Questions for Discussion
1. What is religion? What is the purpose of religion? What is the difference between religious
doctrine and what religionists do in practice?
2. What is culture? How is it intertwined with religion? Is it so intertwined in the United
States? Why or why not?
3. What was your perception of Islam before reading this book and has it been transformed
or confirmed after reading Islam at Home? In what ways, if any, has it transformed?
4. What information or argument or perspective in the book did you find especially surprising or compelling?
5. Did this book inspire you to read more about the history of Islam and Muslims? Is there anything you learned about this history that you wish to investigate further?
6. Samuel Huntingdon and others insist that a “clash of civilizations” is inevitable. What do you think?
7. Do you adhere to a religion that has a religious text? If so, how old is that text? Do you know what every word
means? Would you take every word literally? If not, why not?
8. The author suggests that we in the United States grow up with the white, Western viewpoint. Do you agree?
Give examples supporting your view.
9. What is there about the Muslim head covering that provokes such reflexive reactions in many non-Muslims? Is
it different from nuns’ habits? Jewish orthodox head coverings? What are the issues involved in religious dress?
10. What are the parameters of dress and modesty in our own world, religious or non-religious?
11. Are the words “objective,” “apologist,” “biased,” appropriate to a discussion of religion? How are they used in
the public discourse? Is there an objective view or only different points of view?
12. Can you think of aspects of your own traditions or cultures or religions that could be misunderstood or that other people could point to in a negative light?
13. The media watchdog group, FAIR (Fairness and Accuracy in Reporting), recently issued a report on media coverage ofIslam, called “Making Islamophobia Mainstream.” It can be found at www.fair.org/index.php?page=3648. How
does this report supplement the information in The Muslim Next Door and does it affect your views on media coverage?
14. Does the media critique throughout the The Muslim Next Door and particularly in the last chapter affect how you view
media frameworks?
15. How do we change media frameworks?
16. Long before President Obama was elected in November 2008, he was “smeared” as a Muslim, despite his insistence that he was Christian, and despite the fact that “being Muslim” is not a crime. In an August blog, “Obama Is Not A Muslim: But Would It Be So Terrible If He Were?” (www.huffingtonpost.com/sumbul-alikaramali/obama-isnot-a-muslim_b_120179.html), Ali-Karamali discusses these issues. Have things changed since November? Have people conceded that Obama is not a Muslim, but that being Muslim is still a problem? Or is being Muslim not such a problem? Or does it matter? Did Colin Powell’s now-famous interview change things?
17. What is the role of religion in politics?
18. What would you like to investigate further after reading this book?
19. Is there any such thing as objectivity? We all come from somewhere. Can we divorce our upbringing, religion, environment, country, and socioeconomic class from our point of view?
20. Statistical data is crucial when examining stereotypes. For example, because a high school student commits a crime, it is a mistake to assume that all high school students are criminals. Do you have any stereotypes or even generalizations about Muslims? Examine any facts upon which these stereotypes are founded. Are they statistically accurate? Can you find parallel statistics amongst other groups?
Click here to download this Discussion Guide as a PDF file.
Related Titles
• Approaching the Qur’an, by Michael Sells
• Funny in Farsi and Laughing Without an Accent, by Firoozeh Dumas
• Islam: the Straight Path, by John Esposito
• No god but God: The Origins, Evolution, and Future of Islam, by Reza Aslan
• What’s Right with Islam: a New Vision for Islam and the West, by
Imam Feisal Abdul Rauf
To schedule an interview/event with the author, please contact Ezra Penalba. 800-380-8286 / This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it
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