Islam

Muslims date their calendars from ___ CE, the year that Muhammad made his famous Hijrah, or "migration," from Mecca to Medina.

622. The Hijrah is an important moment of transition for Muslims, since Muhammad was escaping the persecution of Mecca and fleeing to a city which gave him extensive freedom and political authority.

The Medianans' conflict with Mecca ended in ___, when Muhammad led a conquering force of 10,000 men into the city.

630. Upon entering Mecca, Muhammad went to the Kaaba and destroyed the idols and images, while respectfully leaving the black stone intact. Following this symbolic act, Muhammad was more or less recognized as the sole leader of the Arabian people.

After the Umayyad caliphate, Islam reached its peak during the _______ caliphate, who ruled from the capital of Baghdad from 750 to 1258.

Abbasid. Not only did the reign of the Abbasid caliphate mark the greatest reach of Islam geographically, but it also was marked with great advances in scholarship and architecture.

Soon after Muhammad began receiving his revelations, he became convinced that there was only one God and that it was the same God worshipped by Jews and Christians--though the Arab people called him by the name of _____.

Allah. Muhammad taught that Allah was the same God found in Judaism and Christianity. Thus, Islam did not deny the other religions' validity; it just viewed them as incomplete.

The pre-Islamic religion of the Arab people was noted for being _________, believing that spirits and gods resided in stones, trees, and animals.

Animistic. Because of the religion's animistic beliefs, Mecca was known as a holy city even before the rise of Islam. It housed an ancient meteoric stone which had been enshrined inside a structure called the Kaaba.

Of the world's major religions, Islam is the youngest. With over one _______ adherents, it also is one of the largest.

Billion. The dominant religion in the developing nations in the Middle East, Africa, and Asia, Islam is one of the world's most important religions today.

Although many religions require some form of fasting, Muslims are expected to obey the longest and most stringent fast of all. During Ramadan, the month kept in remembrance of the Prophet's first revelation, Muslims are expected to abstain from food, drink, and sex during the ________ hours.

Daylight. Muslims believe that those who complete the fast during Ramadan will have all their sins forgiven by Allah.

Because Zoraster taught that two spirits emanate from Ahura Mazda (one good and one evil) his religion is often referred to as _________.

Dualistic. Zorastrians believe that their supreme god, Ahura Mazda, manifests two spirits: Spenta Mainyu (good) and Angra Mainyu (evil).

Islamic ______________ arose in the 1960s and 70s in response to the perceived threat of Western culture in the Muslim world.

Fundamentalism. As societies based on the Western world became more and more prevalent in Muslim nations, Islamic fundamentalism grew in an attempt to return to the old ways and traditions of historic Islamic culture.

The _____ also served as a center of worship for pre-Islamic Arabs and was reputed to contain 360 idols.

Kaaba. In the time of Mohammed (7th century AD), the Kaaba was a center of pagan worship of approximately 360 rock idols. Mohammed had all the idols removed except for the black stone.

Approximately 90 percent of Muslims are Sunni Muslims. Adherents to this branch of Islam are traditionalists who try to base their practice upon the literal word of the _____.

Koran. Most of the world's Muslims are Sunni Muslims, considering themselves the guardians of Islamic orthodoxy and tradition.

Because Muhammad was illiterate, his followers recorded his revelations for him. This collection became the Scripture of Islam and is called the _____.

Koran. The Koran (also spelled Qur'an) is considered the most perfect and beautiful work in the Arabic language. Thus, its revelation through an uneducated, illiterate man was miraculous.

Similar to the Jewish Mishnah, the Muslim Hadith collects literature found outside of Scripture and is used often by scholars to clarify _____ questions.

Legal. The basic Sunni Muslim religious education is based upon close study of the Koran and the hadith. There are thousands of hadith, all of which expand on the basic teachings of the Koran.

Al-Ghazali attempted to unite the __________ and mystical schools of Islam.

Legalistic. Al-Ghazali abandoned his family and position and set out to find God by experiencing poverty and having mystical experiences.

According to the Qur'an, a man must give a woman a ____ before he can marry her.

