Overview: The purpose of this activity is to help students organize information and ideas while viewing the documentary film Frontline: Muslims. Completing the note-taking grids will enable students to answer discussion questions related to the film’s content. Students will then be able to choose a topic of interest for further exploration.

Students should be able to:

• Find evidence of different kinds of influence in Muslim societies and analyze their impact
• Evaluate commonality and diversity amongst Muslim men and women throughout the world
• Compare student impressions of Muslim men and women before and after viewing the film
• Analyze what speakers featured in the film say about Islam’s stand on violence and intolerance
• Evaluate how the role of Muslim Americans is perceived by Muslim and non-Muslims in the United States

1. Evidence of different kinds of influences on people’s attitudes (religion, education, gender, media)
2. Diversity of Muslim Women
3. Diversity of Muslim Men
4. Intolerance and Violence
5. Muslim Americans

2. Distribute student selected note-taking grid to each student. Copy or explain the following directions for each handout:

1. Handout: Note-taking Grid on Social Influences

List items you see in the countries shown in the film that represent evidence of various kinds of influences on people’s attitudes about society. For example, advertising, education, the presence of foreign tourists, religious institutions and traditions, mass media, wealth and poverty. In the second column, write what you think the impact of these items on society might be.

2. Handout: Note-taking Grid on the Diverse Roles of Muslim Women

Pay particular attention to the Muslim women featured in the film. Record their names or other identification if you miss their name, the country they are from, their occupation, level of education and standard of living, a brief description of their dress and a brief description of what they talk about in the film. For example, if they are speaking mostly about the rights of women, or Islamic law, that’s all you need to indicate.

3. Handout: Note-taking Grid on the Diverse Roles of Muslim Men

Pay particular attention to the Muslim men featured in the film. Record their names or other identification if you miss their name, the country they are from, their occupation, level of education and standard of living, a brief description of their dress and a brief description of what they talk about in the film. For example, if they are speaking mostly about the rights of women, or Islamic law, that’s all you need to indicate.

4. Handout: Note-taking Grid on Intolerance and Violence

Pay particular attention to what speakers in the film say about intolerance and violence. Record the speaker’s name or other identification, what country they are from and what they say about intolerance and violence, and how they associate these views with Islam or other influences.

5. Handout: Note-taking Grid on Muslim Americans

3. Adaptation: If you do not plan to watch the film from beginning to end, distribute the section(s) of the Critical Thinking Questions that correlate to film segment(s) that will be viewed. Students can answer these questions while they watch the film. Each set of questions corresponds to DVD chapter titles and has a specific time code.

4. General Post-Viewing Discussion Questions: General post-viewing questions about the film (rather than the content) are provided below. Considering the quality of the information, the editorial decisions made by the producers, what the camera included and what was left out are important steps to media literacy and skill acquisition. These questions can provide the basis for further discussion and research. They will also help students to go beyond taking the information offered in the film at face value, and allow them to critically consider how well the filmmakers portrayed their subject. Discussion will help clarify some of the highly complex issues, such as those on Islamic law, historical background on the locations filmed, and the political background of the governments described.

After watching the film, students can write a short essay based on their note-taking grid and/or answers to the Critical Thinking Questions or General Post-Viewing Discussion Questions as a class or in small groups.

1. Religion and Western society have greatly impacted the countries featured in the documentary film. Using at least four examples, provide evidence in support of the above statement. Then, explain how your chosen examples may have impacted society.
2. Explore the diversity of Muslim women. Use specific examples from the film to answer this question. Then, discuss how the diversity of Muslim women, as portrayed in the film, compares with your views of Muslim women before watching the film. [what is the point of this & the next "loaded" question? Obviously, the answer is yes, they are diverse. It would be better to ask deeper questions to see if students can discern what social status, rural/urban origins, education, occupations, ethnicities, outward appearance and viewpoints they represent. Your question asks for a yes/no answer and then asks for examples of the yes. The follow-up question can only allow for the possibility that students thought all Muslim men and women were the same. I may be off course, but I believe that many students in urban areas know enough Muslims that they know we are not all swarthy terrorists with turbans or veiled women in black—unlike people of our generation who never met Muslims. Again, where does the answer take the more aware student who knows that no group is monolithic? A good question has enough depth to accommodate several levels of knowledge. How would a Muslim student in your class answer this question?
3. Explore the diversity of Muslim men. Use specific examples from the film to answer this question. Then, discuss how the diversity of Muslim men, as portrayed in the film, compares with your views of Muslim men before watching the film. [see above]

