The Light in Her Eyes

A Film by Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix

Community Engagement & Education

DISCUSSION GUIDE

www.pbs.org/pov

POV

|2DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

LETTER FROM THE FILMMAKERS

LOS ANGELES, 2012

In a courtyard off a busy street in Damascus, Syria, boisterous girls run and play before class starts in the women’s side of

Al-Zahra mosque. Inside the mosque, preacher Houda al-Habash teaches the Quran, educating women and girls about their

religion, and their rights, within their faith. Julia Meltzer lived in Damascus in 2005, and from the moment she first entered

Al-Zahra mosque, she recognized what a unique place it was. Houda’s school was well-organized and energized—filled with

women and girls supporting each other in their studies.

Most people don’t associate Islam with women’s rights, and that’s exactly what we found interesting about the Al-Zahra

Mosque Quran School. Inside this community, we uncovered a lively debate about women’s roles as mothers, teachers, wives,

workers, sisters and daughters. Houda insists that secular education is an integral part of worship, because it gives her stu-

dents the tools to make decisions about their futures. However, the school also emphasizes the importance of modesty and

piety. These women and girls are following “the straight path” of Islam, because they want to live according to its structure,

rules and ethics.

Filmmaker Julia Meltzer

Photo courtesy of Tracey Landworth

Filmmaker Laura Nix

Photo courtesy of Anne Etheridge

LETTER FROM THE FILMMAKERS

|3DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Houda’s version of women’s rights doesn’t

look like ours. We were raised in the West by

feminist mothers, grew up attending marches

for reproductive freedom and identify as

third-wave feminists. But the deeper we dove

into Houda’s community, the more we real-

ized how much our guidelines for judging

women’s liberation and autonomy were in-

formed by the parameters of our culture and

experiences. As filmmakers, we believe it’s

our job to understand our subjects, and to tell

truthful stories about their worlds. So, while

we witnessed Houda encouraging girls to

take their secular education seriously, we also

recognized that her primary mission is to

teach her interpretation of conservative

Islam, which includes cultural traditions like

wearing hijab and serving the husband—ac-

tions we would question in our own culture.

We were raised in a primarily secular culture,

so it was challenging at first to see how a religious education could be a constructive influence for women. We come from

faiths different from that of Houda and her students; one of us is Jewish and the other has a Catholic parent and a Protes-

tant parent. Respectively, we went to Hebrew school in Los Angeles and Sunday school in upstate New York. We each stud-

ied the holy books of our traditions and were expected to learn the tenets of our religions to become adult members of our

congregations. Despite our major cultural differences, the longer we spent in Houda’s mosque, the more parallels we saw be-

tween our own religious studies and the program Houda was directing.

This was the most difficult project either one of us has ever undertaken. Both Syria and the community of conservative Mus-

lim women are intensely private and suspicious of outsiders.

It took several years of return trips to Damascus to convince Houda to allow us to film in her mosque. Finally, in the summer

of 2008, she agreed. We worked with a very small all-women crew, and the shoot required many trips to Syria, which we usu-

ally entered through Lebanon because it had more lax border control at the time. We made the film without the permission

of the Syrian government; every day we faced the possibility of being shut down and having our footage confiscated.

However, the risk for Houda, her family and her students was much greater—the school itself could have been shut down by

state security for engaging with American filmmakers. Today, Syria is on the brink of a full-blown civil war, sparked by a pop-

ular uprising against the regime. Houda and her family are no longer in Damascus and therefore she cannot teach at Al-Zahra

Mosque. The school is open some days and closed others. The Light in Her Eyes completed photography in November 2010,

four months before the uprising began. It captures a moment of stability in the country that will not exist again for many years

to come.

We hope audiences will gain a greater understanding of conservative Islam by watching the film. The act of women teach-

ing each other about Islam is a key element of the religious revival taking place in the Middle East, and understanding that is

crucial to understanding how the region is changing, especially through the Arab Spring. We also hope audiences will wel-

come a view of contemporary Syria that is not solely defined by headlines and YouTube videos of the recent chaos and vi-

olence. While the uprising dominates Syria’s present moment, it is only one story of Syria’s people and its rich history.

Julia Meltzer and Laura Nix, Directors/Producers

Julia Meltzer, Houda al-Habash and Laura Nix

Photo courtesy of Anne Etheridge

|4DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

5 Introduction

6 Potential Partners

6 Key Issues

6 Using This Guide

7 Background Information

7 Syria: A Modern History

9 Basic Islamic Beliefs and Practices

10 Muslim Women’s Movements

11 Islamic Feminism

12 A Global Movement

13 The Women’s Mosque Movement

and the Islamic Revival

14 Selected People Featured

in The Light in Her Eyes

15 General Discussion Questions

16 Discussion Prompts

22 Taking Action

23 Resources

25 How to Buy the Film

Writer

Faith Rogow, PhD Insighters Educational Consulting

Guide Producers and Background Research, POV

Eliza Licht Vice President, Community Engagement & Education, POV

Jamie Dobie Coordinator, Community Engagement & Education, POV

Design:

Rafael Jiménez

Eyeball

Copy Editor:

Natalie Danford

Thanks to those who reviewed this guide:

Julia Meltzer Director/Producer, The Light in Her Eyes

Laura Nix Director/Producer, The Light in Her Eyes

Erin Williams Outreach Coordinator, The Light in Her Eyes

Hind Makki Outreach Coordinator, The Light in Her Eyes

TABLE OF CONTENTS CREDITS

Thirty years ago, at the age of 17, Houda al-

Habash, a conservative Muslim preacher,

founded a Quran school for girls in Damascus,

Syria. Every summer since then, her female stu-

dents have supplemented their secular school-

ing with a rigorous study of Islam.

