Question 1

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms. 
Shi'ites

Accepted Answer

Shi'ites, also known as Shia Muslims, re

Question 2

Which of the following statements about Muslim women is not true?

Accepted Answer

A)  They were permitted to divorce. 
B)  They often played a role in public life. 
C)  They were permitted to practice birth control. 
D)  They were permitted to own property. 
E)  They adopted the Byzantine and Sasanid custom of veiling. 
A)  They were permitted to divorce. 
B)  They often played a role in public life. 
C)  They were permitted to practice birth control. 
D)  They were permitted to own property. 
E)  They adopted the Byzantine and Sasanid custom of veiling.

Question 3

Why did the rulers of al-Andalus Spain finally take the title of caliph in 929?

Accepted Answer

A)  The growing number of converts to Islam demanded it. 
B)  They had finally solidified control of the region. 
C)  The Fatimids in Tunisia did. 
D)  Christians in northern Spain threatened invasion. 
E)  They never did. 
A)  The growing number of converts to Islam demanded it. 
B)  They had finally solidified control of the region. 
C)  The Fatimids in Tunisia did. 
D)  Christians in northern Spain threatened invasion. 
E)  They never did.

Question 4

The decline of the Umayyad dynasty was due to

Accepted Answer

A)  scandals involving the morality of the caliphs. 
B)  growing unrest among non-Arab Muslims, who demanded access to political power. 
C)  a peasant revolt over increases in taxes and decreases in wages. 
D)  the arrival of a Jewish messiah. 
E)  lack of a competent heir. 
A)  scandals involving the morality of the caliphs. 
B)  growing unrest among non-Arab Muslims, who demanded access to political power. 
C)  a peasant revolt over increases in taxes and decreases in wages. 
D)  the arrival of a Jewish messiah. 
E)  lack of a competent heir.

Question 5

The ulama were

Accepted Answer

A)  government officials. 
B)  outcasts. 
C)  religious scholars. 
D)  rural leaders. 
E)  members of a hired foreign military force. 
A)  government officials. 
B)  outcasts. 
C)  religious scholars. 
D)  rural leaders. 
E)  members of a hired foreign military force.

Question 6

Muhammad's teachings built upon the beliefs of Judaism and

Accepted Answer

A)  Buddhism. 
B)  Hinduism. 
C)  Christianity. 
D)  Zoroastrianism. 
E)  Manichaeism. 
A)  Buddhism. 
B)  Hinduism. 
C)  Christianity. 
D)  Zoroastrianism. 
E)  Manichaeism.

Question 7

When Muslim thinkers worked out the specifics of Shari'a, they turned to

Accepted Answer

A)  the Quran. 
B)  their own reasoned analysis. 
C)  the hadith. 
D)  A and C. 
E)  A, B and C. 
A)  the Quran. 
B)  their own reasoned analysis. 
C)  the hadith. 
D)  A and C. 
E)  A, B and C.

Question 8

What role did the Arabs play in the rivalry between the Sasanid and Byzantine Empires?

Accepted Answer

A)  They played a significant role as merce naries for both powers. 
B)  They played a significant role as negotiators and diplomats. 
C)  They were unknown to these empires. 
D)  They were viewed as "inferior" peoples and therefore were practically ignored by these powers. 
E)  They became a financial drain to these empires through welfare plans. 
A)  They played a significant role as merce naries for both powers. 
B)  They played a significant role as negotiators and diplomats. 
C)  They were unknown to these empires. 
D)  They were viewed as "inferior" peoples and therefore were practically ignored by these powers. 
E)  They became a financial drain to these empires through welfare plans.

Question 9

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms. 
Islam

Accepted Answer

Islam is a monotheistic Abrahamic religi

Question 10

Islam means

Accepted Answer

A)  "surrender to the will of God." 
B)  "the one true religion." 
C)  "the true belief." 
D)  "leader of God's people." 
E)  "the Chosen People." 
A)  "surrender to the will of God." 
B)  "the one true religion." 
C)  "the true belief." 
D)  "leader of God's people." 
E)  "the Chosen People."

Question 11

Explain how Islam was able to spread from Spain to India in a relatively short amount of time, dominating a wide range of territories and societies.

Accepted Answer

Students should begin by discussing the

Question 12

Why is the Abbasid rule considered a "golden age"?

Accepted Answer

A)  It created a refined and cosmopolitan culture in Baghdad. 
B)  The Spanish region was considered the golden frontier. 
C)  It used gold as the standard coinage throughout the empire. 
D)  It used the golden cow as the focus of religious worship. 
E)  It is marked by the rule of the "golden" monarch, Abu Bakr. 
A)  It created a refined and cosmopolitan culture in Baghdad. 
B)  The Spanish region was considered the golden frontier. 
C)  It used gold as the standard coinage throughout the empire. 
D)  It used the golden cow as the focus of religious worship. 
E)  It is marked by the rule of the "golden" monarch, Abu Bakr.

Question 13

Why did Muhammad leave Mecca for Medina ( hijra )?

Accepted Answer

A)  He sought more followers in the north. 
B)  One of his visions commanded him to. 
C)  Meccan leaders were threatened by his popularity. 
D)  Muhammad's wife had family in Medina. 
E)  Theology argued that Abraham had lived in the north. 
A)  He sought more followers in the north. 
B)  One of his visions commanded him to. 
C)  Meccan leaders were threatened by his popularity. 
D)  Muhammad's wife had family in Medina. 
E)  Theology argued that Abraham had lived in the north.

