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World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Jonathan Arbuckle
World Religion: Islam
Humanities Discipline: Anthropology
Date: April 21, 2016
Teaching Module Title: Islam Part 1
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Introduce students to Islam through a brief history, the Quran, and the 5 pillars of Islam.
2. Focus on how Muslims experience God by combining the spiritual and physical through ritual activities.
3. Address issues related to Islamophobia and assess students’ understanding of important themes in Islam.
Assigned Readings and/or Websites:
Bowker: World Religions, pages 176-195
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eFsn49Qxwl0
http://bridge.georgetown.edu/
Class Outline/Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts/Assessments for Students:
1. Opening Exercise:
Distribute post-it notes pads to students in the class. Direct students to take 5 post-its. Using the prompt:
“when you hear the word Islam, what five words/themes/ideas/concepts come to mind first?” write one word
on each post-it. Once everyone is done have everyone come to the board and working together, arrange the
post-its by broad themes. Once finished, this can segue into class discussion.
General Class Discussion
a.
b.
c.
d.
Brief history of Islam
Qur’an
5 Pillars of Islamic Practice
Experiencing God
i. Prayer
ii. Dress
iii. Dhikr
iv. Art
e. American Muslims, Fact or Fiction video
2. Assignment:
Before, students will visit the bridge.georgetown.edu site and explore the various topics on Islamophobia. Students will
then compose a typed, 2 page essay focusing on the following question: using the information from class readings,
today’s discussion, and the information learned on the bridge site, if you only had two pages to explain to someone who
does not know what Islam is, what topics/aspects of Islam would you write about and why? Students should
incorporate at least one detail/example from the in-class lesson and one detail from their own research/experiences.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Rachel M. Barrett Knight
World Religion: Islam
Discipline: Composition / Literature
Date: April 29, 2016
Teaching Module Title: Islamic Religious Traditions
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Model and practice summarizing information.
2. Develop an understanding of various religious traditions of Islam.
3. Utilize reading and writing skills: analyzing, evaluating, and outlining.
4. Provide a summary and response to an article.
Assigned Readings and/or Websites:
Bowker, J. (2006). World religions: The great faiths explored & explained. New York: DK Publishing (pages 186-187).
Gani, A. (2015). Ramadan: A guide to the Islamic holy month. Retrieved from:
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/jun/17/ramadan-guide-to-islamic-holy-month-muslims-fast
Lesson Plan, Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1. The students will read the Gani (2015) and Bowker (2006) assignments for homework.
2. The instructor will provide information on how to summarize an article (main ideas, important points,
understanding the author’s purpose).
3. The class will practice summarizing the Gani (2015) article together.
4. The instructor and class will discuss ways provide an academic response to the information in the article by
incorporating information from Bowker’s (2006) chapter on Islam.
5. The class and instructor will connect these two pieces together to show how to create a summary-response
essay.
Written Assignments and/or other Assessment Instruments:
Students will write a summary/response composition (2-3 pages) on an article with an emphasis on summarizing the
information and providing a thoughtful response through their own lens.
1. The composition should include an outline as part of the pre-writing process.
2. The composition should include at least one primary source and one secondary source.
3. The composition should include a clear summary of the article (1-2 paragraphs) and then delve into an academic
response utilizing at least one other resource from the library database.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Rachel M. Barrett Knight
World Religion: Islam
Discipline: Creative Writing
Date: May 11, 2016
Teaching Module Title: Islamic Religious Traditions
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Examine literary components of a historical text.
2. Discuss the use and purpose of alliteration, assonance, and rhyme as literary devices.
Assigned Readings and/or Websites:
Reference guide for instructor: http://www.hamzatzortzis.com/essays-articles/exploring-the-quran/the-inimitablequran/
Sells, M. Approaching the Qur’an. (pages 186-188).
Lesson Plan, Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1. The instructor will lead a conversation looking at a particular surah in the Qur’an and examining the repetition of
sounds and rhyming type patterns that exist in the surah.
2. Instructor and students will discuss the impact and purposes of such practice
a. Why do we use alliteration, assonance, and rhyme today?
b. What are the benefits to the listener or speaker when using these repetitions?
c. How might this impact the ability to speak or teach the surah?
3. The class will look for historical examples of rhyme, alliteration, assonance, or other literary devices and write a
reflective essay on how effective the writing is at incorporating and using the device and the purpose it serves.
Written Assignments and/or other Assessment Instruments:
Students will write an analysis paper (2-pages) by finding an example piece of literature that uses alliteration, assonance,
or other literary devices and will conduct an analysis and evaluation of the effectiveness and purpose of the device used.
This example piece of literature could be instructor provided or student researched.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Courtland Blade
World Religion: Islam
Humanities Discipline: Art History
Date: April 21, 2016
Teaching Module Title: Islam, Early Art and Architecture
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Introduce students to Islam’s origins as a religion.
2. Explore how Muslim beliefs, doctrine, and history are reflected in the art and the architecture they create.
Assigned Readings and/or Websites:
Bowker, World Religions pg. 176-183, 186-87, and 194-195.
Art History Volume 1 pgs. 266-283
Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1. Who were the Muhajirun?
2. Who were the Ansar?
3. What does Allah mean?
4. Name one important difference between a Sunni Muslim and a Shia Muslim.
Written Assignments and/or other Assessment Instruments:
In this paper, you will discuss the Tile Mosaic Mihrab from the Madrasa Imami and the Shah-I Zinda Funerary Complex.
How does this art reflect the culture, beliefs and history of Muslims? How is the Qur’an incorporated in the architecture
and design of these architectural structures? Address these questions in a word document in either MLA, APA, or
Chicago style format, with a minimum of two pages.
Tile Mosaic Mihrab from the Madrasa Imami, 1354
Shah-I Zinda Funerary Complex. Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Late 14th-15th century.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Jeffrey Dodge
Humanities Discipline: Philosophy
Date: April 22, 2016
World Religion: Christianity
Teaching Module Title: General Philosophy (PHIL 101)
The Philosophy of Religion: Islam (PHIL 220)
Introduction to the Ethics of Islam (PHIL 102)
Teaching Module Goals:
1. (PHIL 220) Introduce students to Islamic thoughts on the Religious Ideas and Experiences, and how their world
experience has affected them.
2. (PHIL 102) Introduce students to Islamic moral thinking including those given in Sharia.
3. (PHIL 101) Introduce students to Islamic Philosophy, especially on Science and Religion.
Assigned Readings and/or Websites:
Bowker, World Religions, Islam, pp. 176-195 (PHIL 101, 102, & 220)
Ahamed, English Translation of the Message of THE QURAN, 2007
GBH, A Historical Introduction to Islam, 2004 (copies provided)
Read Surah 1 (Opening Chapter), Syrah 18 (The Cave), Surah 22 (The Pilgrimage), Surah 23 (The Believers), Syrah 32
(Adoration), Surah 97 (Night of Power).
This is a sample of Surah 1 showing the original Arabic language of the Qur’an, a transliteration into English letters
http://quran.com/1.
Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1. What is the basis for Islamic beliefs/philosophy? What shaped Islamic thoughts and practices and give brief
explanation of each.
2. What are the major sections of the Qur’an? Explain two major Islamic beliefs from each of those sections.
3. What other major Islamic religious works, other than the Qur’an (the Hadith, Sunnah, Sharia), have influenced
the development of Islam? List and explain the importance of each text.
4. Explain the origin of Muslim peoples. What events, beliefs, & practices shaped their identity? How have those
beliefs and practices continued to develop?
5. Explain the importance of Ijma (consensus), Kiyas (analogy), Ra’y (personal judgement, opinion), and Istihsan
(general good of the community) in Islamic thought (PHIL 220) and Sharia/ethics (PHIL 102).
6. Explain the importance of the Five Pillars of Islamic practice, and the Last Judgment in Islamic thought. (PHIL
220).
7. How did Wahhabism shape Islamic thought and practice (PHIL 101, PHIL 220)?
8. List some of the major moral values of Islam (name the source), and explain their importance (PHIL 102).
9. Explain the meaning of Jihad.
10. Explain the Sects (Groups) of Islam, The Twelvers, and Sufiism.
Written Assignments and/or other Assessment Instruments:
(PHIL 220) Black Board Journal entries (essay minimum 500 words each).
