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Key Stage 3Lesson 09

Resolving Conflict

This document provides Islamic guidance and worksheets on resolving conflict peacefully, incorporating scenarios, definitions, and reflection exercises for students.

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Resolving Conflict

Suggested Duration: 60 minutes

Learning Objectives

  • To understand the nature of conflict
  • To teach a range of techniques about settling conflicts in a friendly way
  • To learn the Islamic method of resolving conflict

Key Words

  • Conflict, resolution, anger, arbitrate, resolving conflict, forgiveness, injustice, oppression

Islamic Values

Islam requires us to be patient, kind, understanding and willing to forgive when people make mistakes.

Islam also teaches that there is a peaceful way of dealing with conflict.

Citizenship Values

Citizens are expected to attempt to deal with conflict in a peaceful and law-abiding way.

Resources

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0901: Lesson Objectives

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0902: Definition of Conflict

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0903: Possible Reasons for Conflict

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0904: Two Scenarios

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0905: Definition of Resolving Conflict

Activities

Ask some quick questions to recap the last lesson.

Ask pupils: What makes you angry? When groups or countries get angry, what might they do?

Take feedback.

Share the lesson objectives and stress that conflict has to be managed both in personal terms and in terms of people in authority.

A Starter Activity

Ask pupils what the word 'conflict' means. Take feedback, allow discussion around pupils' definitions of conflict, and then introduce the Oxford English Dictionary's definition of 'conflict': 'A serious disagreement or argument which may be based upon differences of opinions, principles or values.'

B Development

Activity 1: Reasons for Conflict

Ask pupils to work in small groups and write down all the possible reasons for a conflict.

Take feedback and explain that anger is one of the root causes of human conflicts, and that this anger is often directed at those who are different. Sometimes anger is caused by injustice and oppression.

Activity 2: Scenarios

Ask selected pupils to read out loud the following two scenarios. Take feedback from the class after each scenario.

Scenario 1

Ahmed is a keen footballer and always brings his football to school. While playing, John kicks the ball over the fence onto the road and the ball is squashed. Ahmed is angry with his friend John and argues that he wants John to buy him another ball.

What do you think happened as a result of this conflict?

How would you deal with it?

Scenario 2

An elderly neighbour complains about the children next door being too noisy.

What do you think happened as a result of this conflict?

How would you deal with it?

Briefly sum up how the pupils would resolve conflicts and write down and discuss pupils' responses using Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0905.

Introduce the term 'resolving conflicts'.

The term 'resolving conflicts' (or 'conflict resolution') refers to a range of processes aimed at minimising or eliminating the conflict.

Activity 3: Islamic Guidance

Ask a pupil to recite the following verses. Explain the meaning.

وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ ...Those who overcome anger and forgive people and God loves those who do good.' (Surat Alee Imran 3:134)

Question: Why do you think that God loves those who forgive the most?

Suggested answer: As we have learnt, anger is the root cause of most conflicts. If we learn to forgive people, this will minimise or eliminate the conflicts and God loves peace.

In family disputes, the Qur`an suggests the following methods:

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُوا حَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا إِن يُرِيدَا إِصْلَاحًا يُوَفِّقِ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرًا 'And if you fear conflict between a husband and a wife, then appoint an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family. If they both desire reconciliation, then God will bring them together in peace. Indeed God is All Knowing, All Aware.' (Surat al-Nisa 4:35)

Question: Why does God ask us to appoint arbitrators?

Suggested answer: An arbitrator is someone who listens equally to both parties in conflict and decides on facts and sticks to justice. In this Ayah, God tells us to appoint someone who will be just.

Question: Why does God ask us to appoint arbitrators from both sides?

Suggested answer: God commands us to appoint arbitrators from both sides to make it fair and equal. Imam Hussain Ibn Ali said, 'The most merciful person is the one who forgives when he is able to revenge.' (Bihar al-Anwar)

'The strong one is not the one who can win a wrestling match but indeed the strong one is the one who controls oneself when angry.' (Bukhari)

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ is teaching us to control ourselves when we are angry and also to forgive those who wrong us, even when we have the power to take revenge.

'Anger is a destroyer for the heart of a sage; and he who does not have his anger under his control does not have his wisdom under his control either.' (Al-Kafi)

'If a friend among your friends makes a mistake, think of seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the shortcoming is in your ownselves.' (Bayhaqi)

Activity 4: Islamic Methods of Resolving Conflict

Discuss the methods Prophet Muhammad ﷺ used to control anger and resolve conflict:

  • Seek God's protection by reciting the ta`awwudh.

    أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

  • Remain silent. Do not respond immediately. Pause for thought and, when ready to respond, strengthen your argument and lower your voice.

  • If you are standing, sit down and if you are already sitting down, lie down.

  • Perform wudu' if possible – this will help you to calm down.

