Good Muslim, Good Citizen Key Stage 3

Suggested Duration: 60 minutes

Learning Objectives

To bring together the learning from previous lessons
To understand that to be a good Muslim is to be a good citizen

Key Words

Morals, role model, good Muslim, good citizen

Islamic Values

Islam teaches us that to be a good Muslim is to be a good citizen.

Citizenship Values

Citizenship teaches us that all good citizens are helpful to the communities in which they live.

Resources

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2201: Lesson Objectives

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2202: Good Muslim, Good Citizen Table

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2203: Impact of Good Muslim Citizens on Society

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2204: Islamic Guidance

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2205: Feedback

Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2206: Follow-up Worksheet

Activities

Ask some quick questions to recap the last lesson.

Share the lesson objectives.

Inform pupils that this is the last lesson of the ICE project.

A Starter Activity

Ask pupils to name five lessons they have covered in the ICE project and to say which they enjoyed the most.

Take feedback and ask:

What have you learnt?
How has this impacted on your daily life?
What do you do differently now?
Were any of the lessons linked with your mainstream school learning?

B Development

Activity 1: Qualities

Ask pupils to think about the lessons they have attended and to write down five qualities of a good Muslim and five qualities of a good citizen.

Help the class by reminding them what lessons they have covered.

Take feedback and stress that there are many similarities between being a good citizen and being a good Muslim. Ask pupils: Can you be a good Muslim without being a good citizen?

Activity 2: The Impact of Being a Good Muslim Citizen

Remind pupils that good citizens are those who carry out their responsibilities effectively. By doing this, they are fulfilling their Islamic duty of respecting the rights of others.

Ask pupils to identify three positive points by which good Muslim citizens have an impact on the society they live in.

Activity 3: Islamic Guidance

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

يَا أَيُّهَا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا كُونُوا قَوَّامِينَ بِالْقِسْطِ شُهَدَاء لِلَّهِ وَلَوْ عَلَى أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوِ الْوَالِدَيْنِ وَالْأَقْرَبِينَ

'O believers! Stand firmly for justice, giving witness for God, even if it is against yourselves, or parents or relatives...' (Surat al-Nisa' 4:135)

Questions: What does it mean to give 'witness against yourselves'? Would you find that easy? Why does God want us to do this?

Suggested answer: Explain that here the Qur`an is emphasising that we have to be fair at all times, no matter how difficult this may be. Going against one's own interests and those of parents and relatives is extremely difficult, yet the Qur'an demands that fairness is above all. This ensures that everyone's rights are protected, especially weak and vulnerable people. As a result of this fair treatment of all, people will live and work together in peace and harmony.

'Do not consider how much a person prays and fasts, how many times one goes to pilgrimage, how many good deeds one has performed and how much one engages in supplications at night. But consider one's honesty and trustworthiness.' (Mishkat al-Anwar)

‘The best of people are those that benefit others.' (Tabarani)

'None of you is a true believer until he likes for his brother [and sister] what he likes for himself.' (Bukhari, Muslim)

Prophet Muhammad said: 'Indeed I have been sent to complete the best of characters.' (Bukhari)

Stress that by acting on these Islamic values we will become good Muslims – and to be a good Muslim is to be a good citizen.

Activity 4: Prophet Muhammad as the Perfect Role Model

Ask pupils:

Who do you look up to and why?
If you would like to model your behaviour on someone, who would it be?
Who is your Muslim role model in the modern world?

Take quick feedback.

Generally, role models are people you admire for various reasons and you may wish to model your behaviour on their character.

Stress that we have a perfect role model for the whole world and that is Prophet Muhammad ﷺ

By following His teachings and lifestyle, we can become good Muslims. As the Qur`an tells us:

لَقَدْ كَانَ لَكُمْ فِي رَسُولِ اللَّهِ أُسْوَةٌ حَسَنَةٌ

'Certainly in the Messenger of God there is a beautiful example for you.' (Surat al-Ahzab 33:21)

Here, Muslims are encouraged to follow the character of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.

C Plenary

Recap the lesson by:

asking pupils to share a few occasions when they have benefited others
stressing that there is no difference between being a good Muslim and being a good British citizen
explaining that Prophet Muhammad ﷺ emphasised the importance of good character (akhlaq)
providing some examples of the good Muslim as a good citizen of the country they live in.

Ask pupils to complete Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2205.

If you have questions or concerns which you cannot answer, then please contact the ICE team via our website.

Suggested Follow-up Work

Give instructions for follow-up work:

Speak to your parents and list ten characteristics from the Sirah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, and write down how they relate to modern citizenship values.

Use Pupils' Activity Sheet 3.2206 to report back.