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269 Islam Essay Topics

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• Christianity, Islam and Judaism Similarities
• Judaism, Christianity and Islam: Comparative Analysis
• Qur’an, Sunnah, and Hadith in Islam
• The Observance of Prayer in Christianity Compared to Islam
• Similarities and Differences Between Islam and Hinduism
• Islamic and Western Corporate Social Responsibility
• Abortion in Hanafi and Maliki Schools of Islamic Thought
• Concept of Human Being in Islam Humans are considered the most important beings among all the animals created as they can distinguish between right and wrong.
• Comparison of Christianity, Judaism, and Islam The principles and stories of Islam, Christianity, and Judaism demonstrate that these religions have many common features that should unite people.
• Islamic Culture, Politics and Religion The paper looks into the different aspects of Islam and compares it with Judaism and Christianity to understand why Islamic values are commonly misunderstood.
• Mecca and Meccan Society Before Islam After the rise of Islam, Mecca developed exponentially. This paper discusses the Meccan society before the rise of Islam.
• Afterlife in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam A basic belief that varies from faith to faith is that there is life after death. This essay examines the idea of the afterlife from Judaism, Islam, and Christianity perspectives.
• The Perception of the Nation of Islam in “The Fire Next Time” by Baldwin The Fire Next Time represents the Nation of Islam as a paradoxical concept that inspires a black community to unite for a good purpose but wrong methodology.
• Pillars of Islam Compared to Ten Commandments There are certain similarities between the Ten Commandments and the pillars of Islam in regard to the direction in which they are geared.
• The Ashari Theology in Sunni Islam The Ashari theology is among the early primary theologies establishing itself as the most important, dominant, and influential tradition of systematic theology in the Sunni Muslim.
• Islam in the Today’s World Globalization, in an Islamic context, is an alternative to Western globalization, which promotes economic and technological developments, particularly in health and communication.
• Islamic Art: The Dome of the Rock From an architectural perspective the Dome of the Rock has numerous meanings and symbols that relates to religion, especially the Islamic faith.
• Hinduism Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: Comparison This paper compares Hinduism on the one part, and Judaism, Christianity, and Islam on the other part based on the existent points commonality in the Abrahamic religions.
• Islam: Sacred Text (The Quran) Islam is a universal religion of Millions of Muslims around the world. The holy book of Muslims is unique and it is in its original form since its revelation on Prophet Mohammad.
• Comparing Judaism and Islam Two major religions in the world captured the imagination of many. It is Judaism and Islam, both springing up from the same region – Palestine.
• The Concept of God in Christian, Islamic and Hindu Religions This paper proposes a comparison and juxtaposition of the concept of God in the Christian, Islamic and Hindu religions.
• “Islamic History as Global History” by R. Eaton Richard Eaton’s goal was to transform the Western world‘s view regarding the Arab Muslims and the role of Islam in global history.
• Rise of the Islamic Empire Islamic empire became the biggest state the world had ever seen. The Islamic Empire is an ideal example of cooperation between a state and religion.
• The Uniqueness of Christianity in Comparison With Islam The most prevalent distinction is that Islam requires worshiping only Allah, while Christians believe in Christ, who is God and human.
• Religious Syncretism: Islam and Hinduism Religious Syncretism entails the integration of two religious beliefs into new system. This paper will explain how Sikhism originated, its doctrines and practices and how it has grown.
• The Ten Commandments and the Pillars of Islam The paper states that the Ten Commandments and the Pillars of Islam serve as the foundations of the Islamic and Christian religions.
• Islam as the World’s Most Misunderstood Religion: The Problem of Stereotyping The paper discusses that due to the misrepresentation of Islam in the media, a harmful stereotypes about Muslim religion and Islam has been perpetuated, causing the discrimination.
• Religion: Christianity vs. Islam Islam and Christianity became the predominant religions; questions about their relations have been an interest globally.
• Baghdad, the Capital of the Abbasid Islamic World The paper looks at the events of the 8th-11th centuries in Bagdad in order to understand the history of this city as the capital of the Abbasid Islamic world.
• The Concept of Death in Islam According to Islam, death is the soul’s return to its creator, who is Allah. Thus, this religion regards human life as a complex of severe trials, which always end in death.
• Servant Leadership and Communication: Islam Religion and Indian Culture Leadership is the exercise of authority over others and is influenced by social factors like culture and religion.
• Selflessness in Islamic Belief and Practice The paper argues zakat is a way to connect with God because is an expression of love and submission to Allah showing that a Muslim values faith more than material possessions.
• The Umayyad-Hashemite Civil War and the Birth of the Sunni-Shiite Islamic Schism The Umayyad-Hashemite civil war is attributed to the succession disputes, which took center stage after the death of Prophet Muhammad.
• The History of Islam and Arabs and Their Contributions to Global Civilization Since Islam stemmed and grew from the Arab traditions, other cultures which have embraced Islam also seem to be influenced by the Arabic customs.
• Sufism: Islam’s Contribution to Metaphysics This study endeavored to investigate the impact of Sufism on the larger religious model and to elucidate the contribution that Islam has made to the study of metaphysics via its ascetic arm, the practice of Sufism.
• Historical Origin of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam The world’s three major religions grew from the same historical rootstock. This paper will focus on the historical heritage of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.
• Prenuptial Agreements and Islamic Women’s Rights in the US and UK This paper focuses on the US and the UK, where the interpretation and resolution of Islamic prenuptial agreements present a conflict in both state courts and the religious court.
• Modern Morocco: Islam, Society, and Politics Morocco is a country with a history that has absorbed millennia of traditions into its culture. The imprint of several ancient civilizations can be strongly felt in it.
• Islam: Understanding the Religion Islam is followed by fully one-fifth of people in the world, and its essence is encrypted into the Quran, the holy book for all the Muslims.
• Peace in Islam and International Relations Islam promotes social harmony and peacemaking nationally. Internationally, Islamic teaching encourages peace, unity, and mutual respect among various populations.
• The Figure of Jesus in Islam and the Quran This paper discusses the figure of Jesus in the Islamic religion by highlighting His reference in the Quran, specifically his birth, death, and return.
• Unidroit Contract Law and Islamic Law In 1994, UNIDROIT published the first set of principles to harmonize private international law. An updated version of the regulations was published in the year 2004.
• Aniconism in “The Hidden Art of Islam” Documentary The Hidden Art of Islam is devoted to the history of aniconism in Muslim culture and its influence on Arabic calligraphy, geometry, design, and contemporary art inspired by Islam.
• Umayyad Islamic Empire: Differences Between the Umayyad and the People They Conquered This paper analyses cultural, religious, political and lifestyle differences between the Umayyad and the people they conquered.
• Islam and Politics’ Relations The political processes, ideas, and views of Islam were directly influenced by religion, so it is important to study different political roles played by key actors in Islam.
• Algebra – an Islamic Contribution to the West Muslim mathematicians are the inventors of the Arabic numeral notation and the decimal system, which is applicable in contemporary mathematical problems.
• Islamic Law and Its Legal System The report focuses on Islamic law’s background, current legal structure, and its importance in modern world and society.
• Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity in Society This paper analyses three of the most common religions: Buddhism, Islam, and Christianity, in order to identify their role in the life of society.
• Islam: The Rise and Spread Around the World The spread of Islam is associated with the rapid growth of civilizations, as well as the beginning of active trade between different parts of the world.
• Al-Hallaj and His Influence on Islam This paper aims to discuss the earthly journey of the great prophet and thinker Al-Hallaj and how he influenced Islam.
• Analysis of Islamic Banking and Finance The purpose of this article is to consider the features of Islamic banking, as well as the principles on which the relationship between the bank and customers is built.
• Islam in America: Movie Reflection The movie Islam in America introduced Islam to the audience and carries the message that is important for everyone to learn the beliefs, traditions, and habits of Islamic culture.
• History of Islam: The World with Only 100 Muslims The history of Islam started from one single person that was Muhammad (P.B.U.H.) that came up bringing Islam as the last religion with a revealed book Quran.
• Islamic Architecture in Its Historical Context This essay explores Bifolium from the “Nurse’s Qur’an”, the animal flask, and the Hispano-Moresque style, analyzing their historical context and relation to historical events.
• Islamic Culture and Civilization Then and Now The Arabian individuals are considered to be the prominent individuals who embraced the Islamic culture across the world.
• Islamic Effect on the Cultural Exchange Islam produced a notable effect on the cultural exchange between participants, promoting Muslim religion and culture across the Silk Road.
• The Five Pillars of Islam in the Muslim Culture The five pillars of Islam are highly crucial for every believing person as they present the core belief and ideas of the religion.
• The Islamic Rule in India Across the world, the Islamic religion is the second largest after Christianity. In India, the religion has a high number of followers after Buddhism.
• Egalitarian Inheritance System of Islam The paper states that Islam has a specific egalitarian inheritance system. Following the peculiarities of this system, there is no place for primogeniture.
• Islamic Reits: Real Estate Investment Trust This paper reviews some of the studies done on IREITs with the aim of determining their effectiveness during economic downturns.
• Islamic Real Estate Investment Trust REITs form part of Investment Trusts in Real Estate. These are trusts that give investors an investment guide in all landed properties.
• Promotion of Islamic Financial Products by Digital Media in Kingdom of Bahrain This research proposal suggests a study to understand how digital media has promoted Islamic financial products in the Kingdom of Bahrain.
• Golden Age of Islamic Civilization Muslims were very ready to protect their language, law and religion from external influence and would only allow other religious groups to their territories only if they recognized Muslim faith.
• Islamic Culture: Religion of Peace As long as there are Muslims that turn to extremism to push their religious agenda, the development of a pluralist Islamic society will be impossible.
• Islamic Culture in America Islam is one of the major religions in the world. It is highly controversial because of global links to terrorism.
• Baghdad as the Islamic World in 8th-11th centuries Baghdad simply means the gift of God. During the 762 AD, the Abbasid rule controlled the Muslim community. After five centuries, the city became the centre for world education culture.
• Divorce in Islam in Contrast with Christianity In contrast with Christianity, Islam permits divorce, as marriage is not considered sacral but rather an earthbound contract between two individuals that can be canceled.
• Islamic Banking Features Analysis The purpose of the research will explore specific features within Islamic banking that impede the free flow of capital.
• Civil Law, Common Law & Islamic Law System In this research paper, three types of law systems are handled; Civil law, Common law, and Islamic law. All three sources of law are used to govern people in different countries.
• Islamic Culture and American Muslims The US has had longstanding stable relationships with Islam nations. However, the relations deteriorated after the 9/11 attacks.
• Is Islamic Spirituality a Key to Psychological Well-Being? This paper will try to adapt the principles of Islamic spirituality to the dimensions of psychological well-being. Islam, in general, has three dimensions – Islam, Iman, and Ihsan.
• The Origins and Spread of Islam Islam is one of the world’s most famous and influential religions, the second largest one and one of the youngest religions in history.
• Rise of Islam: Comparing to Christianity Christianity and Islam are considered two different religions, although they have some similarities. These two faiths have the largest number of followers globally.
• Middle Eastern Women’s Place in Islam There are several internal and external forces that have harmed Muslim women in the Middle East’s power throughout history.
• Cultural Similarities and Differences Between Islam and Judaism The paper states that such faiths as Islam and Judaism contain many contradicting factors: from symbolic to gender and sexual equality.
• Islam and Women’s Rights in Iran After 1979 Women’s rights are a major concern of contemporary societies. Iran, through the 1979 Islamic revolution, underwent a significant political shift.
• Aspects of Islam and the Quran The Quran is a sacred text that is followed by Muslims around the world. It promoted polygyny, men, and women being equal in Allah’s eyes, and marriage for procreation.
• Researching the Concept of Islamophobia Ultimately, Islamophobia fits into other nativist forms of ethnophobia and shares striking similarities with anti-Semitism, anti-African, and anti-Native American prejudices.
• The Islamic Religion, Beliefs, and Practices Islam represents a universal monotheistic religion widespread in the Muslim world. Islam traces back to the seventh century of our era.
• The Islam Spread in Colonial America This paper aims to study how Islam spread and took root in the territories of colonial America with the help of transatlantic trade by representatives of African peoples.
• Islam in Relation to the Western Civilization Despite being so close to Western civilization, Islam is the most difficult religion to understand in Western countries.
• Why Women in Islam Have to Be Modest On the excuse of Islamic modesty, women in several Muslim-majority countries (MMCs) are still subjected to gender segregation and mobility restrictions to varying degrees.
• Christianity and Islam: The Central Ideas Religion is a complex aggregate concept that includes particular mythology, a system of dogmas, cult and ritual actions, and socialized religious institutions.
• The Ambivalence of Religion: Competing over Islam Religion has been a fundamental component of human civilization in all locations and eras and continues to be so throughout our society.
• Sunni and Shia’ Branches of Islam: The History of the Split Despite the Islamic belief in Qur’an and Prophet Muhammad, the Sunnis and Shia have distinct practices and leadership structures.
• Islam and Hinduism: Commonalities and Differences The current paper states that the comparison of Hinduism and Islam confirms that seemingly different religions can have commonalities.
• Jewish, Christian, and Islamic Relations Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are three major religious and worldview traditions that divide people in their vision of the world and perception of history.
• Developing the Islamic Banking Cluster in the UAE The report’s mission is to develop the Islamic banking cluster in the UAE in order to be number one in Islamic Banking.
• Islamic Conversions in Medieval West Africa The spread of Islam in Africa was characterized by various political, social, and economic factors that facilitated the widespread of Islam.
• Islam, Christianity, and Judaism – Similar or Not? The question of the relationship between Islam, Christianity, and Judaism is one of the most sensitive aspects of interreligious relations in modern society.
• Islamic Culture and Criminal Justice Professionals The issue of misunderstanding between the Islamic community and justice system professionals has been acute since the 9/11 attack.
• Islam and Christianity: Fundamental Components Both Muslims and Christians have different perspectives on God, and he is the ultimate standard of what should be done, according to the Qur’an and the Bible.
• Judaism, Christianity, and Islam The Abrahamic religions are the most popular in the world. Judaism, Christianity and Islam are the three most famous of them.
• Islamic Perceptions of the Crusade This paper discusses Ibn Jubayr’s chronicles on the crusaders, his perceptions of the events of the crusades, its significance in understanding some of the Islamic cultures today.
• Islamic Banking and Its Development Problems Islamic banking’s main purpose is to perform the function of making payments and working with a considerable amount of money.
• Art of Islam: The Common Language of Islamic Art Islamic art encompasses many artistic disciplines, including calligraphy, architecture, painting, ceramics, textiles, and glass.
• The Representation of Islam in the British Press Baker et al.’s study “Discourse analysis and media attitude the representation of Islam in the British press” presents the discussion about Islam in the British mass media.
• Islam and Christianity: Comparison Islam and Christianity are the world’s two main religions. There are many differences in both religions’ belief systems, starting from the core of who he is and whether he is Holy.
• Women’s Rights from Islamic and Judaism Perspectives The Islamic and Judaism perspectives on women’s rights are often used as a tool to deny women equal rights and perpetuate gender discrimination.
• Universalizing of Religion of Islam Based on the massage of Prophet Muhammad which is believed to have been conveyed to him from Allah through Angel Gabriel while he was meditating in the caves.
• Chapter 4 of Art of Islam by Burckhardt et al. Arab art and Islamic art are intertwined in the language and history of Islam. Arabic calligraphy is the art of writing among Muslim artists.
• Discrimination of Islam in America Though it is felt just as a figure of other people’s imagination, individuals are either faced or engaged in discrimination while unconscious of it.
• Sunni and Shia Forms of Islam and Their Conflicts The original theological conflict between the Sunnis and the Shiites has turned into a political dispute that still affects Islam and international politics.
• Approaches to Psychology. Discrimination of the Islamic Religion
• Witch Hunt: Islamophobia After 11 September
• The History Behind Islamic State of Iran and Syria
• The Spread of Islam With Trade and Geography
• Islam: The Different Perspectives
• Islam: Beginning of the History
• Discussion: African-Americans and Islam
• Islam and Mosque: Overview
• Islam in Afro-Eurasia
• Feminism Oppression in Islam
• Ethics and Islamic Values in Business
• Is Islam a Religion That Practices Just War
• Islamic Reits: Real Estate Investment Trust Analysis
• Competition in Islamic Banking Systems
• The Islamic Criminal Justice
• Islamic Banking: Risk Management, Operations and Barriers
• Representing Islam: Racial and Gender Identities
• The Major Abrahamic Religions: Christianity and Islam
• Five Pillars of Islam and Armenian Community
• Christian Theology and World Religions: Christianity and Islam
• The Awakening of Central Asian Islam
• Islamophobia in Europe: Switzerland, Geneva
• Did Christianity or Islam Liberate Women?
• Comparing Islam, Christianity, and Judaism Religions
• Religion and Architecture: Christian Church, Buddhist, Islamic Mosques
• Religious Fundamentalism in Islam and Christianity
• World Religions: Islam vs Christianity
• Islamic Mosque Customs and Architecture
• The Roots of Islamic Terrorism
• The Difference in the Islamic Terms
• Major Religions of the Modern World: Islam
• Democracy in Islamic World
• Islam and Muslims’ Life in Xinjiang Province, China
• Ibn Khaldun’s Understanding of Civilizations and the Dilemmas of Islam and the West Today
• Judaism, Christianity, Islam as World Religions
• Middle Eastern History: The Five Pillars of Islam
• Islam’s Fast Expansion: Strong Leadership or Merits?
• Islamophobia in Community and Health Implications
• Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank’s Online Banking Services
• Anti-Communist and Anti-Islam Rhetoric
• Truman’s Speech on Fear of Communism and Islam
• Fear of Communism and Islam
• “The Crisis of Islam: Holy War and Unholy Terror” by Lewis
• Islamic Culture in American History and Present
• Islam in America: History and Present-Day Status
• Islamic Empire and Ancient Greek Philosophy
• Islam in Zaid Shakir’s and Reza Aslan’s Views
• Islam and the Rise of the Islamic Community in the US
• Al-Qaeda and Islamic State of Iraq and Syria Comparison
• The Rise of Islamic Banking in a Time of Economic Crisis
• Islamic State of Iraq and Syria on US-Mexico Border
• Iran: Islamic Governance in Action
• Islamic Culture and Perception in the USA
• Cultural Misunderstanding in “Islam in America” Film
• Malcolm X and the Nation of Islam
• Extreme Islamic Terrorist Groups in Comparison
• “Islam in America” BBC Documentary
• The First Islamic State Under Prophet Muhammad
• Islamic State and Values of Human Rights
• Muslim Culture in the “Islam in America” Movie
• Islamic State of Iraq and Syria and Its Threats
• Islamophobia: Concept, Development, Outcomes
• Islamophobia and Its Nature Across the World
• Fascism in Nazi Germany and Islamic States
• Islamic Religion and Culture in America
• Hristianity and Islam Differences and Similarities
• Religious Values of Peace and War in Islam and Christianity
• Triangular Relationship Between Islam and Eastern and Western Christendom
• Business and Consumer Protection in Islam
• The Christian Ten Commandments and the Five Pillars of Islam
• Aristotle and Islam: Two Views of Women’s Rights
• Islam: Literature and Music in the Golden Age
• Are Christianity, Islam, and Judaism Male-Chauvinist Institutions?
• Judaism, Christianity, and Islam: The Three Oldest Religions Are Based on Faith and Commitment
• Hate Crimes and Intolerance of Islam in the Indian Subcontinent
• Analysis Daily Worship Ritual, Mohammedanism, and Islam
• The Rise and Expansion of Islam in the Arabian Peninsula
• How Far Did Climates of 7th Century Arabia Contribute to the Emergence of Islam
• What Events and Figures Have Shaped the Development of Islam in the United States?
• Religious Doctrine and Social Ethics in Islam
• The Cultural Economic and Political Impact of Islam on West Africa
• How Muhammad Established Islam as a Major Political and Religious Force in the World
• Demystification the Common Misconceptions About the Role of the Family in Islam Shariah
• Public Sector Resource Mobilization in Islam
• Middle East Culture Islam Israel Democratization
• Understanding Islam: Development, Economics, and Finance
• Christian and Islam Views on Creation
• Are Islam and Democracy Compatible?
• The Reasons Contributing for the Spread of Islam Globally
• Differences Between Christian and Islam Attitudes Towards Merchants and Trade
• Radical Islam and the Problems in the Middle East
• How Radical Islam Has Become the Number One Focus of U.S.?
• The Relationship Between Islam and Democracy in Turkey: Employing Political Culture as an Indicator
• Gender Equality and Justice in Islam Theology Religion
• The Prophet Muhammad, the Founder of Islam
• Culture and Diversity: Understanding Islam
• Black Community and the Nation of Islam’s Lack of Impact
• James Baldwin and Elijah Muhammad on the Nation of Islam
• Analysis Role and Influence of Islam Today
• Christianity and Islam and Their Views on Life After Death
• Early Growth and Development of Islam Religion
• Christian Attitudes and the Attitudes of Islam to Help Infertile Couples Have Children
• Hughes’ Women and Gender in Islam: Historical Roots of a Modern Debate
• Religious Language Development and Its Negative Effects on Islam
• The Origins and Beliefs of Shia and Sunni Islam
• Was Islam the Motivation for Ottoman Empire Expansion?
• The Black Muslim Movement: The Nation of Islam
• Similarities and Differences Between Christianity and Islam
• The Cultural and Religious Differences in the Role of Women in Traditional Islam
• Islam the Role and Function of the Mosque in a Muslim Community
• Tracing Back the History of Islam in Ancient Persia
• Ties Between Marriage and Sex in Islam and Hinduism
• Cultural Variations Between Islam and America
• Does Islam Cause Violence in the Middle East?
• The Economic and Political Impact Islam Had on Europe
• Understanding Islam, the Muslim People, and the Islamic Faith
• Medical Ethics and Islam: Principles and Practice
• The Importance of Quran, the Holy Text of Islam
• The Saharan Long Distance Trade and the Spread of Islam
• The Beginning and History of Islam in the United States
• Daily Rituals and Mohammad’s Importance in Islam
• African Religion and Its Influence on Christianity and Islam
• The United States Foreign Policy Toward Islam
• Differences Between Arab Nationalism and Political Islam
• Islam Cultures and Entrepreneurial and Business Strategy Roles
• Arabian Nights Magic and Islam Critical Thinking Examples
• What Does Indeed Unity Mean in Islam?
• Did Islam Spread Throughout Africa With the Use of Force?
• Islam and the Problem of Economic Justice
• Islam and the Religious Dimension of Conflict in Kenya
• The Role of Myths Rituals and Symbols in Islam
• Biography About Muhammad Islam and the First Arab Empire
• The Relations Between Arabs and Israelites Before the Rise of Islam
• The Gold DināR and Silver Dirham – Islam and the Future of Money
• Different Political Tribes Opinions About Islam in Malaysia
• Which Religion Did More to Help or Hinder Medicine – Islam or Christianity?
• Islam, Globalization, and Economic Performance in the Middle East
• Islam and Its Popularity, Universality and Political Aspects
• Radical Islam: It’s Real Threat to the Whole World
• Family Planning, Islam and Sin: Understandings of Moral Actions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
• Does Islam Need Reformation or Do Islamic Societies Need?
• What Was Arab Life Before Islam?
• What Are Some Observations on the Significance of Heresy in the History of Islam?
• What Is the History of Islam in Indonesia?
• What Does the Idea of Idolatry and the Emergence of Islam Say?
• What Is the Role of Islam in World History?
• How Are Islam and Christianity Alike and Different?
• How Did the Advent and Expansion of Islam Influence Russia and the Byzantine Empire?
• How Does Islam Fundamental Used the Power of Religion Twisted?
• How Far Did Climates of 7th Century Arabia Contribute to the Emergence of Islam?
• How Has the Development of Political Islam Since 1979 Affected the Greater Middle East?
• How Islam Views Same Sex Marriage and Its Effect on Public Opinion?
• How Muhammad Established Islam as a Major Political and Religious Force in the World?
• How the West Perceive Islam and What Mazrui Thinks Is the Reality?
• What Beliefs and Practices Does Islam Share With Judaism and Christianity?
• What Did Medieval Europe Learn From Islam and Byzantium?
• What Factors Allowed the Spread of Islam in Arabia Peninsula?
• What Non-muslims Say About Muhammad, the Prophet of Islam?
• Which Religion Did More To Help or Hinder Medicine: Islam or Christianity?
• Why Has Islam Become So Popular Among Arabs?
• What Religion Was in Saudi Arabia Before Islam?
• What Is the History Behind the Holiest Month in Islam?
• What Are the Golden Rules of Islam?
• What Islam Says About Worker’s Rights?

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These essay examples and topics on Islam were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on January 8, 2024 .

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215 Religion Research Paper Topics for College Students

Studying religion at a college or a university may be a challenging course for any student. This isn’t because religion is always a sensitive issue in society, it is because the study of religion is broad, and crafting religious topics for research papers around them may be further complex for students. This is why sociology of religion research topics and many others are here, all for your use.

As students of a university or a college, it is essential to prepare religious topics for research papers in advance. There are many research paper topics on religion, and this is why the scope of religion remains consistently broad. They extend to the sociology of religion, research paper topics on society, argumentative essay topics, and lots more. All these will be examined in this article. Rather than comb through your books in search of inspiration for your next essay or research paper, you can easily choose a topic for your religious essay or paper from the following recommendations:

World Religion Research Paper Topics

If you want to broaden your scope as a university student to topics across religions of the world, there are religion discussion topics to consider. These topics are not just for discussion in classes, you can craft research around them. Consider:

• The role of myths in shaping the world: Greek myths and their influence on the evolution of European religions
• Modern History: The attitude of modern Europe on the history of their religion
• The connection between religion and science in the medieval and modern world
• The mystery in the books of Dan Brown is nothing but fiction: discuss how mystery shapes religious beliefs
• Theocracy: an examination of theocratic states in contemporary society
• The role of Christianity in the modern world
• The myth surrounding the writing of the Bible
• The concept of religion and patriarchy: examine two religions and how it oppresses women
• People and religion in everyday life: how lifestyle and culture is influenced by religion
• The modern society and the changes in the religious view from the medieval period
• The interdependence of laws and religion is a contemporary thing: what is the role of law in religion and what is the role of religion in law?
• What marked the shift from religion to humanism?
• What do totemism and animalism denote?
• Pre Colonial religion in Africa is savagery and barbaric: discuss
• Cite three religions and express their views on the human soul
• Hinduism influenced Indian culture in ways no religion has: discuss
• Africans are more religious than Europeans who introduced Christian religion to them: discuss
• Account for the evolution of Confucianism and how it shaped Chinese culture to date
• Account for the concept of the history of evolution according to Science and according to a religion and how it influences the ideas of the religious soul
• What is religious education and how can it promote diversity or unity?7
• Workplace and religion: how religion is extended to all facets of life
• The concept of fear in maintaining religious authorities: how authorities in religious places inspire fear for absolute devotion
• Afro-American religion: a study of African religion in America
• The Bible and its role in religions
• Religion is more of emotions than logic
• Choose five religions of the world and study the similarities in their ideas
• The role of religious leaders in combating global terrorism
• Terrorism: the place of religion in promoting violence in the Middle East
• The influence of religion in modern-day politics
• What will the world be like without religion or religious extremists?
• Religion in the growth of communist Russia: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• Religion in the growth of communist China: how cultural revolution is synonymous with religion
• The study of religions and ethnic rivalries in India
• Terrorism in Islam is a comeback to the crusades
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping world diplomacy
• The role of the Thirty Years of War in shaping plurality in Christianity
• The religion and the promotion of economics
• The place of world religions on homosexuality
• Why does a country, the Vatican City, belong to the Catholic Church?
• God and the concept of the supernatural: examine the idea that God is a supernatural being
• The influence of religion in contemporary Japan
• Religion and populism in the modern world
• The difference between mythical creatures and gods
• Polytheism and the possibility of world peace
• Religion and violence in secular societies?
• Warfare and subjugation in the spread of religion
• The policies against migrant in Poland is targeted against Islam
• The role of international organizations in maintaining religious peace
• International terrorist organizations and the decline of order

Research Paper Topics Religion and Society

As a student in a university or MBA student, you may be requested to write an informed paper on sociology and religion. There are many sociology religion research paper topics for these segments although they may be hard to develop. You can choose out of the following topics or rephrase them to suit your research interest:

• The influence of religion on the understanding of morality
• The role of religion in marginalizing the LGBTQ community
• The role of women in religion
• Faith crisis in Christianity and Islamic religions
• The role of colonialism in the spreading of religion: the spread of Christianity and Islam is a mortal sin
• How does religion shape our sexual lifestyle?
• The concept of childhood innocence in religion
• Religion as the object of hope for the poor: how religion is used as a tool for servitude by the elite
• The impact of traditional beliefs in today’s secular societies
• How religion promotes society and how it can destroy it
• The knowledge of religion from the eyes of a sociologist
• Religious pluralism in America: how diverse religions struggle to strive
• Social stratification and its role in shaping religious groups in America
• The concept of organized religion: why the belief in God is not enough to join a religious group
• The family has the biggest influence on religious choices: examine how childhood influences the adult’s religious interests
• Islamophobia in European societies and anti-Semitism in America
• The views of Christianity on interfaith marriage
• The views of Islam on interfaith marriage
• The difference between spirituality and religion
• The role of discipline in maintaining strict religious edicts
• How do people tell others about their religion?
• The features of religion in sociology
• What are the views of Karl Marx on religion?
• What are the views of Frederic Engels on religion?
• Modern Islam: the conflict of pluralism and secularism
• Choose two religions and explore their concepts of divorce
• Governance and religion: how religion is also a tool of control
• The changes in religious ideas with technological evolution
• Theology is the study of God for God, not humans
• The most feared religion: how Islamic extremists became identified as terrorist organizations
• The role of cults in the society: why religious people still have cults affiliations
• The concept of religious inequality in the US
• What does religion say about sexual violence?

Religion Essay Topics

As a college student, you may be required to write an essay on religion or morality. You may need to access a lot of religious essay topics to find inspiration for a topic of your choice. Rather than go through the stress of compiling, you can get more information for better performance from religion topics for research paper like:

• The origin of Jihad in Islam and how it has evolved
• Compare the similarities and differences between Christian and Judaism religions
• The Thirty Years War and the Catholic church
• The Holocaust: historic aggression or a religious war
• Religion is a tool of oppression from the political and economic perspectives
• The concept of patriarchy in religion
• Baptism and synonym to ritual sacrifice
• The life of Jesus Christ and the themes of theology
• The life of Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W.) and the themes of theology
• How can religion be used to promote world peace?
• Analyze how Jesus died and the reason for his death
• Analyze the event of the birth of Christ
• The betrayal of Jesus is merely to fulfill a prophecy
• Does “prophecy” exist anywhere in religion?
• The role of war in promoting religion: how crusades and terrorist attacks shape the modern world
• The concept of Karma: is Karma real?
• Who are the major theorists in religion and what do they say?
• The connection of sociology with religion
• Why must everyone be born again according to Christians?
• What does religious tolerance mean?
• What is the benefit of religion in society?
• What do you understand about free speech and religious tolerance?
• Why did the Church separate from the state?
• The concept of guardian angels in religion
• What do Islam and Christianity say about the end of the world?
• Religion and the purpose of God for man
• The concept of conscience in morality is overrated
• Are there different sects in Christianity?
• What does Islam or Christianity say about suicide?
• What are the reasons for the Protestant Reformation?
• The role of missionaries in propagating Christianity in Africa
• The role of the Catholic church in shaping Christianity
• Do we need an international religious organization to maintain international religious peace?
• Why do people believe in miracles?

Argumentative Essay Topics on Religion

Creating argumentative essay topics on religion may be a daunting exercise regardless of your level. It is more difficult when you don’t know how to start. Your professor could be interested in your critical opinions about international issues bordering on religion, which is why you need to develop sensible topics. You can consider the following research paper topics religion and society for inspiration:

• Religion will dominate humanity: discuss
• All religions of the world dehumanize the woman
• All men are slaves to religion
• Karl Marx was right when he said religion is the return of the repressed, “the sigh of the oppressed creature”: discuss
• Christianity declined in Europe with the Thirty Years War and it separated brothers and sisters of the Christian faith?
• Islamic terrorism is a targeted attack on western culture
• The danger of teen marriage in Islam is more than its benefits
• The church should consider teen marriages for every interested teenager
• Is faith fiction or reality?
• The agape love is restricted to God and God’s love alone
• God: does he exist or is he a fiction dominating the world?
• Prayer works better without medicine: why some churches preach against the use of medicine
• People change religion because they are confused about God: discuss
• The church and the state should be together
• Polygamous marriage is evil and it should be condemned by every religion
• Cloning is abuse against God’s will
• Religious leaders should also be political leaders
• Abortion: a sin against God or control over your body
• Liberty of religious association affects you negatively: discuss
• Religious leaders only care about themselves, not the people
• Everyone should consider agnosticism
• Natural laws are the enemy of religion
• It is good to have more than two faiths in a family
• It is hard for the state to exist without religion
• Religion as a cause of the World War One
• Religion as a tool for capitalists
• Religion doesn’t promote morality, only extremisms
• Marriage: should the people or their religious leaders set the rules?
• Why the modern church should acknowledge the LGBTQ: the fight for true liberalism
• Mere coexistence is not religious tolerance
• The use of candles, incense, etc. in Catholic worship is idolatrous and the same as pagan worship: discuss
• The Christian religion is the same as Islam

Christianity Research Paper Topics on Religion

It doesn’t matter if you’re a Christian or not as you need to develop a range of topics for your essay or project. To create narrow yet all-inclusive research about Christianity in the world today, you can consider research topics online. Rather than rack your head or go through different pages on the internet, consider these:

• Compare and contrast Christian and Islam religions
• Trace the origin of Christianity and the similarity of the beliefs in the contemporary world
• Account for the violent spread of Christianity during the crusades
• Account for the state of Christianity in secular societies
• The analysis of the knowledge of rapture in Christianity
• Choose three contemporary issues and write the response of Christianity on them
• The Catholic church and its role towards the continuance of sexual violence
• The Catholic church and the issues of sexual abuse and scandals
• The history of Christianity in America
• The history of Christianity in Europe
• The impact of Christianity on American slaves
• The belief of Christianity on death, dying, and rapture
• The study of Christianity in the medieval period
• How Christianity influenced the western world
• Christianity: the symbols and their meaning
• Why catholic priests practice celibacy
• Christianity in the Reformation Era
• Discuss the Gnostic Gospels and their distinct historic influence on Christianity
• The catholic church in the Third Reich of Germany
• The difference between the Old Testament and the New Testament
• What the ten commandments say from a theological perspective
• The unpredictable story of Moses
• The revival of Saul to Paul: miracle or what?
• Are there Christian cults in the contemporary world?
• Gender differences in the Christian church: why some churches don’t allow women pastors
• The politics of the Catholic church before the separation of the church and the state
• The controversies around Christian religion and atheism: why many people are leaving the church
• What is the Holy Trinity and what is its role in the church?
• The miracles of the New Testament and its difference from the Old Testament’s
• Why do people question the existence of God?
• God is a spirit: discuss

Islam Research Paper Topics

As a student of the Islamic religion or a Muslim, you may be interested in research on the religion. Numerous Islam research paper topics could be critical in shaping your research paper or essay. These are easy yet profound research paper topics on religion Islam for your essays or papers:

• Islam in the Middle East
• Trace the origin of Islam
• Who are the most important prophets in Islam?
• Discuss the Sunni and other groups of Muslims
• The Five Pillars of Islam are said to be important in Islam, why?
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Month
• Discuss the significance of the Holy Pilgrimage
• The distinctions of the Five Pillars of Islam and the Ten Commandments?
• The controversies around the hijab and the veil
• Western states are denying Muslims: why?
• The role of religious leaders in their advocacy of sexual abuse and violence
• What the Quran says about rape and what does Hadiths say, too?
• Rape: men, not the women roaming the street should be blamed
• What is radicalism in Islam?
• The focus of Islam is to oppress women: discuss
• The political, social, and economic influence of modernity on Islam
• The notable wives of prophet Muhammad and their role in Islam: discuss
• Trace the evolution of Islam in China and the efforts of the government against them
• Religious conflict in Palestine and Israel: how a territorial conflict slowly became a religious war
• The study of social class and the Islamic religion
• Suicide bombers and their belief of honor in death: the beliefs of Islamic jihadists
• Account for the issues of marginalization of women in Muslim marriages
• The role of literature in promoting the fundamentals of Islam: how poetry was used to appeal to a wider audience
• The concept of feminism in Islam and why patriarchy seems to be on a steady rise
• The importance of Hadiths in the comprehension of the Islamic religion
• Does Islam approve of democracy?
• Islamic terrorism and the role of religious leaders
• The relationship of faith in Islam and Christianity: are there differences in the perspectives of faith?
• How the Quran can be used as a tool for religious tolerance and religious intolerance
• The study of Muslims in France: why is there religious isolation and abuse in such a society?
• Islam and western education: what are the issues that have become relevant in recent years?
• Is there a relationship between Islam and Science?
• Western culture: why there are stereotypes against Muslims abroad
• Mythology in Islam: what role does it play in shaping the religion?
• Islam and the belief in the afterlife: are there differences between its beliefs with other religions’?
• Why women are not allowed to take sermons in Islam

Can’t Figure Out Your Religion Paper?

With these religious research paper topics, you’re open to change the words or choose a topic of your choice for your research paper or essay. Writing an essay after finding a topic is relatively easy. Since you have helpful world religion research paper topics, research paper topics on religion and society, religion essay topics, argumentative essay topics on religion, Christianity research paper topics, and Islam research paper topics, you can go online to research different books that discuss the topic of your choice.

However, if you require the assistance of professional academic experts who offer custom academic help, you’ll find them online. There are a few writing help online groups that assist in writing your essays or research paper as fast as possible. You can opt for their service if you’re too busy or unmotivated to write your research paper or essay.

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New Research Project, Dissertations, Thesis Topics in Arabic and Islamic Studies (July 2021)

If you are looking for good research project topics in Arabic and Islamic Studies we have compiled a list of some of the most recent, relevant research topics and complete works. You can browse through below to see if there are any that are suitable for your research work.

Arabic and Islamic Studies is an interdisciplinary field of study that offers a basic grounding in the Arabic language as well as the range of foundational documents, traditions, institutions and history of muslims in various countries and regions throughout the world.

We have curated some extensive project, thesis topics in Arabic and Islamic Studies for research purposes. This can be useful to any undergraduate or graduate student of Arabic and Islamic Studies looking to embark on their academic research work.

1. The Effectiveness of Islamic Education Subjects Among Moslem Students in Ranau, Sabah

2. African Muslim Diaspora: The Genesis of Contemporary Global Islamic Radicalism

3. The Impact Of Da’wah Activities On Muslim Youths; A Case Study Of Suru Local Government Area Of Kebbi State

4. The Contribution Of Hausa Or Fulani Scholars To The Development Of Islam In Ilorin Metropolis

5. The Activity Of Hisbah In Crime Control In Goronyo Local Government

6. Problems Of Fornication, Adultery And Alcoholism Among The Muslim Youth In Arewa Local Government Area Solution From Islamic Perspectives

7. Contributions OF Islamic Universities TO Professional Ethics: A Case Study of International Islamic University, Malaysia And Crescent University Abeokuta

8. Contributions of Islamic Scholars to Sustainable Human and Environmental Development: Islam Hadhari and Future Development of Muslim Countries

9. A Literary Review Of The Medieval Arabic Writings On Kanem – Borno

10. Religious Excerpts In West African Arabic Literature

11. Analysis Of The Literary Works Of Umar Krachie

12. Investigating The Decline Of Arabic Studies In Islamic Senior High Schools In The Kumasi Metropolis

13. Application And Practice Of The Principles Of Da‘Wah In The Age Of Globalisation

14. Effects of Modern Games on Muslim Youths: A Case Study of Gwandu Local Government Area of Kebbi State

15. Analysis of Judgements of Shari’ah Courts in Maiyama Local Government Area of Kebbi State

16. A Study of the Sufi Concept of Dhikr as Practiced by Muslims (A Case Study of Patigi Local Government Area, Kwara State)

17. The Effects of the Arab Conflicts on the Muslim World

You can check for more Project Topics in Arabic and Islamic Studies

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A good deed for the last 10 nights: Raise a voice for truth.