(PHIL 102) Black Board Discussion Board (minimum 500 words).
(PHIL 101) Black Board Discussion Board (minimum 500 words).
Additional Resource information:
‘Ali, ‘Abdullah Yusef, The Meaning of the Holy Qu’ran, Amana Pub, Beltsville, MD, 2004.
Against Terrorism and Religious Extremism: Muslim Position and Responsibility, ISNA, Plainfield, IN, 2005
Islamic Horizons, www.ISNA.net (magazine of Islamic Society of North America), bimonthly publication.
Kadi, Wadad, & Roraud Wielandt, Islamic History and Civilizations Studies and Texts, Vol. 49, Method and Theory in the
Study of Islamic Origins, editor Herbert Berg, Leiden, 2003, ISBN 90 04 12602 3
Reynolds, Gabriel Said, Remembering Muḥammad, University of Notre Dame, 2011.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Amy Guess
Humanities Discipline: Art History
Date: May 10, 2016
World Religion: Islam
Teaching Module Title: Fundamental Traditions in Islamic Art
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Understand and be able to identify the key aspects of Islamic Art
2. Understand the main features of a mosque
3. Be able to identify the how Islamic Art influences non-sacred spaces
Assigned Readings and/or Websites:
http://www.metmuseum.org/toah/hd/orna/hd_orna.htm
https://www.khanacademy.org/humanities/art-islam/beginners-guide-islamic/a/introduction-to-islam-2 (the entire
section)
http://www.shangrilahawaii.org/islamic-art-collection/abouthttp://www.shangrilahawaii.org/islamic-artcollection/about-islamic-art/-islamic-art/
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/art/art_1.shtml
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYr-L-HTzjo
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pg1NpMmPv48
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geyoQMi6c1g
Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1. What is Mecca and why it is important to Muslim pilgrims?
2. What is the role/history of the Kaba?
3. How does spolia play a part in mosque architecture? What connections can we draw from our discussion of early
Christians use of spolia?
4. How does calligraphy play an important role in Islamic art?
5. Why is geometry a crucial feature in Islamic art?
Written Assignments and/or other Assessment Instruments:
For the written assignment for this module, students are to write a compare/contrast paper (2 pages) explaining how
Muslim traditions in art have become integrated into non-religious areas. I would urge students to note the
architectural features of mosques and try to think of other ways in which these features have been use in non-Islamic
buildings. They could also do a compare/contrast paper regarding how calligraphy is being worked into Islamic street art.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Douglas Hammerling Humanities Discipline: US History & World Civilizations
Date: April 21, 2016
World Religion: Islam
Teaching Module Title: Islamic Religious Traditions
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Introduction to the basic religious rituals, scriptures, and teachings of Islam
2. Explore the diversity and history of Islam in the world
3. Explore the Qur’an, Five Pillars of Islam, and the Mosque
Assigned Readings and/or Websites
Bowker. World Religions, “Islam Chapter”.
PBS Documentary “Islam: Empire of Faith” (You Tube)
www.pbs.org/empires/islam (Timeline, Jewels of Architecture, Faith, Culture, Innovation, and Profiles)
Study Questions and Prompts for Students:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
11.
12.
13.
What does the Minaret symbolize in the relationship of God? Who is the muezzin and what is his role?
Who were God’s earlier messengers? According to Islam, were they divine? Was Muhammad divine?
What happened to Muhammad at Mount Hira?
What is the Qur’an? What does the word mean? How do Muslims view the words of the Qur’an?
What does Jihad mean? What is it the fulfilment of? Name three rules of Jihad.
Name the Five Pillars of Islam.
What is the Ka’ba? What has it meant in the past and what does it mean in Islam today?
What is a main difference between the Sunni and Shi’a Muslims?
Who are the Sufis Muslims? What are their beliefs? What roles do mystical music and dancing play in their
practices?
Name three contributions that Muslims have made to science and math. What was the importance of Aristotle?
What does the word “Mosque” mean? What role does the imam play?
Who is the Khatib?
Name two important Mosques to the Islamic religion and why they are important. What are some of the unique
architecture features of the Mosque?
Additional Written Assignments:
Design a timeline of the Prophet Muhammad’s life. Note the important milestones of his life. How did Muhammad die?
Include the importance of the visits by the angel Gabriel.
Locate a picture of the Ka’ba. Identify the location and meaning of the important symbols of the Ka’ba that are listed on
page 186-187.
Locate three pictures of hypostyle style mosque. Locate three pictures of a domical style mosque. Who was the
architect Sinan? Which sultan did he work for?
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Audrey Jefferson
Humanities Discipline: American History
Date: May, 2016
World Religion: History of Islam—Part 1
Teaching Module Goals
1. Students will gain basic understanding of Islamic religion and culture
2. Student will explore Islamic cultures though art, literature, and science
3. Student will develop an awareness of symbols and the beauty of mosques as a way of understanding Muslim
communities
Assignments:
Read pages 176-195 in Bowker’s World Religions
Pick one of the following two short essay questions and bring your essay to class for the purposes of discussion.
Your essay should be at least 500 words.
1. What is the meaning and function of the mosque in Islamic religious tradition? Based on your reading, discuss
how mosques can look different but share some common architectural features.
2. Analyze the symbols and images on the prayer mat included on p. 177. Be sure to use the rest of your chapter
in explaining the meaning and functions of these symbols and images.
In Class Discussion/Instructor Led Questions
Divide the class into groups based on which essay they have brought to class. Ask them to read each other’s
essays and add astute observations from their partner’s papers to their own papers.
Then, reconvene the whole class and direct the remaining class discussion time toward what they learned from
reading each other’s papers. Be sure to devote equal time to the two essay topics. Add any information that
students leave out, such as the centrality of science in determining the direction of the prayer (the qibla) and the
geometric designs of mosque spaces.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Barry LeBlanc
Humanities Discipline: Introduction to Ethics (PHIL 102)
World Religion: Islam
Teaching Module Title: Islamic Ethics and Social Issues
Date: June 10, 2016
Note: This module is intended as one lesson in a multi-lesson, auto-instructional unit on Religion & Ethics. (The unit is one
of several Term Assignment options; others include Term Paper, Presentation, and Ethics at the Movies.) All of the
content is accessed and completed on Blackboard.
Teaching Module Goals:
Through answers to questions, the student will demonstrate an understanding of the following ethical issues as they
pertain to Islam:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
Divine Command theory
How a religion may enhance morality
Terrorism and the ethos of killing
Abortion and other reproductive issues
Homosexuality
Polygamy
Crime and just punishment
Assigned Readings and Websites:
PHIL 102 Introduction to Ethics required textbook:
Louis Pojman, How Should We Live? An Introduction to Ethics

pp 89-105 (“Religion and Ethics”)
Other books / websites:
John Bowker, World Religions: The Great Faiths Explored & Explained

pp174-195 (“Islam”)
Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World, ed. Richard C. Martin (MacMillan, 2004)


“Ethics and Social Issues,” vol. 1, pp224-230
o “The Question of Abortion,” p227-228
o “Other Reproductive Issues,” pp228-229
o “Ethics and Sexuality,” p230
“Polygamy,” vol. 2, p552
The American Muslim, “Fiqh Council of North America Issues Fatwa Against Terrorism”
Bridging Cultures Bookshelf, “’Sharia’ from Oxford Islamic Studies Online”


Criminal Law
Modern Developments
Reading Quiz Questions:
1. One of the criticisms of Divine Command Theory (DCT) is that “it seems to make morality into something
arbitrary” (Pojman, p95). Which (if any) of the moral commandments in Qur’an 17:22-37 lend themselves to
this criticism and why?
2. Essay: Pojman identifies five ways that morality may be enriched by religion (pp98-103). How is each of these
expressed in Islam? For example, how does anticipation of a coming Day of Judgment (Bowker, p178) express
the belief that cosmic justice will prevail in the universe?
3. According to “Fiqh Council of North America Issues Fatwa Against Terrorism”, which statement is false?
A. All acts of terrorism targeting civilians are haram (forbidden) in Islam.
B. It is haram for a Muslim to cooperate with any individual or group that is involved in any act of terrorism
or violence.
C. In Islam, terrorism is considered to be the “greater jihad.” [CORRECT]
D. It is the civic and religious duty of Muslims to cooperate with law enforcement authorities to protect the
lives of all civilians.
To answer questions 4-7 below, read the articles from Encyclopedia of Islam and the Muslim World specified above.
4. Most classical Muslim jurists consider a fetus in the first __________ after conception to be nonviable (at which
time, according to theological doctrine, it is believed that ensoulment occurs).
A. 28 days
B. 8 weeks
C. 3 months
D. 120 days [CORRECT]
5. Essay: How does the above belief in a post-conception date of ensoulment affect decisions in Muslim societies
regarding abortion and the use of fertilized embryos for experimental purposes?
6. T/F: Homosexuality is strictly forbidden by the majority tradition of Islamic ethics. [TRUE]
7. Which best expresses the teaching of Islamic law regarding polygamy?
A. Islamic law forbids polygamy.
B. Islamic law encourages polygamy.
C. Islamic law favors monogamy but permits polygamy. [CORRECT]
D. Islamic law is silent regarding polygamy.
8. Short Answer: According to ’Sharia’ from Oxford Islamic Studies Online” (scroll to “Criminal Law”), what is the
penalty for each of these “crimes against God” as specified in the revealed text:
A. Theft [ANSWER: amputation of the right hand]
B. Drinking wine [ANSWER: 80 lashes]
C. Committing fornication [ANSWER: 100 lashes or death]
9. Fill-in-multiple-blanks: Complete this sentence from the last paragraph of ’Sharia’ from Oxford Islamic Studies
Online”: “While most Muslim countries continue to refer in their constitution to the sharia … the actual
interpretation and content of the sharia seem to allow for [ANSWER: greater variation], with some
developments embracing [ANSWER: traditionalism] and others [ANSWER: modernized reform].”
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Tanya A. Martin
Humanities Discipline: Philosophy (Ethics)
Date: May 12, 2016
World Religion: Islam
Teaching Module Title: On what Basis Do Islamic Extremists react so violently
against satires featuring illustrations of Mohammed?
Teaching Module Goals:
I agree with all right-thinking people that violence and senseless killing at the hands of terrorist groups of any faith is
unacceptable for any reason. I also believe that many people know very little about Islam and only see it as a violent,
hate mongering religion due to various terrorist attacks that have been perpetrated by fundamentalist extremists who
happen to be Muslim.
In this teaching module, I am particularly concerned with the carnage that extremists claim is vengeance that appears to
stem from their notion of ridiculing Mohammed. In the interest of peace and religious tolerance, my primary goal is to
discuss where this idea originates. A further goal is to open minds to the assertion that we are each responsible not only
for what we actually do, but also accountable for what we cause and or allow to happen.
Assigned Readings and Websites:
http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/bill_of_rights_transcript.html (SEE First Amendment to the US Constitution
Bowker, John. World Religions: The great faiths explored and explained ISLAM pages 176-195 (SEE REVERENCE FOR THE
PROPHET and A Perfect Example of Living) (SEE commentary under a featureless depiction of Muhammad) page 181
http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/07/living/islam-prophet-images/ Why Islam forbids Images of Mohammed By Daniel
Burke CNN Religious editor January 8, 2015
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-30708237 Charlie Hebdo Attack: 3 Days of Terror January 14, 2015 BBC News
http://www.amren.com/news/2015/01/muslims-stage-angry-protests-over-charlie-hebdos-mohammed-cartoon/
Muslims Stage Angry Protests Over Charlie Hebdo’s Muhammad Cartoon by Simon Tomlinson, Daily Mail, January 15,
2015
http://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/shooting-outside-draw-muhammad-contest-texas-n352996 ‘Draw
Mohammed’ Contest Shooting: Two Suspects Dead, Guard Shot in Texas by William J. Gorta and NBC News May 4, 2015
http://www.cnn.com/2015/05/29/us/mohammed-cartoon-contest/index.html Mohammed cartoon contest: Protest
held outside Phoenix mosque by Sara Sidner and Ed Payne, CNN May 30 2015
The Moral Philosophy of Bernard Williams Edited by Alexandra Perry and Chris Herrera, Cambridge Scholars Publishing
2013 (SEE “Jim and the Indians”)
http://homepage.westmont.edu/hoeckley/PHI006SP12/documents/Williams.pdf Bernard Williams’ Critique of
Utilitarianism
Study Questions and/or Class Discussion Prompts for Students:
1. Do you think that unflattering depictions of Muhammad are permissible based on the concept of free speech?
Why or Why not?
