Palestine
Misconceptions
Islamic Inventions
Traditions
Fast Fact
100
What does from the River to the Sea, Palestine will be free really mean?
The phrase means restoring the Palestinian borders to the original borders. It does not ask for the removal of Jewish or Israeli settlers. It is not antisemitic.
100
What is the purpose of hijab?
Hijab means "to cover". Both men and women have a hijab. It includes how one acts as well as how they dress.
100
What eye condition did Muslim surgeons develop an advanced procedure to treat in the 10th century? (hint: the condition involves clouding of the lens.)
What is cataracts. Muslims invented to use a hollow syringe to remove the cataracts by suction.
100
What is the holy month of fasting in Islam?
What is Ramadan.
100
What is the holiest city in Islam?
What is Mecca. --> talk about why important.
200
When was the state of Palestine established? When was the state of Israel established?
Palestine has been inhabited by Arabs for centuries. After the breakup of the Ottoman Empire after WWI in 1918, Palestine was established as a free state from the Jordan River to the Med. Sea. After WWII, Jewish settlers from Europe migrated to the land with escalations leading to the current state.
200
How does terrorism like the 9/11 attacks relate to Islam? And what is the role of violence in Islam?
IT DOESN'T!! Islam is a peaceful religion founded on principles of self discipline. The same way the KKK does not represent Christianity, terrorism does not represent Islam. The term terrorism is a term selectively weaponized by the Western media to build specific Western sentiments about Muslims and justify invasion of Middle Eastern countries.
200
What caffeinated beverage was invented by Muslims? (hint: medical students drink it a lot test week)
What is coffee. It was founded in Yemen around the 9th century to provide Muslim worshipers with energy to continue worship. The invention was later brought to Cairo by students and quickly spread through the Muslim empire. It reached Turkey by the 13th century. It did not reach Europe until the 16th century when a Venetian trader brought it to Italy.
200
What are the two Islamic holidays?
What is Eid. --> talk about what makes them significant.
200
What is the Islamic place of worship called?
What is a mosque (masjid). Talk about types of things done in masjid.
300
What medical surgical dressing was invented in Gaza.
What is gauze?
300
Why are there so many rules in Islam about things like what to wear, what to eat, when to pray, etc?
Islam is a way of life built on principles of self discipline. We believe Islam is perfect for the structure and guidelines it gives us.
300
What painful middle school subject did Muslims invent?
What is algebra. Muslims were leaders in the scientific world. We contributed to math, astronomy, anatomy, etc. The word algebra comes from the title of a Persian mathematician's famous 9th century treatise "Kitab al-Jabr Wa l-Mugabala" which translates roughly as "The Book of Reasoning and Balancing." The same mathematician, Al-Khwarizmi, was also the first to introduce the concept of raising a number to a power.
300
What is the name of the diet Muslims follow? What kinds of foods do they abstain from?
What is halal. What is pork, alcohol, meat killed inhumanely, etc.
300
How many times a day do Muslims pray?
What is five times a day. Talk about how we pray, what times, wudu, etc.
400
Why is the Israeli occupation of Palestine considered an apartheid system?
Palestinians do not have the right to certain roads, they have colored license plates to indicate which roads are theirs. Palestinians do not have acces to certain facilities, do not have access to the holy Al Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock. The situation is similar to segregation in the US.
400
What does Allahu Akbar mean?
It means "Allah is the greatest". Muslims say it many times a day, during prayer, and as a means of praising God.
400
What teeth cleaning tool did Muslims invent. (hint: you (hopefully) use it twice a day.)
What is the toothbrush. Talk about miswak and its use in modern toothpaste. It was invented by Prophet Mohammed PBUH in Mecca around 600.
400
What makes halal meat different?
What is that the animals are raised humanely, the animals are killed in a less painful way, the name of God is recited before killing the animal.
400
What Islamic practice is the surgical scrubbing in procedure based off of?
What is wudu.
500
What does the keffiya represent?
It is a traditional Arab headdress worn by nomads. It is a symbol of the Palestinian people and their fight for freedom and equality in their land. There is a long history of wearing the keffiyeh to cover the face.
500
Can marriage be forced in Islam?
NO! Marriage in Islam actually requires the party to consent three times for the marriage to be valid. Additionally, divorce is not considered a sin in Islam.
500
What health care providing center did Muslims develop? (hint: UMC is a ____)
What is hospitals. While hospitals did exist before, hospitals with wards and as teaching centers were developed in 9th century Egypt. The first was Ahmad ibn Tulun Hospital founded in 872 in Cairo. It developed from the Islamic tradition of caring for the sick.
500
What are the five pillars of Islam?
What is Shadah, Prayer, Fasting, Zakat, and Hajj.
500
What is the holy day of the week for Muslims?
What is Friday?