Frontline: Muslims Note-Taking Grid on Social Influences

Frontline: Muslims Note-Taking Grid on the Diverse Roles of Muslim Women

Frontline: Muslims Note-Taking Grid on the Diverse Roles of Muslim Men

Frontline: Muslims Note-Taking Grid on Intolerance and Violence

Frontline: Muslims Note-Taking Grid on American Muslims

1. What percentage of the world’s population is Muslim?

 

2. Make a list of stereotypes that people often have about Islam or Muslims.

1. In what ways is the Qur’an significant to Muslims?

 

2. How is a religiously grounded legal opinion derived and what kinds of people are qualified to give these opinions?

 

3. What is the function of the Fatwa Committee and why might someone seek its advice?

1. According to the film, what were some goals of the Iranian Revolution?

 

2. Describe the wide range and styles of dress worn by men and women in Iran.

 

3. What do you think is the function of the chador in traditional Iranian society? Why do you think that some of the women in the film are wearing hijab but choose not to wear the chador?

 

4. According to the film, how can Muslim men help protect the dignity of women?

 

5. List and briefly describe the five pillars of Islam.

1. In what region of the world is Malaysia located?

 

2. How many Muslims live there?

 

3. How did Islam spread to this region?

 

4. How has tourism impacted Malaysia?

 

5. What are some functions of a masjid (mosque)?

 

6. What teachings about pre-marital sex did you hear in the film? How do these views compare to teachings in other cultures with which you are familiar?

1. What did you learn about Mustafa Kemal Ataturk’s views on the role of Islam in Turkey?

 

2. What specific changes did Ataturk make to society and how did he carry them out?

 

3. Was the process of change in Turkey under Ataturk a democratic one? Did he have widespread support for his ideas?

 

4. In 1996, Turkey’s parliament decided to ban women wearing headscarves from public buildings like libraries and universities. How did the government justify this decision? What do you think will be the positive and negative effects of this law?

 

5. Why do you think students in Turkey want universities to accommodate religious practices? Do you think government schools have an obligation to do this?

1. What changes has the Malaysian government made in the country to increase the presence and influence of Islam in Malaysian society?

 

2. Why are divorces initiated by women difficult to obtain in Malaysia? Is this process in accordance with Islamic law?

 

3. Under what conditions is a Muslim man allowed to marry more than one woman? What difficulties would a man find in fulfilling these conditions? What advantages and disadvantages might women find in polygamous marriage?

1. What do people interviewed in the film say about how the re-introduction of Shari’ah law has impacted crime rates in Nigeria?
2. What are the sources of friction between people belonging to different faith groups in Nigeria? Do you notice a difference between the attitudes of educated and uneducated people, and those of poorer and better off people.
3. What do the people interviewed in the documentary film say about the importance of their faith in their lives?
4. What do the people interviewed in this segment and other segments say about Islamic teachings concerning tolerance of other faiths and respect for their lives and property?

1. Why did some Egyptians oppose the policies of Anwar Sadat’s government?
2. Describe the changes Sadat’s critics wanted in Egyptian society, and what reasons do they give?
3. What evidence do you see in the film of the role the Egyptian government plays in society?
4. What kind of guidance do ordinary people seek from religious scholars? What classes and age groups do they belong to?
5. What attitudes toward youth does the religious scholar express? On what sources do the scholars base their advice?

1. Approximately how many Muslims live in the United States? What percentage of Muslim Americans are African-American, according to the data in the film?

