Islam
This publication, produced by the Interfaith Alliance and Religious Freedom Project of the First Amendment Center, provides answers to frequently asked questions about religious freedom and American Muslims.
The publication seeks to answer common questions about Islam and Muslims, in order to inform Americans about the vast majority of their fellow citizens who are Muslim. In doing so, it seeks to uphold our shared commitment to religious freedom and contribute to a climate of understanding and respect among Americans of all faiths and none.
Download the pdf guide at https://www.learningforjustice.org/sites/default/files/2017-06/What_is_the_Truth_About_American_Muslims.pdf
Description of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting and its celebration, ages 8-10 years.
This resource is a list with descriptions of Unity Productions Foundation films and the teaching resources that accompany them, and the link to stream the films in the classroom, also SEE https://georgetown.box.com/s/pvuoyth1x17o7kqsstbols6wmn0d787g
The Sultan and the Saint film by Unity Productions Foundation tells one of the great, lost stories from history. Set in a past period of East-West conflict, it speaks with urgency to our present. Two men of faith, one a traveling Christian preacher, the other the ruler of a Muslim Empire, bucked a century of war, distrust, and insidious propaganda in a search for mutual respect and common ground. It is the story of Francis of Assisi and the Sultan of Egypt, and their meeting on a bloody battlefield during the period of Christian- Muslim conflict known as the Crusades. Curriculum with extensive lesson plans can be downloaded as a pdf at https://georgetown.box.com/s/pvuoyth1x17o7kqsstbols6wmn0d787g.
The Masjid in the American Landscape: Civic Rights: this lesson focuses on the segment of the film dealing with Muslims seeking to build a masjid (mosque) in Palos Heights, IL. Students explore the relevant civic issues and rights, and consider the role of interfaith dialogue as a means to achieve greater understanding between groups of Americans. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or as standalone lesson.
The Geography and Cultures of Muslim Countries: This lesson features hands-on projects for students that help them learn about the Muslim country of their choice. Students collaborate to conceptualize an informational website and television commercial for a given country. Alternatives include preparing a speech at the UN and designing a pamphlet about a chosen country. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or as standalone lesson.
Secularism in Comparative Perspective: The Hijab as Case Study in Three Countries Using background reading about the historical experiences of Muslim women, along with press coverage about womens’ right to wear hijab in three countries (Turkey, France, and the U.S.), students explore the concept of secularism as evidenced in several distinct societies, and its relationship to religious freedom in those societies. For use with: Video documentary FRONTLINE: MUSLIMS or as standalone lesson on the topic.
Description of Ramadan, the Islamic month of fasting and its celebration for elementary ages 6-8.
About fifty beautiful manuscripts from Herat to Istanbul are featured in The Art of the Qur’an: Treasures from the Museum of Turkish and Islamic Arts exhibition. Celebrated for their superb calligraphy and lavish illumination, these manuscripts from the 8th to the 17th century—are critical to the history of the arts of the book. They were once the prized possessions of Ottoman sultans and the ruling elite, who donated their Qur’ans to various institutions to express their personal piety and secure political power. Each manuscript tells a unique story, which will be explored in this once-in-a-lifetime exhibition. A wonderful set of interactive teaching tools are featured–scroll down to find.
Prince Among Slaves recounts the true story of an African Muslim prince who was captured and sold into slavery in the American South. After 40 years of enslavement, he finally regained his freedom, became a national celebrity, and dined in the White House. This is an incredible story about an incredible man who endured the humiliation of slavery without ever losing his dignity or his hope for freedom. Prince Among Slaves is based on the book by historian Terry Alford (1977) was conceived, designed, and executive produced by Unity Productions Foundation (UPF), and received substantial NEH planning and production funding in 2005 and 2006. The companion teaching resources help to contextualize the film and book in American history, as well as addressing contemporary issues of identity and migration.
This activity helps students become familiar with key terms they will hear in the documentary film. Students will have a better grasp of the terms’ meanings and will therefore be able to understand the overall information provided in the film without being hampered by lack of familiarity with the terms.
PEW Forum on Religion & Public Life – Issues The PEW Forum has a new resource with interactive maps on global migration of religious groups–both in- and out-migration– entitled Faith on the Move at http://www.pewforum.org/Geography/Religious-Migration-exec.aspx. The PEW Forum has a report on Global Christianity with interactive maps and data, as well as information on Judaism in the US and other affiliations worldwide. The PEW Forum’s new 2010-2011 demographic report is The Future of the Global Muslim Population, including current data on a global as well as regional and country-by country basis. The executive summary, interactive maps and data tables is located at http://www.pewforum.org/The-Future-of-the-Global-Muslim-Population.aspx.