Exam 9: The Sasanid Empire and the Rise of Islam
After the rebellion against the Umayyad Caliphate in the mid-eighth century, it was overthrown in all areas except
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Explain the way Islam began to fragment along three separate paths. What were these paths, and how were their beliefs different?
Student answers should include the ideological and hereditary origins of the three sects -- Sunni, Shi'ite, and Kharijite -- their basic beliefs, and how they shaped the Islamic community historically. Students should discuss Muhammad's relationship to Ali, the dispute that resulted after his death,and the way in which the martyrdom of Husayn transformed the "Party of Ali" from a political faction into a religious sect. As the specific political dispute receded further into the past, the issue at stake became broader: each sect supported a different conception of what makes spiritual and political authority legitimate, with Shi'ites and Karijites advocating the principle of hereditary succession, and Sunnis taking the view that ancestry is less important in a leader than a demonstrated capacity to seize and hold power effectively. As the caliphate expanded, however, tensions between Shi'ites and Sunnis remained an important political factor, playing a key role for instance in the fall of the Umayyad dynasty and the rise of the Abbasids.
The Arab community prior to the seventh century C.E.
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A significant factor in creating a powerful Abbasid culture was the
The Muslim leader who re-took Jerusalem from the European Crusaders was
The Sasanid Empire benefited from its location along the Silk Road. The exotic crops its farmers adopted after obtaining seeds through trade included
The subsequent split of supporters to different caliphs, or successors, divided the umma into
Why is the martyrdom of Husayn a significant event in Muslim history?
Describe the evolution of Islamic culture beyond religious beliefs. What was its lasting effect on Europe?
Umayyad Spain developed a distinctive Islamic culture because of the
The Sub-Saharan kingdom of Ghana became important to Muslim trade by providing which resource?
After failing to reform the government and military, the Abbasid Caliphate fell under the influence of the
What were the major reasons for the decline of both the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates? What role did the umma play in this decline?
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