 

2. What information does the film give about the impact of the events of September 11, 2001 on Muslims in the United States?

 

3. What is the Palos Heights controversy about?

 

4. Make a list of issues raised at the community meeting in Palos Heights.

 

5. If you were making the final decision, would you have accepted the $200,000 settlement not to build the mosque at the church site? Why or why not? Would you have approved the construction and zoning permit as a member of the community? Why or why not?

 

6. As discussed in the interfaith dialogue in Palos Heights, what similarities and differences do the participants find between Islam, Judaism, and Christianity? List similarities and differences that you know of as well.
7. Based on interviews in the film, list some reasons why people convert to Islam.

 

8. According to speakers interviewed in this segment of the film, make a list of Islamic qualities that are shared in the legal tradition and founding principles of the United States.

 

9. How did Muslims in the film recall reacting to and being affected by the events of September 11, 2001?

 

10. According to the film, what percentage of the world population of Muslims are Arabs?

 

11. What do speakers featured in this segment of the film say about Islamic teachings concerning terrorism and killing?

1. What are the attitudes of speakers in the film about women’s participation in public activities such as soccer matches? What is your opinion of the views expressed?
2. According to those interviewed in the film, what kinds of changes do reformers in Iran want, and why?
3. What role does the Iranian government play in influencing issues about gender, according to statements in the film? Do you believe such matters are private or public? How does the US government influence gender issues in American society?
4. What are Iranian women doing to influence public debate about issues including gender? What role do media and education play in their efforts?

1. According to those interviewed, how did people in Malaysia react to the events of September 11, 2001?
2. What Islamic values are expressed in terms of social diversity and tolerance?
3. What role do the leaders of the mosque play in influencing ordinary people, and how do they carry out these roles?
4. What impact can tourism have on places that relatively wealthy foreigners come to visit? Are these impacts negative or positive, or both? Describe the views of local inhabitants about dealing with the influx of tourists?
5. What problem concerning gender and the family is explored in the segment?

Critical viewing questions on Frontline: Muslims

1. Do you think the film gives a clear picture of the communities and countries portrayed?
2. Does the viewer gain a sense of all sides of the issues explored in the film? Do you think the brief interview clips in the film accurately represented the people’s views on the subject?
3. Did the film give you enough background information to understand the issues discussed by the people interviewed in each segment? List several terms or issues you want to know more about.
4. Do you think that you know more about Islamic teachings after viewing the film, or do you think you heard Muslims’ opinions about these matters? What is the difference? What factors influence people’s thinking about social, religious and political issues?
5. Write 6 questions about the countries that you would like to have answered, and suggest how you could get more information about them.

1. Give examples of the impact of different kinds of influences on Muslim society and culture in the countries featured in the film.
2. Muslim women and men throughout the world dress differently but they often place value on covering their body, including their hair. Describe forms of dress for both genders found in the film. Why might Muslim men and women feel that this form of dress is liberating.
3. In your opinion, do your values and Islamic values have anything in common, or are they in opposition to one another? Use evidence from the movie to support your viewpoint.
4. Make a list of the different roles and occupations of Muslim women, as portrayed in the film. How do these roles compare with views of Muslim women you may have held before viewing the film?
5. Find examples of diversity and unity in the countries featured in the film.
6. Imagine what it might be like for a Muslim woman living in Turkey who has just been told she will have to take her headscarf off if she wishes to continue studying in law school. What do you think she should do? Explain your decision.
7. According to one speaker in the film, some people in the world view Osama bin Laden as a hero. According to this speaker, why do they feel this way? Based on statements made by other Muslims featured in the film, do you think all Muslim share this opinion? (Again, see if this rewording is Ok… if not feel free to make changes or omit)
8. Based on the film and your own personal experiences, what makes it easy or difficult for Americans to accept Muslims as part of American society? Explain your response.
9. What statements in the film illustrate Muslims’ feelings about individuals who commit violent acts in the name of Islam?