The main theme of the five materials I have chosen for my multicultural review is the Muslim world. This collection of materials is significant for many different reasons, all of which are just as important as the next. The first reason I chose to review materials based on the Islamic faith is because of 9/11. Ever since the terrorist attacks on 9/11 people of the Islamic faith have been persecuted for terrorist acts that most don’t even support. Another reason that I chose the Islamic faith is that I live in the Metro Detroit area which is also home to Dearborn where the largest Muslim community can be found in the United States. Since this is the case I thought it would be pertinent to create a well thought out review of the Islamic faith that could be used by not only Michiganders but people all over the world.
The five materials that I have chosen make a cohesive set because I have included three nonfiction books and two picture books, almost all of them were published at different times throughout the years. In order to find diverse materials I used the internet, the Wayne State University catalogue and the Royal Oak Public Library catalogue. It was important for me to include both fiction and nonfiction in my collection because I feel it is the best way to give the reader a truly full flavor of the Islamic religion and Muslim people. All five of the materials were created for children, however I feel that they are acceptable for anyone who is looking for more knowledge into the lives of those who are of the Islamic religion. My collection would be useful in a program given at a public library as well as additional information for a student who is studying multiculturalism.
Tames, R. (1982). The Muslim world. Morristown, N.J.: Silver Burdett Company.
This work of nonfiction breaks down the Islamic faith into 17 different categories that include: Who are the Muslims?, The story of Muhammad, How Islam spread, Islamic empires, The Qur’an, The Five Pillars, Mosques, Fasting and feasting, A pilgrimage to Mecca, Daily life, Childhood, Marriage, Women in Islam, Sufis, Islamic art, Scientific wonders, and Modern Islam. Through these chapters author Tames is able to give the reader a full, if not quick, view of how the Islamic religion came to be and how it is today.
Tames starts the book, The Muslim world, by first giving a brief description as to what the word Islam means, which is Arabic for “submitting” and goes on to say that, “A follower of this religion is a Muslim, a person who is submitting to God’s will and trying to live in the way that they believe God requires them to”. Tames then goes on to talk about the life of the prophet Muhammad and how he came to hear the word of Allah, the Muslim’s God. Which is followed by the many years spent fighting to change the Islamic religion into one where Muslims no longer worship false idols.
Further along in the book author Tames discusses the meaning and importance of the Muslim bible, which is the Qur’an. He tells the reader that Muslims believe that the Qur’an is the word of God, which would make Muhammad not the author but the translator. It is also stated that the Qur’an is written in a combination of prose and poetry, which is said to be extremely beautiful when read aloud. Tames says that when asked to perform a miracle, Muhammad explained that the only real miracle he had was the Qur’an and that, “The people who heard it had to admit that it was language of the greatest power and beauty”.
One of the most important parts of the Islamic faith is the Five Pillars which are used by Muslims in their belief and in their daily lives. The first pillar is the profession of faith and Tames states that, “Anyone who makes this statement publically and sincerely can become a Muslim by that simple act”. The second pillar is prayer five times a day while the third pillar is zakat, which means to give a portion of your wealth to those in need. The fourth pillar is the fasting during the month of Ramadan and the fifth pillar is a Muslim’s pilgrimage to Mecca.
Tames ends his book by talking about modern Islam. He discusses the influence of Western colonization and rise against Western views years later. He also discusses how Muslim countries have gained independence since the Second World War and how some countries have gained considerable wealth through the oil industry. The Muslim world, while a quick read, is perfect for any child who is beginning to learn the background and basics of the Islamic religion. It is also a good resource for any adult who is looking to enrich his/her religious knowledge because Tame manages to cover everything of importance.
Matthews, M. (1996). Magid fasts for Ramadan. New York: Houghton Mifflin Company.
Magid fasts for Ramadan is a children’s fiction story about a young boy who desperately wants to fast for Ramadan but is still too young to participate in the ritual. Author Mary Matthews follows Magid, his sister Aisha, his Mama, Baba, and grandfather Giddu as they begin their fast for this very religious holiday.