2. Since critical depictions of Muhammad are often seen as disrespectful and appears to incite violence at the
hands of extremists, should people refrain from doing so? Why or why not?
3. Do you think there should be a limit on what is considered ‘Free Speech’? Why or Why not?
4. Since the magazine had been firebombed in 2011 based on previously published satires featuring Muhammad,
in the case of the Charlie Hebdo killings, do you agree or disagree that those who continued to create such
illustrations are at least partially responsible for what happened in 2015?
Written Assignments and/or other Assessment Instruments:
At the point where the following discussion board or blog will be assigned in my Ethics course, we will already have
discussed Utilitarianism and Kantian Ethics (Deontology) and Egoism. Students will be expected to apply either theory
(or all in comparison) to the following Discussion Boards or Blogs but they will also express their own view:
1. On 7 January 2015 Corrine Rey, a cartoonist at the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, returned from
picking up her daughter from day care. She was confronted by two Jihadists who threatened to shoot her
daughter unless she keyed in the entry code at the door for the magazine. She complied and the gunmen
entered and murdered twelve people, including two policemen, as well as shooting eleven others. During the
attack, the shooters said that they did not kill women, but that they needed to convert to Islam and wear a veil.
For this assignment, students will contemplate the following questions:


Should Corrine Rey have been willing to sacrifice her daughter and herself rather than to allow obvious
murderers to enter the magazine and possibly kill everyone? It is worth noting that in the aftermath, Rey
has expressed regret over cowering under a desk with her child as she watched the gunmen gun down
her coworkers.
Since the workers at Charlie Hebdo had been long aware that they were in danger, is there something to
be said about Corrine Rey’s decision to take her daughter to the magazine?
2. Based on the readings about Islam, do you believe it is a religion that promotes and sanctions violence in the
name of God or is it more the case that how individuals interpret Islam (or any other religion) determines how
one practices it?
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Patrick Meegan
Humanities Discipline: World History
Date: April 22, 2016
World Religion: Islam
Teaching Module Title: The origins and early years of Islam
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Introduce students to the basic religious scriptures and the time frame of their origin.
2. Examine the cultural and religious environment that led to the spread of Islam.
3. Familiarize students with the basic historical events related to Islamic scripture.
Assigned Readings and/or Websites:
Duiker and Spielvogel, Chapter 7
Bowker, John, Chapter on Islam, pp 176-195
Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
What was the cultural background of the first Muslims?
What was the political situation at the dawn of Islam? Who ruled where Muhammad lived?
What great powers existed in the region during the time of Muhammad?
What is the Qur’an?
What is Hadith?
Written Assignments and/or other Assessment Instruments:
Come to class with written responses to these questions. We will discuss the answers together and have a brief lecture
in preparation for a quiz, which I will give the students after this class session.
______________________________________________________________________________________________
Important points to stress in classroom discussion:
What cultural factors might have become obstacles to the early spread of Islam? How were these obstacles overcome?
How did Damascus become the capital city of the Caliphate? Why was the capital later moved to Baghdad?
By what means did Islam spread from its early Arab roots to a universal faith?
What are the Five Pillars of Islam?
What was the initial cause of the separation of Muslims into Sunni and Shia sects?
What is Sufism?
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Joshua M. Phillippe
World Religion: Islam
Humanities Discipline: Art History
Date: April 22, 2016
Teaching Module Title: The Atmosphere of Paradise
Teaching Module Goals:
1. Discuss the foundation, growth, belief, and religious divisions within Islam.
2. Familiarize students with the rich art and architecture from the Muslim world.
3. Recognize the contributions of Muslim scholars to science, medicine, mathematics, astronomy, philosophy, and
geography.
4. Reflection and class discussions focusing on Sultan Mohammed’s Mi’raj or Muhammed’s Ascent and some
contemporary artists working in this tradition.
