1-How does the value of individual freedom effect the ethics of our American society differently than the value of family and religious loyalty?

What are some other values of contemporary American society?  How are they in conflict with the values of the 1950's?  Is one set of values superior to another?  Why?

2-Islam means, at its root, surrender.  How does Islamic belief and practice reflect the importance of surrendering to Allah?

3-What do you think about this focus on prayer?  What is the standard of prayer in Judaism?  What about in Christianity?

What about in your own life?  Are you humbled and challenged by the knowledge that Muslims stop 5 times to pray?

4-Do you think the call to prayer is a call to obedience or a reminder for devotion?

5-Please answer this question and discuss the implications, probe for assumptions, draw out evidence and clarify perspectives.

What was the influence of Islam on the arts and sciences in its Golden Age, which is when Europe was experiencing the Medieval Period, sometimes called the Dark Ages?

6a- You mention the art form of mosaic (you called it "geometric pieces") and I want to draw the class' attention to the idea of unity in diversity within this art form.  First, the main theological point of Islam is that Allah is one.  As the Muslim scientists and artists searched to make discoveries in their given fields of study, they were constantly looking for the unity of Allah in the diversity of the creation.  The artist brought out that unity in mosaic and in textiles.  The mosaic is a pattern that is derived by putting thousands of small colored stones together to make one design.  The individual pieces of stone lose their importance within the whole, but without each piece the whole would not be complete.  So their concept of God came through in their art.

6b-How else did the Muslims bring out unity in diversity?

7a-Because they were prohibited from figures in art, the Muslims developed other art forms and calligraphy is one of those art forms.  They believed that the words of the Qur'an were beautiful (to hear and for life) so they started to write them in a beautiful way and thus calligraphy developed.  Art is one of those things that cannot be totally squelched.  If you contain an artist in one area, their emotion will burst forth in another area. 

7b What do you think about the Muslims' use of calligraphy?

 The Muslim religion started very rapidly.

8--Class, Based on the information about Muhammad and the early spread of Islam, what do you think was the most important factor in the amazing way that Islam grew so quickly?