American Muslims
Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet tells the story of a man who changed the world 1,400 years ago and now lives in the United States through the lives of the millions of Americans who regard him as God’s prophet. It travels in the footsteps of Islam’s Prophet Muhammad to the Arabian Desert and the holy city of Mecca where Muhammad’s story unfolded. But the film does not just stay in the past. Much of its story is told through the observations of contemporary American Muslims, including a fireman at the World Trade Center on September 11th, a second generation Arab-American family building a community based on Islamic principles, a Congressional Chief of Staff working for justice, and a refugee fleeing religious persecution, whose experiences in some way echo Muhammad’s life. Lesson plans can be found at two companion websites with different content: http://theIslamProject.org AND the PBS site at https://www.pbs.org/show/muhammad-legacy-prophet/.
A biography of the African basketball star.
The best-known biography of Malcolm X, African American Muslim and activist during the civil rights struggle in the US. Learn about the book and the author in the PBS episode of The American Experience. Find the book at https://www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/106490/the-autobiography-of-malcolm-x-by-malcolm-x-alex-haley/
Students evaluate comments made by individuals in the film. The quotes touch upon topics such as Expressions of Faith, Family and Communal Aspects of Muslim Life, Unity and Diversity Among Muslims, Muslims in Mainstream American Society, and Muslim Responses to Extremism in Religion. Students will be better able to distinguish between “Islamic” teachings and “Muslim” practices which may or may not conform to the faith’s widely-held principles and ideals. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or standalone. Here is the lesson plan as a pdf lp_FM-C01_ValuesPracticesFaith-C01
A list of videos with streaming platform for 20 BBC documentary films on Islam, Muslims, Islamic history and cultures, including the excellent 3-Part documentary, “Islam and Science,” by the BBC, with Jim al-Khalili. http://islamicmultimedia.blogspot.com/ Islam and Science and Technology. Many other topics.
A description of Islamic Networks Group resources and offerings for various educational and interfaith settings.
In this picture book, Mrs. Syed captures moments in the day-to-day lives of these Muslim women, moments that the average American can relate to once they “embrace” the fact that she covers her hair. With each page, a stereotypes is shattered and the misunderstandings that surround the female followers of a faith of 1.3 billion diminish. iCOVER has garnered significant publicity both domestically and internationally. Also Available in BHS School Library
An article about a Health Clinic in Detroit sponsored and run by the Muslim Community in Metro Detroit. The clinic provides free compassionate healthcare to the uninsured and the undeserved in the area. CBS News, Detroit
Video clips about a Health Clinic in Detroit sponsored and run by the Muslim Community in Metro Detroit. The clips include interviews with professional volunteers and patients reflecting how this clinic has made the difference by providing free healthcare to those who lack it.
This is a list of UPF documentary films with streaming, discussion guides, and lesson plans.
A non-fiction book for early elementary students that explains how Muslims fast in the month Ramadan–one of two Muslim celebrations–and walks the reader through the month up to Eid al-Fitr that marks its ending. Illustrated.
A well-illustrated guide to the region.
Being Muslim in America – US Dept of State The U.S. Department of State has developed a booklet on Islam in the United States that includes demographic information, cultural trends, prominent Muslim Americans in business, politics, education, the arts and human services, as well as statistics on the ethnic composition of the Muslim community in the US. It can be downloaded in full color as a pdf file.
The Bridging Cultures Bookshelf/Muslim Journeys is a companion website for a collection of more than 25 books and films given to public libraries, provided through a project of the National Endowment for the Humanities and the American Library Association, funded by the Carnegie Corporation of New York. The books were selected by a team of scholars and librarians to help public audiences in the United States become more familiar with the people, places, history, faith and cultures of Muslims around the world, including those within the U.S. The Muslim Journeys Bridging Cultures Bookshelf has been awarded to more than 800 libraries across the country in December 2012, for use in presenting public programs since 2013. Advisers to the project include distinguished scholars knowledgeable about Muslim history, religion and culture, librarians, and other cultural programming experts. The website expands upon the bookshelf selections with extensive resources available for reading, understanding, discussing, and going beyond the selected books. Target grade levels: High School and Adult Education
The site is hosted at the Abusulayman Center for Global Islamic Studies, George Mason University
These guidelines are intended to help public schools balance the need for school safety with the need for free expression. The balance between the two is not static: It changes depending on the specific circumstances in each case, and is affected especially by the age of the students involved. These guidelines are based on current law. They do not provide guidance for every situation. But they should provide useful guidance for school officials seeking to create a safe and free learning environment.
In this short interview/article about Islamic Law, Dr. Intisar Rabb is an American scholar of Islamic and American law at Harvard University, is interviewed and gives very clear answers that are easy to understand.