Assigned Reading and Videos:
John Bowker, World Religions, “Islam”, pages 176-177, 180-183, and 192-195.
Maliha Noorani, demonstration on Persian miniature painting (6 minutes): https://vimeo.com/35276945
Shahzia Sikander, Indian and Persian miniature painting: http://www.pbs.org/art21/artists/shahzia-sikander
Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1. What is the literal meaning of the word Islam?
2. Who were Musa and Isa and how are they revered by almost two billion Muslims?
3. When and why did the first religious division within Islam occur? Describe this divide.
4. In the 16th century Sulṭan Muhammed was one of the leading artistic figures in the Persian world. The style of
painting this court painter became known for is marked by dynamic compositions, illogical perspectives, concealed
grotesques, saturated color, and a strong tendency to see excess as a source of virtue. Reflect on pages 180-181 in the
text giving close examination to Sultan Mohammed’s illustration. Who are some of the important figures in this
painting? Further describe some of the symbols and atmosphere of the painting. How do all of these individual
components contribute to the whole of the work? Be prepared to discuss further in class.
5. Contemporary artist Shahzia Sikander specializes in Indian and Persian miniature painting, a traditional style that is
both highly stylized and disciplined. While becoming an expert in this technique-driven, often impersonal art form, she
imbued it with a personal context and history, blending an Asian focus on precision and methodology with a Western
emphasis on creative, subjective expression. After screening the two videos on Persian miniature painting linked above
how has your impression of Islamic art changed? What are some of the highlights of these two videos for you?
Mohammed’s Ascent to Heaven (1543), Sultan Mohammed, watercolor and ink on paper, 11.3 × 7.3 inch, British Library
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Joe Skvarenina Humanities Discipline: History/Geography
World Religion: Islam
Date: April 15, 2016
Teaching Module Title: Islamic Knowledge as Part of the Western World
Teaching Module Goals:
1. To discuss how Islamic learning and knowledge transformed the West
2. To discuss Islam’s role in the European Renaissance.
Attached Readings and Websites:
World Religions by John Bowker pp.192-193
The House of Wisdom: How the Arabic Science saved Ancient Knowledge and gave us the Renaissance by Jim al Khalili.
Oxford Islamic Journeys online, April 09,2016 http:/bridgingcultures.neh.gov/Muslimjourney.Item #86,Astronomy; Item
#267, Medicine; Item #268,Science;Item #274, Discussion points House of Wisdom; Item # 224 calligraphy, architecture,
geometry; Item 158,Hydraulic technology; Item 168, Scientific Knowledge to Renaissance Europe; Item 173 Optics
Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians created a cultural of tolerance in Medieval Spain by Maria
Rosa Menocal.
Study Questions and Prompts for Students:
(History & Geography)
1. What is the Renaissance? How did Muslims contribute to the the Renaissance?
2. Explain how the scientific knowledge which originated in China, India, and the Hellenistic worlds was developed
and refined in the Arabic-speaking world.
3. Discuss the Abbasid Caliph Harun Rashid and the House of Wisdom in Baghdad. What can you tell me about it?
4. What were the centers of learning in the Arab world? Discuss Bagdad and Cairo roles as centers of learning.
5. How did Islamic learning come to Toledo and Cordova into Western Europe?
6. Describe the multi-religious nature of Andalusia and its effect on learning
7. Did Islamic learning suffer an inquisition? Describe Medieval Islam.
8. What is the Mihna? What was the role Abbasids Caliph al Mamun 833 AD in the Mihna? Why was "reason"
attacked in the Mihna?
(Geography)
1. How were the Arab astrolabe, globe, and maps used in voyages of discovery?
2. How did the Islamic world develop geography and maps? How did they use them in travel and trade?
3. Did Prince Henry the Navigator use Islamic tools on his voyages of discovery?
Written Assignments and/or Assessment Instruments:
(History & Geography) Write a paragraph describing Islamic contributions to the following: Astronomy, medicine.
Mathematics, Geometry. Hydraulic technology, gardens, book manufacturing, trade and travel, science, textiles, and
optics.
(History) How did Islamic learning influence the Renaissance? How did multi-religious, multi-cultural Andalusia influence
the spread of Islamic learning? Write two pages per question.
