History Test - Islam
Trace the most important events of Muhammad's life. Which events are most important to the development of Islam?
- Review Timeline of Muhammad. - The three most important events in Muhammad's lifetime are the receiving of the revelations from God and the defeat of the city of Mecca. The reason why is because that without Muhammad's revelations in the first place, the idea of the religion of Islam could not have developed. As for the defeat of Mecca, it is essential because this city was the most important one among the settlements on the Arabian Peninsula coasts. It was the center for commerce as well as the center of religion. Hence, by gaining control to Mecca, Muhammad could freely preach his revelations without any major interference. This was one of the factors that allowed Islam to spread so quickly throughout the Arabian Peninsula.
What were some accomplishments/innovations of the Islamic Empire?
- Scholars translated the works of by scientists and philosophers of ancient Greece into Arabic at a government maintained academy called the House of Wisdom. These texts greatly influenced Europe in the EMA. Muslim Spain was the exchange point for much of this knowledge. - Gave the named to the stars in the universe. - revised a catalog of stars from Ptolemy's work. - created a very accurate calendar that is still in use today. - Perfected astrolabe, an instrument used for finding the positions and movements of heavenly bodies. - adopted the symbols 0 through 9. - had the world's first school of pharmacy. - In the 1300s Ibn Khalun wrote a history of the world. - art form of arabesque: floral images arranged in an intricate, interwoven geometric design. - calligraphy: beautifully styles writing, often used to produce copies of the Qur'an. - minarets: feature of a mosque; tall towers from which the faithful prayed - Qur'an - 1001 Nights. The stories from which still appears in movies and other forms of popular culture. - Rumi produced collections of poems. Omar Khayyam wrote an anthology of four-line poems known as the Rubaiyat.
How did Islam impact society on the Arabian Peninsula? Which area of society did it impact most?
Islam impacted the aspects of society, arts, and scholarship of the Muslim communities. In general, the religion of Islam improved the status of women and slaves by giving them more social or legal rights and equality. Also, it required ethnic commerce. And the merchants developed a uniform coinage and standardized weights and measures. The Muslims made major contributions in preserving the works of the ancient Greeks and Romans. They also established their own achievements in Astronomy, Mathematics, medicine, Geography, and History. In addition, Muslims developed arabesque, calligraphy, and minarets. They built the magnificent mosque named the Dome of the Rock. Finally, the Qur'an, 1001 Nights, and many collections of poems marked the literary achievements of the Muslims. Islam most impacted the status of women and the Muslim scholarship. The changes and influences of both aspects can be found in earlier or later questions.
How did Islam develop geographically? Who began it?
Muhammad was born in about 570. He was raised by his uncle, Abu Talib, a powerful leader of the Quraysh clan, since both of his parents died when Muhammad was young. When Muhammad was 25, he married a widow of a wealthy merchant named Khadijah, who became his employer and financial supporter. Muhammad became a successful merchant. As he traveled on business, he sometimes met followers of Judaism and Christianity as well as monotheistic preachers, which influenced his thinking. In 610, during one of Muhammad's extensive periods of meditating in a cave, he met angel Gabriel and received the first revelations from the Allah. Later, he reported many messages from the angel, which would form the sacred scripture Qur'an. However, as the number of followers of Muhammad grew, the Meccans who disliked his criticism of traditional beliefs opposed him. The local innkeepers and others who profited from the pilgrimage also worried that Muhammad would ruin their business. When Abu Talib died in 619, Muhammad led his followers into the nearby city of Yathrib, later renamed Medina, in 622 so that he could preach freely. This journey was known as the hegira, which took place in the first year of the Islamic calendar. After fighting several battles with the Meccans, Muhammad controlled Mecca by 630. The religion of Islam quickly spread through the entire Arabian Peninsula.
Describe Arab society before Islam was developed.
Some 1500 years ago, Arabia was sparsely populated. In the desert, small tribes of bedouins. or nomadic Arab people, moved their herds between scattered oases. Farming was limited. However, commerce thrived because trade routes converged at the Arabian Peninsula. The most important town that arose from trade was Mecca near the Red Sea. At its heart was a large cube-shaped structure called the Kaaba, which was considered sacred. Built into its walls was a meteorite said to be a relic from heaven. Inside the structure were idols, small statues of local gods. The site drew many religious pilgrims. Among the many gods and goddesses that the polytheistic Arabs worshiped, one god was regarded as supreme. The polytheistic Meccans called this god the Allah. Before Islam was established, 2/3 of the Arab women were slaves. They were scantily attired, socially dependent on men, and often abused by them. Men could have unlimited number of of wives and divorce them with impunity. The females could not inherit property. In addition, female infanticide was a common practice.
Why is the Qur'an so meaningful to the religion of Islam? To the Arab culture?
The Qur'an was the Holy Book of Islam. It is a collection of Muhammad's revelations exactly as he reported them - the final messages of the Allah to the people. It is pure and symbolic.The Qur'an was considered the eternal, uncreated, literal words of God without any distortion. To emphasize the pureness of the scripture, the chapters were arranged by length instead of in chronological order. Also, the Qur'an was not translated into other languages. In contrast, for the Bible and the Torah, the prophets were corrupted by influence of power and wealth. And the people distorted prophet's message after his death. These texts were translated into Greek, Latin, and some vernacular languages in a very early stage. On the other hand, the Qur'an laid out rules and stories that shaped the way of life in the Muslim society. Finally, it is the perfection of Arabic and is central to the development of the language. Muslims held contests of reciting the Qur'an. They also seek a religious experience in the natural rhythm and beauty of the words themselves. Besides what is being said above, the Qur'an improved the status of women. The Holy Book stated that everyone was equal in the eyes of Allah. Hence, the Muslim women had legal voice, final approval over marriage, and the right to divorce or to inherit property. Veiling, called purdah, guarded the women from violence and disrespect. Monogamy became the ideal, though men were limited to four wives. In addition, it is discouraged to make women into slaves.
Why did Islam spread so rapidly? Where did it spread?
The religion of Islam spread rapidly because... 1) overpopulation occurred on the Arabian Peninsula as more and more people converted to Islam. Lack of resources led to the Arabs raiding the other countries. Also, the size of the wealthy population grew. People began to move away from the peninsula, bringing Islam with them. 2) Abu Bakr had built a strong army and central leadership that later allowed the Muslims to achieve easy conquests. 3) Conquered people were frustrated with previous regimes. For example, many Christian clergies were corrupted. 4) Trading and missionaries helped spread Islamic ideas. Islam first spreaded throughout the entire Arabian Peninsula. It then went on to influence India, North and West Africa, Indonesia, and Spain along with the expansion of the Muslim caliphate.