Houda’s efforts illustrate a complex—and for

some audiences, unexpected—aspect of the

current Islamic revival. Under the banner of

restoring Islamic traditions in modern life,

women are claiming space within the mosque,

a place historically dominated by men. Using

Quranic teachings, Houda encourages her stu-

dents to pursue higher education, jobs and

public lives, while remaining committed to an

interpretation of Islam that includes cultural

traditions that encourage some traditional

gender roles, such as marrying young and

serving one’s husband.

Shot just before the eruption of Syria’s current

uprising, The Light in Her Eyes ventures into a

world rarely seen by Westerners, yet echoes

other faith-based movements throughout the

Arab world. It offers an extraordinary portrait

of a leader who challenges the women of her

community to live according to Islam, without

giving up their autonomy. In the process, it

confronts viewers with questions about the

meaning of women’s empowerment within the

parameters of different cultures and experi-

ences.

INTRODUCTION

|5DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Houda al-Habash and her students at Al Zahra Mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

The Light in Her Eyes is well suited for use in a variety of

settings and is especially recommended for use with:

• Your local PBS station

• Groups that have discussed previous PBS and POV

films relating to Muslims, feminism, spirituality or

the Middle East, including Islam: Empire of Faith,

New Muslim Cool and The Oath

• Groups focused on any of the issues listed in the

Key Issues section

• High school students

• Faith-based organizations and institutions

• Cultural, art and historical organizations,

institutions and museums

• Civic, fraternal and community groups

• Academic departments and student groups at

seminaries, colleges, universities and high schools

• Community organizations with a mission to

promote education and learning, such as local

libraries

The Light in Her Eyes is an excellent tool for outreach

and will be of special interest to people looking to ex-

plore the following topics:

Anti-bias/anti-defamation education

Arab Spring

Feminism

Feminism and religion

Feminist theology

Gender roles

Girls

Hijab debates

Interfaith dialogue

Islam

Islamic revival

Leadership

Middle East

Mosque movement

Piety movement

Public/private spheres

Quran schools

Religious education

Religious studies

Stereotyping of Arabs, women and Muslims

Syria

Women’s rights

|6DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

USING THIS GUIDE

This guide is an invitation to dialogue. It is based on a belief in the power of human connection, designed for people who

want to use The Light in Her Eyes to engage family, friends, classmates, colleagues and communities. In contrast to ini-

tiatives that foster debates in which participants try to convince others that they are right, this document envisions con-

versations undertaken in a spirit of openness in which people try to understand one another and expand their thinking

by sharing viewpoints and listening actively.

The discussion prompts are intentionally crafted to help a wide range of audiences think more deeply about the issues

in the film. Rather than attempting to address them all, choose one or two that best meet your needs and interests. And

be sure to leave time to consider taking action. Planning next steps can help people leave the room feeling energized and

optimistic, even in instances when conversations have been difficult.

For more detailed event planning and facilitation tips, visit www.pbs.org/pov/outreach

POTENTIAL PARTNERS KEY ISSUES

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|7DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Syria: A Modern History

In the aftermath of World War I and the weakening of the

Ottoman Empire, Syria functioned as a French protectorate

heading toward independence. That independence would

become official in 1946, following World War II. The decades

of the 1950s and 1960s were marked by political instability

and a series of military coups. In one of those coups, Hafez

al-Assad and the secular Ba’ath Party ousted the civilian

party leadership and Assad assumed the role of prime min-

ister. He ruled Syria autocratically from 1970 to 2000 and

was succeeded by his son Bashar al-Assad after his death in

2000.

Allied with the Soviet Union, the Syrian dictator established

a secular state with a pan-Arab outlook, forging strong re-

lations with Iraq. Though the head of state was re-

quired to be a Muslim, the nation was nominally

tolerant of its Christian minority. Compulsory and free pub-

lic education was established for both boys and girls; women

served in government posts, and wearing of the niqab (a veil

covering the face) was banned in public places like universi-

ties. As happened elsewhere, from the United States (where

legislators added “under God” to the Pledge of Allegiance)

to Afghanistan (where religiously-inspired mujahadeen at-

tempted to oust Soviet troops), the forced secularization

was met with resistance from people of faith. The trend in

Middle Eastern countries was that the initial resistance came

primarily from faith-based political opposition, and Syria was

no exception. From 1976 until 1982, the Muslim Brotherhood

Houda al-Habash leading morning recitation

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|8DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

in Syria organized revolts and an armed insurgency against

Assad’s regime. The government mobilized to crush the

Muslim Brotherhood culminating in a massacre in Hama in

1982, and until March 2011 public displays of anti-regime ac-

tivity were very limited.