Even though Magid is too young to fast from sunrise to sunset, he feels left out from the rest of his family and in celebrating Allah. On the first day of Ramadan Magid promises to himself and to Allah that he will try to secretly fast during the whole Holiday so he can be a truly obedient Muslim. For the first morning Magid was even able to convince his mother to let him skip breakfast.
Magid soon begins to feel the effects of not eating or drinking anything and needs to constantly remind his self that he promised Allah he would fast and that Giddu, once the fasting was over, will be proud of him. When he gets home for lunch Magid is once again able to trick his mother into not eating; this time Magid asks to be allowed to eat his lunch outside where he quickly gives everything to geese. Feeling faint, Magid lies down and is awakened sometime during dusk. He waits for the signal that the fasting for the day is over and follows his family in prayer and food.
During the second day Magid is once again able to convince his mother to let him skip breakfast. Throughout the day he realizes that while it’s still very difficult to not eat or drink, it’s getting a little bit easier than the day before. Unfortunately for Magid during lunch his sister Aisha catches him giving his lunch to the geese and she runs into the house to tell on him for fasting. His mother sends both Magid and his sister into their rooms to wait for Baba and Giddu to get home and talk to them.
During the family meeting Marid realizes that while his actions were honorable, lying doesn’t make him a good Muslim. Giddu, being the wise grandfather, asks Marid if he would like to continue fasting and is answered with a “no”. Marid has realized that he is in fact too young to fast all day. The family then decides to compromise and let Marid fast during Ramadan until noon. Author Matthews does a wonderful job illustrating the thoughts and feelings of a young Muslim child and easily enables the reader to relate to Marid and his feelings. This would be a wonderful book for any young child.
(2004). Who are the Muslims?: Where Muslims live, and how they are governed. Abou El Fadl, K. & Inati, S. (Ed.). Broomall, PA: Mason Crest Publishers.
Who are Muslims, is a nonfiction book that is a part of a collection titled Introducing Islam. It is broken into seven chapters that discuss the following: Tradition and diversity, the development of Islam, The spread of Islam, What Muslims believe, Islamic legal sources, the distribution of Muslims today, and Governments in the Islamic world. The book also gives information through an introduction, chronology, glossary, internet resources, and further reading.
In the first chapter, Tradition and diversity, the reader learns that Islam is practiced by over 1.25 billion people and that, “the Islamic world stretches from Africa to Indonesia and includes more than 50 countries”. The reader also learns that, just like most religions, Muslims share common core beliefs, but their practices can vary from area to area. The book tells us that some of the most common differences can be found in Muslim dress, and in celebration of events.
In chapter three, The spread of Islam, the reader learns that in the early beginning when the Islamic religion was being spread, those who were non-Arab Muslims were being discriminated against by Arab Muslims. This proved to be a problem for many reasons, just one being that the religion was so widespread that Arab Muslims soon found themselves outnumbered by non-Arab Muslims. Throughout the many decades Muslims were able to convert others to Islam, and while some cases were violent, others happened relatively peacefully.
Chapter five, Islamic legal sources teaches the reader that the Islamic faith is very committed to following the will of Allah, and as such, “the study of law is more important to the ordinary Muslim than the study of theology”. We learn two important words, ijma which means “consensus or unanimity” and qiyas which means “reasoning by analogy”. It is also stated that the Islamic legal sources are widely used to help give guidance on unclear points in the Qur’an which help Muslims to better follow what is expected.
Chapter seven, Governments in the Islamic world, discusses the differences between secular and religious governments. It’s stated that, “More than 98 percent of Turkey’s people are Muslim. However, unlike many largely Islamic countries, Turkey has no state religion”. There has also been a change in separating Islamic law and government, however there has been some unrest among Muslims who would like to see Islamic law come back together with their government. While this book may be a little too complex for young readers, it’s a good read for teenagers and adults who would like to learn more about Muslims.
Addasi, M. (2008). The white nights of Ramadan. Honesdale, PA: Boyds Mills Press, Inc.
The white nights of Ramadan is about a young girl named Noor, her two younger brothers Sam, and Dan, and her parents and grandparents as they celebrate the festival Girgian, which comes in the middle of Ramadan. In order to prepare for Ramadan, Noor dresses in a beautiful red and gold dress. Her brothers are still too young to partake in the fasting part of Ramadan but they also celebrate Girgian by dressing up.
Author Addasi does a wonderful job showing the reader the intimate moments that take place within a family that is preparing to celebrate Girgian. Noor and her family lovingly make candies with powdered sugar, honey, and nuts to pass out and gleefully decorate their bags they carry to collect candy.
As she declares her love for candy and the festival, Noor’s grandmother reminds her that the main part of celebrating Girgian is to give back to the less fortunate. With this in mind, Noor and her brothers take off to go door to door and collect their special candies. Noor quickly notices all of the children dressed up and the brightly colored lanterns and thinks, “It’s no wonder that the called the ‘white nights of Ramadan’”.
After Noor and her brothers return home, their bags bulging with candy, Noor’s mother greets her and hands her a basket full of food that she is to give to the needy. Walking hand-in-hand with her grandfather, Noor goes to the mosque to give the food away. Noor remembers what her grandmother said about the true meaning of Ramadan and is happy.
Author Addasi and illustrator Gannon effortless capture the true essence of Ramadan and the festival of Girian. The reader sees all of this through the eyes of young Noor as she excitedly waits for evening and for the much anticipated candy that will follow. This is a story that will be sure to warm the hearts of parents and children alike.
(2004). What Muslims think and how they live. Abou El Fadl, K. & Inati, S. (Ed.). Broomall, PA: Mason Crest Publishers.
What Muslims think and how they live is a nonfiction book that is also a part of a book series called Introducing Islam. It is broken up into seven chapters titled: Polling the Islamic world, the roots of the modern Islamic world, What it means to be a Muslim today, Views on culture and values, Women and Islam, Views on the issue of Palestine, and Views of the United States on other issues. The book also covers other subcategories that are chronology, glossary, further reading, and internet resources.
In the fourth chapter, Views on culture and values, the reader learns about marriage, education and divorce. It is stated that in today’s times Muslims are allowed to fall in love and marry whomever they choose. However, in some rural areas an arranged marriage is still allowed but only if both children agree. Depending on where parents chose to live, their children will have the opportunity to attend either a public school or an Islamic school. Children are also taught the Qur’an before they can read. Divorce is a very serious issue in Islamic religion. The reader is told that a husband must declare his intent for divorce three times before it is final.
Chapter five, Women and Islam, discusses the role of women in the Islamic religion, the reasons for wearing a veil, or hijab, and the extremely strict laws that restrict women’s rights far more than is requested in the Qur’an. Throughout this chapter the reader learns that before the rise of the Islamic faith, most Muslim women had little to no rights and were treated very poorly. The reader also learns that the majority of women wear a hijab because they want to be modest for Allah, themselves, and to keep away any unwanted attention from men. Finally, the chapter ends with discussing how some zealous countries, such as Afghanistan, are ruled by groups like the Taliban who enforce extremely strict rules for women that go beyond what is expected from Islamic Law.
Finally, in chapter seven, View of the United States on other issues, the text discusses the rather negative views that Muslims share. As stated, “74 percent…said that western influence was negative—53 percent ‘very negative’, and 21 percent ‘somewhat negative’’. The reader also learns about Americans’ on biased and uneducated assumptions about Muslims, specifically that all Muslims support terrorism. The chapter is concluded with the statement that both Muslims and Westerners need to learn more about each other if they’re to truly understand one another.
This book would make a great read for an older child and even an adult who needs some insight and understanding on a religion that may seem different. I would highly recommend having this series available in a public library, it would also prove to be a very effective book to use during a story time that concentrates on different beliefs and religions.