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Master’s and Doctoral Theses in Islamic Studies

Islam and Women's Rights

Written thesis.

Islam and Women’s Rights:

An Analysis of Malaysia and Saudi Arabia

Introduction

The discourse of feminisms serves to root out why women in particular face a great deal of oppression. It is surprising that even when women are given rights, these so-called “rights” are still not on par with the rights of their male counterparts.For this paper, I will be exploring and discussing the rights given to women in the religion of Islam. These rights will be revealed through the close evaluation of religious and scholarly texts. I will compare these religious rights with constitutional rights that are mistaken for religious rights in predominantly Muslim nations. I will analyze Malaysia and Saudi Arabia and hope to differentiate between Islam and the laws and practices present in each nation. I warrant that injustice against women results from oppressive societal practices that have been cultivated through a history of warfare, unjust rulers, lack of education, and patriarchy. Additionally, a divergence from Islamic law in theory and Islamic law in practice in certain nations has mistakenly associated Islam with oppressing women. In fact, women’s rights can be found within Islam. I believe this research will shed some much-needed light onto women’s rights in Islam that are not always addressed.

The body of this paper will be divided into several sections. The first topic will briefly introduce democratic and egalitarian principles present in Islam. The next few topics will explore the rights of women in depth as they are presented in religious texts. The general patriarchal roots of oppression will be analyzed. Islam and how it is portrayed in mainstream, Western discourse will be discussed. This section will be followed by the rights given to women in certain Muslim nations and how these rights compare and contrast with those present in the Holy Qur’an. This will be followed by topics addressing the oppression that Muslim women have faced around the world. The roots of this oppression will be discussed and the comparison between Islam and how societies have marred the teaching in practice will take place. A case study approach will be employed to explore the influences of Islam and local societal practices on the rights of women. Additionally, I will end by stating what women are doing in Malaysia and Saudi Arabia to demand and take back their rights that are awarded to them in Islam. I warrant that feminism and Islam are compatible and that women’s rights are found within Islam.

Islam’s Democratic and Egalitarian Principles

Islamic civilization has been recognized for various advancements in the arts, medicine, mathematics, and science. Rarely is Islam associated with democracy. However, there are many democratic and egalitarian principles present in Islamic texts and showcased throughout history. This hadith[1] or saying of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)[2] shows racial equality present in Islam:

A disagreement occurred between two of the Prophet’s companions, Abu Dharr and Bilal, who was a black man from Abyssinia, during the course of which Abu Dharr said: “You son of a black woman.” The Messenger of God (SAW) was extremely upset with Abu Dharr’s comment, so he rebuked him by saying, “You still have ignorance remaining within you, O Abu Dharr. He who has a white mother has no superiority over the son of a black mother.” (Hadith)[3]

Injustice and discrimination is forbidden in Islam. “My servants, I have made injustice forbidden to myself, and I have made it forbidden to you, so do not be unjust” (Diving saying related by Prophet Muhammad (SAW)). Likewise, orphans also have rights:

Give orphans their property, without exchanging bad for good; and do not consume their property commingled with your own, for that is a serious sin. And if you fear you cannot do justice by the orphans, then marry women who please you—two, three, or four—but if you fear you won’t be equitable, then only one, or a legitimate bondmaid of yours. That way it is easier for you not to go wrong. (Qur’an 4:3)

This is an important ayah[4], especially since it addresses polygamy and how it is not always permissible. When this part of the Holy Qur’an was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW), warfare had killed off much of the male population. Multiple marriages were allowed so that women would have husbands to marry. However, it is clearly stated that a man could only marry multiple women if he was able to treat them all equally.

Islam emphasizes and encourages freedom and liberty, but only if it does not bring harm to oneself and others. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) stated:

The example of a person who observes the imposed laws, restrictions and commands of Allah (the Exalted), and the person who breaks them are examples of two groups of people who were in a ship and decided to divide it amongst them equally. One group got the upper deck as their lot, while the other group got the lower part of the ship. Whenever the people in the lower part of the ship needed to get water they had to pass through the territory of the people on the upper deck (thus imposing on them and bothering them with their passage). The people in the lower part thought to themselves, ‘If we drill a hole in our portion of the ship, we can have access to the water without disturbing the part on the upper deck.’ If the group on the upper deck let the group on the lower part of the ship do what they thought was right (drill a hole in the lower part of the ship to gain access to water), all the people on the ship would be destroyed. However, if they forbid them from doing so, they would all be safe. (Al-Sheha 2000, p. 7-8)

As this hadith illustrates, freedom should not result in disaster or cause harm to anyone.

Equality for Men and Women

Islam stresses the importance of equality for all. This is further emphasized as it relates to gender equality in particular. The Holy Qur’an states that men and women function as individuals within a larger society. “However, there is no detailed prescription set on how to function, culturally. Such a specification would be an imposition that would reduce the Qur’an from a universal text to a culturally specific text—a claim that many have erroneously made” (Wadud[5] 1999, p. 8-9). It is also important to note the significance of the order in which the verses of the Holy Qur’an were revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). The time period over which the Holy Qur’an was revealed can be divided into the Makkan[6] period and the Madinan[7] period. As Wadud states, “If a woman was mentioned in the Makkan period, she was a generic example for all humankind” and “…there are no references made in the Qur’an to specific rights, responsibilities and treatment of women until the Madinan period” (1999, p. 78). She states that most social reforms introduced were for the benefit of the females since the existing society already provided the males with many rights. Thus, the Qur’an provided women with rights that did not presently exist for them in pre-Islamic society.

A hadith or saying of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) states “Be conscious of God and treat your children with equality.” This includes equality for both sons and daughters. Another hadith expands upon this to state “Whosoever has a daughter and does not bury her alive, does not insult her, and does not favor his son over her, God will enter him into paradise.” It was not unheard of for families to bury their daughters alive or kill them throughout history. In this instance, it is clearly stated that daughters are to be treated as equally as sons. If they are, the parents receive the highest award from God, which is entrance to paradise or heaven. Having children, regardless of whether they are male or female, is a blessing. In the Qur’an, it is mentioned, “When one of you is given news of the birth of a female, his face darkens and he grieves within: he hides himself from people out of distress at the news he’s given; shall he keep it, in spite of ignominy, or shall he bury it in the dust? Oh, what an evil decision they make!” (Qur’an 16:58-59)

Islam requires parents to treat sons and daughters with equal respect. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was once asked by a man to give him testimony since he gave his son a gift. Prophet Muhammad (SAW) responded by asking the man,

Did you give all you children the same as you gave this son? The man answered in the negative. Allah’s Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: Let someone else be a witness. I will not bear witness to an unfair and unjust thing. O People! Fear your Lord, Allah, and be just amongst all your children. (Hadith cited in Al-Sheha 2000)

Throughout the Qur’an, God emphasizes that men and women are treated equal under Islam. “And their Lord answered them, “I am never unmindful of the work of a worker among you, male or female. You are from each other.” (Qur’an 3:195) The work of a man is equal to the work of a woman. In fact, they are equal in all regards. What may set apart a man or woman from one another is only their level of faith or commitment to Islam and performing good deeds:

For the men who willingly surrender to the will of God, and the women who willingly surrender to the will of God; the men who believe and the women who believe, the men who are devout and the women who are devout, the men who are truthful and the women who are truthful, the men who are constant and the women who are constant, the men who are humble and the women who are humble, the men who give charity and the women who give charity, the men who fast and the women who fast, the men who are chaste and the women who are chaste, and the men and women who remember God abundantly, God has arranged forgiveness for them, and a magnificent reward. (Qur’an 22:35)

Furthermore, modesty is oftentimes associated with women. The Qur’an, however, clearly states that both men and women should regard modesty and chastity as a part of faith. “Tell the believing men to lower their eyes and guard their chastity. That is more pure for them; for God is fully aware of whatever they do.” (Qur’an 24:30) The Islamic legal system, the Shari’a, required the equality of men and women before any other legal system. “Islam declared women’s freedom and emancipation, and granted women all human rights during a time when women occupied the lowest status in all societies” (Gandolfo 2011, p. 180). Additionally the Holy Qur’an protects the reputation and rights of chaste women as illustrated by the verse, “And those who accuse chaste women, and produce not four witnesses, flog them with eighty lashes, and reject their testimony forever. Indeed, they are those who are liars, rebellious and disobedient to Allah” (Qur’an 24:4).

According to Gustave Le Bond, a prominent French thinker, “Islamic virtuous deeds are not limited to honoring and respecting women, but rather, we can add that Islam is the first religion to honor and respect. We can easily prove this by illustrating that all religions and nations, prior to the advent of Islam, caused much harm and insult to women” (Al-Sheha 2000). Sir Hamilton, a well-known English thinker and philosopher also states, “The rules, regulations and verdicts concerning women in Islam are clear, frank and open. Islam capitalizes on the complete care that should be given to the protection of woman against anything that may harm her personally, or cause ill-fame, reputation or character” (Al-Sheha 2000). It is clear that women are awarded many rights under the protection of Islam.

Oftentimes, the oppression faced by women in predominantly Islamic countries is mistaken to be the result of religious law. It is however, the result of oppressive societal practices that have been cultivated through a history of warfare, unjust rulers, lack of education, and patriarchy. The Hadith and the Qur’an clearly state the rights given to women and how men and women are to be treated equal. Furthermore, much respect is given to women. “The believers who show the most perfect faith are those who have the best behavior, and the best of you are those who are the best to their wives.” (Hadith) Another Hadith states, “A believer must not harbor any rancor against a believing women; if he dislikes one of her characteristics he will be pleased with another.” (Hadith) People in certain societies have been known to treat the birth of a daughter as a negative. The Qur’an, however, states how big of a mistake these people make.

Women’s Rights and Roles in Society

Although many Muslim women have faced oppression and injustice throughout history, many have actually harnessed their rights and have served great roles in society. Muslim women at the time the Holy Qur’an was revealed gained many rights under Islam. Islam challenged the patriarchal practices that were present in the various tribes at the time. “Accordingly, during the medieval period, when women in Europe were denied many basic human rights which Muslim women had enjoyed since the seventh century, Islam was denigrated for being gender egalitarian. Previously in the West, women did not have property, inheritance and many other basic rights” (Hasan 2012).

As Wilson[8] mentions in her novel about her personal experiences in Egypt, she felt a restriction in movement and an emphasis on the private life that she was not comfortable with. She then looked into Islamic text to see what the religion had to say about gender roles and rights and came to the conclusion that:

Muslim women were in some respects freer in the seventh century than they are today. The Prophet’s (SAW) first wife, Khadijah, one of the most beloved women in Islamic history, ran her own successful business. Muhammad (SAW) spent much of his early life working as her employee; they were married after she proposed to him. Her death plunged the Prophet into mourning so intense that is known even today as the Year of Sorrow. The Virgin Mary, known to Muslims as Maryam, is mentioned more times in the Quran than she is in the Bible, and raises her miraculous son entirely on her own; Joseph is not present in the Islamic version of her story. Asia, the wife of the Pharaoh is revered by Muslims for having disobeyed her husband to defend Moses. A powerful entrepreneur, a single mother and a rebellious wife: all three women are revered as the embodiment of perfect faith (Wilson 2010, p. 80).

Rights for both men and women were emphasized in early Islamic life. It was required for the dowry to be paid to the woman as opposed to her family. There are clear regulations for women receiving inheritance and also being able to own property. (Oxford Islamic Studies Online) Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was known to have consulted women. Additionally, according to Oxford Islamic Studies Online,

Women contributed significantly to the canonization of the  Quran . A woman is known to have corrected the authoritative ruling of Caliph Umar on dowry. Women prayed in mosques unsegregated from men, were involved in hadith transmission, gave sanctuary to men, engaged in commercial transactions, were encouraged to seek knowledge, and were both instructors and pupils in the early Islamic period. Muhammad’s last wife, Aishah, was a well-known authority in medicine, history, and rhetoric.

Examples of women in early Islamic history show that they exercised great power, more so than the other civilizations during that time. Islam granted these women rights that were further enforced by Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s conduct and actions with the women around him.

Many women throughout Islamic history have held positions with political power. The Holy Qur’an does not restrict women from being in positions of power or authority. (Wadud 1999, p. 89) Additionally, the Qur’an does not require women to be solely responsible of household work. “In families where both husband and wife are providing for the material maintenance of the family, it is an unfair burden for the woman to be solely charged with all housework” (1999, p. 90). The Qur’an states that, “Whoever does good, whether male or female and is a believer, all such will enter paradise” (Qur’an 4:124).