Today, Syria has a population of approximately 22.5 million

people, about a quarter of whom live in the capital city of

Damascus (the location of Houda al-Habash’s school). Eth-

nically, the nation is approximately 90 percent Arab, with

significant minority populations of Druze, Kurds and Turks.

Religiously, about three quarters of Syrians identify as Hanafi

(the oldest and largest denomination of Sunni Muslims). An-

other 12 percent, including the ruling Assad family, are Alawi

(a heterodox Shiite Muslim sect). Approximately 10 percent

of the country’s population identifies as Christian. Until re-

cently, there was also a significant Jewish community in

Syria.

The nation shares large borders with Turkey, Iraq, Jordan

and Lebanon, and also a short border with Israel. In the re-

gion, its strongest alliance is with Iran (which, like the Assad

family, is identified with the Shiite practice of Islam).

Currently, Bashar al-Assad’s regime faces an ongoing upris-

ing, which many believe was sparked by the Arab Spring—a

wave of protests in the Arab world that began in Tunisia in

2010. While the uprising is dominated by Sunni Muslims,

there are protesters from Druze, Christian and even Alawite

backgrounds, many calling for more political rights, social

reform and regime change. The government responded with

a violent crackdown and, according to a July 2012 report by

the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 16,500

people have been killed in the uprising thus far.

In November 2011, the Arab League suspended Syria’s mem-

bership in the alliance and called for political and security re-

forms, urging the Syrian army to withdraw its security forces

from civilian areas and to release its political prisoners. The

Arab League formed a “monitoring mission” to assess the

regime’s response to its mandate. In late January 2012, the

Arab League suspended the mission due to a dramatic in-

crease in violence. The diplomatic focus switched to the

United Nations Security Council with the hope that it would

vote on a draft resolution for a quick transition to an interim

government.

As of the printing of this guide, violence against civilians in

Syria continues, and the United Nations has failed to reach

an agreement on appropriate action.

Sources:

Al Jazeera. “Q-and-A: Nir Rosen on Syria’s Protest Movement.”

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/02/201221576546593

23.html

Central Intelligence Agency. ”Syria.”

https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-

factbook/geos/sy.html

CNN. “Regime Backers Express Anger at Other Nations After Arab

League Suspends Syria.”

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-11-12/middleeast/world_meast_syria-

unrest_1_arab-league-bashar-al-assad-president-bashar?_s=PM:MIDDLE

EAST

Coutts, Adam. “Syria’s Uprising Could Have Been Avoided Through

Reform.” The Guardian, May 18, 20111.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/may/18/syria-uprising-

reform-bashar-al-assad

MacFarquhar, Neil. “Arab League Votes to Suspend Syria Over

Crackdown.” The New York Times, November 12, 2011.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/13/world/middleeast/arab-league-

votes-to-suspend-syria-over-its-crackdown-on-protesters.html?pagewa

nted=all

NOW LEBANON. “Syrian uprising death toll tops 16,500, Observatory says.”

http://www.nowlebanon.com/NewsArchiveDetails.aspx?ID=415023

PBS Newshour. “Author and Activist Elie Wiesel: Syria Is ‘a Bloody

Center of History.’”

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/rundown/2012/02/elie-wiesel-on-

syria.html

U.S. Department of State. “Background Note: Syria.”

http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3580.htm

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|9DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Basic Islamic Beliefs and Practices

Islam is the second most common religion in the world after

Christianity; it is one of the three major Abrahamic traditions

(along with Judaism and Christianity). There are different de-

nominations within Islam, but they all share some funda-

mental beliefs: that there is only one God (“Allah” means

“God” in Arabic); the Quran is the word of God ; and Muham-

mad was the last in a series of prophets—including Moses

and Jesus—who were sent to instruct humanity about how

to live in accordance with God’s law. Other tenets shared

across the sects are the five pillars of the faith: the declara-

tion of belief or shahada; reciting five daily prayers; giving to

charity (Zakat); and fasting in the month of Ramadan; and

making a pilgrimage to Mecca (also known as Makkah)

Islam’s holiest city.

Quran recitations are a year-round practice, al-

though they hold an especially important signifi-

cance in the month of Ramadan. Muslims believe that to be

the month in which the Quran was revealed.

Sources:

BBC. “Islam at a Glance.”

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/islam/ataglance/glance.shtml

Frontline. “Muslims.”

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/muslims/

Huffington Post. “HBO Film Follows Muslim Children in Quran

Memorization Contest.”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/07/27/koran-by-

heart_n_911454.html

Morning prayer at Al-Zahra mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|10DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

The following section is re-printed with permission from ITVS and Independent Lens. Visit http://womenandgirlslead.org/ to learn about ITVS’ Women and Girls Lead, an innovative public media campaign designed to celebrate, educate and activate women, girls and their allies across the globe to address the challenges of the 21st century.

Muslim Women’s Movements

Feminism is often assumed to be a Western construct, yet

Muslim women outside the West have been active in mod-

ern forms of feminism since the 19th century. Different fem-

inist movements reflect the cultural contexts in which they

arise, and Muslim feminists have adapted their own

ways of working within an Islamic framework, al-

lowing women to counter gender oppression and expecta-

tions as a part of their faith. Umm Yasmin of the Centre for

Muslim Minorities and Islam Policy Studies at Australia’s

Monash University defines a Muslim feminist as “one who

adopts a worldview in which Islam can be contextualized

and reinterpreted in order to promote concepts of equity

and equality between men and women; and for whom free-

dom of choice plays an important part in expression of faith.”

Many Muslim feminists insist that violence against women is

anathema to Islam, and that their faith does not condone it.

3 generations of al-Habash women: Yazda, Enas and Houda

Photo courtesy of Laura Nix

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|11DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Muslim women’s movements have also been traditionally

aligned with nationalist, democratic and humanitarian move-

ments, as well as postcolonial struggles and religious reform.

In Egypt, which has been in the forefront of feminism in the

Muslim world, the fight for women’s rights dovetailed with

the rise of secular nationalism and social justice.

Islamic Feminism

Because some secular Muslim feminists are less interested

in reforming Islam and more concerned with promoting gen-

der equality within a secular society, the term “Islamic femi-

nism” arose to distinguish those women who work

specifically within Islam.

The term Islamic feminism became popular in the 1990s,

defining an emerging feminist paradigm by scholars

including Ziba Mir-Hosseini, Mai Yamani, Nilufer

Gole and Shamima Shaikh. As a global phenomenon, the

movement strives to transcend binary notions of East versus

West, secular versus religious and traditional versus modern,

encompassing the Muslim diaspora around the world.

Islamic feminism also aims for the full equality of all Muslims,

male and female, in both public and private life. Margot Bad-

ran of Georgetown University’s Center for Muslim-Christian

Understanding asserts that Islamic feminism is more radical

than more secular Muslim feminisms. She writes, “Islamic

feminism, which derives its understanding and mandate

from the Quran, seeks rights and justice for women, and for

men, in the totality of their existence. Islamic feminism is

both highly contested and firmly embraced.”

Students at Al-Zahra mosque, Hiba, Ala’a and Riham

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|12DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

A Global Movement

As the global Muslim diaspora grows, many Muslim women

face struggles between the ways of life in their current coun-

tries and the traditional practices of their parents’ culture.

These women have developed their own feminist practices

and ways of articulating their own concerns.

For instance, “veiling,” the Muslim custom of wearing hijab, is

often viewed by non-Muslim feminists as an oppressive act

that silences Muslim women and exemplifies the myth of

Islam as inherently sexist and patriarchal. Yet, growing reli-

gious revivalism in the Muslim world has led to an increase in

Islamic dress, including head coverings. For many Muslim

women, wearing the headscarf has become a feminist act,

serving as a symbol of their identity and a way to counter

cultural imperialism. This is just one example of how Muslim

women are defining and developing feminism—on their own

terms.

The Women’s Mosque Movement and the Islamic Revival

Houda’s school is part of a resurgence of Islam across the

globe known as an “Islamic revival.” As secular Arab states

have largely failed to meet the needs of their citizens for do-

mestic political reform and economic growth, an Islamic

resurgence has swept through the region. According to

writer and anthropologist Saba Mahmood (author of Politics

of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist Subject), “Is-

lamic revival” can refer to the activities of state-oriented po-

litical groups, but the phrase also typically refers to a

religious ethos or sensibility that has developed within con-

temporary Muslim societies over the last three decades.

Practitioners like Houda see their efforts to encourage a re-

turn to Islamic observance as social and not political. They

do not insist on imposing Islam on others or in creating theo-

cratic states governed by Islamic law, though they would like

their governments to reflect core Islamic values (in much the

same way that many American Christians have supported

political leadership that reflects their faith).

The Islamic revival is not related to the trend of religious vi-

olent extremism sometimes labeled “Islamist” (in contrast to

“Islamic”). In fact, Muslims like Houda adamantly disavow po-

litical violence in the name of Islam.

While Islam is also often associated with the subjugation

of women, the mosque movement is seen by many

Muslim women, including Houda, as liberating. It of-

fers an opportunity to gain intellectual ownership of Islamic

teaching—women are active and they’re asking questions –

and is seen as a return to a “golden” age of Islam, when Mus-

lim women were known as great teachers, philanthropists

and religious leaders. Mahmood points out that the women

of the movement are focused on cultivating a practice of

personal piety rather than focused on embracing politics.

However, Maan Abdul Salam, a Syrian women’s rights cam-

paigner, explains that female islamic prayer groups (like the

A group of girls read at Al Zahra Mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|13DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

conservative Islamic women’s society Qubaisiate) recruit

women differently, based on their social status. For exam-

ple, wealthy, upper-class women are often taught how to in-

fluence politics.

According to a recent New York Times article on the Islamic

revival in Syria, religious teachers in the country say the

growth in the number of girls’ madrasas (Islamic religious

schools) has outpaced the growth in those for boys. Weekly

religious lessons held at home slowly moved to mosques,

and women began memorizing and studying the Quran and

other Islamic teachings. While there are no official statistics

about how many of Syria’s 700 madrasas are for girls, a sur-

vey of Islamic education in Syria published by the pan-Arab

daily Al-Hayat suggests that there are about 80 such

madrasas in Damascus alone, serving more than 75,000

women and girls. About half of those schools are affiliated

with the Qubaisiate (an insular and conservative Islamic

women’s society in Syria, which has recently started to ex-

port its brand overseas), though Houda’s school is not.

