The World of Islam

 What do all Muslims believe about Muhammed as a prophet?  He was the last and final prophet of Allah.  What is the name of the holy city for Muslims?  Mecca, located in Saudi Arabia  What are the 5 Pillars of Islam? How do they help Muslims submit to the will of Allah?  Faith; Prayer; Alms; Fasting; Pilgrimage  It reminds them that Allah is God, & that Muhammed is his prophet. At the same time, they serve their community, specifically to the poor.

 What is the Hijrah? Why is it important?  It was from this that Muhammed was accepted as a political leader in Medina.  What two religions did Muslims refer to as “people of the book”?  Jews and Christians

 How was Mecca important in the development of Islam?  It was the city where Muhammed was born, & is the site of the Ka’aba – an ancient house of worship that was the destination of pilgrims.  It was where Muhammed began to preach publicly after hearing the voice of the angel Gabriel.  Some time after he was ousted from Mecca, Muhammed marched back to Mecca with a large following (Hijrah). He was then accepted and turned the Ka’aba into a place of worship for Allah. Muslims still make that pilgrimage today.  Muslims still pray toward the direction of Mecca today.

 Why did the Abbasids use bureaucracy when they were in power of the Muslim empire?  It kept the vast and large empire organized and easier to control.  Which caliphate took over after the last of the “rightly guided” caliphs?  The Umayyads  What is the difference between Sunni and Shi’a Muslims in regards to caliphs?  Sunni believe as long as you follow Muhammed’s example, you may be a caliph. Shi’ites believe that you must be a descendant of Muhammed to be a caliph.

 How were the conquered peoples treated by Muslims?  The people were allowed to continue practicing their religion; however, they were not allowed to spread it.  The people had to pay a poll tax each year.  Why were the “rightly guided” caliphs given this name?  They based their leadership on Muhammed’s teachings.

 What is the Muslim social system made up of?  First class: Muslim-born citizens  Second class: Muslim converts  Third class: Conquered peoples  Lowest class: Slaves  How did the Sufis live?  They lived a life of poverty and promoted spirituality.  What led to an internal conflict in Islam after Muhammed’s death?  Muhammed did not create a system to elect caliphs.

 How did trade make the Muslim so successful?  One currency was widely accepted: Abbasid Dinar  One language was spoken: Arabic  There were trade routes already established (by sea and by land)  Banks offered sakks, or checks for traders.  Why did divisions arise within Islam after the death of Muhammed?  After the “rightly guided” caliph ended, the Umayyads took over; however, they lived a life of luxury. This made Muslims unhappy, so the Abbasids then overthrew them.  Following caliphates took over and moved the holy city location twice. Different groups developed because they had different ideals within Islam.

 What contributed to the unity of the Muslim empire?  Religion, language, trade, & economy tied Muslim lands together.  Muslims had a highly skilled & powerful military, which allowed them to conquer new territories & control them.  Muhammed encouraged scholarship, and Muslims absorbed knowledge from other cultures to strengthen theirs.  Islam stressed uniform behaviors, such as praying & pilgrimages. They were tolerant of other religions, although restrictions were placed, thus making it beneficial to convert to Islam.

 What form of art shows greatest cultural blending of the Muslim world?  Architecture  What was Muhammed’s belief in regards to education?  It helps us make better decisions, be stronger, and live a happy life.  This led Muslims to build the House of Wisdom.  Who created algebra? What was algebra’s original term?  Al-Khwarizmi; al-jabr

 Why did Muslims’ way of praying advance astronomy?  The Muslims needed to know the direction of Mecca.  What was the significance of the House of Wisdom?  Scholars translated scientific & philosophical texts into Arabic.  What academic subjects were advanced in the Muslim empire?  Optics; Mathematics; Medicine; Science

 What was the preferred method of scientists to solve problems?  Performing lab experiments  How did Muslims help preserve European culture?  They translated the works of Aristotle and Plato.  What contributed to calligraphy’s popularity?  Muslim culture prohibited the drawing of living beings because they believed that Allah was the only one who could do so.

 How did the spread of Islam influence literature, the arts, and architecture?  Literature was a strong tradition in Arabia before Islam. Islam introduced new themes to this literature. Early Muslim poets sang the praises of the Prophet and of Islam.  As Islam expanded, Muslims entered regions that had rich artistic traditions, and they modified these traditions. Islam forbade the depiction of living beings, so many artists turned to calligraphy or expressed themselves through the decorative arts,, such as textiles and ceramics.  In architecture, you may see the greatest cultural blending of the Muslim world. The Great Mosque of Damascus in Syria was built over a Christian dome, blended Byzantine architecture with Muslim ideas. In Syrian areas, the architecture included features that were Roman. The mosque at Cordoba displayed the innovation of two levels of interwoven arches.

 How did Muslim beliefs help to bring about mathematical and scientific advancements?  Muhammed placed a strong emphasis on scholarship.  Caliph al-Ma’mum opened the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, Iraq. There scholars of different cultures worked together to translate different educational texts into Arabic.  Muslim rulers wanted qualified physicians to treat them. A Persian physician named al-Razi, was the most popular, and wrote important medical texts.  The need to know of times and location for prayer led to the advances in math and astronomy.  Al-Khwarizmi, created al-jabr (algebra).  Ibn al-Haytham produced a book called Optics that led to advances in optometry. It was also used to develop lenses for telescopes and microscopes.