Islam Short Answer

The Founding of the Caliphate

This excerpt is from the Founding of the Caliphate document. It highlights ___________________. As a whole, this document details the confusion and hesitation to name a successor after Muhammad's death. It is significant because it gives you insight into how the leadership of the Islamic community and empire was eventually handed off to Abu Bakr, Muhammad's second-in-command.

The Dome of the Rock inscriptions

This excerpt is taken from the [inner or outer] inscriptions on the Dome of the Rock. This particular inscription focuses on __________________. It denounces Christian ideas, such as the Holy Trinity, that Islam labels as ignorant and exaggerated. As a whole, the Dome of the Rock is significant because it makes an Islamic claim on Jerusalem. It was built on two biblical temples and its inscriptions target Christians and challenge them both politically and theologically.

The Pact of Umar

This passage comes from the pact of Umar. This pact was between Umar and the conquered Christians, and its purpose was to outline under what conditions the Christians are protected. To summarize, the Christians would be protected if they followed Muslim law and paid jizya, and abandoned their protection if they did not follow the definitive rules, such as wearing certain clothing pieces. This pact is significant because it highlights how Muslims were superior but also the lengths gone to create peace between different religions.

Umma document (Constitution of Medina)

This passage comes from the umma document (Constitution of Medina). It is a document/treaty between Muhammad and the people of Yathrib. This particular passage describes _________________, which is significant because _______________. As a whole, the umma document describes the first established muslim community (the umma) in which Muhammad was the final authority. The document defines the equality between Muslims and Jews in the umma, and the independence retained by clans and Jews. One of the most important parts of the document is the protections granted to members of the umma and how they're responsible for maintaining it.