Sources:

Gatestone Institute. “Syria’s Choice: Murderous Secular Regime or

Islamic Fundamentalists.”

http://www.stonegateinstitute.org/2562/syria-fundamentalists

Jadaliyya. “Politics of Piety: The Islamic Revival and the Feminist

Subject.”

http://www.jadaliyya.com/pages/index/235/book-review_politics-of-

piety_the-islamic-revival-

The Light in Her Eyes. “Resources.”

http://thelightinhereyesmovie.com/resources/

Mahmood, Saba. Politics of Piety. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University

Press, 2005.

Wilson, Scott. “Religious Surge Alarms Secular Syrians.” The

Washington Post, January 23, 2005.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A29401-

2005Jan22.html

Zoepf, Katherine. “Islamic Revival in Syria Is Led by Women.” The New

York Times, August 29 2006.

scp=1&sq=islamic%20revival%20in%20syria%20led%20by%20women&s

t=cse

Two women reciting Quran at Al Zahra Mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

BACKGROUND INFORMATION

|14DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Houda al-Habash was born into a large, educated Sunni Muslim family in Damascus, Syria. One of 10 brothers and sisters,

she knew from an early age that she wanted to become a da’ia,

or caller, in the Islamic faith. Houda was educated at a well-

known Islamic school in Damascus, the Abu Nour Institute. She

started her Quran school at Al-Zahra Mosque in 1982 when she

was only 17 years old. She also ran the summer Quran school

and led biweekly lectures at the mosque for the women in her

neighborhood for 30 years. She is married to Samir al-Khaldi, a

businessman, and they have three children. In early 2012, Houda

and her family left Damascus due to the growing political unrest.

They are now living in the Arabian Peninsula.

Enas al-Khaldi, Houda’s daughter, is a recent graduate of the American University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates,

where she studied international relations and political science.

She will be traveling to the United States in summer 2012 to

participate in a seminar on the Quran in the modern world at

Princeton University.

Selected People Featured in The Light in Her Eyes

Immediately after the film, you may want to give

people a few quiet moments to reflect on what they

have seen. You can, if you wish, pose a general ques-

tion and give people some time to themselves to jot

down or think about their answers before opening

the discussion.

General questions might include:

• If you could ask anyone in the film a single

question, who would you ask and what would

you ask him or her?

• What did you learn from this film? What

insights did it provide?

• If a friend asked you what this film was about,

what would you say?

• Describe a moment or scene in the film that

you found particularly disturbing or moving.

What was it about that scene that was

especially compelling for you?

GENERAL DISCUSSION QUESTIONS

|15DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Girls reading the Quran at Al Zahra Mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

|16DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Viewing Through a Gender Lens

Summarize Houda’s teaching about women’s roles. Who

might oppose her philosophy and why might they perceive

her messages to and about women as a threat? Who sees

her teaching as liberating and what does it enable them to

do that they can’t do now?

One way Houda justifies teaching women and girls and en-

couraging them to seek education in the mosque and be-

yond is by saying, “If a mother never learns, how can she

teach the next generation? A woman is a school. If you teach

her, you teach an entire generation.” What are the potential

dangers and benefits of justifying learning for girls by saying

they need it in order to be good mothers?

How do you define “feminism”? Does Houda’s work fit within

your definition? Explain your reasoning.

In the film, we see television footage of traditional clerics de-

scribing their understanding of what Islam requires of

women:

• Abu Ishaq Alheweny: If a woman does as the Prophet

said, worships God, then she should stay home as

much as possible.

• Saad Al-Khathlan: Regarding women’s prayer—praying

at home is better than in the mosque. The Prophet

said, “Their homes are better for them.”

• Wagdy Ghoneim: Our Lord created four duties for

women that no one can argue with: 1. Reproduce. 2.

Raise the children. 3. Take care of her husband. 4. The

house.

How would Houda hope that her students would respond to

such declarations? What would she want them to say or do?

How might the clerics respond to Houda’s declaration that,

“Muslims themselves have deprived women of everything,

even the right to learn, teach, and enter the mosque. This is

ignorance which has nothing to do with religion.”?

Houda’s daughter, Enas al-Khaldi, says, “The tradition of

memorizing Quran is not an obligation, but I believe that it’s

a way of protecting yourself… For girls, it’s very important

to learn what is in Quran because, if you don’t really know

what is the true thing, you are going to be misled.” How does

knowledge of Quran offer protection? In what ways does

studying Quran in Houda’s school give women a voice or

empower them? In what ways might it constrain women’s

voices or limit their power?

In many Muslim communities, women neither attend the

mosque (instead they pray at home) nor memorize the

Quran. Houda and her students do both. How does it change

the culture or society when women start doing something

that was previously viewed as a male domain? Does it mat-

ter what the specific activity is, or does any incursion into a

traditionally male sphere produce the same type of social

change?

Houda explains, “God made the hijab an obligation to pro-

tect women from inappropriate looks and acts. And to pro-

tect a woman’s beauty and purity for her husband later on.”

The lyrics of the song during the ceremony say, “Now we are

veiled. There is light in our eyes. We bless her, we bless her.

Whoever sees her thanks God and says, ‘May you be safe

from envy.’”

