British or Muslim, or British Muslim?

Suggested Duration: 60 minutes

Key Stage 3

Learning Objectives

To understand that individuals have multiple identities, and we should not have to choose one identity over another
To understand that there are religious, ethnic, cultural and national identities
To understand that Islam teaches that no nation is better than another, but the best are those that are righteous

Key Words

British, Muslim, identity, religious, ethnic, national, sahabah (companions of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ)

Islamic Values

Islam teaches that all people are part of God's creation and we should respect each other. It also teaches us that we can be Muslims and citizens of the country where we live.

Citizenship Values

Citizenship encourages us to respect different national, religious and ethnic identities.

Resources

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1501: Lesson Objectives

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1502: Photo of a British Woman Wearing a Union Flag (Source: Peter Sanders Photography)

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1503: My Identities

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1504: Islamic Guidance

Activities

Ask some quick questions to recap the last lesson. Share the lesson objectives.

A Starter Activity

Show the photo of the British woman wearing a Union Flag (Jack). Ask pupils for their immediate response. What do they think of her? Is she Muslim, British or both?

Take feedback and reveal her identity as a British Muslim revert to Islam.

B Development

Activity 1: My Identities

Ask pupils to describe themselves using any five descriptions of things that they can be identified as - for example, Arsenal supporter, Pakistani heritage, Bangladeshi heritage, Iraqi heritage, Muslim, boy, girl, pupil, sister/brother. Use Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1503.

Explain that as individuals we all have multiple identities. At the same time, we can be a student, as well as somebody's child. We can be an Arsenal supporter, as well as a tall boy or girl.

Take feedback and stress that this is known as multiple identities and you should value each of your identities equally.

Activity 2: Islamic Guidance

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

وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً

'And if your Lord wanted He could have made all mankind a single community.' (Surat Hud 11:118)

Question: What are the benefits of being different from each other?

Suggested answer: Various languages, skills that complement each other.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْعَالِمِينَ

'And from His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the differences in your tongues (language) and your colours (race), indeed in that are signs for the whole universe.' (Surat al-Rum 30:22)

Questions: Why are differences in tongues and colours signs of God? Does this verse suggest that people of one colour are better than others?

Suggested answers: No, all people are the same before God and only those who are righteous are better than others. The difference between people (how they look, speak and their cultures) is one of the miracles of God.

'The believer is one who is sociable with others and there is no good in one who is not sociable with others nor in one who is not met sociably by them. ' (Bayhaqi, Mustadrak)

A Story from the Sirah

This activity is based on the concept used in Lesson 3 of IHNA Education Programme, developed by Building Bridges Pendle.

Tell pupils the following story.

The sahabah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ included:

Bilal, a black man from Abyssinia (present day Ethiopia)
Salman, a brown man from Persia
Mariyah, a woman from Egypt
Suhayb from Rome
Abdul-Salam, a Jew
Safiyyah, a Jewish woman
Anas, a young Arab boy from Madinah
Many other people from different tribes of Arabia.

These are only some of the Prophet's ﷺ circle of friends. It is an excellent example of diversity because, although there were differences in culture and racial background, they were able to sit together, learn from each other and work together.

Salman the Persian advised Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about digging defensive ditches/trenches. Thus, in the Battle of Khandaq, trenches were used to good effect. This shows that Prophet Muhammad welcomed ideas from people who were from different nations.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would often refer to them through their country of origin. This shows clearly that we can be both Muslim and citizens of different countries.

Activity 3: Debate on British Muslim Identity

Split the class into two one group is to argue that you can be both British and Muslim and the other group is to argue that you cannot.

Give them ten minutes to debate this issue.

Take feedback and stress that Islam allows us to be Muslims and citizens of the country we live in.

C Plenary

Recap the lesson and stress that being a Muslim is our religion and being British is our nationality. These are two identities which complement each other.

As people are Pakistani and Muslim, Arab and Muslim, Scottish and Muslim, Welsh and Muslim, European and Muslim, American and Muslim, you can also be British and Muslim or British Muslim.

Reiterate that Islam allows you to have multiple identities simultaneously.

Take feedback using Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1505.

Suggested Follow-up Work

Give instructions for follow-up work:

Do some research in the local community - try to ask at least seven Muslims how they see themselves – Muslim or British or both, and why?

Feed back your findings using Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1506.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1501

Lesson Objectives

To understand that individuals have multiple identities, and we should not have to choose one identity over another
To understand that there are religious, ethnic, cultural and national identities
To understand that Islam teaches that no nation is better than another, but the best are those that are righteous

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1502

Photograph of a British Woman Wearing a Union Flag

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1503

My Identities

I am ...
I am...
I am ...
I am ...
I am...

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1504

Islamic Guidance

وَلَوْ شَاء رَبُّكَ لَجَعَلَ النَّاسَ أُمَّةً وَاحِدَةً

And if your Lord wanted He could have made all mankind a single community.' (Surat Hud 11:118)

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ خَلْقُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَاخْتِلَافُ أَلْسِنَتِكُمْ وَأَلْوَانِكُمْ إِنَّ فِي ذَلِكَ لَآيَاتٍ لِّلْعَالِمِينَ

And from His signs is the creation of the heavens and the earth and the differences in your tongues (language) and your colours (race), indeed in that are signs for the whole universe.' (Surat al-Rum 30:22)

'The believer is one who is sociable with others and there is no good in one who is not sociable with others nor in one who is not met sociably by them. ' (Bayhaqi, Mustadrak)

Story from the Sirah

Note: This activity is based on the concept used in Lesson 3 of IHNA Education Programme, developed by Building Bridges Pendle.

The sahabah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ included:

Bilal, a black man from Abyssinia (present day Ethiopia)
Salman, a brown man from Persia
Mariyah, a woman from Egypt
Suhayb, from Rome
Abdul-Salam, a Jew
Safiyyah, a Jewish woman
Anas, a young Arab boy from Madinah
Many other people from different tribes of Arabia.

Salman the Persian, advised Prophet Muhammad ﷺ about digging defensive ditches/trenches. Thus in the Battle of trench, trenches were used to good effect. This shows that Prophet Muhammad welcomed ideas from people who were from different nations.

Prophet Muhammad ﷺ would often refer to people by their country of origin. This shows clearly that we can be both Muslim and citizens of different countries.

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.1505

Feedback

Lesson Title: British or Muslim, or British Muslim?

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 3.1506

Follow-up Worksheet

Lesson Title: British or Muslim, or British Muslim?

Name:

Madrasah/Organisation:

Task:

Do some research in the local community - try to ask at least seven Muslims how they see themselves - Muslim or British or both, and why? Use the table below to give your feedback.

| Who did you speak to? | What was their answer and why? | | :-------------------- | :------------------------------ | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | | |