Muhammad: Legacy of a Prophet

Notes on the Experts

By Susan L. Douglass and Aiyub Palmer

Overview

In the interest of evaluating the sources of historical information, students can benefit from reviewing the qualifications and backgrounds of the experts they will see in the film. This optional activity may be done either as a pre-viewing or a post-viewing activity, or it may be used as a teacher resource or student informational handout.

Objectives

Students should be able to:

• Identify the presenters featured in the film by name and qualification
• Evaluate the presenters’ qualification to speak on the topic of Muhammad and Muslim history
• Recognize the point of view expressed by the presenters in the film footage

Procedure

Have students read through Student Handout: Biographies of Scholar-Speakers. Either before or after viewing the film, discuss one or more of the following three pre- and post-viewing questions:

• Pre-viewing question: What is the name, profession and title of the expert?
• Pre-viewing question: If you were the film-maker, why would you choose these people to appear as experts in the film? What are the qualifications of each expert to talk on the subject?
• Post-viewing question: What is the expert’s relationship to and point of view on the subject of Muhammad and Islam?

Adaptation: The handout can be given on a F.Y.I. basis to students, or teachers may use the brief biographical notes for their own preparation, or it may be used on an “as-needed” basis in the event that a question about the credibility of one of the scholars comes up in discussion.