Appleseeds articles from November 2003

Appleseeds archives from November 2003

AppleSeeds asked consulting editors Susan Douglass and Daisy Kahn why it is important for us to understand Islam.
November 1, 2003... Susan Douglass says... There are many reasons we should learn about world religions. People of many faiths live in America. If we know the people who share our country, we can solve problems through shared ideas. Your next-door neighbor,...

What is Islam?
November 1, 2003... Islam is a religion of belief in one God, like Judaism and Christianity. These religions teach that God sent prophets to teach people how to live a good life. Holy books contain the prophets' teachings. The Qur'an is the holy book of...

The world of Islam.(Where in the World?)
November 1, 2003... Islam began almost 1,400 years ago on the Arabian peninsula. Today, Islam is a major religion in many countries. With 1.1 billion followers, Islam is one of the world's leading religions. About 6 million Muslims live in the United States today....

Picture of diversity.
November 1, 2003... When you think of Muslims, what picture comes to your mind? A woman in a veil? A man in flowing robes? What about a teenager in blue jeans and tennis shoes? Muslims are people of different races, who speak a variety of languages and wear...

The five pillars of Islam.
November 1, 2003... How do Muslims practice their religion and show their faith in God? All over the world, Muslims live by the Five Pillars of Islam. Along with the Qur'an, these rituals give Muslims guidance in how to live their lives. CREED Muslims...

Words from the Qur'an.(Excerpt)
November 1, 2003... The Qur'an is the holy book of Islam. Muslims believe that it is the word of god given to Muhammad in the Arabic language. Muslims write the Qur'an in Arabic script like this: Muslims recite this prayer each day for guidance: In the...

Inside a mosque.
November 1, 2003... Welcome to a mosque. The word mosque comes from the Arabic word masjid. It means "a place to kneel." Mosques are places where Muslims gather to pray. There ore mosques all over the world. Some are large, beautiful places with domes and arches....

Wise fools.(Reading Corner)
November 1, 2003... A popular figure in Muslim storytelling is the wise fool. The fool appears as different people in different stories. In these two stories, we see him first as Goha, then as Abu Nuwas, the poet. Goha and His Son Goha's son was afraid to...

Living as a Muslim: in the United States today.
November 1, 2003... Debbie Almontaser moved to the United States from Yemen when she was 3 years old. She was born a Muslim, but her family did not practice Islam when she was growing up. Here, she tells how she became a devout Muslim and what it's like living in...

All about Ramadan.
November 1, 2003... Can you imagine not eating for a whole day? Every year, Muslims around the world fast from dawn to sunset during a month they call Ramadan. (To fast means to stop eating and drinking for a period of time. During Ramadan, it also means avoiding...

Same and different.
November 1, 2003... Throughout the world, Muslims follow many of the same religious rules and rituals. But Muslims are made up of different races and cultures and speak many languages. So in different countries, Muslim children may live very different lives. ...

The Hajj: Aba's unforgettable journey.
November 1, 2003... Going on a hajj was something that Abdulrahman (Aba) Al-Khalidy had dreamed of since he was a boy in Lebanon. Aba's dream finally came true when he was 27 and living in the United States. A hajj is a holy pilgrimage to the city of Mecca in...

Henna hands.(Fun Stuff)(Islamic art using henna)
November 1, 2003... Houda watches the artist apply henna designs to her hands at her wedding celebration. This is an ancient art that her Muslim ancestors adopted when they settled in Morocco, a country in northwestern Africa. What is henna? It is an...

Branching out.(books about Islam)(Bibliography)
November 1, 2003... The Flag of Childhood: Poems from the Middle East, edited by Naomi Shihab Nye (Simon Spotlight), connects you to the hearts of people who follow Islam. Muhammad, by Demi (Margaret McElderry), tells the story of the true messenger of Islam,...