LO: Suggest reasons why some believers see generosity and charity as more important than buildings and art
Learning about Islamic Relief / Muslim Aid – two of the biggest Muslim charities in the UK
• Teachers will find it helpful to spend ten minutes preparation looking at Muslim charities in the UK online. Start here: www.muslimcharitiesforum.org.uk/
Also look at and discuss Tearfund and their website
• Ask pupils to think about why Muslims might try to make the world better by trying to lessen or stop poverty and injustice. After they have made their suggestions, show them the following two quotations:
‘Whoever saved a life, it would be as if he saved all humanity’ Qur’an 5.32
‘It is our duty to help others - that is why helping the poor and destitute is emphasised again and again in the Qur'an. The rewards for being charitable are enormous: charity purifies our wealth and Allah, Most High, has promised us a great reward for being charitable towards our fellow human beings’ (Muslim Aid website)
• Ask students what it means to ‘be charitable’. What sorts of things can people give? Why should they? Why should we? Next, explore with pupils what the Qur’an teaches e.g.
'Be steadfast in prayer and regular in charity. And whatever good you send out before you, you shall find it with Allah: for Allah sees all that you do.' (Qur'an 2:110)
'So establish regular prayer and give regular charity; and obey the Apostle; that you may receive mercy.' (Qur'an 24:56)
'For those who give in charity, men and women, and loan to Allah a beautiful loan, it shall be increased manifold (to their credit) and they shall have (besides) a liberal reward.' (Qur'an 57:18)
• How would life change if… Look at some sayings and teachings of Islam about the Ummah (the worldwide community of Muslims), Zakat (the pillar of charitable giving) and wealth and poverty, and consider what difference they would make to life today if everyone followed them. This will include the practices of Zakat in some detail: £1 out of every £40 is given charitably to those less fortunate. The aim is to enable pupils to make a link between actions and beliefs.
• Money can’t buy… Ask children to suggest some things people believe about the way we should live (encourage them to be realistic – what do they think really matters most today in people’s lives?) Make a list of these suggestions. What matters more than money to them? And to Muslim people?
• Finding out about two of the biggest UK Muslim charities. In pairs, they use the websites of Islamic Relief and Muslim Aid to research answers to the 8 questions below. Give them about 30 minutes online, and ask them to make a document by cutting and pasting words and images that are relevant to their questions. When they have done this, they can print off one copy, and pair up with a team who have looked at the other charity to share their findings. What makes the two charities similar? What do they admire about the work of the charities?
• 8 Questions to answer about a Muslim charity
A. List some of the ways the charity helps people in need
B. Who supports this charity?
C. Why do you think they give their money?
D. What does the charity do to make a difference for people who are very poor? Does it work?
E. Where in the world does the charity give help? Make a list.
F. Does the charity follow the teachings of Islam? In what ways?
G. What do you think is good about the charity? Make a list.
If you were devising an internet campaign from Islamic Relief to get more donations to respond to a particular disaster, what web pages, emails, and other resources would you use? How would you make the fundraising successful?
Unfortunately not the ones with chocolate chips.
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