns 11, his family is forced to give up part of their home to Israeli settlers, who are leading a campaign of court-sanctioned evictions to guarantee Jewish control of the area.
Shortly after their displacement, Mohammed’s family and other residents begin holding unarmed protests against the evictions, determined not to lose their homes for good. In a surprising turn, they are quickly joined by scores of Israeli supporters who are horrified to see what is being done in their name. Among them is Jewish West Jerusalem resident Zvi Benninga and his sister Sara, who develop a strong relationship with Mohammed and his family as they take on a leading role in organizing the protests.
Through their personal stories, My Neighbourhood goes beyond the sensational headlines that normally dominate discussions of Jerusalem and captures voices rarely heard, of those striving for a future of equality and pluralism in the city.
My Neighbourhood follows Mohammed as he comes of age in the midst of unrelenting tension and remarkable cooperation in his backyard. Highlighting Mohammed’s own reactions to the highly volatile situation, reflections from family members and other evicted residents, accounts of Israeli protesters and interviews with Israeli settlers, the film chronicles the resolve of a neighbourhood and the support it receives from the most unexpected of places.
Mohammed El Kurd is a Palestinian boy growing up in the neighbourhood of Sheikh Jarrah in the heart of East Jerusalem. When Mohammed turns 11, his family is forced to give up part of their home to Israeli settlers, who are leading a campaign of court-sanctioned evictions to guarantee Jewish control of the area.
Shortly after their displacement, Mohammed’s family and other residents begin holding unarmed protests against the evictions, determined not to lose their homes for good. In a surprising turn, they are quickly joined by scores of Israeli supporters who are horrified to see what is being done in their name. Among them is Jewish West Jerusalem resident Zvi Benninga and his sister Sara, who develop a strong relationship with Mohammed and his family as they take on a leading role in organizing the protests.
Through their personal stories, My Neighbourhood goes beyond the sensational headlines that normally dominate discussions of Jerusalem and captures voices rarely heard, of those striving for a future of equality and pluralism in the city.
My Neighbourhood follows Mohammed as he comes of age in the midst of unrelenting tension and remarkable cooperation in his backyard. Highlighting Mohammed’s own reactions to the highly volatile situation, reflections from family members and other evicted residents, accounts of Israeli protesters and interviews with Israeli settlers, the film chronicles the resolve of a neighbourhood and the support it receives from the most unexpected of places.
A team of 1,000 ‘mosque hunters’ travels across Indonesia to count the number of mosques. But it’s not just for statistics — it also helps monitor radicalism pic.twitter.com/1TC16HZBiP
— SCMP News (@SCMPNews) January 18, 2020