(Geography) How did Islamic geography and travel influence the age of discovery? How did Islamic learning influence
Prince Henry the Navigator? Write two pages per question.
(History and Geography) Write a five page book review on Khalili and Menocal's books and be prepared to discuss in
class.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Allen Smith
Humanities Discipline: U. S. History II
Date: April 22, 2016
World Religion: Islam
Teaching Module Title: Islamic Religious Traditions and Sacred Texts
Teaching Module Goals:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Introduce students to the division between Sunni and Shi’a Islam
Introduce students to mystical Islam or Sufism.
Discuss the concept of Islam as practiced by Muslims of the Nation of Islam (NOI) and Sunni and Shi’a Muslims.
Familiarize students with the significance and legacy of Malcolm X’s (hajj) pilgrimage to Mecca in April 1964.
Assigned Readings and/or Websites
Henretta, Hinderaker, Edwards, Self, America A Concise History, Volume 2: Since 1865 (2015), p. 810-811
Bowker, John, World Religions (2006), p. 176-195
Hine, Hine, Harrold, African Americans: A Concise History, (3rd ed. 2004) p. 549-550
White, Bay, Martin, Freedom on My Mind, A History of African Americans (2013), p. 668-671
Malcolm X: Make It Plain, http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/malcolmx/tguide.index.html
Study Questions and/or Discussions Prompts for Students:
1.
2.
3.
4.
Howe did the Nation of Islam (NOI) respond to anti-Black racism?
What issues or events led to the suspension of Malcolm X from the NOI?
How did the death of the Prophet Muhammad lead to a division among Muslims?
How do most Muslims understand the relationship between the Qur’an and earlier Jewish and Christian
scriptures?
Written Assignments and/or Other Assessment Instruments:
Discuss the historical significance of Malcolm X. What did he contribute to U.S. history?
What is Sufism?
Discuss why Malcolm X changed his name to El-Hajj Malik el-Shabazz and the change in his beliefs after experiencing the
hajj (pilgrimage to Mecca).
Discuss the concept of Allah.
World Religions in Greater Indianapolis Teaching Module
Teacher Name: Joanna H. Wos
World Religions: Islam
Humanities Discipline: Art Appreciation ARTH110
Date: June 13, 2016
Teaching Module Title: Islamic Religious Traditions and Sacred Texts
Teaching Module Goals:
To show how the mihrab from Isfahan at the Metropolitan Museum of Art is an excellent example of the use of
calligraphy in Islamic religious art.
Assigned Readings:
Carey, M. (2010). The Illustrated encyclopedia of Islamic Art and Architecture: A comprehensive history of
Islam’s 1,400 year legacy of art and design with 500 photographs, reproductions and fine-art
painting. Lorenz Books. London, England.
Pp. 22-23 (The Qibla). Pp. (The Mosque Interior). Pp. 26-27 (The Madrasa). Pp. 36-32 (Calligraphy). Pp. 178179). (Safavid Isfahan).
DeWitte, D. J. (2011). Gateways to art: Understanding the visual arts, 1st edition, Thames & Hudson
Pp. 324-325.
Wright, R. (2009). The evolution of God. Little Brown. New York.
Part 4: The triumph of Islam
View:
Mihrab. 1354–55. Madrasa Imami founded in755 A.H.Iran, Isfahan. Mosaic of polychromeglazed cut tiles on stonepaste body set into mortar. Metropolitan Museum of Art.
http://metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/39.20/
Islamic Art: Mirror of the Invisible World. (2011) DVD. Unity Productions Foundation.
Part 1: The word
Study Questions:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Why is calligraphy so important in Islamic art?
What is the difference between kufic and cursive calligraphy?
Define the following terms: Madrasa, Qibla, Mihrab.
What are known as the five pillars of Islam?
What is the meaning of the calligraphy:
Around the pillars and lintel of the Isfahan madrasa mihrab?
Around its pointed arch?
Within the central panel?
Written Assignments and/or assessment instruments:
Write a one-page narrative, discussing how the Mihrab from the Madrasa Imami in Isfahan reflects the importance of
calligraphy in Islamic art.