In the seventh century A.D. a new religion took shape. This new religion would grow into one of the world's largest, with some half-billion followers. The religion is named Islam. Islam is the Arabic word for "surrender." A follower of Islam is meant to "surrender to the will of God." The birthplace of Islam was in the Arabian Peninsula. This…

The Nobel Peace Prize is recognized as one of the most prestigious global awards. Each year the Norwegian Nobel Committee, which is appointed by Norway's parliament to select the winner, receives many nominations from around the world. Shirin Ebadi, who is from Iran, became the eleventh female Nobel Peace laureate in 2003. Ebadi is the third…

Theoretically grounded research on the determinants of Arab American children's physical activity is virtually nonexistent. Thus, the purpose of our investigation was to evaluate the ability of the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and social cognitive theory (SCT) to predict Arab American children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA).…

Transnationalism and the experience of migrancy has lead to cultural dissonance for many newcomers from Muslim countries, unaccustomed to the culturally permissive social norms like consuming alcohol and partying, dating and premarital relations. Residing within culturally incongruent spaces, migrant Muslim communities often seek to shelter their…

This case study provides perspectives on the War in Iraq with information collected from Sabah, Malaysia, educators. The author has analyzed input from Sabahan teachers regarding their discussions of United States-led war efforts in Iraq. The implications for discourse in Sabahan classrooms are described. The author then argues that Sabahan…

This paper shows how Koranic Law was enshrined in the Moroccan Family Code (the "Mudawwana") in its first draft between the years 1957 and 1958. The changes that were included in 1993 and especially in 2004 partially modify the philosophy of Islamic resources and give more freedom of action to women. At present, the "Mudawwana…

The author came to the United States when she was seven years old from Amman, Jordan. She entered public school and within two years had mastered the language and excelled in school, as did all her siblings. When she was in the third grade her teacher told her she was spelling and pronouncing her name wrong. Her name is "Laila" and that is how it…

After September 11, 2001, complaints were voiced around the world, including by the U.S. government, that Saudi Arabian schools demonize the West and the "other." Senior Saudi government spokesmen also acknowledged this as a problem, and have repeatedly pledged that reform is underway or completed. This report was written in response to…

The current national political context has brought Islam (as both a practice and an identity) into the media forefront. The events of 9/11 and the resulting war in Iraq have sparked renewed interest in the religion of Islam and the life of Muslims. This context has made the discussion undertaken in this article of the issues faced by Muslim…

Ethnocentric concepts, theories and practices in education, predominantly embedded in western philosophy and values, tend to ignore the growing multicultural nature of educational institutions. This article draws attention to the knowledge gap in mainstream literature regarding diverse perspectives of educational leadership--an issue which is…

This article discusses the vulnerability of U.S. professors of Islamic and Near Eastern studies, particularly if they are of Muslim origin. The author, a scholar of subjects related to literatures and cultures of the Muslim world, who is herself of Muslim origin, has found it more difficult in recent years to bring many topics to the classroom.…

This qualitative study examined interviews from 25 women who held theistic beliefs from Christian, Islamic, or Jewish traditions. All had recently experienced severe adversity but reported they were coping well. Analysis illustrated changes in religious beliefs and attitudes they made as a result of learning to cope. Differences were found among…

Explores how, for Muslim students on American campuses, life consists of frequent conflicts and occasional compromises with the secular culture. (EV)

When the United States invaded Iraq in March 2003, one of its stated intentions was to inaugurate an era of Iraqi politics in which new kinds of democratic parties would emerge. However, one of the most dramatic effects of the U.S. invasion has been the boost it has given to the Islamist parties and movements that were banned under Saddam Hussein.…

Recent events in Afghanistan and Iraq appear to mark the beginning of a new and challenging relationship between the United States and the Muslim world. As the US embarks upon its self-appointed task of helping to bring about the development of peaceful, democratic civil societies in Islamic nations wracked by decades of war, ethnic strife and…