Unit 2: Muslim Empire

Question 1

What is religion

Answer 1

In order for a belief system to be considered a religion it must have the following:

Beliefs: in something greater than man
Rituals: actions that are repeated over and over again
Moral code: rules of behavior, a sense of right and wrong
Followers: religion is a communal experience

Question 2

5 pillars

Answer 2

First, they are required to testify the following statement: “There is no God but Allah, and Mohammed is the messenger of Allah”.

Second they must pray 5 times a day and must face Mecca as they do so.

Third, all muslims must help those who have less by giving charity and by paying a religious tax for charitable services

Fourth, during the holy week of Ramadan all muslims must fast from sunrise to sunset

Fifth, all muslims at some point of their life must make a pilgrimage to mecca

Question 3

Umma

Answer 3

Name for the islamic community

Question 4

Koran

Answer 4

Holy book of islam

Question 5

Sunna

Answer 5

The islam moral code, also known as Mohammed’s example. The sunna was created by islam followers based on things he said and also on observations of how he behaved

Question 6

Jihad

Answer 6

Means struggle or striving

Question 7

Azan

Answer 7

Call to the prayer

Question 8

Hijrah

Answer 8

The name given to the move by mohammed from mecca to medina, it also marks the start of the muslim calendar. (2015=1437)

Question 9

Life of mohammed

Answer 9

Born in 570 AD in mecca. Was an orphan by age of 6 and was raised by his uncle abu talib

Becomes a merchant and marries wealthy woman called khadija

Begins to have visions, begins preaching that there is 1 god, people in mecca respond angrily.

Flees to medina where he preaches freely

Returns to mecca as a religious, political and spiritual leader

Dies in 632 without leaving a succesor

Question 10

Sunni vs Shia

Answer 10

Sunni believed that the best person from umma should lead

Shias (or Shiites) believed someone in mohammed’s family should lead

Question 11

Rashidun

Answer 11

Means rightly guided caliph

They were: abu bakr, omar, uthman, ali

Question 12

Dhimmitude

Answer 12

Means a non muslim, living in an islam society

Question 13

Umayyad power

Answer 13

The umayyads move capital to damascus, introduce arabanization, expand wealth

Question 14

Abassids power

Answer 14

Come into power after moving the capital to baghdad and islaic golden age begins

Question 15

Islam expands

Answer 15

Shi’a groups rebel, they create their own dynasty known as the fatimid (named after mohammeds daughter) established in egypt, create the city of cairo as its capital

Question 16

The umayyad family

Answer 16

Surviving members of the umayyad re-establish their dynasty in soain and make cordoba thier capital

Question 17

3 periods of islamic history

Answer 17

Caliphate: consolidated, expanded, and eventually showed signs of corruption

Umayyad: increased wealth, expanded and began moving away from the founding islam principles. Focused on wealth instead of religion. Created social classes. Were eventually overthrown

Abbasids: experienced the golden age with innovations in almost all fields (mathematics, agriculture, physics, chemistry, health etc,) also had a huge standing army

Question 18

Main accomplishments of the muslim empire

Answer 18

Banking and checking
Trade
Arabic numerals
Trigonometry and algebra
Paper
Optics
Hospitals
Translations of greek and roman texts 
Spread of arabic language
Engineering

Question 19

Characteristics of a mosque

Answer 19

Qibla: the direction of the kaaba, to which the muslims turn at to pray

Minaret: a tall tower with a balcony they are used to call to a prayer

Mihrab: a niche in the wall that points to mecca, so the muslims can pray facing that way

Minbar: a raised platform in a mosque from where the preacher speaks

Sahn: a courtyard

Question 20

Statement of inquiry

Answer 20

Communities participate in an ongoing global process of interaction in which they accept, reject and negotiate cultural identities

Question 21

Abu Bakr

Answer 21

One of mohammed’s closest friends. He was the first caliph and started what is known as the caliphate. Implemented the jihad

Question 22

Ali

Answer 22

Mohammed’s younger cousin. Some believed he should have been the new leader after mohammed. His death is what started the division in the muslim empire

Question 23

Mecca

Answer 23

A very important commercial city. It was viewed as sacred by many groups of people. It was holy especially to the many polytheistic religions of the middle east. When mohammed started preaching there, he had to flee to medina because many people were against his teachings

Question 24

Medina

Answer 24

In medina, mohammed was successful in solving its problems. The people of medina had invited him there after he fled from mecca

Question 25

Abrahamic religions

Answer 25

Religions that come from Abraham. They are judaism, christianity and islam