17 Diversity within Islam
Suggested Duration: 60 minutes
Key Stage 2
Lesson Objectives
- To learn that Muslims respect all other Muslims regardless of the group they belong to
- To understand that Islam encourages us to celebrate similarities and respect differences
Key Words
- Differences, similarities, diversity, ummah
Islamic Values
Islam teaches us to respect all Muslims, regardless of their group and background.
Citizenship Values
Citizenship values diversity and encourages respect for values and opinions of all groups.
Activities
Ask some quick questions to recap the last lesson. Share the lesson objectives.
A Starter Activity
Ask pupils :
- Are all Christian groups the same?
- Are all Hindu groups the same?
- Are all Sikh groups the same?
- Are all Muslim groups the same?
Emphasise no, and explain that there are various groups in all religions, but they all share the common beliefs of their own faith.
B Development
Activity 1: Mosques
Remind pupils that in previous lessons we have focused on respecting other people and other faiths, but what about our own Muslim community?
Ask pupils if we should have the same kind of respect for other Muslims who are different to us. Take feedback. Then:
- Give pupils three minutes to list all the mosques they are aware of in their town/city/area.
- Compile a collective list on the board/paper.
- Ask pupils if they know why it is important to have so many mosques.
Give time for some discussion. Allow pupils to say what they feel about 'other' Muslim groups, but ensure they challenge any disrespect.
Take feedback and explain that we should remember that the purpose of all of these mosques is to pray in them and that they are all houses of God. Therefore, we should respect all mosques and respect all those who attend them.
Activity 2: Islamic Guidance
Ask a pupil to recite the following verses. Explain the meaning.
إِنَّمَا الْمُؤْمِنُونَ إِخْوَةٌ فَأَصْلِحُوا بَيْنَ أَخَوَيْكُمْ وَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ لَعَلَّكُمْ تُرْحَمُونَ
'Indeed the believers are brothers (and sisters). Therefore, maintain good relations with your brothers (and sisters) and be aware of God. So that you may be shown mercy (by God).' (Surat al-Hujurat 49:10)
Emphasise that in this verse the Qur`an tells us that when two groups of believers disagree on something they should maintain good relations. Also mention that this verse refers to both genders.
وَاعْتَصِمُوا بِحَبْلِ اللَّهِ جَمِيعًا وَلَا تَفَرَّقُوا
'Hold on strong to the Rope of God all together and do not be divided...' (Surat Al `Imran 3:103)
Question: What is meant by the 'rope of God'?
Suggested answer: Here 'hold on strong to the rope' means hold on to the message of God and path of God. We might have some differences between us, but these must not divide us. Our core beliefs about God are the same.
‘The Muslims (the ummah) are like the limbs of a person, where if the eye hurts then the whole body feels pain and if the head hurts then the whole body feels pain.' (Muslim)
صلى الله Question: What did Prophet Muhammad mean by 'My ummah is like one body'?
Suggested answer: Explain that if one part of the body hurts then the whole body becomes uncomfortable. For example, if you have a headache you cannot rest or sleep properly. Similarly, a toothache or backache affects your whole body. If one group of Muslims is in trouble we should all feel their pain and should help other Muslims.
Tell pupils the following story.
A Moral Story
'Once upon a time there was an old man who had five sons. He gave each of his sons a different sized stick and asked them to break the stick. Each of the five brothers did this task very easily. Then the old man gave them another stick each and asked them to tie all the new sticks together. He passed the bundle of sticks round and asked each of them to break the bundle.'
Questions: What happened next? (They were not able to break the bundle.) Why?
Then read the remainder of the story.
'This time it was not possible to break the sticks because, together as a bundle, the sticks were much stronger. The old man was very pleased; he told his sons to imagine they were the sticks themselves. He explained to them: See, when you tried to break one stick it was easy because it was alone, but when they were together the sticks were much stronger and harder to break.'
Question: What do we learn from this story?
Suggested answer: All Muslims should unite and get along with one another and unite as one ummah, even though they may be from different groups. When Muslims are united, they are stronger.
C Plenary
Tell pupils that today we have learnt that:
- There are various groups in Islam, like in many other religions.
- The Qur'an and hadith tell us that we are all part of one Muslim ummah.
- It is our duty to respect Muslims who are different to us, especially when we disagree.
- All mosques are houses of God and we should respect them and those who attend them.
Stress the idea that all Muslims belong to one ummah and Muslims from various schools of thought, backgrounds, nations and countries are part of it.
Resources
Pupils' Activity Sheet 2.1701: A Moral Story
Suggested Follow-up Work
Ask pupils to talk to their parents/carers and find out the similarities between various Muslim groups.
Diversity in Islam
Pupils' Activity Sheet 2.1701
A Moral Story
'Once upon a time there was an old man who had five sons. He gave each of his sons a different sized stick and asked them to break the stick. Each of the five brothers did this task very easily. Then the old man gave them another stick each and asked them to tie all the new sticks together. He passed the bundle of sticks round and asked each of them to break the bundle.
'This time it was not possible to break the sticks because, together as a bundle, the sticks were much stronger. The old man was very pleased; he told his sons to imagine they were the sticks themselves. He explained to them: "See, when you tried to break one stick it was easy because it was alone, but when they were together the sticks were much stronger and harder to break."'