IDEAS AND THEMES FOR HUMAN INTEREST STORIES RELATING TO MUSLIMS

For the reporter or agency that has never done a human-interest story about Islam or Muslims:

• Series of articles about local Muslims -- population, ethnic makeup, Islamic centers, organizations, demographics, history of community

• Islamic teachings, practices, holidays

• General story that describes Ramadan -- Islamic month of fasting --- rituals and festivities

• Ramadan rituals of the fast. Consider going to either a private or community Ramadan iftar gathering, where you could participate in breaking the fast and sampling different ethnic dishes.

For the reporter or agency that has done human-interest stories about Muslims:

• General story that describes Islamic New Year -- history and Islamic Calendar

• Fasting in the Workplace (Shadow a Muslim worker)

• Fasting while going to School (Shadow Muslim youth who attend public schools)

• Playing Sports while Fasting in Ramadan (Shadow Muslim youth who play sports while fasting, or write about Muslim athletes in the NBA and NFL)

• Muslim Charitable Activity & Relief Efforts, locally and nationally, during Ramadan

• Fasting for the First time (fasting is obligatory for Muslims at the age of puberty, but some Muslim children begin experiencing the fast as young as 7 years of age)

• New Muslim Converts

• Islam as a Reforming Agent for Incarcerated Persons

• Quran in Relation to the Bible and Torah

• The Other Jihad: Purification of the Self in Islam and during Ramadan

• Who was the Prophet Muhammed - his History and Life

• Muslim Artists & Islamic Art

• Islamic Economics (Islamic finance without interest)

• Religious Practices on the Job (Shadow a Muslim employee)

• Early Muslims in the Americas (The Forgotten Roots of African Slaves in the Americas, of which a third were Muslim)

• Home Schooling for Muslim children

• Muslim Student Associations - Religion on Campus

• Marriage in Islam - How do Muslims get married?

• Islamic Health Practices

• Islamic Dietary Guidelines

• Islamic Consumer Products, e.g. greeting cards for Islamic holidays

• Best Halal (Muslim) Restaurants

• Full-time Islamic Schooling

• 99 Names of Allah (how Muslims refer to God in Arabic)

• Islam on the Internet

• Muslim-owned Businesses

• Profile Famous Muslims, e.g. authors of recently published books, athletes, artists, politicians

• Political Involvement of US Muslims

• Muslims and Interfaith Dialogue

• Stereotyping of Muslims in American Popular Culture