In response to teachers' requests for information about the Middle East, this article describes the series of rites performed in and near Mecca as a part of the Islamic pilgrimage, Hajj. (Author)

The attacks of September 11th, followed by U.S. military actions in Afghanistan and Iraq, have brought greater attention to the simmering conflict between Islam and the West--a conflict most brutally played out historically during the Crusades. The series of holy wars for control of Jerusalem and the Holy Land stretched over centuries--from 1096…

An annotated bibliography of 133 books about the Middle East. Categories are reference works; general works; pre-modern history and geography; Islamic religion, law, institutions, and thought; Islamic literature; and Islamic art and archaeology. (AV)

Addresses questions that teachers may face in the classroom to help them educate their students about Muslim Americans. Includes a list of books about Islam, topics to be used for classroom discussion, and other resources for teaching about Muslim Americans. (CMK)

Recounts experiences of an American teacher in Afghanistan from 1973-1975. Topics discussed include culture shock, adjustment to a foreign culture, Afghan history and culture, archaeological ruins, Islamic culture, economic and educational development, and Afghanistan's role in the modern world. (DB)

Reveals some cultural aspects of Saudi Arabian Islamic society and the role social studies education plays in it. States that the National Council for the Social Studies in Saudia Arabia stipulates general social studies goals and allows teachers to make specific behavioral goals. Concludes that Saudi Arabian schools are becoming more modern. (GG)

Explores and criticizes the negative image of Islamic culture often fostered by Western media. Briefly considers the career, contributions, and example of Yusuf Islam (the former Cat Stevens). Includes a list of common misconceptions about Islam followed by corrective information. (MJP)

Asserts that Islam is one of the world's fastest growing religions and an increasingly important political force in the world. Provides background information on Sunni and Shiite Islam, highlighting their historical, religious, and ideological differences. (CFR)