Reflective Questions Being Muslim

1. Were you surprised that Islam is the fastest growing religion on the planet? Why?
2. What do you think of the facts the author shares about the Bush administration’s role in the mid-east conflict? Do you believe the author?
3. What do you think about the Patriot Act- passed hurriedly in the USA right after 9/11?
4. Did 9/11 change everything? What did it change? Please cite specifics.
5. If Islam is responsible for the attacks of 9/11, who is responsible for the Irish Republican Army’s actions? The ethnic cleansing executed by Slobodan Milosevic in Bosnia? The European Crusades? The Oklahoma City federal building bombing done by Timothy McVeigh?
6. Discuss the role of the Sunnis and the Shiites (Shias) in the politico-religious situation in the mid-east. Who are the majority? Minority? Who are the ruling elite? Who are the religious leaders? Is the INTERNAL conflict actually a class conflict?
7. The author states that Muslims have more to be proud of in the past than in the present. Do you agree? How could you modify your curriculum to provide opportunities to address this cultural challenge? Is there a parallel between the African American experience and the current state of the Muslim experience?
8. xenophobia - an unreasonable fear or hatred of foreigners or strangers or of that which is”other”. Have you experienced examples of xenophobia in your community? Explain.
9. The status of women in the Muslim world seems to present constantly evolving contradictions. Their testimony is worth ½ that of a man. They are subject to genital mutilation, forced and multiple marriages, and beatings. On the other hand, a Muslim woman’s property is entirely hers- even after marriage- and Muslim countries seem to have more women leaders than Western European countries. Please create a chart outlining the pros and cons of being a woman within the world of Islam.
10. Study the following terms and reflect on parallels related to a religion with which you are familiar. On completion: please provide a summary paragraph on observed common emerging trends.

Islam Religion?

Muslim –those that submit
fatwa –a religious decree
hijab – a small head scarf
burqa/chadormilaya/jilbab/abaya –a head-to-toe covering designed to cover a woman’s body to prevent sexual temptation
salah/salat -literally – supplication. Prayers are required five times a day. Dawn, past noon, late afternoon, dusk, 1 and ½ houses after sunset.
wudu –absolution – washing the hands, mouth, face and feet
masajid –place of prostration
adan –call to prayers
juma – Friday at noon the prayer must be said with others
zakat-to purify –almsgiving is recommended to be 2.5 percent of one’s net worth
haj - pilgrimage to Mecca-must achieve once in your lifetime
Ramadan takes place during the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, believed to be the month in which the Qur'an began to be revealed. The name "Ramadan" is taken from the name of this month; the word itself derived from an Arabic word for intense heat, scorched ground, and shortness of rations. It is considered the most venerated and blessed month of the Islamic year. Prayers, sawm (fasting), charity, and self-accountability are especially stressed at this time; religious observances associated with Ramadan are kept throughout the month.
Qur'an/ Qur’ān/ Koran/ Alcoran/ Al-Qur’ān literally "the recitation" is the central religious text of Islam. Muslims believe the Qur’an to be the book of divine guidance and direction for mankind, and consider the original Arabic text to be the final revelation of God. Islam holds that the Qur’an was revealed to Muhammad by the angel Gibraele (Gabriel) over a period of 23 years.
sawm -fasting
jihad- to struggle or strive A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid , the plural is mujahideen
	Please list other rituals which might seem strange to an “outside the culture” viewer . For example: “eating the body and blood of Christ”.
Other?
Other?

 NOW:  Summarize ALL the MUslim Data points including all the content, the book and the discussions.