Behind My Doors
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- Generosity
- Patience
Values
Why Should My Child Read This Book?
This book takes us into the world of the oldest university on Earth—Al Qarawiyyin in Fez, Morocco. Founded more than 1100 years ago by a young Muslim woman named Fatima al-Fihri, this institution symbolizes the beauty of our Islamic heritage and highlights a time when scholarship was central to society and learning was deeply revered. With captivating illustrations, this story connects young children to our history, building a reverence for books, knowledge and institutions of learning. It also highlights the important restoration and preservation work done by Aziza Chaouni, a modern day architect whose great-grandfather was a student at Al Qarawiyyin.
For a deeper look into the importance of teaching children the critical distinction between information vs. knowledge, read our blog post.
How Can I Use This Book?
- What are libraries and why are they an important part of our communities?
- Find Morocco on a map. Which continent is it in?
- What is history? Why study history?
- What was the first word Allah ﷻ revealed to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ through Angel Gabriel, peace be upon him? Iqra! What does it mean? Read! Why do you think this was the first command?
- Throughout the Muslim world, mosques were central to the planning and development of towns. Did you know that many mosques had an elementary school for boys and girls? Muslims would also keep libraries with huge volumes of books. What do these facts say about the civilizational values of the Muslims during this time? Islam was not just a religion but a way of life and as such shaped how individuals lived, what they gave importance to (i.e. seeking knowledge) and how communities were established.
- What was the Golden Age of Islam? It was an amazing period in Islamic history, when learning was the center of Muslim life. Muslims studied the world around them to know the Creator ﷻ through His creations, bettering their societies and communities in the process. For a closer look at the advancements and discoveries made during this time, Mindful Muslim Reader recommends 1001 Inventions and Awesome Facts from Muslim Civilization. Although this book is recommended for an older age group, the engaging full page spreads can lend itself to rich learning experiences.
What’s This Book About?
Anything I need to be aware of?
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