Mahr. Roughly translated as "dowry", the Mahr becomes the exclusive property of the bride. It is often a sum of money which is agreed upon before the marriage, though it can be anything--a good example is a lesson from the Qur'an. When married, a woman may still retain all of her possessions and may do with them as she pleases. She is not required to spend any of it at all on the household. If she decides to get a divorce, she must go through a court, and may be required to return the Mahr.

The Koran repeatedly emphasizes that Allah is the only God and that he is complete, eternal, and undivided. Such a belief makes Islam a ____________ religion.

Monotheistic. Besides Islam, the only other world religion as monotheistic in its beliefs is Judaism.

Because Islam is structured to allow worship to take place every day and in any location, only a few activities actually take place in the ______, or house of prayer.

Mosque. Once a week, Muslims are led in prayer at a mosque by an imam. This is followed by a sermon. All other religious duties can be performed away from the mosque and its leadership.

Formed in Egypt in 1928, the __________________ rejected Islamic socialism and other modernizing programs and promoted the full implementation of Islamic law in a religious state.

Muslim Brotherhood. The Brotherhood was officially banned in 1954 after it was named in an unsuccessful assassination attempt.

One of the five pillars of Islam, the frequent, daily repetition of Shahadah, the Islamic confession of faith, is the most common religious act of the Muslim. Its mere utterance makes the reciter a ______.

Muslim. Shahadah should be uttered as often as possible every day. Translated, the creed means "There is no God but Allah; Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." This is the first phrase a Muslim child hears.

Sufis were _______; their consuming interest was union with God now rather than after death.

Mystics. The Sufis were sometimes accused of heresy by other Muslims.

The Islamic religion is well known for the Five Pillars of Islam. The performance of these sacred ___________ is what defines a good Muslim.

Obligations. The famous five pillars of Islam consist of repetition of the creed, daily prayer, almsgiving, fasting during Ramadan, and the pilgrimage to Mecca.

One of the big pre-Islamic Arab religions which dominated much of Greater Iran was of the Zoroastrians, which teaches that there is one supreme god called ___________.

Ahura Mazda. Zoraster believed that there was only one true god, that his name was Ahura Mazda, and that he created all things and that all other gods are false.

The Shiites believe that Muhammad named ___ (his cousin and son-in-law) as his successor.

Ali.

The Sufi movement likely began in the ninth century. Followers of this movement sought a mystical union with God through a simple, _______ life. In contrast to the more formal aspects of Islam taught by orthodox leaders, leaders of this movement advocated emotional and mystical experiences.

Austere. Sufi literally means "wool" and is a reference to the coarse garments commonly worn by the Sufi mystics as a sign of their poverty. This movement, with its emotional, straightforward message, appealed particularly to the common people.

The Iranian Revolution of 1979 resulted in the overthrow of the Shah and the formation of an Islamic state under the leadership of the cleric __________________.

Ayatollah Khomeini.

The office of _________ was created upon Muhammad's death to lead the Muslims. At first, only close friends of the Prophet could hold the office, but as Islam spread, it took on the role of a political dynasty.

Caliphate. Islam is not highly structured like Roman Catholicism and does not have as many public offices. The caliphate is considered the one unifying office that can be traced in Islamic history.

One of the reasons Islam made great gains in Africa during the twentieth century was because the abuse the continent sustained during ___________ resulted in hostility to the religion and culture of white Europeans.

Colonialism. In Africa (and to a lesser extent in Asia), Islam has been welcomed as a viable alternative to Christianity.

As one of the five pillars of Islam, Almsgiving is emphasized to such an extent that begging is not looked upon as ____________, since receiving as well as giving gifts is considered a source of God's blessing.

Dishonorable. Because almsgiving is so important to Muslim society and religion, a charitable tax is obligatorily taken out of one's wealth each year.

____ is the Muslim word for the pilgrimage to Mecca one is expected to take at least once during their lifetime.

Hajj. One of the five pillars of Islam, the devout Muslim who can afford the trip is expected to attempt to make the hajj to Mecca. Pilgrims who make the trip may attach the honorable title of haji to their names when they return home.

Bahai began as a sect of Shiite Islam but has now become a separate religion altogether and is rejected by many Muslims as _______.

Heretic. Bahai teaches that all religions come from the same source and that all the prophets received a partial message from one God.

