Islamic civilization
Bibliography of well-reviewed, award winning and useful books for librarians and educators on Islam and Muslims, a variety of genres and age levels
An extensive set of lesson plans and narratives written for the education of Muslims, published in Australia. Limited use for teaching about Islamic basics, but possibly a good primary source on contemporary issues around Islamic education for Muslims, and debates about what it means to be a Muslim in the contemporary world.
Beautiful picture book featuring aspects of Islamic tradition, civilization and culture, architecture, and Islamic art in order to illustrate colors. Readaloud by Crescent Room at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UadbtM_5600
Children’s picture book on Islamic holidays as celebrated in India, from a series about various religions in India and their cultural practices. Publisher’s description.
World History For Us All Era 5 pf the World History For Us All online curriculum features Islamic history, especially in the Panorama lesson in brief form, in Landscape 5.2 Islam and Afroeurasia and 5.3 Consolidation of the Trans-Hemispheric Network, and later eras, such as Landscape 6.7 The Long Reach of the Major Religions include lessons as relevant to pre-modern and modern history.
A beautifully and simply illustrated, true story of the woman who, with members of her community, saved books during the Iraq war. Kirkus Review.
Rich resource for cross-over lessons on science, technology and culture. Publishers Weekly: “The books we read, the music we play, the words we speak… all were shaped, at least in part, by Islam,” writes Barnard in this concise and eloquent exploration of the far-reaching influence of Islam over the centuries. Each spread is devoted to a different subject (writing, Arabic numerals, architecture, astronomy, agriculture), while captioned spot art homes in on specific inventions and innovations (the zither, the astrolabe, advanced medical knowledge). Though the focus is on Islam’s manifold cultural contributions, Barnard closes with a chilling reminder of the ways in which 16th-century Europeans, led by Petrarch, worked to claim such advancements as their own and obscure their origins. Ages 8-12. (Apr.)
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.
Online exhibits from the internationally known exhibition and website on Islam, Science and influential inventions. See also “Fun & Learning” menu, with book, posters, activities and more.
British historian Bettany Hughes hosts the full length documentary, “When the Moors Ruled Europe.” http://topdocumentaryfilms.com/when-moors-ruled-europe/. Tour of sites and insightful conversations with Spanish scholars and important figures in Spanish society to gain insights into attitudes around the period of Muslim rule and the aftermath of the so-called Reconquista. Also to stream at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oafKyRDagsY
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.
A virtual walking tour of the Nadrid era Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain. It features 360 degree views and detailed explanations of the architectural and decorative features, and their significance. (Since Adobe Flash is no longer supported, install alternative Flash emulator Ruffles (http://ruffles.rs) to view the presentation.
Graphic novel version of the true story of the woman who, with members of her community, saved books during the Iraq war. Publishers Weekly featured review.
An intriguing look at the famous Muslim traveler.
A Compilation of achievements and inventions made by early Muslims. It also includes short bios of famous Muslims in the US and around the world who made significant contributions in the social, medical, engineering, entertainment, sports, and other fields.