CONTEXT QUESTIONS

It is difficult to understand Houda al-Habash’s work without understanding some basic information about the

context in which it takes place. Discuss these questions below before delving deeper into the discussion prompts.

You might want to also add some supplementary information using the Background Section of this guide.

• What is the difference between the Islamic revival and Islamic political extremism? What distinguishes

conservative religious Muslims (like Houda) from Islamist fundamentalists?

• What is the relationship between religion and government in Syria? How does this compare to the United

States? What about other countries you’re familiar with?

• Legally, what is the position of women in Syria, and how does this compare with accepted social conventions

and day-to-day practice in communities across the country?

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

|17DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

What are the messages regarding modesty, women’s sexu-

ality and proper gender roles in those lyrics? How could

these messages be interpreted as feminist? In what ways do

they reinforce traditional gender roles? What are possible

explanations for the significant increase in the number of

Syrian women – and women across the Middle East and

North Africa – adopting the hijab?

In what ways is the hijab an expression of identity (like a

Christian wearing a crucifix or a Jew wearing a star of

David)? What are the implications of such visible expres-

sions when they are adopted by or required for only one sex

or the other? What other religious or cultural traditions ask

women or men to cover their heads? How do the reasons

for head covering in those traditions compare with the rea-

sons that Houda gives?

Houda says to her students, “What I really wish from you

girls is to speak up if there’s something you don’t like. You

are free in your choices, free in your way of thinking, free in

your faith, free in everything. Women can be teachers and

students. Women can rule and arbitrate. Does religious

law allow a woman to be president? Yes! Don’t shut

off your brain. Don’t give up your right to choose.” In your

opinion, how does this message about choice square with

Houda’s belief that Islam dictates that a woman’s first obli-

gation is to be a wife and mother?

How do the expectations for marriage that you hear ex-

pressed in the film compare with your own expectations or

experiences? How does your own community view working

mothers or female politicians? In what ways have gender

roles changed in your religious or national community?

Enas and her friends see outdated customs and traditions as

causing the Muslim world to fall behind. (“The rest of the

world is driving fast while we are riding on the backs of

ants.”) She is especially critical of extremely conservative re-

ligious leaders, saying, “This situation, I’m sorry, has put us in

a very backward position. The world is in turmoil. There’s ter-

rorism and a sheikh is talking about how thick a woman’s

socks should be!” In your view, what are the links between

religious or social traditions that restrict women and socie-

tal development?

Julia places a mic on Yazda before the shoot

Photo courtesy of Laura Nix

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

|18DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

In your view, do people like Houda, who

counter the arguments of extremists by

using women’s roles as wives and mothers to

justify education and participation in society,

have a better chance to secure rights for

women in a country like Syria than people

who support a feminist interpretation of

Islam, building on the ways that Islam values

women to argue for equal rights and ex-

panded choices? Or do you think people who

reject religious practice in favor of a secular

government and lifestyle have the best

chance? Explain your position.

How do Houda’s teachings about women af-

firm or challenge what you learned about the

role or rights of women in Islam?

Compare Houda’s educational opportunities

(both religious and secular) with those of her

mother and her daughter. How do the oppor-

tunities change for members of each genera-

tion? Think about your grandmothers’ and

mother’s experiences attaining education.

How has your own experience differed?

What do you learn about gender from the

way that Houda interacts with people in her

home? What else do you learn about

Houda’s culture or values from the scenes in

her home? How does her home compare to

your home?

Viewing Through a Religion Lens

Houda’s efforts are part of a broader movement known as

the “Islamic revival.” What do you think the participants in

this movement are reviving and why? Why might both Mus-

lim religious clerics and Syria’s secular government see

Houda’s Quran school as a challenge?

In relation to the greater religious revival, where else in the

decades since the 1980s have you seen a resurgence of re-

ligious practice? How would you describe the outcome(s) of

that resurgence?

How is Houda’s school like and unlike a Christian Bible

school, catechism class, Hebrew school or other religious ed-

ucation you have experienced?

Compare and contrast what you see in the film with

the teachings of your own faith tradition/belief system/phi-

losophy. In particular you might consider:

— Who can be a preacher or religious leader and how

does one attain that position?

— What is the relative authority of the main sacred text,

commentaries on the text and custom?

— What is the importance of the main sacred text and

how people (including children) study that text?

What is the significance of the film’s title? What is the “light”?

Though Houda has very definite ideas about how the Quran

instructs women to live, she teaches her students to ask

questions during their studies. What does your religious or

philosophical tradition teach about questioning religious

leaders or sacred texts? Who is allowed to ask questions and

under what circumstances?

Ala’a and Teacher Anan pray at Al Zahra Mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

|19DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Houda says, “If she’s memorized 10 chapters with mistakes,

it’s not accepted by God, and it’s not right in front of peo-

ple.” Another Quran teacher in Houda’s mosque says, “We

recite properly so that our understanding of the Quran and

God is clearer. We should obey God in all the details of our

lives. This is piety.” The teacher conveys this to her students,

saying, “You won’t accept mispronouncing your name but

it’s okay to mispronounce the Quran?” In your view, what is

the value of requiring precision in the girls’ recitation? What

do they learn from this requirement (beyond simply memo-

rizing the text)?

