Various difficult questions and topics linger on the subject of Islam and often times it is not easy to find resources capable of addressing these topics fairly. Muslims and non-Muslims both have biases towards Islam, especially when it comes to women’s rights, sharia law and liberalism. Below is a short list of supplemental resources, in a different style than our past and future resource guides, to help you address topics that are outside the scope of a basic lesson, but may be on the mind of many students.
Islam and Authority
- Duke University: What Is Sharia Law?
- Bayyinah Institute: Sharia Law vs. Penal Code, Youtube Video
- Brookings Institution: What is the Future of Political Islam, Youtube Video
- Washington Post: Five Myths About Sharia, Article
- The Atlantic: How America Changed Its Approach to Political Islam, Article
- ING: A Closer Look at Sharia in the United States
Islam, Liberalism and Democracy
- Al Jazeera: Islam and Democracy: What’s the Problem?, Youtube Video
- NPR: Is Islam Compatible with Democracy?, Audio
- The Atlantic: Want to Cultivate a Liberal European Islam? Look to Bosnia, Article
- NBC News: Affirming Mosques Help Gay Muslims Reconcile Faith, Sexuality, Article
- RAND: Secular Muslims: A Forgotten Dimension in the War of Ideas, Scholarly Article
Islamic Philosophy
- Sufi Soul: The Mystic Music of Islam, directed by Simon Broughton, Documentary
- Press TV: Islamic Awakening: Influence of Islamic Philosophy on the Western World, Youtube Video
Islamic Finance
- The Guardian: Islamic Finance – The Lowdown on Sharia-compliant Money, Article
- Money Geek: Navigating Finance While Practicing Islam,Article
Islam and Women
- TedX: How Islam Made Me A Feminist, Youtube Video
- The Plurality Project, Harvard University: Women in Islam, Article
- Boston College: Muslim Women and Islamic Law: Myths and Realities, Youtube Video