From, the DAWA in Public School Instruction manual. Below, you will find some practical ways Muslim students as individuals and as a group can do Dawa in public schools.

School Students are receptive to new ideas
It is important to remember that in the classroom, students are routinely exposed to new information and opinions. That means they tend to be more receptive to new beliefs and ideas. Schools are therefore fertile grounds where the seeds of Islam can be sowed inside the hearts of non-Muslim students. Muslim students should take ample advantage of this opportunity and expose their fellow students to the beautiful beliefs of Islam.

Getting Started
First and foremost, Muslim students should establish themselves into a Muslim group (i.e. a Muslim Students Association, Islamic Circle, Quran Study Group etc.) if they haven't already done so. Organized efforts give better results and contain Allah's blessings. The main goal of this group should be to help students develop into dynamic Muslim personalities and to portray Islam to their non-Muslim peers and schools staff in a positive way through words and actions.

Personal Contact
It has been proven that one-on-one contact with non-Muslim students in the classroom is the most effective way to share Islam. Personal contact tends to be more informal and elicits curiosity and questions from non-Muslims. It is advised that brothers share Islam in this way with non-Muslim boys and sisters with non-Muslim girls.

Inviting Questions
Muslims can create opportunities for non-Muslims to ask them questions by performing simple actions. For instance, they can say "insha Allah" (if God wills it) when talking about a future activity; saying that they are going to prayer during Salaat time; not eating during fasting, brothers wearing a Kufi (a type of cap), sisters wearing Hijab; not using swear words during conversation; not lying, wearing modest clothes etc.

Questions from peers should be dealt with in a very concise and eloquent manner. This would require some basic knowledge on the part of Muslim students.

Be Prepared to Explain
Some of the topics that all Muslims should be able to explain are:

* The concept of Tawhid (oneness of God)
* How Prophet Muhammad (s) is a real Prophet
* News reports about violence by Muslims
* Polygamy in Islam
* Reasons for wearing Hijab
· Reasons for praying five times a day
* The Quran and science

All students can increase their knowledge of these topics through their study circle, by checking with a reliable scholar, by reading articles in Islamic magazines, videos, lectures and through the experiences of other students.

Dawa through the school newspaper
The school newspaper is another effective way of doing Dawa in public school. Muslim students are highly encouraged to become writers and editors of these publications. Muslim students can advise the writing staff to consult them before publishing articles on Islam and Muslims. Being a writer will give a student ample opportunity to publish Islamically-oriented articles which will insha Allah, open the hearts and minds of readers.

As a group, Muslim students should try to contribute an article on Islam in each issue of the school paper. The school may not allow you to preach in the newspaper, but there are way to circumvent this problem. When your Islamic group holds any Islamic event like lectures, religious/ cultural events etc, submit an article about this event as a news article. Thus you are still exposing an aspect of Islam without coming forth as a preacher.

Another way to get around this problem is to write articles about Islamic holidays (i.e. the two Eids) and again submit them as news articles. It also helps to have a good rapport with the editor and the writing staff of the paper. Invite them to your Iftar parties, gatherings, lectures etc. Your group can also issue statements that are related to current events (i.e. the Muslim perspective on terrorism in light of events like the September 11, 2001 attacks).

Relief booths to help disaster victims
When a disaster like a flood or a humanitarian crisis hits, Muslim students should be the first ones to respond by setting up a disaster relief assistance booth which collects money, canned food, clothes etc. for those in need. This gives a very positive picture of Islam and Muslims as servers of humanity, compared to the negative images of Islam portrayed by most of the media.

Include Islamic holidays in the school calendar
Many school events and exams are scheduled around the Jewish and Christian holidays. Muslims students should approach the school authorities as a group and ask that Islamic dates be included in school diaries and be considered during the scheduling of important school events. Many diaries for students and adults today include Ramadan and the two Eids. Muslim students can use these as examples to show your school's administration.

Islamic books in school libraries
Muslim students should encourage the school libraries to include on their shelves books and magazines on Islam written by Muslims. They should also provide the librarian a list of recommended books on Islam. If the library is unwilling to purchase this material themselves, the students should raise funds in the Muslim community to cover the costs of providing these books and magazines.

Scanning textbooks for misinformation on Islam
Students of all grades and their parents should constantly scan school textbooks to check for any biased material on Islam. If any is found, it should be brought to the attention of teachers and school authorities, who should be given the correct information about Islam with evidence. In addition, teachers should correct the misinformation in the textbooks while discussing the material in class.

Starting an Islamic newsletter
A newsletter on Islam and Muslims can be started by the Muslim students, if the school allows it. This can be funded mostly by advertisements and donations. This newsletter will also help dispel false information about Islam and show Muslims as being organized and proactive.

Incorporating Islam into class projects
Some aspects of Islam can be incorporated into school projects. For example, if students are required to give a speech in class and they can choose any topic, an Islamic subject should be selected. Similar opportunities can be created in history, social science, writing and other classes.

Remember, Muslim creativity, Iman (faith) and of course the help of Allah constantly won victories for the Muslims, and schools and campuses aren't any exception to this.

Other miscellaneous activities
* Setting up Dawa tables with Islamic literature
* Hosting Islamic exhibitions
* Placing advertisements in the school paper with the toll free telephone number for non-Muslims 1-800-662-Islam

It is highly recommended that all Muslim students should carry Dawa flyers in their schools bags and purses to pass them on to their friends at school. To obtain free Islam brochures for distribution, contact Islamic Circle of North America at 718-658-1199.

The bottom line

Public schools are an ideal arena for Dawa. With an open-minded mindset that is prevalent among students and most teachers, as well as the fact that the next generation's attitudes towards various ideas and concepts are developed in school, Dawa in public schools is a necessity.

We should use every opportunity possible to sensitize non-Muslim peers and school staff to Islam. We also need to establish an environment in which every where a non-Muslim turns, he/she notices Islam portrayed in a positive way, is influenced by it and is encouraged to accept Islam with Allah's guidance, insha Allah.

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What are we to do?  "TAKE ACTION" get involved with our schools and make sure we are reviewing all of the teaching materials being used!

Our children are the live blood of our nation and the future of Christianity in the world. If we do not teach them well we will have failed just as Supreme Court Justice Joseph Story feared,

“It yet remains a problem to be solved in human affairs, whether any free government can be permanent, where the public worship of God, and the support of religion, constitute no part of the policy or duty of the state in any assignable shape. The future experience of Christendom, and chiefly of the American states, must settle this problem, as yet new in the history of the world, abundant, as it has been, in experiments in the theory of government.”  We have come to a decision point.

• Do we support the Christian heritage of our foundation that has resulted in the greatest nation in History or succumb to the vile desires of a President that calls us a Muslim nation. Make sure you watch this until the end to see how it was used!

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