Spread of Islam
Islamic Achievements
The Ottoman Empire
Rites of Passage /
Significant Holidays
Significant Holidays
Potpourri
100
In addition to their fervent religious convictions, what martial skill led to the military successes of the early Arab armies?
Their abilities as expert horsemen
100
What is the term for artistic expression through stylized handwriting originally popularized in the Middle East by Islamic scholars?
Calligraphy
100
Where did the Ottoman Empire first spring into existence?
Anatolia (modern Turkey)
100
What are two moments in a Muslim's life when they should hear the shahada?
First words heard after birth and ideally, the last words heard before death
100
DAILY DOUBLE: What is notable about the Islamic calendar as a whole?
It is lunar, meaning that each month begins with the appearance of a new moon. All celebrations happen eleven days earlier each solar year, giving them no particular connection to the seasons.
200
Who is responsible for the spread of Islam into southern Asia and northern and central Africa?
Muslim merchants
200
What branch of mathematics was developed by Islamic scholars Al Jabr and Al-Khwarizmi, who studied Indian sources to write a textbook in the late 800s explaining “the art of bringing together unknowns to match a known quantity”?
Algebra
200
Who was the first sultan to consolidate power after the Mongol evacuation of what would become the Ottoman Empire?
Osman I
200
DAILY TRIPLE: What is the Aqiqa?
Islamic naming ceremony in which a child's head is shaved seven days after their birth and the child is given a Muslim name.
200
According to the Koran, how many wives may a man take, and under what condition?
An Islamic man may take up to four wives, provided that he can treat them all equally.
300
Describe the status of Jews and Christians in Muslim territories.
Christians and Jews did not have the same legal status as Muslims, and they had to pay the Jizya, a special tax. However, they were still allowed to practice their own faiths and follow their own laws.
300
DAILY DOUBLE: What is the title of the collection of Middle Eastern folk tales compiled in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age around a framework tale of a new bride attempting to forestall her execution by her husband?
1001 Nights / Arabian Nights
300
What were the group of soldiers loyal to the sultan and made up of former slaves & Christian converts to Islam called?
The Janissaries
300
Which month of the Islamic calendar is spent fasting during daylight hours?
Ramadan
300
Under which ruler was the Ottoman Empire at the peak of its powers?
Suleiman the Magnificent
400
The decline of which two empires allowed for the successes of the Arab armies responsible for Islam's spread?
The Byzantine and Persian Empires
400
What are Islamic mosaics forbidden from depicting, and why?
Mosaics forbade the depiction of living beings based on the idea that only Allah can create life (considered idolatry)
400
In 1453 A.D., this city was conquered by the Sultan Mehmet II & became the Ottoman capital. It was renamed to something that translates to "City of Islam."
Constantinople/Istanbul
400
What occurs during the 8th-13th days of the month of Dhul-Hijja?
The annual pilgrimage to Mecca, or Hajj
400
In what decade did the Ottoman Empire officially come to an end?
1920s (Nov. 1, 1922)
500
What two groups were most responsible for the spread of Islam further East into Asia?
Turks and Mongols
500
What is the name of the astronomical instrument, originally used by Greeks and perfected by Muslims, for taking the altitude of the sun or stars and for the solution of other problems in astronomy and navigation?
The astrolabe
500
What factors led to economic decline of the Ottoman Empire, resulting in its fall?
1. trade competition from Americas
2. cheap products from India & Far East
3. development of other trade routes
4. rising unemployment & near bankruptcy
500
What is the Eid-al-Fitr?
The festival and feasting celebrating the end of Ramadan.
500
What Islamic architectural feat is notable for being the earliest surviving Islamic monument, completed in 691, and featuring a rock on the site that is the spot from which Muslims say Muhammad ascended into heaven to learn of Allah’s will; Jews identify the same rock as the site where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac.
The Dome of the Rock.