Origins of Islam
What is the climate of the majority of the Arabian Peninsula?
Desert
What does Allah mean, and what language is it from?
"God" in Arabic
Why were Arab tribes united?
They were united by the Islam religion.
Why can we say the Islamic civilization has been successful? (What did they give us?)
Islamic civilization produced many advances in science, mathematics, philosophy, medicine, and the arts.
What weakened the Gupta empire?
The Gupta came under attack by groups from Central Asia.
Why is Mecca an important city?
Because it was an a major city on a trade route to Syria and other northern areas. It also became the center of religion.
Wht is the ONE CORE value of Islam? There are two parts.
The belief in one all-powerful God, and the belief that Muhammad was God's final messenger to human beings.
Name one factor of the successful spread of Islam.
Acceptable Answers:
- The decline of the Persian and Byzantine Empires
- The ability and devotion of Muslim soldiers
- The relative tolerance for Jewish and Christian believers.
Why did cities and trade grow? Provide one reason.
Acceptable answers:
- Having a strong central government
- Cities became centers of learning
- Cities became centers of trade
What connected the Chola dynasty with different cultures and empires across the Indian Ocean?
Maritime (sea-related) trading networks.
Who did early Arabs worship before Muhammmad came to Mecca?
Many gods
Why is the Quran Islam's holy book? Be specific. What do Muslims believe?
Muslims believe that the Quran is a record of the messages from God revealed to Muhammad.
How are the expectations of men and women similar and different in Islam?
Muslim women and men have religious equality, but Islam establishes strict roles for men and women.
How did Muslim philosophers become so wise? (Who did they learn from?)
Muslim philosophers translated works from Greece, Persia, and India and combined those ideas with Islamic principles.
How did Hinduism change over time? Name two major changes.
- Stressed personal devotion to God in various forms.
- Stressed equality of men and women and also people of different castes.
Why were many early Arabians nomads?
The lack of water in Arabia made human settlement difficult.
Why is the Sunnah a major source of Islamic teaching? (Be specific. What does it refer to?)
This source refers to Muhammad's words and actions. The Sunnah provides Muslims with a model for living a proper life.
How was the Umayyad family empire a benefit to the Arab Muslim empire?
Under the Umayyad, the Arab Muslim empire reached its greatest size.
What Arabic aspect do we use in the English speaking world today? (It's also used in Spanish, French, German, etc.)
Muslim mathematicians developed a decimal system - "Arabic numerals".
How did Buddhism change over time? Name two changes
- Soe Buddhists began to worship Buddha as a god rather than a wise person.
- The idea of nirvana changed from being a state of a peaceful mind to a form of heaven in an afterlife.
Why did Muhammad gain believers? What was a KEY event in his life to cause him to have believers?
Acceptable Answers:
- Muhammad was told by an angel to share messages from God in Mecca and he obeyed.
- Muhammad became Medina's political and miiary leader.
- Muhammad banned worship of the old gods and organized the Muslim community.
What are the five pillars of Islam?
One: Believe in God AND that Muhammad was God's final messenger to human beings.
Two: Pray 5 times a day
Three: Give 2.5% of your wealth to charity
Four: Fasting during Ramadan
Five: Making a pilgrimage (hajj) to Mecca at least once
Name the groups of people in the Arab Muslim empire, from highest to lowest class.
1) Arab Muslims
2) Non-Arab Muslims
3) Jewish people and Christians
4) Enslaved people
What does Islam discourage including in art?
Islam discouraged the portrayal of human or animal figures.
How are the teachings of Sikhism similar to the teachings of Islam?
Both emphasize devoting one's life to God and prayer as well as helping the needy.