The Islamic idea of _____, or "holy war," is one of the religion's more controversial practices, particularly since the events of September 11.

Jihad. Extreme Islamic leaders who have encouraged acts of terrorism as part of jihad have been criticized by Muslims and non-Muslims alike.

The cube shaped building in Mecca toward which Muslims pray 5 times a day is called the _____.

Kaaba. According to Muslims, the Kaaba (Grand Mosque) was built by Abraham. The corner stone of the building is a black stone, believed to be a meteorite.

Muslims are expected to pray to Allah five times daily. After washing and cleansing themselves of impurity, they offer their prayers while facing the holy city of _____.

Mecca. Muslims are expected to pray in the direction of Mecca at dawn, midday, midafternoon, sunset, and nightfall.

An example of Islamic opposition to _________ can be seen in the Wahhabi movement, which opposed all forms of change and attempted to suppress Sufis and other groups they thought too open to change.

Modernity. The Wahhabi movement was founded in the eighteenth century. Its lasting influence into the twenty-first century demonstrates the desire of many Muslims to resist modernity and return to the basic teachings of Islam.

The Shiites originally split with mainstream Islam over the question of who should be ________'s successor. Though this split started for political reasons, it has since evolved into a theological division as well.

Muhammad. Among other distinctive beliefs, the Shiites believe in divinely inspired figures called imams and the coming of a messiah figure who will lead the world into an era of justice.

According to Muslim tradition, ________ was 40 years old when he received his first revelation from God.

Muhammad. Discouraged about his life in Mecca, Muhammad went into a cave to pray and meditate. He received a revelation and three years later began to publicly preach.

The month of ________ marks the beginning of the Muslim new year.

Muharram. The new year begins with Muharram, which is also traditionally thought to be the month of Mohammad's Hijrah.

Muhammad considered himself to be only the last in a series of God's ________; others before him included Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.

Prophets. Muhammad never thought of himself as divine. He was only the last in a series of prophets. Whereas the former prophets had received partial revelations from God, Muhammad felt he had received Allah's final and complete revelation. He is thus often referred to as "the Prophet."

The country in which ______ Muslims are the biggest majority is Iran.

Shiite. Over 90% of the Muslims in Iran are Shiite. Shia Muslims outnumber Sunni Muslims in Iran, Iraq, Azerbaijan, and Bahrain.

The Muslims believe that the _______ is a copy of tablets in heaven.

Qur\'an. Their belief is that the Qur'an is God's final revelation which are found on the original tablets that have always existed in heaven. These tablets that hold the Qur'an in heaven have also been referred to as the "Well Preserved Book."

The caliph _______, a famous Muslim hero, captured the city of Jerusalem in 1187, ending almost nine decades of occupation by the Christian Crusaders.

Saladin. Saladin led the Muslims to victory against the Crusaders in many battles. He also achieved a great reputation in Europe as a chivalrous knight, so much so that there existed by the fourteenth century an epic poem about his exploits.

Because Islam is a relatively young religion, there is little doubt that the religion's founder, Muhammad, was a historical figure that lived in the _______ century.

Seventh. Islam is based upon the belief that God's final and best revelation was made through Muhammad and recorded in the Koran.

In 711, the Muslims conquered the western European nation of _____, where they would remain dominant for the next seven centuries.

Spain. Though the Muslims maintained their control of Spain for centuries, they were turned back from further conquests of Western Europe when they were defeated in the Battle of Tours in 732. They also made only modest advances in Eastern Europe, though Constantinople finally fell to Muslim invaders in 1453.

The two major denominations of Islam are the _____ and Shia (also known as Shiite).

Sunni. Most of the world's Muslims are Sunni (approximately 90%).

The Koran is divided into 114 chapters of varying lengths called ______.

Surahs. While there is no topical or chronological order to the Koran, it is organized according to the lengths of the surahs, starting with the longest (287 verses) and ending with the shortest (only three verses).

The ________ attracted international attention when Taliban forces gained power in Afghanistan and sheltered the wealthy jihad leader Osama bin Laden.

Wahhabis. The Wahhaabis are Islamic traditionalists who oppose change. The enormous wealth of the Saudis has enabled them to send missionaries throughout the Muslim world.