My RE teacher was telling the class false information about islam, what should I do?

[AnonymousPoster]

We had to do bring this piece of research in about the creation stories of any civilization/religion, so long as if it wasn't frmo Judaism or Christianity, and in class the pupils read out their researched stories and the teacher discussed them.

No one researched the Muslim Creation Story, and when the teacher asked if anyone in the class knew what that was, I put my hand up, and I had only just begin my first sentence, when she asked me what the Muslim explanation was for people being of different skin colors and race.

I didn't know what to answer at first, but then I interpreted her answer as to why humans were created of different skin colours and races by Allah, which I then put my hand to quote from a Quranic verse, saying that the reason for the difference among men was that they would come to know each other better.

But before I could say anything, the teacher suddenly told the class this ridiculous story about how after being made form clay, Allah put them in a fire for different periods of time, and their skin became different shades of color. I remembered three years ago, in a different school, in one RE lesson, we were doing a similar thing, and the RE teacher was telling the class of exactly the same story, but said that this was a belief of an African tribal religion.

I'm sure this is not true, as I researched myself and there is absolutely no mention of this. But I was too stunned at that moment to "correct" the teacher in front of the class, and I didn't know if I would be embarassing myself in doing it, and being on the bad side with the teacher, as apparently she is on good terms with me, and has given me A*s for my previous homeworks.

Now my class (who know absoltely nothing about Islam, and from which I'm the only Musim in there) probably thinks, that Islam is closer to one of the civilizations/religions with their "silly" creation stories. What do you think I should do? Should I go and confront her, as she is spreading false information about Islam to the class? Any advice would be welcome.

[Malaikah]

:sl:

From what I know the different skin colours related to the use of different types of clay when creating Adam...

I can't find the source for that though, sorry.

[InToTheRain]

:sl:

The diffrent colours came from Adam(AS) children as he had children who varied in colour due to him being made from a Mixture of each from what I have been taught (correct me If I am wrong Inaha'Allah)

I have taken these from Ibn Kathir(Rahimahulla):

[PIE]Abi Musa al Sha'arai narrated that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: "Allah
created Adam from a handful of dust taken from different lands, so the children of Adam have
been created according to the composition of the land. Therefore from mankind we have white,
red, black and yellow ones; we have good and evil, ease and sorrow, and what comes in between
them." (Sahih al Bukhari).

Ibn Masud and other companions of the Prophet (PBUH) said that Allah the Almighty sent
Gabriel onto the earth to said that Allah the Almighty sent Gabriel onto the earth to get Him clay
therefrom. The earth said: "I seek refuge in Allah from your decreasing my quantity or disfiguring
me." So Gabriel returned and did not take anything. He said: "My Lord, the land sought refuge in
You and it granted."
So Allah sent Michael for the same purpose, and the land sought refuge with Allah and it was
granted. So he went back and said to Allah what Gabriel has said before him. Then Allah sent the
Angel of Death, and the land sought refuge in Allah, the angel said: "I also seek refuge with Allah
from returning without carrying out His command." So he took clay from the face of the earth
and mixed it. He did not take from one particular place, but rather he took white, red, and black
clay from different places.
The Angel of Death ascended with it, Allah soaked the clay till it became sticky. Then Allah said
to the angels:
"Truly, I am going to create man from clay. So when I have fashioned him and breathed into him
(his) soul created by Me, then you fall down prostrate to him." (Chapter 38:71-72 Quran).

So Allah shaped Adam into a human being, but he remained a figure of clay for fourty years. The
angels went past him. They were seized with fear by what they saw, and Iblis felt fear most. He
used to pass by the figure of Adam, buffeting it, which would make a sound like pottery. Allah
told us:
"He created man (Adam) from sounding clay like the clay of pottery." (Chapter 55:Quran).[/PIE]

[جوري]

Sob7an Allah.. this is the first I have read this hadith.. and it is brilliant on so many levels.. I have once read that Allah fashioned out hearts from the earth, and if the earth were good so too were our hearts and if rotten so too our hearts, but this is incredible.. the fact that it was the angel of death is very determinate of our final end..

Jazaka Allah khyran akhi..

I learned something new today..

