November 2021 Flashcards
What was the political structure of Arabia in the time leading up to Muhammad and what resource was the basis for power?
Tribal structure, based on clans and water rights (wells)
Why was there a mix of cultures and ideas in Arabia?
Because of their trade routs that linked the Byzantine Empire to India and Persia
What was important about Mecca? What was predominant religion?
Muhammad’s tribal home, religious center and home of the Ka’bah (Abraham’s black stone). Paganism (polytheistic) was the predominant religion.
What was Muhammad’s childhood and upbringing like?
He was orphaned by age of 6, then was raised in the Bedouin way of life by his uncle
What business did Muhammad go into and whom did he marry?
trade; he married his boss
What was his repuation?
Peacemaker, negotiator, and “loaner”`
What message did the angel, Gabriel, give to Muhammad?
there is no god but God (aka Allah)
What does prophet mean and according to Islam, who was the last Prophet?
Means messenger, Muhammad was the Last Prophet.
What does Islam mean? Before Muhammad, to whom was it revealed?
“Submission to God”; revealed to the prophets of Christianity and Judaism
How did Muhammad see Muslims in relationships to Christians and Jews?
They were all “People of the Book”, but Islam was the final revelation
What are the Five Pillars of Faith? (names and descriptions)
Shahadah: profession of faith (know word)
Salat: ritual prayer that occurs 5 times a day towards Mecca
Zakah: charity
Sawm: fasting during Ramadan
Hajj: the pilgrimage to Mecca
What made Islam attractive to the people of Arabia?
It promised equality between people, rewards in death, and a righteous way of life
How were the people “won over” to Islam?
First by the message, then overcoming military odds, then “by the sword” (conquest)
What year begins the Muslim calendar? What event started it off?
CE 622, “The hijrah” journey to Medina (hijrah NOT capitallized)
What was important about the Ka’aba and what did Muhammad change about it?
It was a sacred place believed to have been founded by Abraham. Home of the “black stone” and relics and idols of 300+ gods. Muhammad smashed them all and rededicated the site to Allah.
What common people faced the new religion when Muhammad dies?
The problem of succession; should the next leader be political or spiritual?
What does caliph mean?
Successor
What does the Arabic word for conquest mean?
openings
How come the spread of Islam was so fast and so successful?
They faced weak opponents, were swept up in jihad (war against oppression), and had religious tolerance
Who were the Sunnis and which leader did they follow?
Sect believed in the legitimacy of the first four caliphs, elected based on talent. (80% of Muslims today) Mu’Awiya, governor of Syria
Who were the Shi’a and which leader did they follow?
Minority sect that believed leadership should stay within Muhammad’s family, led by Ali, cousin and son-in-law of Muhammad
Which side spilled blood first? (Sunnis or Shi’a)
The Sunnis when Uthman was murdered in a mosque by Egyptian rebels
What is the way-cool advantage of conquest in the way of short-term gains?
it gets u rich quick
What is the long-range disadvantage and how do governments make up for it?
You get used to riches then need to keep it up by taxing more.
What was the “problem” with the Umayyad tax system?
It favored Muslim Arabs by charging converts more and the non-converted (conquered) even more
How long did the Umayyads rule and what was their capital city?
90 years, Damascus
Where did the Umayyads continue their rule?
Al-Andaus (Spain)
How long did the Abbasids rule and what was their capitol city?
500 years, Baghdad
Once the Abbasids were in control, what did the powerful caliphs do that Muhammad might have objected?
Lived lavishly and promoted their own family members
How far north did Islam spread and who prevented it from spreading further north
Into Europe: Al-Andaus (Spain) & Charles Martel at the Battle of Tours
What are the main features of a mosque and how is it oriented?
Minarets (towers), mihrab (niche), minbar (pulpit), prayer hall, and Quibla (direction of Mecca)
The Qur’an only exists in what language?
Arabic; all others are just “translations”
Unlike the Christian West, what was not considered a threat to Islam?
Science and questioning things
What innovation that came from China exploded the spread of knowlodge in the Muslim world?
PaPeR!!!
What European movement had its roots in the scholarly world of Baghdad and where did the knowledge come from?
The Renaissance, from classical (Greek/Roman) learning
What standard did the Islamic world give to scientific study?
the scientific process
What is Islamic law called and what is it based on?
the Shari’ah
How were Christians and Jews treated in Muslim Spain and elsewhere in the Islamic World?
Pretty well. They prospered living side by side and their scholarship was welcomed as “People of the Book”
What advantage did merchants have under Umayyads and Abbasids?
high status and freedom to trade without borders
What does jihad refer to?
a spiritual struggle, sometime physical, sometimes mental
What two artistic forms are special to Islamic cultures?
Arabesque designs and Arabic calligraphy
