The Islamic World Study Guide: page 354-371

Question 1

What is an Oasis?

Answer 1

Wet. fertile area in a desert.

Question 2

What is a Caravan?

Answer 2

A group of traders that travel together.

Question 3

Who is Muhammad?

Answer 3

He was born into important family in Mecca around 570. At age 25 married Khadijah who he worked for before. At 40 he was spoken to by God or Allah. In 613 he started talking about these messages. In 622 he and his followers went to Medina or “the Prophet’s City”. In 632, he died as a Muslim and prophet of Islam.

Question 4

What is Islam?

Answer 4

The messages Muhammad received form the basis of this. Islam means “to submit to God”.

Question 5

What is a Muslim?

Answer 5

They are a follower of Islam. They believe Muhammad received messages for the rest of his life.

Question 6

What is the Qur’an?

Answer 6

The messages that Muhammad received from God were collected into this which is the holy book of Islam.

Question 7

What is a Pilgrimage?

Answer 7

It is a journey to a sacred place.

Question 8

What is a Mosque?

Answer 8

It is a building for Muslim prayer.

Question 9

What is Jihad?

Answer 9

It means “to make an effort, or to struggle” and refers to the inner struggle people go through to obey God and behave according to Islamic ways.

Question 10

What is Sunnah?

Answer 10

The written record of Muhammad’s words and actions is the basis for this. It refers to the way Muhammad lived, which provides a model for the duties and the way of life expected of Muslims.

Question 11

What are The Five Pillars of Islam?

Answer 11

They are the first duties of Muslims which are five acts of worship required of all Muslims.

1. Statement of Faith to God. They state it by saying “There is no god but God and Muhammad is his prophet.” which is said when Muslims accept Islam and in their daily prayers.
2. Daily Prayer to God which is 5 times a day.
3. Yearly donation to charity which is used to help and care for others.
4. Fasting - going without food or drink between dawn and sunset - is made during the month of Ramadan.
5. Hajj, pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in a Muslims life if able. This is done to go to the Kaaba.

Question 12

Who is Abu Bakr?

Answer 12

He was one of Muhammad’s first converts and was chosen as the next leader of Islam after Muhammad.

Question 13

What is a Caliph?

Answer 13

This is a title that Muslims use for the highest leader of Islam.

Question 14

What is Tolerance?

Answer 14

It is acceptance.

Question 15

Who are the Janissaries?

Answer 15

They are slave soldiers converted to Islam and became fierce warriors. They were trained by the Ottomans and used to be Christian boys.

Question 16

Who was Mehmed II?

Answer 16

In 1453 the Ottomans - Muslim Turkish warriors - led by him used huge cannons to conquer Constantinople. With this he defeated the Byzantine Empire and became known as “The Conqueror”. He made Constantinople or Istanbul - what Ottomans call Constantinople - his new capital. He made Byzantine’s great church Hagia Sophia, into a mosque.

Question 17

Who was Suleyman I?

Answer 17

Made the Ottoman empire better under him when he ruled from 1520-1566. During this rule, Ottomans controlled Eastern Mediterranean and pushed into Europe. They controlled these parts till early 1800s.

Question 18

Who were the Shia?

Answer 18

In mid-600s Islam split into 2 groups. These people are Muslims who think that only Muhammad’s descendant’s could become caliphs.

Question 19

Who were the Sunni?

Answer 19

In mid-600s Islam split into 2 groups. These people didn’t think caliphs had to be related to Muhammad. Believed ANYONE could become caliphs

Question 20

Who was Ibn Battutah?

Answer 20

He traveled to Africa, India, China, and Spain in the 1320s. To help travelers, Muslim geographers made batter maps and developed better ways of calculating distance.

Question 21

What is Sufism?

Answer 21

Muslim doctors and scientists studied ancient Greek philosophy of rational thought. Others focused on spiritual issues leading to this. This is practiced by the Sufis who believe you can have a personal relationship with God.

Question 22

Who was Omar Khayym?

Answer 22

One of the most famous Sufi poets who wrote about their loyalty to God.

Question 23

Who is a Patron?

Answer 23

They are sponsors of many things like architecture.

Question 24

What is a Minaret?

Answer 24

Many mosques have a large dome and this. It is a narrow tower where Muslims are called to prayer.

Question 25

What is Calligraphy?

Answer 25

Muslim artists used this which is decorative writing. They made sayings from the Qur’an into works of art to decorate mosques and other buildings.