:w:

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[Muezzin]

Talk to your teacher and say 'yo, let me get a word in edgeways, you know? All that jazz you're spreadin' 'bout my religion is whack. You gotta keep it real, fo sure.'

But maybe less... colloquial.

[------]

:salamext:

Just go up to the teacher, and say that the information she gave the class was wrong, show her the hadiths and stuff, and tell her that is the correct information so could you tell the class please.

If not, I shall report you to the headteacher. Seriously.

[Grace Seeker]

I basically agree with the above two comments, but I think you might want to use a little more tact in how your present yourself.

Say to your teacher that you were very interested in the question and decided to do some additional research yourself. Ask if you can present your findings to the class.

If she says something like, "No, we've moved on."

Then, and not until then, say to her:
"Well, in my research, I found a completely different answer than the one you gave in class and I know that you wouldn't want to teach anything that misrepresented what anyone's religion actually taught. Please, allow me to leave it with you, and then you can figure out the best way to share it with the class. As I understand it, the other story is the belief of some African tribal religions, but not Islam."

This last approach corrects your teacher but also gives her a way of saving face. Plus, it has you still affirming her as a good teacher.

And, of course, do all of this in private, not in public, so as to avoid embarassing your teacher or acting like you are trying to get one up on her.

[Jayda]

hola,

based purely on the fact she interrupted you and begged the question... and assuming she knows you are the only muslim and therefore she ignored it, i would say that this teacher had an axe to grind and you should probably just talk to the students directly... cutting her out of the picture.

que Dios te bendiga

[Dawud_uk]

:salamext:

Just go up to the teacher, and say that the information she gave the class was wrong, show her the hadiths and stuff, and tell her that is the correct information so could you tell the class please.

If not, I shall report you to the headteacher. Seriously.

assalaamu alaykum,

i would disagree on this methodology, i would argue back giving the correct info and telling the class if the teacher wouldnt let me speak then speak over her.

this another problem of putting our youth into western schools, on the one hand they will get into trouble for contradicting a teacher but on the other hand they cannot let someone slander islam and get away with it.

but who do you worry about upsetting more? Allah or your teacher?

assalaamu alaykum,
Abu Abdullah

[Qurratul Ayn]

:salamext:

Talk to the teacher when she is on her own and show her Hadiths and quotaions from the Qur'an.

She may be more likely to take into account what you say to her on her own rather than in front of the class where you would embarass the teacher and yourself.

Even if she still doesn't accept the information due too ignorance then just accpet her reactions calmly and pray to Allaah Ta'ala as you have done your best in showing her the correct information and she refuses it but try and tell others in your class about the real Islam calmly and show them evidnce too, so they can make up their minds.

I'm pretty sure that she would accept it and will acknowledge the truth and put her hands up at the mistake she made as teachers in my school do accpet their mistakes and correct it if you can prove it and say it nicely (works better).

:salamext:

[Muhammad]

:sl:

Here's a couple of useful links:

http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ref=13286&ln=eng

http://www.islamqa.com/index.php?ref=4811&ln=eng

http://www.islamicboard.com/19777-post35.html

From the second link, it mentions:

All of this is confirmed by the hadeeth of Abu Moosa al-Ash’ari who said:
“I heard the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) say: ‘Allaah created Adam from a handful that He gathered from the entire earth, so the sons of Adam come like the earth. Some of them are red, some are white, some are black and some are in between. Some of them are easy, some of them are difficult, some are evil and some are good.”

(Narrated by al-Tirmidhi, 2955; Abu Dawood, 4693. Al-Tirmidhi said that this hadeeth is hasan saheeh, and it was classed as saheeh by Ibn Hibbaan, 14/29; al-Haakim, 2/288; and al-Albaani in Saheeh Abi Dawood, 3926).

[*KB*]

Assalamualaykum All.

Hmm... a problem that has to be solved AnonymousGender and quickly. I cannot advise you anymore than the Brothers and Sisters that have already posted as they have given you great advice.

Heed from these and Insha'Allah you'll have confidence and tell the teacher her faults BUT like many others have said, do it nicely and try not to embarass the teacher. Wish you all the best and Insha'Allah your teacher will see her mistakes (and you may not get any detention).

Assalamualaykum All.
*KB*
:coolious: