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Purpose: Encourage the Ummah and it's children to see themselves as successful Muslims now and in the
future.
Since the month is not yet recognized by non-Muslims as a month
to learn about Muslim and Islamic contributions in history as well
as to the present day, the Ummah must work to establish this month
first in their own community, then with the non-Muslim world.
History
Books, Magazines,
Workshops, Presentations and Websites
(resources)
Event
Guide for Schools 2004
"The
Faithful Heart"
A compilation of poetry, stories, essays and art
by Muslim children.
Celebrating the creativity Allah(swt) gifted
human beings. A gift He gave no other in His creation.
Events
Educational Material | This
is Islam
Community Leaders, Imams, etc.
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Please begin informing the print, television/radio and electronic media in your area of this upcoming month
and any plans your community has in observing this month.
MSAs please consider holding your "Islamic Awareness" Week during this month.
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Muslim Student Association (MSA)
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9/18/2002
Due to difficulties in coordination this month because of
midterm exam schedules, differing university schedules etc.
MSAs can participate in a "6 week" month. This
accommodation was created through an understanding of the
different needs of Muslim children in public or non-Muslim
private schools, children in Islamic schools and Muslim
homeschools, universities students, the holiday season and
the reality of cold, increasingly inclement weather.
If an MSA finds it difficult to fit all activities within
the month of October, they can organize various activities
for six weeks, beginning with the first week in October.
OR, they can straddle their activities for the last two
weeks in October and the first two weeks in November.
This was done so that all may participate, everywhere.
MSAs are encouraged to fit as much into October as possible.
MSAs please consider holding your "Islamic Awareness"
Week during this month.
The MSA of the USA & Canada is coordinating their program,
ideas, suggestion, etc. with MHSNR. Please check back for
the continuing updates.
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Islamic school and Muslim homeschool ideas
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Just as what you might do for Black History Month or Women's
History Month do this month. Decorate your walls with famous
Muslims past and present. Encourage research and writing
assignments on what is means to be Muslim, Islamic history,
and famous Muslims.
Encourage children to see themselves as successful Muslims
now and in their future. Do not encourage victimhood.
Victimhood is a negative and children cannot create for
themselves a positive self image and an attitude of success
if they hold to negative images imposed on them by the Muslim
and non-Muslim society.
If your community is holding a family day or weekend have
the children work on offerings.
9/12/2002
Insha'Allah we will have more activites, worksheets, lesson
plans available for Islamic schools, weekend schools and
Muslim homeschools developed shortly. Keep checking back.
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Educational
Material | This
is Islam
Activities for children 5 and above who are not in an Islamic school and who are not homeschooled
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Since the month is not yet recognized by non-Muslims as
a month to celebrate on their calendars you must do what
the school is not. Look at the ideas for Islamic schools
and see what you can reasonably mirror in your own home.
Educational
Material | This
is Islam
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Muslim Media, Web Masters, Moderators, List Owners, etc.
| Support this effort by adverting freely on your sites and printed matter. Place links to this page on your web
site. |
Innovation?
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The question of innovation has been rightfully asked about
this endeavor. It is something every Muslim who follows
his or her deen must keep in mind when beginning anything.
When Muslim homeschoolers attended the Islamic Society of
North America's conference on Islamic education (2000 C.E.)
they were struck by many things. One was that the concept
of "tarbiyah".
Muslim homeschoolers take as a given that tarbiyah is an
integral part of the educational process, but it to Islamic
schools that concept is new and just beginning to be implemented.
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What about Muslim children who attend a public or non-Muslim private school?
What about Muslim parents who aren't strong in or following their deen?
Even strong Muslim families living in the west struggle
with tarbiyah and go head to head with Shaitan's enticements.
Sometimes they watch their sons become involved with drugs
and with gangs. Sometimes their daughters leave the house
wearing skin tight, revealing clothing and bare mid drifts
or change into them on the way to school. Parents can feel
helpless to stop it or are unaware of it.
Only a small minority of children attend Islamic schools,
even when one is available, or are homeschooled.
These children, their children, our children, hear everyday
about how horrid Islam is, how violent even evil it is,
how restrictive Islam is, how Muslims have never given anything
back but have always taken away, how great western non-religious
society is compared to the poorness of their own . . . these
are the children we are loosing . . and we are loosing a
lot.
We need to catch them. . . we need to wake the Ummah up
to their
responsibility to these children. So when do we do it?
During Ramadan? How many children get side long looks or
messages that to fast is child abuse?
During Eid ul-Fitr? Then it is just the party and not the
responsibilities we are showing them -- they live in a "good
time" society already -- yay! another party.
During Eid ul-Adha? Many of them don't even understand what
it is about. To them it is just one of the few times they
go to the masjid and pray (if at all) and visit family and
friends. Sort of like being an "E&C" Christian.
These Chrisitans only appear at church for Easter and Christmas,
and use the rest of the day to party.
We need to reach them where and how they live. We must reach
their parents and get them re-involved in their deen (their
faith). To do this requires that we make their environment
one that is aware.... and to do that we must give it something
to latch onto. Non-Muslims have a hard time grasping that
our holy days and holidays don't come in a set season every
year. It's almost like there is an "input" error
when explaining it to them.
Think of this as daw'ah to our children and families at
risk -- and the best way to do that is to use the mass media
and the public schools by giving them a fixed time every
year to become aware -- and to our Islamic schools too,
who sadly, haven't figured out tarbiyah yet.
To one Muslim mother whose children are in public school
this awareness month means that her children get to hear
positive things about Muslims and Islam while at school.
". . . I can assure you that in the LILY WHITE school
district my kids attend school in, this might be the ONLY
time they hear it! "
But this month goes beyond our children, it goes to the
care and up keep of our masjids. Many of our masjids are
trying to pay off a mortgage and pay special clean-up crews
and repair crews. It is an irony of the worst kind that
we have masjids paying off mortgages, which means paying
interest.
Money that is used to pay work crews to fix doors, landscape,
wash walls, clean up fallen leaves, paint, fix leaky windows,
etc. could be used to pay off the debt of the masjid. While
there are things only a professional plumber, electrician,
etc. should do, the jobs listed above plus many others can
be done by ordinary Muslims.
Ideally, Muslims should volunteer to pitch in and work at
the masjid after Sallatul Jummah, or after Eid prayers.
One often hears reasons why people, Muslims can't. . . they
need to go back to work, they are in nice clothing, they
have appointments, they need to get back to school.
How much time does it take to pick up all the plastic shopping
bags (used for shoe bags) that are left blowing in the wind
after Eid prayers? Bags many are just stepping over, instead
of picking up? The mind set that "someone else will
do it" is financially hurting our masjids, and making
them look a sight. It is a mind set that we must change.
Allah set for us seasons when we automatically do things.
In fall a farmer brings his livestock to pastures closer
to his house (so when the winter blizzards hit he does not
have to go far to feed them), home owners turn off outside
water faucets, make sure windows seal properly, plant flower
bulbs and rake up leaves. Even renters buy plastic wrapping
to seal their leaky windows and bring in their potted plants.
In spring farmers plant their fields, home owners and renters
fertilize the lawn, rake up and dispose of winter leaves,
plant flowers, air out their houses and do spring cleaning
What one does for his house he can also do for the masjid.
In reality tarbiyah suggested in the "Islamic History
and Pride Month" is something that Muslims should do
every day, in every season, a year long, not just one month
a year. This month for Muslims is not a requirement.
It by no means restricts us to doing these things
only at this time every year.
Tarbiyah is something we should do everyday, all
the time, for the pleasure and glory of Allah. This
month is only to remind us.
Proposing "Islamic History and Pride Month" in
October is also to gives our children something of value
to arm themselves with before the great commercialism of
the "Christian" holidays. It is a time where many
feel left out and marginalized. It is a time that is used
by Shaitan to entice them away.
While our holy months and holidays move through the seasons
and around the Christian calendar, theirs do not. We must
meet that challenge.
Calling it "Islamic History and Pride Month" and
a "celebration" is for the non-Muslim media, schools,
etc. to hang their hat on, to latch onto and identify with,
in the syntax they are used to.
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Community Ideas
1
FIRST WEEKEND: Rally day at the masjid. This is a day where the community gathers to fix and clean the
masjid. It can be in preparation for the winter and can be scheduled again in spring.