Houda explains sending her daughter to university abroad

saying, “She has a great opportunity to change the world’s

view of Islam. Why is Islam viewed as a terrorist religion?

We need someone to answer these questions.” How

can a young, educated Muslim Arab woman change

the world’s perceptions of her faith? In what ways

would Enas be following in her mother’s footsteps if she

does follow this path?

One woman in the film describes “customs and traditions”

(as opposed to what is actually in the Quran) as being like “a

cage that imprisons us all.” Are there types of customs and

traditions in your own community that “imprison” people?

What provides an escape from that prison? For Houda and

her community, how does religion provide an escape from

the cage?

If leaders of the Islamic revival (like Houda) succeed, what

will Muslim communities or Muslim practice look like 20

years from now? What do you think Houda wants it to look

like? What do you want it to look like? What do you think

Houda wants it to look like?

Teacher Anan’s class has lunch in the

courtyard at Al-Zahra mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

Viewing Through a Political Lens

Prior to viewing the film, what were your major sources of in-

formation about Islam in general and Muslim women in par-

ticular? In what ways did the film confirm and/or contradict

your pre-existing ideas?

Houda thinks of her work as social or cultural, not political,

and she is not part of any political party that is explicitly pro-

moting greater adherence to Islam. What are the differences

between a social movement and a political movement? How

might Houda respond to the feminist adage that “the per-

sonal is political”?

Houda often urges female education by repeating the adage

that a mother is the first teacher for her children. How salient

is this argument in a developing economy?

Are political labels such as “radical,” “liberal,” “moderate,”

and “Islamist” or “conservative” useful for understanding

Houda’s work? If so, which label do you think best describes

her philosophy? If not, what terms would you use to situate

her work in the context of her culture?

What could be interpreted as radical, and what could be un-

derstood as conservative about what Houda is doing?

In what ways do the women and girls in the film benefit from

the fact that Syria has had a secular rather than a theocratic

government? What are the women who study with Houda

getting from their return to Islam that they weren’t getting

from Syria’s secularism?

How do you think Syria’s government would respond to a

school like Houda’s that was only for boys? Why might it

view schools for boys and girls differently?

Houda responds to a question about secular people feeling

threatened or alienated by a culture that is increasingly reli-

gious by saying, “They should not be afraid. If I’m a religious

person, it doesn’t mean I have more rights.” Do you think

that Houda’s answer would satisfy those who are con-

cerned? Why or why not?

With the benefit of hindsight, we know that the film shows a

country that was about to erupt into its most serious politi-

cal violence in decades. Looking back, do you see in the film

any signs or seeds of political tensions or impending vio-

lence?

Viewing Through an Education Lens

Describe the relationship between teachers and students at

Houda’s school. How is it similar to or different from teacher-

student relationships at schools – religious and public – you

know?

Houda says, “I won’t dismiss anyone, even if she’s not mem-

orizing. She may benefit from other things.” What does this

say about Houda’s approach to teaching? What do you think

she means by “other things”?

What does Houda want for her students? What does she

count as success? How is this similar to and different from

what you want for children in your community?

Houda encourages her students, saying, “I want you to make

more efforts with reading because, God willing, when this

Quran course ends, you won’t be able to sit without a book.

God willing, whatever you find, a newspaper, a book, a story,

religious or not, whenever a human being reads, he benefits

and his mind grows.” She even reminds the girls that the first

verse of the Quran is “Read in the name of your Lord the

most noble.” Why do you think reading is so central to

Houda’s expectations for her students, even beyond read-

ing the Quran? What are the “benefits” she references, and

why might those benefits make a particular difference for

the girls?

In keeping with Islamic teaching, Houda describes education

as a form of worship. In your view, how does it change edu-

cation to approach it as sacred? How does this characteri-

zation of education provide women with entry into the

traditionally male sphere of the mosque?

Houda justifies sending her daughter to a foreign university

by explaining, “To be a world-class preacher, she must know

the language and cultures of others.” Enas agrees with her

mother’s vision, saying, “I can see that I can serve Islam bet-

ter if I study politics or if I study economics or media.” How

do these motives compare with the arguments in support of

higher education that you typically hear? In what ways do

you think they might influence Enas’ college experience?

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

|20DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

DISCUSSION PROMPTS

|21DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Viewing Through a Media Lens

What do the film’s transitional street and sidewalk scenes

communicate to you? How do they expand, reinforce or add

new ideas to the information that is communicated through

the dialogue?

What meaning do you draw from the juxtaposition of the fol-

lowing pairs of scenes:

— Houda supervises Quranic education with authority,

demanding perfection and discipline from both

teachers and students at another local school, and then

goes home to pray behind her husband, and serve her

family.

— The Qiyam al-Layl, or night prayer scene and the image of pool toys floating around in the water.

— The discussion surrounding hijab and the Sunday

ceremony and a series of street scenes showing

women in public.

What do you think the filmmakers were trying to communi-

cate through these editing choices?

In a few scenes, we see Houda talking to her daughter,

Enas — or Enas and Enas’s grandmother — as op-

posed to talking to the camera. Do these scenes feel differ-

ent from the scenes in which Houda is talking directly to the

camera? Do they feel the same? In your opinion, what is

gained or lost in filmmaking when conversations happen be-

tween subjects rather than between the subjects and the

filmmakers?