Some of the women that have held positions of political power throughout Islamic history include Khayzuran, who governed the Muslim Empire under three Abbasid caliphs in the eighth century, Malika Asma bint Shihab al-Sulayhiyya and Malika Arwa bint Ahmad al-Sulayhiyya , who both held power in Yemen in the eleventh century, Sitt al-Mulk , a Fatimid queen of Egypt in the eleventh century, and four seventeenth-century Indonesian queens. More recent women in power in Muslim nations include Benazir Bhutto, who was the prime minister of Pakistan from 1988 – 90 and from 1993 – 96, Tansu Ciller, who was prime minister of Turkey from 1993 – 96, and Shaykh Hasina, the current prime minister of Bangladesh. (Oxford Islamic Studies Online)

The media, oftentimes, associates Muslim women wearing a veil or burqa[9] or hijab[10] as oppression. In fact, this modesty actually is an act of liberation that shows the respect women have for themselves and the respect they expect from others. Additionally, in many Muslim countries the societal norm is to cover oneself and dress and act modestly. As a result, many non-Muslim women also dress modestly and may even wear a veil or burqa. Lila Abu-Lughod mentions how “Liberals sometimes confess their surprise that even though Afghanistan has been liberated from the Taliban, women do not seem to be throwing off their burqas” (2002, p. 785). She further emphasizes how clothing is a part of society. “…People wear the appropriate form of dress for their social communities and are guided by socially shared standards, religious beliefs, and moral ideals, unless they deliberately transgress to make a point or are unable to afford proper cover” (2002, p. 785).

Patriarchal Roots of Women’s Oppression

Muslim women at the time the Holy Qur’an was revealed gained many rights under Islam. Islam challenged the patriarchal practices that were present in the various tribes at the time. It can thus be argued that for Muslim women at least, the oppression some may face does not come from Islam or Islamic teachings. The analysis of other avenues of oppression becomes necessary. Has a history of patriarchy and capitalism led to the ongoing oppression towards women across ethnicities, nations, religions, etc? Or has it been an oppressive education system that has demeaned women over time? All of these factors have in fact played a role in strengthening the oppression towards women.

Audre Lorde (1984) states that the erotic is the life force of women that lies in a deeply female and spiritual plane. Society oppresses the erotic within women, thereby not allowing their full strength to arise. This oppression arises from both capitalism and patriarchy. Maria Mies in “What is Feminism” warrants that capitalism cannot function without patriarchy and that “patriarchy thus constitutes the most invisible underground of the viable capitalist system” (p. 38). She further warrants that if patriarchy had a certain beginning in history, it can surely have an end as well. Mies believes that to come to this end the feminism movement needs to be dynamic. In the past, feminists did not understand the intersecting of race, class, gender, and sexuality in addressing oppressions. She states that only autonomy, “usually understood as freedom from coercion regarding our bodies and our lives,” can maintain the dynamism of the feminist movement.

Simone de Beauvoir maintains how women have always been regarded as the other in a world that belongs to men. She states, “To decline to be the Other, to refuse to be a party to the deal—this would be for women to renounce all the advantages conferred upon them by their alliance with the superior caste.” This is a similar point to that which Federici (2004) maintains in that some women were regarded as witches simply because they challenged the present model of femininity. Since they became a threat to those patriarchal forces, they were shunned as witches.

Capitalism and patriarchy are just two of the main interconnected discourses that have caused and maintained the oppression felt by women. I warrant that this oppression has overpowered the religious rights given to women in certain Islamic areas, thereby leading to the oppressions they face.

Islam in the Media

Islam has been misrepresented in the Western, secular media following the events of September 11, 2001. Prior to this Islam was not mentioned in the media to this extent or in such a negative light. (MediaSmarts) The United States “War on Terrorism” created an air of Islamophobia, a fear or hatred of Islam. (MediaSmarts) This increase in Islamophobia led to a rise of harmful media attention towards Islam. The two main stereotypes portrayed are of a violent religion and of oppressed women.

In a study published by the American Sociological Review , sociologist Christopher Bail states that most conversations about Islam in the United States media have been dominated by organizations with anti-Islam agendas. He states,

I found that organizations with negative messages about Muslims captivated the mass media after the Sept. 11 attacks, even though the vast majority of civil society organizations depict Muslims as peaceful, contributing members of American society … As a result, public condemnations of terrorism by Muslims have received little media attention, but organizations spreading negative messages continue to stoke public fears that Muslims are secretly plotting to overthrow the U.S. government … They are now so much a part of the mainstream that they have been able to recast genuinely mainstream Muslim organizations as radicals (Friedlander, 2012).

The August 2011 Center for American Progress study, Fear Inc., The Roots of the Islamophobia Network in America also found similar results showing that the media has been dominated by organizations that portray anti-Islam messages. Their study revealed, “Seven different organizations spent $42 million on efforts that fanned ‘the flames of anti-Muslim hate in America’ over the last ten years” (Aleaziz 2012). This great wealth of money propagated their anti-Islam messages across the media:

Over the past few years, the Islamophobia network (the funders, scholars, grassroots activists, media amplifiers, and political validators) have worked hard to push narratives that Obama might be a Muslim, that mosques are incubators of radicalization, and that “radical Islam” has infiltrated all aspects of American society — including the conservative movement (Aleaziz 2012).

Furthermore, the first major stereotype against Islam represents the inseparability of violence in the Muslim experience. (MediaSmarts) Examples of this violent nature are represented in popular TV shows as well as blockbuster movies. For example, on ABC’s Lost , Jarrah, the only Muslim central character on the show is frequently shown employing torture as a means of extracting information from prisoners. His actions are portrayed as violent throughout the show’s six seasons and his struggles between choosing the violent path are portrayed. (MediaSmarts)

The other major stereotype is the one that is quite relevant to this thesis paper. Muslim women are portrayed as weak and passive subordinates under male control who are unable to reconcile their rights within their religion. According to MediaSmarts, Canada’s Center for Digital and Media Literacy, the most common words used to describe Muslim women by journalists and politicians are ‘segregated’, ‘beaten’, ‘insults’, ‘veil’, ‘freedom’, ‘religion’, ‘hatred’, ‘human rights’ and ‘extremism.’ Muslim women, like the violent Muslim men, are also represented with these stereotypes in TV shows and movies. For example, “in crime dramas such as  CSI  or  Criminal Minds , Muslim women are almost always represented as victims of male domestic violence; women’s appearances in police films or television shows are often cut short by a male who asserts that he is in charge” (MediaSmarts).

Additionally, Western politicians further propagate Muslim stereotypes. According to Desiree Bryan, a writer for e-International Studies , the world’s leading website for students of international politics, attitudes regarding Islam’s oppression toward women are revealed in the statements of politicians such as French President Nicolas Sarkozy and former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush. French President Nicolas Sarkozy states that the veils worn by Muslim women oppress them, while former U.S. First Lady Laura Bush “calls to free Muslim women from the confines of Islam” (Bryan 2012). Their comments suggest the assumption that the treatment and status of women in Muslim societies is a direct result of Islam. Factors such as patriarchy, capitalism, education, politics, and the many facets of how culture can be defined are not addressed or regarded. Still this did not stop Kansas’s lawmakers to place a ban on Islamic Shari’ah law in May 2012. (Friedlander 2012)

Portrayals of Islam as violent and oppressive to women by the media may have led to the numerous occurrences of hate crime that have occurred in the United States alone. Some of these crimes include arson attacks against mosques in Ohio and Missouri, vandalism of mosques in Virginia and Rhode Island, and even a bomb threat against a Washington state mosque. (Friedlander 2012) Hate crimes are usually a result of misinformation, prejudice, tension, and fear. This misinformation is oftentimes represented in the media.

The media is also portraying Islam in a more positive light, which hopefully alludes to an increase in knowledge about Islam and less ignorance. Little Mosque on the Prairie has tried to dispel many common Muslim stereotypes in its portrayal of a Muslim community in Saskatchewan, Canada. Additionally, there is a Muslim X-men character named Dust, who is portrayed as a strong Muslim woman able to practice Islam and fight crime alongside the rest of the X-Men. (MediaSmarts) These more positive portrayals of Muslims show that the media can be used to spread both hate and love for a community.

According to Dr. Laura Sitaru, who researched within Georgetown University’s Alwaleed Bin Talal Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, “institutional ignorance” or mis-education of the Western societies is responsible for spreading stereotypes of Islam. Additionally, she believes there was a transition after 9/11 as to the type of Islamic scholar. “If the classic specialist in Islamic field was generally literate or historian, and an Arabic speaker, after 9/11 the expert in Islam is focusing exclusively on contemporary matters with 2 immediate political consequences, and he is a political scientist, sociologist, demographer or philosopher, without any academic credentials in Islamic field” (Sitaru). This rise of the new type of Islamic expert led to an emphasis of new fields within Islamic area studies, in particular the field of security. Dr. Sitaru believes that this emphasis on security as it pertains to Islam has led to the damage of Islamic literature, history and arts. Thus, she warrants it is crucial “to deconstruct the European and Western construct of Islam.”

Islamic Jurisprudence

Islamic jurisprudence is influenced primarily from the Qur’an and Hadith. Islamic law is believed to be of divine origin. Islamic law is called Shari’ah[11] and is the framework that all Muslims follow for guidance in aspects of life and death. Islamic jurisprudence, however, comes from three major sources. The first source is called the nass [12] and it is derived from the ahkam [13] and the Sunnah[14]. The ahkam includes ayahs or verses from the Holy Qur’an that dictate specific commands, and the Sunnah arises from hadiths of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW). Both the Qur’an and the Sunnah form all of the principles under Islamic law. The second and third sources exist under Islamic jurisprudence because they are in relation to matters not discussed in the Qur’an or Sunnah since these modern day issues did not exist at the time. The second source of Islamic jurisprudence includes ijtihad and ijma . Ijtihad means the exercise of conscience and reason and ijma means the consensus among jurists of specific legal questions that are not addressed in the Qur’an or Sunnah. The third source of Islamic jurisprudence is qiyas , which is a process of deductive analogy using established principles. Qiyas is the “process of analogical reasoning aimed at extending a given ruling from a known to a new injunction, provided that the precedent and the new problem both share the same effective cause (the  hikmah ) – the specific set of circumstances that triggered a certain law into action” (Maqsood 2008).

Many of the issues found in Islamic jurisprudence that give rise to leaders justifying injustices towards women have to do with the faults of human understanding. Islamic Shari’ah law is believed to be divine and thus there is believed to be no fault in those laws. Fiqh is an Arabic word that means human understanding as it relates to jurisprudence. Since fiqh is human understanding, it is not infallible. Furthermore, some of this human understanding occurred during a time when patriarchy was more pronounced. In some areas, although the times have changed, some of this understanding still has not. There is a clear difference between Shari’ah and fiqh . “For lay Muslims, it is all too easy to conflate the two, particularly when political and social actors work to obscure such distinctions. When such conflation occurs, the implications are far reaching because it extends sacred authority to human agents” (Moustafa 2013, p. 170).

Islamic law as stated in the Holy Qur’an is uniform, however Islamic legal tradition overall is not. Islam allows for aspects of fiqh and human understanding. “Some of the most promising initiatives for expanding women’s rights in the Muslim world today lie with the efforts of activists who explain that the Islamic legal tradition is not a uniform legal code, but a diverse body of jurisprudence that affords multiple guidelines for human relations, some of which are better suited to particular times and places than others” (Moustafa 2013, p. 168). Nations that have made the human understanding and reasoning aspects also uniform are the nations where women are fighting for their rights that are granted to them in Islam.

Malaysia and Islamic Law

The constitution of Malaysia includes both secular and Islamic laws. The secular laws are for all Malaysian constituents, regardless of religion. The Islamic laws are only for Muslims. The vast majority of the Malaysian legal system is based on English Common law principles. However, both Islamic law and adat constitute significant sources of law within the Malaysian legal system. Adat refers custom Malaysian laws. Islamic law is regulated under syariah courts. Although Islam is declared the religion of Malaysia, individual states within Malaysia have the option of instituting Islamic Law under syariah courts. There are three levels of syariah  courts, the Syariah  Subordinate Courts, the Syariah High Court and the Syariah  Appeal Court. (Emory University School of Law)

In Islam, religious authority is not considered absolute and a fatwa [15] is considered non-binding. “However, with the introduction of British laws and the creation of nation-states, Islamic laws have become codified, including in Malaysia. This is contrary to the Islamic legal tradition which was always a continuously evolving body of laws” (Hussain 2013). Thus, under Malaysian law a fatwa has become binding, whereas it is not supposed to be under Islamic law. Many organizations and people within Malaysia, especially women’s rights advocates are fighting the aspects of Malaysian law that they believe strays from Islam and actually takes away their rights. One such organization is Sisters in Islam, “examine different views with the Islamic legal tradition on family law for example and try to demonstrate that the Malaysian state selects interpretations of Islamic law that are inimical to women’s rights” (Hussain 2013).

Women’s Rights and Advocacy in Malaysia

The era of globalization has allowed many Muslim women in patriarchal societies to be introduced to the rights given to women in other parts of the world. Furthermore, with the advents of modernization, more women are being educated. This includes both secular and religious education. Muslim women that grew up in patriarchal societies do not know to question the subpar role given to women. They do not understand how Islam could possibly give them fewer rights than men. In fact, Islam treats both men and women equally. There is a great deal of respect given to women as mentioned earlier. As these women acquire education, they are realizing that they deserve more rights. This is the case in Malaysia. Almost seventy percent of the students enrolled in public institutions of higher learning in Malaysia are girls and nearly fifty percent of the labor force includes women. (Anwar 2005, p. 233) This shows the change Malaysia has experienced recently and stresses even more the need for Malaysian law to change in order to address the rights of women.

Most Muslim women are realizing that they do not need to go far at all to find their rights. “When injustice is committed in the name of religion, today’s women will go directly to the religion’s source to find out for themselves whether it could indeed be so unjust to half its followers” (Anwar 2005, p. 233). The right Islam is found within the Qur’an and the Hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW), and not in the patriarchal interpretations and practices present in certain Muslim nations. Many Muslim nations are currently facing economic, political, and social instability. This includes unjust leaders, patriarchal societies, and educational disparities. Sisters in Islam is an organization in Malaysia that is trying to acquire rights for women and challenge the injustice and oppression that Muslim women are facing. They believe that women’s rights are found in Islam. The organization was started in 1988 with only a few women and gained NGO (nongovernmental organization) status in 1993. It has since expanded and grown to include men. Sisters in Islam works within the framework of Islam and Malaysian law to advocate for women’s rights. “The knowledge that the Qur’an supports the universal values of equality, justice, and dignity for women is so empowering and liberating to us that it gives us the courage and conviction to stand up and argue with those who support discrimination against women in the name of religion” (2005, p. 236). Since Sisters in Islam works within the framework of Islam to demand women’s rights, they “not only do not face accusations of harming Islam but they have been able to win some important legal victories,” such as a law against domestic abuse. (Hussain 2013) Sisters in Islam have shown that Muslim women do not need to choose between their religion and gender equality. Rather, they are and can be compatible within Islamic text. (Segran, 2013)

Sisters in Islam began due to the injustice and oppression they witnessed as women. As a group of professional women and activists, they worked to help other women facing injustice in their lives. They went back to the Qur’an to find where this injustice and oppression came from and realized these paradigms were not supported by the religious text at all. “We were more convinced than ever that it is not Islam that oppresses women, but interpretations of the Qur’an influenced by the cultural practices and values of a patriarchal society that regards women as inferior and subordinate to men” (2005, p. 238). The patriarchal society focuses more on power and politics than actually following the religion of Islam. Zainah Anwar, the executive director of Sisters in Islam believes that the role of women must be acknowledged and included in the process of dialogue, policymaking, and lawmaking. This will allow women to exercise their rights as given to them in the Qur’an.

Saudi Arabian Legal Jurisprudence

Saudi Arabia is a monarchy that abides by Islamic principles. The King, who is at the top of the legal system, heads the government. Saudi Arabia’s judicial system is based on Islamic Shari’ah law. (Information Office of the Royal Embassy of Saudi Arabia in Washington, DC) Their government runs on the 1992 Basic Law of Governance and Islamic Shari’ah law derived from the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah. The law includes that the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah are the Saudi Arabian constitution. (U.S. Department of State’s Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor 2010) It is important to note, however, that the primary form of Islam practiced in Saudi Arabia is Wahhabism. (Bryan 2012) This Saudi form of Wahhabism resulted from a historical alliance between the first King of Saudi Arabia, Ibn Saud. “In the opening decade of the nineteenth century, the Wahhabis and the House of Saud formed an alliance, commencing a state-building project that was completed a century later. Wahhab agreed to glorify the Saudi tribal raids on neighboring oases by treating them as jihads, in return for King Muhammad bin Saud’s promise to elevate Wahhabism to a state ideology” (Bryan 2012). Thus, although Saudi Arabia purports to be a fundamentally Islamic state, it is clear that there are differences between the cultural, the political, and the religious.

Women’s Rights and Advocacy in Saudi Arabia

The era of globalization has allowed many Muslim women in patriarchal societies to be introduced to the rights given to women in other parts of the world. Furthermore, with the advents of modernization, more women are being educated. This includes both secular and religious education. Muslim women that grew up in patriarchal societies do not know to question the subpar role given to women. They do not understand how Islam could possibly give them fewer rights than men. In fact, Islam treats both men and women equally. There is a great deal of respect given to women as mentioned earlier. As these women acquire education, they are realizing that they deserve more rights. This is the case in Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia registered their first female trainee advocate, which is a necessary position for an individual to become a lawyer. (Al Arabiya News, 2013) The Saudi Ministry of Justice confirmed, “It will give any female lawyer, who meets the prerequisites, a chance to become a lawyer in training within two days of her request.” (Al Arabiya News, 2013) These strides were made possible due to the efforts of women law graduates that launched a campaign in 2011, demanding that they be allowed to plead in court.

Saudi Arabia has restricted the rights of women throughout their history. With the advent of technology, these restrictions are also becoming ‘modernized.’ In 2010, the Saudi Arabian Interior Ministry began sending out texts to male guardians when their wives or sisters or daughters left the country. (Morris 2012) Each woman has a male guardian, whether it is her father, husband, or brother. Saudi Arabia has always required written permission from the male guardian whenever a woman wanted to leave the country, regardless of whether she was leaving with the male guardian or not. This text-messaging service is a relatively new advent however. The program began in 2010, but only those males that requested to the notifications, received them. (Morris 2012) In 2012, however, the service became unsolicited and even those male guardians who had not signed up for the service, began receiving notifications. Manal al-Sharif, an icon of Saudi women empowerment, was one of the first women to start tweeting about the GPS-service. Since male guardians also receive notifications when their children leave the country (regardless of gender), she believes women are seen as minors by the Saudi government. (Jamjoom 2012) Eman al-Nafjan, a Saudi blogger, poses the question that seems to be the most important in this situation, “Why is [the guardianship system] being technologically implemented and being updated…Why is it not being phased out? That’s the real question” (Morris 2012).

Saudi women are demanding their rights in various sectors of society. Two prominent advocates and bloggers, Aziza al-Yousef and Eman al-Nafjan, were recently detained for driving. (Jamjoom, 2013) They were both released once their husbands signed a statement stating they would not let their wives drive again. Al-Nafjan is a prominent Saudi blogger and was at the forefront of the popular October 26 Women’s Driving Campaign. Many women in Saudi Arabia are using social media sites such as twitter and YouTube to demand their rights. Many women have uploaded videos of them driving on YouTube. It is interesting to note that there is no law that bars women from driving in Saudi Arabia. Rather, religious edicts are incorrectly interpreted to enforce the restriction. (Jamjoom, 2013) One Saudi cleric even went far enough to state that driving would cause harm to women’s ovaries, which has no basis in religion or science. (Jamjoom, 2013) Another Saudi cleric ‘justified’ the driving ban by stating, “Men are slaves for women today,” and “It will add more tasks on a woman’s shoulder. She will have to go to the souk on her own, she will have to get the food, she will have to drive the kids to and from school. We want to lessen these burdens on the women” (Maktabi and Elwazer, 2012).

Advocacy for women’s rights has permeated the domestic sphere as well. Earlier this year, Saudi Arabia released their first domestic violence campaign. This is the first time domestic violence has been addressed in the public sphere. Saudi Arabia has now made sexual violence in the home and workplace a punishable crime. (Malik, 2013) Additionally, Saudi women athletes participated in the Olympics last year for the first time. (Shabi 2013) Furthermore, the film Wadjda , the first to be directed by a woman in Saudi Arabia, addresses the oppression and issues faced by women in both the domestic and public spheres. It calls attention to Saudi Arabia’s denial of women’s rights and also allows for the portrayal of Muslim feminism. (Shabi 2013) Some people are under the impression that Muslim feminism is an oxymoron, without realizing that Islam is very much compatible with women’s rights since Islam provides these rights anyways. A Muslim blogger and author states, “Ultimately, I do not see Islam as the problem; I see it as the platform for change” (Shabi 2013). This is what many Muslim feminists are realizing. Although much still needs to happen for women in Saudi Arabia to gain back their rights, important strides have been made in recent years.

After an in-depth exploration of how women’s rights are influenced by Islam and by the societal practices of certain nations, I warrant that the oppression that women face arises from oppressive societal practices that have been cultivated through a history of warfare, unjust rulers, lack of education, and patriarchal society. The influences of each differ across nations depending on factors such as political history and societal customs. Saudi Arabia was compared with Malaysia, as a nation where the laws and societal practices are different but the religion observed is the same. This paper serves to differentiate between Islam and the laws and practices in both of these nations, as well as show what women are doing in these nations to demand and take back their rights that are awarded to them in Islam. Many scholars state that religion cannot be separated from cultural and societal practices. The rights awarded to women in particular in the Holy Qur’an and the Sunnah show that feminism and Islam are compatible and that there are clear differences between culture and religion. The Qur’an has been able to adapt to both the society it was first revealed to as well as modern society today. The Qur’an never states that the goal of the text is to duplicate the original Islamic community. Rather, the Qur’an serves “to emulate certain key principles of human development: justice, equity, harmony, moral responsibility, spiritual awareness, and development” (Wadud 1999, p. 95).

Islam cannot be blamed for any oppression, but rather the societal practices that have been mistaken as coming from the religion. There are severe limits in inquiry and knowledge when women in Muslim societies are judged by Western ideals of democracy and freedom. Rather, it may be more accurate to judge their rights by what Islam grants them in order to differentiate between the many facets of culture, politics, patriarchy, capitalism and social institutions that are at play and actually restrict the rights awarded to women within Islam. There are crucial differences between religion and culture[16] as illustrated in the analysis of Malaysia and Saudi Arabia.

Bibliography

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[1] Recorded saying or tradition of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

[2] Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam (Peace be upon him); said as a sign of respect by believers

[3] All Hadith used are translated and explained in: Sultan, S., & Ali, Y. (2007).  The Qur’an and sayings of Prophet Muhammad, selections annotated & explained . Woodstock, Vt.: SkyLight Paths Publishing.

[4] A verse in the Holy Qur’an; Arabic for signs

[5] Amina Wadud’s research into her book, “Qur’an and Women: Rereading the Sacred Text from a Woman’s Perspective,” was to establish a criteria for evaluating the extent to which the position of women in Muslim cultures accurately portrays the intention of Islam for women in society at large. She chose to designate the Holy Qur’an as the ultimate authority during her research.

[6] The Makkan phase of the revelation lasted about 13 years, from the first revelation up to the Hijrah (the journey of Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Makkah to Medinah, which marks the beginning of the Islamic calendar) in 622.

[7] The Madinan phase lasted about 10 years, from the Hijrah to the death of the Prophet Muhammad (SAW).

[8] G. Willow Wilson discusses her story from being atheist to embracing Islam. In her novel, “The Butterfly Mosque,” she details her journey to Egypt and to Islam. She mentions how her assumptions changed once she learned more about Islam. Wilson also shares with the reader about her struggles of forming a “third culture,” that was able to reconcile her secular Western upbringing and her current Muslim Eastern experiences.

[9] A loose robe worn by Muslim women that covers the body from head to toe

[10] Head covering worn by Muslim women

[11] Islamic law; means the “way”

[12] Arabic word meaning explicit textual rulings of Islam; a known and clear legal injunction

[13] Arabic word plural for hukm , which means command or ruling under Shari’ah law.

[14] Prophet Muhammad (SAW)’s teachings and practices as recorded by the hadiths

[15] Refers to a legal opinion or ruling made by an Islamic scholar or leader.

[16] Culture here is defined as including the multiple facets of a society including language, customs, food, clothing, educational and other social systems, capitalism and other economic models, and patriarchy as they manifest within a particular nation or society.

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Graduate Theses and Dissertations - Arabic & Islamic Studies

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Arabic Criticism of Colloquial Poetry 

The Companion's Fingerprint: Attributions to ʿAbd Allāh b. ʿAmr and Ibn ʿAbbās 

Tunisian Arabic as a Written Language: Vernacularization and Identity 

The Jurisprudence of Reality (Fiqh Al-Wāqiʿ) in Contemporary Islamic Thought: A Comparative Study of the Discourse of Yūsuf Al-Qaraḍāwī (D. 2022), Nāṣir Al-ʿumar (B.1952), And Abdullah Bin Bayyah (B.1935) 

Seventeenth-Century Poetic Aesthetics: Ibn Maʿṣūm Al-Madanī’s Sulāfat Al-ʿaṣr on Contemporary Poets 

90 Islamophobia Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

🏆 best islamophobia topic ideas & essay examples, 🎓 good research topics about islamophobia, ⭐ simple & easy islamophobia essay titles, ❓ questions about islamophobia.

