Facts and Statistics

Question 1

Most of the people of Arabia were

Answer 1

polytheists

Question 2

Pilgrims made many journeys to the pagan shrine in Mecca and visited

Answer 2

Kaabah, a stone edifice said to have been built by Abraham and Ishmael. They would kiss a black stone, thought to be a meterorite.

Question 3

The Arabs believed in

Answer 3

jinns, demon spirits that were said to inhabit trees, stones, rivers and hills.

Question 4

The prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca at about year

Answer 4

570

Question 5

Mecca’s chief religion

Answer 5

was polytheism, but not deeply held. The Hanifs rejected polytheism for one true God.

Question 6

Easter Christendom had controversies over . .

Answer 6

the term theotokos - referring to Mary as the “bearer of God.”

Question 7

Monophysite Christians

Answer 7

raised their devotion to Mary to that of a cult.

Question 8

The earliest biography of Muhammad was written . . .

Answer 8

120 years after his death.

Question 9

In Medina Muhammad started as a . . .

Answer 9

negotiator between two fighting tribes by getting them to unite around his new religion.

Question 10

By the end of his life Muhammad had married

Answer 10

12 different women.

Question 11

When in Medina Muhammad married Abu Bakr when she was only . . .

Answer 11

nine years old.

Question 12

Muhammad’s first major victory was at the . . .

Answer 12

Battle of Badr where he attacked a caravan headed to Mecca and defeated about 1000 men with 300 men.

Question 13

One of the most famous stories of Muhammad is that of his . . .

Answer 13

night journey where he reportedly traveled through the air on the winged horse al-Burag. , and then ascended to seven heavens with the angel Gabriel, then returned home to ARabia all within one night.

Question 14

The last ten years of the prophet’s life were filled with . . .

Answer 14

military conquest and formative for the Muslim religion where he composed much of the Qur’an.

Question 15

The first 4 successors of Muhammad each took the title of -

Answer 15

caliph, which means “successor” or “substitute. There were known as “Rightly Guided Caliphs.”

Question 16

This dynasty ruled from 661-750 after the first 4 successors

Answer 16

The Umayyad dynasty

Question 17

The followers of Ali’s family became known as the

Answer 17

Shiites (meaning party.)

Question 18

The majority of Muslims are the

Answer 18

Sunnis who live in Iran and southern Iraq.

Question 19

The Ummayad rulers were known for

Answer 19

luxury, indulgence, more interested in politics than piety.

Question 20

The Abbasids took over from

Answer 20

750-1258. This was the golden age of Muslim civilization.

Question 21

The three empires that followed the Abbasids were known as the

Answer 21

“Gunpowder Empires” because they used that weapon.

Question 22

The Ottoman Turkish Empire ruled from

Answer 22

1281-1924. It was the longest lasting.

Question 23

30 years before Luther was born

Answer 23

Constantinople fell to the Ottoman Turks.

Question 24

From late 1600’s the Turks suffered

Answer 24

several military setbacks and two centuries of decline.

Question 25

When Turkey sided with Germany in WWI

Answer 25

it brought an end to the sultan and the caliphate.

Question 26

From 1800 to 1950 Muslim lands were

Answer 26

dominated by European colonial powers.

Question 27

With the discovery and drilling of oil in the MIddle East,

Answer 27

Islamic hope revived.

Question 28

Important factors that hold together Sunni Islam are . . .

Answer 28

1. Quran
2. Hadith i.e. traditions (something new)
3. Reasoning (qiyas)
4. Juristic opinion (rayi)

Question 29

The four sources of Islam - Quran, Hadith, Qiyas and Rayi combine to determine -

Answer 29

Shariah Law.

Question 30

The Ulama (groups of scholars trained in religious law)

Answer 30

interpret shariah for the rest of the people.

Question 31

Shiites make up about ____ percent of Muslims.

Answer 31

12

Question 32

Shiite comes from the Arabic word _________ which means party. It refers to those who are of the party of _____.

Answer 32

shi’a

Ali

Question 33

Ali’s son was named _______, who died at Karbala, supposedly for the . . .

Answer 33

Husain

sins of the people.

Question 34

The imam is said to be infallible, also known as the

Answer 34

Living Qur’an. not a law follower but a law creator.

Question 35

Shiites look to the authority of the

Answer 35

imam.

Question 36

Sunni Islam isa religion of Ijma, that of

Answer 36

consensus.

Question 37

Shia Islam is a religion of

Answer 37

authority.

Question 38

Most Shiites believe in ____ imams.

The last disappeared in 873 and they await the reappearance of this

Answer 38

12.

hidden imam.

Question 39

Shiism is the official religion of ______. It is also that of the majority of people in ____.

Answer 39

Iran.

Iraq.

Question 40

The nation of Islam is . . .

They teach the white race was brought into existence . . .

Answer 40

polytheistic and there are many gods, including the black man.
6,000 years ago by a black scientist in rebellion against Allah.

Question 41

Baha’is is a major Muslim offshoot. Ali has 12 descendants who were legitimate heads of Islam. in 872 the 12th disappeared, and the Shiites have been waiting . .

Answer 41

for him to return and lead them to world conquest.

Question 42

Unlike Islam, Baha’is attempt to . . .

Answer 42

unite all religions. They are ecumenical.

Question 43

Indonesia has the largest number of Muslims, _____ percent and ________ million people are Sunni Muslim

Answer 43

87, 184

Question 44

The Muslim work in England is,

Answer 44

If we can take London for Islam, we can take the world. (Shorrosh 185)