On Tuesday 16th November Year 8 students at Henry Cort Community College were with the Humanities department for the whole day as part of their Curriculum Enrichment Day. The theme of the day in Humanities was the Middle East. Students were able to take part in a variety of activities and learn about a range of different topics that they would not normally get the chance to look at. In History, students looked at the Golden Age of the Islamic Empire and considered what it has done for the world. In Geography students looked at the issues surrounding the use of rivers which flow through several countries and how this can inspire conflict, as well as considering the issues involved in the preparation of the Qatar 2020 World Cup. In Citizenship the students looked at akibbutz and considered how they would go about creating their own community, whilst in Religious Studies the students looked at Islamic art and had a visit from a local Imam.
The Imam, Sheikh Fazle Abbas Datoo, kindly agreed to come and speak to the students about what it means to be a Muslim. Fazle brought with him his traditional robe, a copy of the Koran, and a prayer mat for the students to examine, all of which provoked questions and excitement. At the Imam’s behest, and thanks to his open and honest manner, no questions were off the table for the curious students; this led to such gems as, “what is jihad?”, and “why are you wearing a dress?”. Fazle was perfectly happy to entertain these questions and the students left with a much greater understanding of Islam and what it means to be a Muslim. One student was
overheard commenting as he left the room, “that was actually a good lesson!”. High praise indeed!
 |
 |