• Essay on Islamophobia and Its Effects There has been an increase of the perceived trend of Islamophobia in the 2000s, that been linked to the 9/11 attacks in the USA, while on the other hand some relate it to the rapidly […]
• Islamophobia – Major Causes and Effects Islamophobia refers to prejudice, fear, or hatred against Muslims. It originated during the 1900s but its modern use began in the late 1980s and early 1990s. We will write a custom essay specifically for you by our professional experts 808 writers online Learn More
• Islamophobia and Its Impacts on British Muslims After 7/7 Another objective is to understand what Islamophobia comprises and how it functions in the societal context and theoretical propositions about approaches to preclude and eradicate Islamophobia.
• Islamophobia in Germany: Related-to-Immigrants Issues The success of the Alternative for Germany party, whose demands include streamlining the influx of foreigners into the country and adopting the Canadian model of immigration, only confirms the results of the survey.
• Islamophobia: Bias to Muslims and War After the 9-11 Incident In view of the 9/11 incident it became a scope of the authorities and the media to defend the position of government in the context of security as it was formulated that a constant threat […]
• Muslim Response to Islamophobia and Negative Stereotypes Associated With the Religion The case study along with other sources examined the attempt to provide a perspective, both academic and personal on the reality of the Islamic faith, how it is an inherently peaceful religion, and the internal […]
• Islamophobia: Racialization and the Case of Poland Muslims have become a race in the eye of the Western public, despite not technically being one, and that racialization has led to the emergence of unfair treatment.
• Islamophobia Effects on the Arab Nation Soldiers with Islamophobic beliefs are the most dangerous, as they hold the power of life and death, and in a war zone, it is often impossible to track and punish numerous crimes committed against Arab […]
• Has Islamophobia Affected the Arab Nation? However, to understand the nature of the phenomenon and locate the ways of eradicating it, one has to consider the identified events.
• Islamophobia Is on the Rise in Germany “Islamophobia” is one of the varieties of xenophobia, which is expressed in fear of Islam as a phenomenon incomprehensible and alien, as well as everything that is connected, including Muslims.
• Factors Most Lead To Islamophobia
• Islamophobia and Misconceptions About Muslims in the United States
• Islamophobia and the Muslim Faith Leaders: Role in Countering Stigma and Bias
• Islamophobia: Ignorance and Bigotry at the Social Level
• Fighting Islamophobia: Debunking the Most Widespread Muslim Stereotypes
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• The Strategic Logic of Islamophobic Populism
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• Islamophobia and Public Health in the United States
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• The Growth of Islamophobia in the United States of America After the 9/11 Attack
• Islamophobia in the West: Comparative Analysis of the USA and Europe
• A Comparative Analysis of European Islamophobia: France, UK, Germany, Netherlands, and Sweden
• Islamophobia and the Muslim Faith
• Antisemitism and Islamophobia: What Does a Bibliometric Study Reveal?
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• How Do Different Religious, Ethnic, and Minoritized Youth Experience Islamophobia?
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• Do Stereotypes and Fears Targeted at Muslims Cause Islamophobia?
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• Are There Growing Instances of Islamophobia in Hindi Cinema?
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Dissertations and Theses

• ProQuest Dissertations & Theses Global This link opens in a new window ProQuest database providing the electronic equivalent of Dissertation Abstracts International. Beginning with the first U.S. dissertation in 1861, represents the work of authors from North American and European universities on a full range of academic subjects. Indexes and provides access to Georgetown-authored theses and dissertations. more... less... Includes abstracts for doctoral dissertations beginning July 1980 and for Master's theses beginning Spring 1988. Citations for dissertations published from 1980 forward include 350-word abstracts. Citations for Master's theses from 1988 forward include 150-word abstracts. Most dissertations published since 1997, and some from prior years, are available for free download; others may be requested via Interlibrary Loan.
• Dissertations & Theses (Georgetown-authored) This link opens in a new window Recent online theses and dissertations from selected Georgetown programs and departments. For access to Georgetown theses and dissertations authored prior to 2006, see the Georgetown catalog or refer to ProQuest's Dissertations & Theses database. Print copies of disserations may be requested using the Library's Library Use Only Materials Request. .
• Australasian Digital Theses Program This link opens in a new window Indexes theses produced at Australian and New Zealand universities. Includes access to 150,000 theses, with over 5,000 available full-text online. Provides links to home institutions for access to non-digitized theses.
• EThoS: Electronic Theses Online This link opens in a new window The British Library's database of digitized theses from UK higher education institutions. Free registration and login is required.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations This link opens in a new window Presents a searchable and browsable collection of electronic theses and dissertations. Includes masters- and doctoral-level theses and dissertations from about 70 institutions, U.S. and international. Particularly useful as masters' level theses are not often available in other collections
• Theses Canada Portal This link opens in a new window Index of Canadian masters theses and doctoral dissertations from 1965-present. Full text available from 1998 through August 31, 2002; those after 2002 may be available in Dissertations and Theses
• Theses.fr This link opens in a new window Provides access to more than 5000 theses on all subjects submitted in French to universities around the world, since 2006. Most are digitized and available in full text.
• Dissertation Reviews Dissertation Reviews features friendly, non-critical overviews of recently defended and unpublished dissertations, as well as articles on archives and libraries around the world
• Open Access Theses & Dissertations The number of electronic theses and dissertations (ETDs) openly available via institutional repositories has grown dramatically in recent years, increasing the need for a centralized service to search for this unique material. Open Access Theses and Dissertations (OATD), launched in early 2013, is on the path to fulfill that need. Not as large as the commercial subscription service ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Database, OATD distinguishes itself by providing access to more than 1.6 million open-access theses and dissertations freely available from over 800 institutions worldwide. The simplified interface allows searching across all fields or, in advanced search, by specific field (Title, Author Name, Abstract, University/Publisher, or Subject/Keywords). In addition, users may limit searches to a specific language or date range. Search results may be sorted by relevance, author, university, or date. more... less... Depending on the search, results may be further limited by date, university, department, degree, level (e.g., doctoral vs. master's), or language. The number of hits for entries under each limit is conveniently displayed in the left column. Links to the full text residing on the home institution's site are provided for each record. In many instances, several pages of the thesis or dissertation are available for viewing. Though other sites cover similar material, e.g., PQDT Open http://pqdtopen.proquest.com and Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, OATD focuses exclusively on open-access ETDs, and serves as an excellent resource for students and researchers. Its usefulness will continue to increase as more ETDs are made freely available

Dissertation Reviews

• Reviews of Dissertations on Islamic Studies Recent dissertation authors can request that their dissertations be reviewed.
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* Zotero Group Library on “how to write a dissertation” and other topics of interest to graduate students: *Grab your research with a single click. *A personal research assistant. *Store anything.

• Writing and Presenting Your Dissertation or Thesis : detailed outline of proposal, writing and thesis presentation.
• How to Organise Your Thesis : a succinct coverage of the postgraduate thesis process.
• How to Write a PhD Thesis : practical advice on the problems of getting started, getting organized and dividing the task into less formidable pieces.
• Writing Your Dissertation? - Academic Dissertation Help
• The modern researcher / Barzun, Jacques, 1907-2012. New York, Harcourt, Brace [1957]
• The craft of research / Booth, Wayne C., autho. Chicago : The University of Chicago Press, 2016.
• Doing qualitative research   / Silverman, David, 1943- authorLondon ; Thousand Oaks, California ; New Delhi ; Singapore : SAGE Publications Ltd, [2013]

Middle East & Islam Theses

• Dissertation Abstracts Recent Dissertations related to the Middle East, the Arab World and Islam.
• Islamic Studies Theses via EthOS (UK) Full-Text Doctoral Dissertations on Middle East and Islamic Studies Available Free. Free download of theses after registering (free). "Almost all UK universities make their theses available through the Service."  [ Digital islam: Theses on EThOS Selected doctoral theses (860) in Islamic Studies from UK Higher Education Institutes.]

Supreme Council of Universities (Egypt). Egyptian Universities’ Libraries Consortium . Theses & "Draft Theses"

Masters and PhD of Egyptian researchers

Theses under study in Egyptian universities

Osmanlı Edebiyatı Bibliyografyası Veritabanı - The Online Bibliography of Ottoman-Turkish Literature , a free and extensive database of references to theses, books, articles, papers and projects relating to research into Ottoman-Turkish culture. Please visit the Turkish version of this site if your first language is Turkish. 

Bibliography of Doctoral Dissertations in English on Arabic-Western Literary Relations, 1902-1997

THESES & DISSERTATIONS MIDDLE EAST STUDIES (University of Utah Marriott Library) Circulating copies of the theses and dissertations listed below are available in the University of Utah Marriott Library. Non-circulating copies of all Middle East Studies theses and dissertations, dating back to 1972, are available for review at the Middle East Center.

Morocco - Toubk@l In French. "catalogue national des thèses et mémoires" Database of citations. Includes abstracts but not full text of the theses. Theses are from Moroccan universities and universities outside Morocco.Produced by the Institut Marocain de l'lnformation Scientifique et Technique (IMIST)." http://toubkal.imist.ma/

Al Manhal "Al manhal database (online theses) aims at promoting the consultation and downloading of theses, dissertations defended by members of the juries from different countries. Thanks to the services offered by the different cyber-theses and thesaurus of many universities, we put at the disposal of the researchers a huge number of considerable documents without geographically being limited to the Arab World and Turkey." [The Faculty of Human and Social Sciences of Tunis. University of Tunis; The Cairo faculty of Letters; Cairo University. King Saoud University(KSA); King Abdu Aziz University (KSA)].

Laura Bier Dissertations in Middle East Studies from 2000-2007

Dissertations on al-Ghazali

General Guides to Dissertations & Theses

• ProQuest Dissertations and Theses With more than 2 million entries, PQD&T is the single, central, authoritative resource for information about doctoral dissertations and master's theses. Dissertations published from 1980 forward include 350-word abstracts written by the author. Master's theses published from 1988 forward include 150-word abstracts. UMI offers over 1.8 million titles for purchase in microfilm or paper formats. More than 600,000 are available in native or image PDF formats for immediate free download. Coverage begin in 1861 to the present.
• Foreign Doctoral Dissertations --Center for Research Libraries NO LONGER UPDATED. The collection includes doctoral dissertations submitted to institutions outside the U.S. and Canada. The range of years includes mid-19th century through the present, with the greatest concentration in the late 19th, early 20th c.
• Find Open Access Dissertations and Theses

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• EThOS - Electronic Theses Online Service
• DART-Europe E-theses Portal
• List of sources of the scientific search engine BASE
• List of Institutional Repositories
• UNESCO Clearinghouse of Electronic Theses and Dissertations "A database of institutions (universities, libraries, computing centers, publishing houses, etc. with ETD [ electronic theses and dissertations ] projects ), experts in the field of ETD, and technical and educational materials availabe on the Web to support and disseminate ETD." http://www.eduserver.de/unesco/
• UNESCO Guide for Electronic Theses and Dissertations For institutions interested in producing e-theses. "a resource for graduate students who are writing theses or dissertations, for graduate faculty who want to mentor ETD authors, for graduate deans who want to initiate ETD programs, and for IT administrators at universities." http://etdguide.org/
• Center for Research Libraries. Foreign Doctoral Dissertations Database CRL, in Chicago, has more than 750,000 foreign doctoral dissertations (from the U.K., France, Sweden, Germany, Netherlands, South Africa, etc. ). Members may borrow dissertations. Description of program Use the Keyword (or Author, Institution, Title, etc.) search. http://www-apps.crl.edu/catalog/dissertationSearch.asp
• Database of African Theses and Dissertations "The DATAD database contains citations and abstracts for theses and dissertations completed in African universities. The launching database includes works from all subject areas in ten leading universities and include abstracts written by the authors." Register to see selected brief citations. Full access requires a subscription. Participating universities are from Cameroun, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Kenya, Mozambique, Senegal, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe. On the web site of the Association of African Universities based in Accra, Ghana. http://www.aau.org/?q=datad
• Memoire Online . In French. Full text of Memoires completed at African and French universities. Some examples follow. Based in Paris, France. http://www.memoireonline.com/
• Fichier Central des Thèses Database of doctoral theses in progress in French universities and higher educational establishments. "More than 80 institutions are partners of the Fichier central des theses which records approximately 9000 annually subjects of doctoral theses. The database is continually being updated. The Fichier central des thèses is of vital importance to postgraduate students both in choosing their research topic and in discovering work being done on related topics." Disciplines covered: Humanities and Arts, Languages and Cultural Studies, Anthropology, History, Geography, Linguistics, Psychology, Cognitive Science, Education, Sociology, Theology and Religious Studies, Law, Political Studies, Politics and International Relations, Business and Economics." Maintained by Université Paris X Nanterre, France. http://fct.u-paris10.fr/
• Dissertation Reviews Founded in 2010, Dissertation Reviews is a site that features overviews of recently defended, unpublished doctoral dissertations in a wide variety of disciplines across the Humanities and Social Sciences. Offers readers a glimpse of each discipline’s immediate present by focusing on the window of time between dissertation defense and first book publication. Each review provides a summary of the author’s main arguments, the historiographic genealogy in which the author operates, and the main source bases for his or her research. The reviews are also anticipatory, making educated assessments of how the research will advance or challenge our understanding of major issues in the field when it is revised and published in the future. Dissertation Reviews also features reviews of and guides to archives, libraries, databases, and other collections where such dissertation research was conducted, to help scholars improve their ability to undertake current and future research.
• Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations (NDLTD) International organization dedicated to promoting the adoption, creation, use, dissemination, and preservation of electronic theses and dissertations. The website provides topics: how to find, create, and preserve ETDs; how to set up an ETD program; legal and technical questions; and the latest news and research in the ETD community.
• Google Scholar  Provides a simple way to broadly search for scholarly literature. From one place, you can search across many disciplines and sources: articles, theses, books, abstracts and court opinions, from academic publishers, professional societies, online repositories, universities and other web sites.
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14 Topics All Islamic Schools Should Address During High School | Dr Shadee Elmasry

If you or someone you know is involved in an Islamic school, please read this and pass it on. This is critical to our growth as a community.

The people in Islamic schools have been honored with the charge of teaching the deen to the next generation. Teachers have them for 180 days a year. If they have a deen or Islamic Studies class twice a week, that is 72 periods a year. If we multiply this by four years of high school, that’s nearly 275 hours of tuition.

By 7th grade, students should have completed Shamail, seerah, aqidah, and fiqh —basically the fundamentals of the religion. All of high school should then be spent wrestling hard with the shubuhaat (doubts and thorny issues) that will be thrown at them in college.

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Here is a list of things that I believe can be covered by junior year, leaving all of senior year for it to marinate in their minds through a comprehensive review and a senior paper. Here’s the list (in no particular order). Please feel free to add to it in the comment section:

1 Myth or truth: The historicity of the sources. How the Quran and Hadith were compiled and preserved

2 The theology and cosmology of gender

3 Evolution: what are our beliefs regarding the creation of the first man. Animals? The concept of “Be and it is.”

4 Secular ethics: who has the authority to decide what’s right and what’s wrong? Can religion be boxed into only the home and the masjid

5 Universalism: are religions subjective?   Do all paths lead to God? Or is one of them true?

6 Women in Islamic history. There is an eight volume work on female scholars of hadith. There were many more rulers and queens among and influential contributors in other fields.

7 Sexuality between fiqh, theology, and interaction . How do I interact with my gay colleague? Can I go to his wedding? How do my deal with my sister if she comes out as a lesbian ?

8 Riba: what is is and how does it relate to loans and modern finance contracts

9 Marriage: the right ways and the wrong ways of going about it. Marriage related issues in the Muslim Student Associations.

10 Citizenry, Loyalty & Identity: Between faith and nationalism. How to balance our deen and it’s world-wide Ummah and our citizenry in a non-Muslim majority country, particularly one at war with Muslim countries

11 The Deluge of Temptations: the spiritual, psychological, physical, familial, social, and financial side-effects of pornography and drugs.

12 Philosophy: the “Problem of Evil,” “Can God create a rock He can’t lift?” And other failed coups. A high school senior in a Muslim school should be able to write an essay on these topics with their eyes blindfolded.

13 Liberal Reform in Islam: Is the Sunnah a source of legislation? What is usul al-fiqh? A high school junior in an Islamic school should be able to give a talk on the sources and methodology of Islamic legislation as well as the fundamental differences between the madhhabs.

14 Spirituality – students must learn to detect the signs of a dimming faith and spiritual atrophy,  as well as know the simple methods of haunting and reversing the downward spiral.

I would venture to say that thousands of American Muslims and  millions world-wide lose their iman in college. Islamic schooling is truly effective if it’s seniors graduate armed with deep and nuanced understandings of the challenges to come. We need to be a creative minority. Our seniors should enter into college with an agenda of their own (outlined in their senior thesis). We need to be the subjects of history not the objects. Instead of being the naive targets of someone else’s agenda, we need to have our own thought and our own agenda.

Be the predator, not the prey.

The Crisis of Knowledge

Four Statements Black American Muslim Converts Make That Undermine Their Financial Security

Dr Shadee Elmasry was born and raised in New Jersey and studied in the Muslim world in Fez, Hadramawt, Cairo, Makka, and Madina. He completed a Masters from The George Washington University in comparative religion, then a PhD from the University of London, SOAS on “Da’wa in the Works of Imam al-Haddad.”

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22 Comments

Osman Umarji

January 17, 2018 at 3:21 AM

JazakumAllahu khair for raising these important issues to be discussed in Islamic schools.

While I agree that children should learn all the topics mentioned, we need to address who among the Islamic school staff is capable of discussing these topics. These are topics that academics and scholars struggle to explain, in addition to the lack of consensus on many of these matters.

Before these matters can be taught to adolescent Muslim youth, both rich content needs to be available for educators and a pedagogy for how to teach these issues. This requires a fair level of collaboration among teachers and subject matter experts.

Nabeel Hasan

January 17, 2018 at 4:04 PM

Muslim children in addition to everything Dr ElMasry has mentioned, need to be taught Islamic history as well. They need to know how the Khilafa was abolished in Turkey, they need to understand the colonial history and how much of every single Islamic country was under the grip of the European powers and how that caused an erosion of much of our literature, history, culture, language and overall identity of being Muslim and the concept of Ummah. However, with the minimizing of the globe through globalization, I think we have a unique opportunity to really get our children to link with the Ummah. Only then will we rid ourselves of the secular aspects of nation states and the blind faith we place on this aspect.

Fatima Ahmad

January 19, 2018 at 7:55 PM

-Logic/Mantiq- the basis for critical thinking, is NOT taught in public schools, or Islamic schools

–VERY important: the study and PRACTICE of Islamic Arts, the indifference to beauty is indifference to Allah, as one Islamic Arts professor put it very eloquently in his article, The Silent Theology of Islamic Arts. (a must read for us all).

-I agree with the above comment of Islamic History, Ottoman/ Moghul Empires.

May Allah help us in realizing these high aspirations!

February 12, 2018 at 3:58 PM

Completely agree.

January 17, 2018 at 2:47 PM

Thank you for this list; it’s helpful, and unfortunately not brought up nearly enough. I would add the importance of encouraging the three physical components of education that comes to us by way of hadith: teach your children swimming, horseback riding, and archery. There is benefit in other sports, but these have particular spiritual benefits that we can be assured are prophetic.

Another glaring problem in our curriculums is the lack of very good history books. I’d say Destiny Disrupted might be a good book for high schoolers, but the most important thing is understanding the roots and development of Western culture as well as the causes of decline of Muslim civilizations. It’s of critical importance that Muslims know at what point in history they stand, so that they may learn what it is they must do, bi’dnillah.

And Allah knows best.

January 18, 2018 at 10:35 AM

What about purification of the heart?

January 18, 2018 at 1:26 PM

I appreciate this effort of making the issues available for teaching contemporary Islam in schools for students who are in a panic state. More importantly, caliber muslim intellectual borad dealing worldwide islamic issues should be set up to tackle the burning problems in muslim world. Backwardness of muslims is the cost of lack in group efforts. And we muslims have ideas but these ideas grow and exhibit without utilisation. Unity is what ummah atfirst place represents for.

Usman Quraishi

January 18, 2018 at 3:39 PM

i think this is expecting too much from high school children. they should focus more on secular studies to get into good college and enhance their critical thinking skills. Nowadays, high school students have short attention span and are pretty immature

January 19, 2018 at 1:51 AM

And covering these topics from a young age might exactly be the solution to the problem you are stating.

Raadiya Shardow

January 29, 2018 at 11:52 PM

Not only is that statement offensive, it is false. You have no idea the capabilities and intellect of high school students when they actually put effort into it. Look at other programs across the country, AP and IB classes all have this amount of rigor or more. Why can’t the same bar be applied to a crucial subject like Islamic Studies? When we start dumbing down our future, we have already lost.

January 18, 2018 at 7:20 PM

Although these topics are truly important and relevant, I must assert the importance of instilling the basics of faith and understanding of the deen both intellectually and emotionally in children in much younger stages. Although we focus a lot on the youth, part of the problem is that children are growing up only knowing Islam as a list of requirements, words recited in Arabic, and a list of prohibitions. Someone who grows up armed with only the above, yet emotionally vested in non-Muslim cultural norms may not find it worthwhile to sort through the more complex “youth” topics.

Irfan Farooqui

January 20, 2018 at 11:59 PM

Masha-ALLAH the topics are very comprehensive. However along with them please provide the resources also.

January 23, 2018 at 10:06 AM

You have pulled out some points, which are really need in our education institutions, even, not only for Islamic school but also in Islamic state school. Unfortunately it is happening alter, i.e. our Islamic schools have been following basic schools curriculum as to be modern. My brother!! you made some valid points, these are very essential to guide our advance mature child. These should be the very first tuition to get through our child as a decent human being in this growing secular & nasty society. Hope for the best in future,,,may Allah help us to imply these all….

January 23, 2018 at 1:30 PM

They say that education is wasted on the young.

January 23, 2018 at 5:41 PM

Several points come to mind after reading this excellent post and the comments which follow it: 1. Many of the older Muslims in the U.S. were not born or brought up here, but our Muslim youth were born here and are being brought up in the United States. If we, as serious and caring Muslim adults, leaders, guides, and educators, truly want to prepare our youth to take pride in an identity which is often misunderstood, and which has been – especially recently – the subject of attack and concentrated misinformation, then we owe it to them to give them the wherewithal to do so. This very much includes the tackling of the post’s topics… and more. 2. This should not be considered a “fluffy, liberal” extra tacked on to traditional Islamic educations. It is absolutely critical that these issues be addressed head on, in an atmosphere which is non-judgmental and non-threatening. I have been in Islamic education for many years and have witnessed first-hand the disillusionment, sense of betrayal – and bewilderment our Muslim youth face at college and beyond after leaving the protected confines of their Islamic school and/or community. 3. It is NOT serving our Muslim youth, our Muslim Ummah, or even the future of Islam in the United States, to ignore these thorny issues. Bottom line: If they are not getting their answers from knowledgeable, conscientious, understanding adults, they most certainly WILL ask others! And they often don’t like the answers that they get. The Internet is a Pandora’s box of information, and misinformation. Shameful but true: American, anti-Muslim prejudice and discrimination is widespread. When we send our youth into such situations unarmed, uninformed, and/or under-informed, they SUFFER – a LOT!

Habib of LWR

January 23, 2018 at 7:40 PM

having worked a number of years with troubled youth and being a father of three I can assure you that the muslim youth that are insulated from reality due to over protective parents (this not exclusively an issue with muslim parents) who feel they are preparing children for adulthood are preparing them to venture out into the world (college for instance) ill-equipped and thoroughly enabled setting them up for the harsh reality that their peers are going to challenge them to think and question their belief system. College is not only a time to continue academic studies to earn a degree in a subject that will hopefully translate into paycheck, college is a time when the student is trying out being an adult and socializing with their peers. A time when they are full of idealism and really think they are able to change the world. if they are unprepared to meet the inevitable struggle that awaits them they will indeed be prey and the predator will be able to smell their vulnerability as soon as they walk in the room.

Rifat Islam

January 28, 2018 at 7:17 PM

I know another commenter has mentioned Mantiq/Logic but a science that’s both praised in the ancient and modern worlds is rhetoric and debate. Islamic high schools throughout the country have generally been absent from the state and national debate tournaments. Debating domestic and foreign policy trains them to think critically, argue fluently and persuasively, etc. So I highly encourage any Islamic high schools to register motivated students to their local debate tournaments.

April 24, 2019 at 7:02 PM

Mantiq is critical.

Maureen Newton

February 2, 2018 at 11:29 AM

Usman Quraishi has it in one. Education in Britain should be non religious. In Britain think British all are here to improve the country as a whole not be biased to a religious backwater.

November 16, 2018 at 7:47 AM

Thank you for your suggestions which I found very relevant and pertinent. The problem is now finding the right people and correct information to teach these topics. Could you recommend any books, online lectures, websites; which provide authentic knowledge on the topics you have listed. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Thank you again. Warmest salams Uzma Jung

April 23, 2019 at 12:39 PM

I would appreciate if a lesson about “Sticking to the Jama’ah” would be added. Our youth tend to distance themselves from the Jama’ah and the Imam to the point to declare that there is no need to follow any person or any authority or institutional religion. Some of them later become disoriented and religious in their own way. This way often leads to all kinds of deviations and extremism. The Prophet sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam has informed us in the hadith of Hudhayfah radiallahu ‘anhu in which he said: “The people used to ask the Messenger of Allah sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam about the good, and I used to ask him about the evil out of fear that it would reach me.” So I asked the Messenger of Allah: “O Messenger of Allah, we were living in ignorance and evil, then Allah brought this good to us. So will there be any evil after this good?” He replied: “Yes.” I then asked: “Will there be any good after this evil?” He replied: “Yes, but it will be tainted.” So I asked: “What will be its taint?” He replied: “A people who guide others to other than my way, you will approve of some of their actions and disapprove of others.” I further enquired: “Then is there any evil after this good?” He said: “Yes! Callers at the gates of Hell – whoever responds to their call, they will be thrown into the fire.” I then said: “O Messenger of Allah! Describe them to us.” He said: “They will be from our people and speak our language.” I asked: “So what do you order me to do if that reaches me?” He said: “Stick to the Jama’ah (the united body) of the Muslims and their Imam (ruler).” I further asked: “What if they have neither Jama’ah or an Imam?” He said: “Then keep away from all those sects, even if you have to bite upon the roots of a tree, until death reaches you whilst you are in that state.” Related by al-Bukhari (no.7084) and Muslim (no.1847)

Farheen Khan

April 23, 2019 at 5:21 PM

I hate to disagree, but as someone with extensive experience in curriculum design as well as a mother of 2 high schoolers (a junior and a senior), this article shows a shocking lack of understanding in respect to educational psychology, child development, and general curriculum design. Most disheartening is the lack of understanding for the needs of high schoolers, especially seniors. At this point in their studies, the topics they study should be focused on action not theories. Especially as seniors on the cusp of entering the “real world”, they should be DOING not philosophizing. Of the 14 points mentioned in the article, only a few address the social issues that are inevitably faced by college students. The rest – philosophical. The emphasis needs to be shifted, drastically. Topics should be relevant, meaningful, and actionable from a student’s perspective. Additionally, students need to revisit topics periodically throughout their formative years. The idea presented that students should have completed their study of seerah, aqidah, fiqh, etc. by 7th grade might sound great in theory but not in reality. The changes that take place in a student morally, cognitively, physically, emotionally, etc. from 7th grade to 12th grade are astounding. There are also issues for implementing this schoolwide, which I will not get into on a FB post at the moment :) The solution: a spiral design curriculum, the reevaluation of student goals, and a more action-oriented pedagogical approach to achieving those objectives.

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