Activities:
- Pick up all trash on masjid grounds.
- Clean walls inside and outside masjid.
- Fix any broken cabinets, doors, faucets, chairs, tables etc.
- Access the growing needs of the masjid (such as expanding the women's section)
- Bring in plants to decorate the inside of the masjid during winter.
- Plant flowers, or flower bulbs and such to decorate masjid for
spring and summer.
- Clean up fallen leaves.
- Strip and re-wax floors
- Fix and hang current or new decorations in the masjid.
- Build ramp for the disabled
- Anything that a large number of people can do easily and within one day. Often times these are a full range
of different things they do in their daily life that can be done to improve the appearance and functionality of
the masjid.
Purpose: To make more connection between the masjid and
the community, expanding it's roll from just a place to make sallah
to a center for the local Ummah.
2
SECOND WEEKEND: Hold peaceful, joyous walk from masjid in capital city to state capital. Called "Muslim
Pride Walk". This walk will encourage community pride among ourselves and our children. Themes of walks
should include:
- Strength of the Muslim family
- Following Faith
- Raising children to follow their deen
- Strength and relationship of the Ummah
- Universality of Islam
- We too are American/Canadian or We are part of the face of America/Canada
(added 9/18/2002)
- We are all part of the circle of humanity (added
9/18/2002)
The walk must be organized by community leaders or committee. All
permits must be applied for and route established. Please remember
that you will have children walking... families should be encouraged
to walk together. Single sisters should walk near the head of the
walk, not at the end, for safety's sake. Brothers versed in peaceful
nonviolent security and crowd control should walk on the sides of
the walk and bring up the rear.
At no time should words or violence be exchanged by Muslims and
non-Muslims who may feel threatened by the walk. Community leaders
and security must make this point clear to the walkers, making sure
they understand. Leaders and security must rush in to dissolve
any conflict during its first, initial stage. Walkie Talkies and
a police presence may help.
We are walking for our children and our community,
not to change the minds of others.
To find out about non-violent crowd control and security. Please
contact the American
Friends Service Committee.
3
THIRD WEEKEND: Family day. Encourage family activities at the masjid, maybe even a school carnival. Hold
recitation contests, Islamic knowledge and history contests, family field day with relay races (three legged races,
egg toss, obstacle course, apple on a string contest.)
While giving out ribbons for 1st - 3rd place is great, everyone should feel like a winner --
because hey, they are Muslim!)
4
FOURTH WEEKEND: Retreat weekend. Beginning after Sallatul Jummah and ending Sunday after noon around
3pm a program of exploring and strengthening Islamic faith for children (separate retreats for boys and girls)
from 6th grade to 12th grade. These include over nights at the masjid, school or hall.
Children will learn, experience living Islam 24 hours a day, explore
their faith, learn to have recreation within this faith, how to
create a personal shield against Shaitan and the things he uses
to entice people away from Islam.
Teenagers in 11th and 12th grade should also have workshops on understanding their changing rolls, becoming a college
student, how to avoid enticements, what it means to be a strong and honorable person in faith, and when it is time
being a Muslim spouse and parent (what is and is not acceptable in Islam -- relations with children and spouse,
anger and frustration management, etc.)
The advantage of doing it this weekend is getting them away from Halloween activities.
Project Contributors
A project like this takes a great effort and many people to get
off the ground. The following people and organizations are donating
their time to create projects for K-12 students for this month.
Fara Nizamani
Senior Faculty, Graduate School of Education, City
University
Fatima Saleem
Palmetto Muslim Homeschool Resource Network
Freda Shamma
FADEL
Cynthia Sulaiman
MHSNR
If you are an educator and can donate sometime to create worksheets,
lesson plans, arts and crafts, a lesson for a day, etc., even if
it is only one or two items, it would be most appreciated. To volunteer
and find out the guidelines for project creation please contact
MHSNR@aol.com
Supporting, Endorsing and Participating
Organizations and Individuals
Astrolabe
Islamic Media
FADEL
Islamic
School's League of America (The League)
Muslim
Home School Network and Resource (MHSNR)
Muslim
Student Association (MSA)
Palmetto
Muslim Homeschool Resource Network (PMHRN)
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