Are you aware of the camera’s presence in the film? How did

the camera’s seeming absence or its presence make you feel

as you watched the subjects’ stories unfold?

What is the significance of the shot in which pigeons fly past

the rooftop?

What is the significance of the shots which show Bashar Al-

Assad posters around Damascus?

Julia and Yasmin shoot Enas and friends

Photo courtesy of Laura Nix

Additional media literacy questions are available at:

www.pbs.org/pov/educators/media-literacy.php

|22DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

Taking Action

• Document, track and publicize instances of negative stereotyping of Muslim women. Work

with local allies to combat those stereotypes and provide your community (and media

professionals) with a more accurate picture.

• Convene an interfaith study group to look at teachings about and implementation of the

roles and rights of women.

• Host a teach-in to look at how the Islamic revival has played out differently in various

nations with significant Muslim populations. Draw distinctions between nations like Syria,

with secular governments, and nations where Islam is an integral part of the government.

• Invite speakers who are first-person witnesses to the Arab Spring to talk, either virtually or in

person, about the role that women have played in the political upheaval.

• Convene a panel to discuss feminist approaches to Abrahamic religions (Judaism,

Christianity and Islam). Ask panelists to feature both commonalities and differences and to

comment on where Houda’s work might fit into the spectrum of approaches that they

describe.

• In addition to promoting the practice of Islam, Houda runs her school in order to empower

girls. Design a school that would work in the context of your community to empower girls.

What would that school look like? What would be included in the curriculum? What would

the relationship be between teachers and students? When you’ve designed the ideal school,

consider whether or not there are elements that could be applied to the existing schools in

your community.

• If you are not Muslim, arrange for a clergy exchange, in which an imam or a female Muslim

leader is invited to speak to your congregation and your religious leader is invited to speak

at a mosque. Or arrange for small groups of congregants to visit houses of worship or

community centers run by people from a faith-tradition different from your own. As a follow-

up, arrange for those small groups to meet for ongoing informal conversations to answer

questions and discuss experiences.

FILM-RELATED WEB SITES

ON THE SCREEN

http://onthescreen.podbean.com/2011/06/17/the-light- in-her-eyes-women-in-the-media/

This radio interview with the filmmakers covers the film itself,

stereotypes of Muslim women, feminism and the changing

roles of women in Islam.

HUFFINGTON POST:

“INSIDE A SYRIAN QURAN SCHOOL FOR WOMEN:

THE SPIRITUAL ROOTS OF A REVOLUTION”

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kamran-pasha/syrian- quran-school-for-women_b_1119535.html

This review of the film provides background on women in

Islam and women’s spiritual awakening as part of the Arab

Spring.

Islam, Women and Combating Stereotypes

MUSLIM WOMEN’S LEAGUE

http://www.mwlusa.org/

This U.S. organization offers explanatory position statements

on a wide variety of issues related to women living as Mus-

lims in the modern world, as well as links to other relevant re-

sources and organizations.

INSTITUTE ON RELIGION AND CIVIC VALUES

www.ircv.org

This academic organization provides a wide range of edu-

cational resources, including guidelines for teaching about

religion in public schools and lesson plans on topics like the

meaning of wearing the hijab and the role of religion in cur-

rent social and political movements.

CARNEGIE COUNCIL:

RESOURCES ON ISLAMIC EDUCATION

http://www.carnegiecouncil.org/education/004/bibli- ographies/0001.html

This library provides annotated links to papers and organi-

zations that examine Muslim schools.

RESOURCES

|23DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

FILMMAKER WEBSITE

www.thelightinhereyesmovie.com

In addition to general news and information about the film, the film’s site provides links to resources,

including interviews with scholars.

Interact with The Light in Her Eyes at PBS.org POV’s Webby Award-winning website offers a broad range of exclusive online content to enhance the

broadcast of The Light in Her Eyes. Watch the full film online for free for a limited time following the broadcast

(from July 20, 2012 to August 19, 2012), download this discussion guide, lesson plans and other viewing

resources, view photos from the film and interact with the filmmaker through video interviews and an online

Q-and-A soon after the documentary airs on POV.

What’s Your POV? Share your thoughts about The Light in Her Eyes

by posting a comment at http://www.pbs.org/pov/thelightinhereyes

MIDDLE EAST INSTITUTE: INTRODUCTION TO ISLAM:

AN ONLINE TEXT

http://www.mideasti.org/content/introduction-islam- preface

This introductory text about Islam was written by law

professor M. Cherif Bassiouni specifically for non-Muslims.

RETHINKING SCHOOLS: “SAVE THE MUSLIM GIRL!”

http://www.rethinkingschools.org/archive/ 24_02/24_02_muslim.shtml

This article by Özlem Sensoy and Elizabeth Marshall

critically examines the depiction of Muslim girls as victims

in Western young adult literature and offers alternative

strategies to help students think through the issues.

For information on Syria, see the resources cited in

Background Information section of this guide.

RESOURCES

|24DISCUSSION GUIDEThe Light in Her Eyes

A young girl reads at Al Zahra Mosque

Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

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Front cover: A teacher instructs her student on correct pronunciation of Quranic verse. Photo courtesy of Itab Azzam

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