  • Involve a third party who can help you to resolve the conflict without violence. Such a person is called an arbitrator (independent person who settles disputes or someone who is like a referee). It may be your mother, a trusted friend, an imam, or a teacher. Countries that are in conflict with each other often go to the United Nations (UN) to arbitrate.

C Plenary

Sum up the lesson and stress that:

  • It is obviously more difficult if you are dealing with larger groups that are in conflict, but the principles are the same.
  • There are examples of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ forgiving his enemies and resolving conflict peacefully, such as the Treaty of Hudaybiyah.
  • Sometimes conflicts between nations cannot be resolved in a friendly manner and countries go to war. Islam has clear rules for warfare.
  • A good citizen has to try and resolve conflicts in a friendly manner within the law. Islam teaches the same.
  • The Prophet ﷺ taught that the key to resolving disputes is controlling oneself when angry, tolerance and forgiveness.

Invite pupils to complete Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0908.

Suggested Follow-up Work

Give instructions for follow-up work:

Develop a diary for the next seven days of any conflicts or disagreements you may have, and describe how you resolved them.

This can be at home, at school, in the madrasah, in the playground or in your neighbourhood.

Use Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0909.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0901

Lesson Objectives

  • To understand the nature of conflict
  • To develop a range of techniques about settling conflicts in a friendly way
  • To learn the Islamic method of resolving conflict

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0902

Definition of Conflict

'A serious disagreement or argument which may be based upon differences of opinions, principles, or values.' (Oxford English Dictionary)

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0903

Possible Reasons for Conflict

List all possible reasons for a conflict.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0904

Two Scenarios

Scenario 1: Ahmed is a keen footballer and always brings his football to school. While playing, John kicks the ball over the fence onto the road and the ball is squashed. Ahmed is angry with his friend John and argues that he wants John to buy him another ball.

What do you think happened as a result of this conflict?

How would you deal with it?

Scenario 2: An elderly neighbour complains about the children next door being too noisy.

What do you think happened as a result of this conflict?

How would you deal with it?

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0905

Definition of Resolving Conflict

The term 'resolving conflicts' or 'conflict resolution' refers to a range of processes aimed at minimising or eliminating the conflict.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0906

Islamic Guidance

وَالْكَاظِمِينَ الْغَيْظَ وَالْعَافِينَ عَنِ النَّاسِ وَاللَّهُ يُحِبُّ الْمُحْسِنِينَ

‘Those who overcome anger and forgive people and God loves those who do good.' (Surat Alee Imran 3:134)

وَإِنْ خِفْتُمْ شِقَاقَ بَيْنِهِمَا فَابْعَثُوا حَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهِ وَحَكَمًا مِّنْ أَهْلِهَا إِن يُرِيدَا إِصْلَاحًا يُوَفِّقِ اللَّهُ بَيْنَهُمَا إِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ عَلِيمًا خَبِيرًا

And if you fear conflict between a husband and a wife, then appoint an arbitrator from his family and an arbitrator from her family. If they both desire reconciliation, then God will bring them together in peace. Indeed God is All Knowing, All Aware.' (Surat al-Nisa 4:35)

'The most merciful person is the one who forgives when he is able to revenge. ' (Bihar al- Anwar)

'The strong one is not the one who can win a wrestling match but indeed the strong one is the one who controls oneself when angry.' (Bukhari)

'Anger is a destroyer for the heart of a sage; and he who does not have his anger under his control does not have his wisdom under his control either.' (Al-Kafi)

'If a friend among your friends makes a mistake, think of seventy excuses for them. If your hearts are unable to do this, then know that the shortcoming is in your ownselves.' (Bayhaqi)

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0907

Islamic Methods of Resolving Conflict

Discuss the methods Prophet Muhammad, used to control anger and resolve conflict.

1 Seek God's protection by reciting the ta`awwudh أعوذ بالله من الشيطان الرجيم

2 Remain silent. Do not respond immediately. Pause for thought and, when ready to respond, strengthen your argument and lower your voice.

3 If you are standing, sit down and if you are already sitting down, lie down.

4 Perform wudu' if possible - this will help you to calm down.

5 Involve a third party who can help you to resolve the conflict without violence. Such a person is called an arbitrator (independent person who settles disputes or someone who is like a referee). It may be your mother, a trusted friend, an imam or a teacher. Countries that are in conflict with each other often go to the United Nations (UN) to arbitrate.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0908

Feedback

Lesson Title: Resolving Conflict

Name:

Madrasah/Organisation:

Today I have learnt about:

As a result of this lesson I have learnt that a good Muslim should:

I am going to follow up this topic in my home/school/community by:

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.0909

Follow-up Worksheet

Lesson Title: Resolving Conflict

Name:

Madrasah/Organisation:

Task:

Develop a diary for the next seven days of any conflicts or disagreements you may have, and describe how you resolved them. This can be at home, in school, in the madrasah, in the playground or in your neighbourhood.

Your diary for the week:

Monday

Tuesday

Wednesday

Thursday

Friday

Saturday

Sunday

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Dealing with Conflict