Question 14

After Muhammad's death, the Muslim community

Accepted Answer

A)  held general elections to replace Muhammad. 
B)  abandoned the orthodox teachings of Islam. 
C)  chose a caliph, Abu Bakr, who was father-in-law to Muhammad. 
D)  searched the entire peninsula for a suitable successor, according to Muhammad's last instructions. 
E)  embraced his wife, Khadija, as his successor. 
A)  held general elections to replace Muhammad. 
B)  abandoned the orthodox teachings of Islam. 
C)  chose a caliph, Abu Bakr, who was father-in-law to Muhammad. 
D)  searched the entire peninsula for a suitable successor, according to Muhammad's last instructions. 
E)  embraced his wife, Khadija, as his successor.

Question 15

The great vision of the Shari'a is an umma with

Accepted Answer

A)  a separate identity from Christians. 
B)  a common monetary system and central taxation. 
C)  a common history and literary base used in all Muslim communities. 
D)  common moral values that minimize ethnic differences and rise above all political divisions. 
E)  all members living in a unified, homogeneous Muslim state and ruled by a political leader. 
A)  a separate identity from Christians. 
B)  a common monetary system and central taxation. 
C)  a common history and literary base used in all Muslim communities. 
D)  common moral values that minimize ethnic differences and rise above all political divisions. 
E)  all members living in a unified, homogeneous Muslim state and ruled by a political leader.

Question 16

Before Muhammad, Mecca was an i mportant city because it

Accepted Answer

A)  has an unusually cold climate for the Arabian peninsula. 
B)  was a caravan city and pilgrimage site of the Ka'ba. 
C)  was the rival trade city to Jerusalem. 
D)  is abundantly watered and needs no irrigation for crops. 
E)  was the birthplace of Abraham. 
A)  has an unusually cold climate for the Arabian peninsula. 
B)  was a caravan city and pilgrimage site of the Ka'ba. 
C)  was the rival trade city to Jerusalem. 
D)  is abundantly watered and needs no irrigation for crops. 
E)  was the birthplace of Abraham.

Question 17

Among the most significant causes for the decline of Iran and Iraq under the Seljuks was

Accepted Answer

A)  relocation of the center to Constantinople. 
B)  the destruction of libraries and the persecution of non-Muslim scholars. 
C)  overly intense urbanization, which strained food resources. 
D)  privatization of land by Shi'ite supporters. 
E)  the inhabitants' refusal to learn Turkish. 
A)  relocation of the center to Constantinople. 
B)  the destruction of libraries and the persecution of non-Muslim scholars. 
C)  overly intense urbanization, which strained food resources. 
D)  privatization of land by Shi'ite supporters. 
E)  the inhabitants' refusal to learn Turkish.

Question 18

The unified community that accepted Islam and believed that Muhammad was the "Messenger of God" was called the

Accepted Answer

A)  jihad. 
B)  hijra. 
C)  shaitan. 
D)  ka'ba. 
E)  umma. 
A)  jihad. 
B)  hijra. 
C)  shaitan. 
D)  ka'ba. 
E)  umma.

Question 19

Earliest Islamic literature addressing the status of women deals with relatives of Muhammad. What were the early conditions of Islamic women? Compare their status with the status of women in other parts of the world at that time.

Accepted Answer

In discussing the status of women in Mus

Question 20

The Buyids did not take the Abbasid caliph's authority seriously because

Accepted Answer

A)  they were not particularly devout Muslims. 
B)  the caliph had allowed himself to be unseated so easily. 
C)  they believed the elite in Baghdad was too effete to enforce its will. 
D)  they were Shi'ites and the caliph was Sunni. 
E)  the caliph was the 12th Imam. 
A)  they were not particularly devout Muslims. 
B)  the caliph had allowed himself to be unseated so easily. 
C)  they believed the elite in Baghdad was too effete to enforce its will. 
D)  they were Shi'ites and the caliph was Sunni. 
E)  the caliph was the 12th Imam.

Exam 9: The Sasanid Empire and the Rise of Islam

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms. Shi'ites

Which of the following statements about Muslim women is not true?

Why did the rulers of al-Andalus Spain finally take the title of caliph in 929?

The decline of the Umayyad dynasty was due to

The ulama were

Muhammad's teachings built upon the beliefs of Judaism and

When Muslim thinkers worked out the specifics of Shari'a, they turned to

What role did the Arabs play in the rivalry between the Sasanid and Byzantine Empires?

Instructions: Explain/Define the following terms. Islam

Islam means

Explain how Islam was able to spread from Spain to India in a relatively short amount of time, dominating a wide range of territories and societies.

Why is the Abbasid rule considered a "golden age"?

Why did Muhammad leave Mecca for Medina ( hijra )?

After Muhammad's death, the Muslim community

The great vision of the Shari'a is an umma with

Before Muhammad, Mecca was an i mportant city because it

Among the most significant causes for the decline of Iran and Iraq under the Seljuks was

The unified community that accepted Islam and believed that Muhammad was the "Messenger of God" was called the

Earliest Islamic literature addressing the status of women deals with relatives of Muhammad. What were the early conditions of Islamic women? Compare their status with the status of women in other parts of the world at that time.

The Buyids did not take the Abbasid caliph's authority seriously because

Nature, Humanity, and the First River-Valley Civilizations

The Middle East and the Mediterranean

New Civilizations in East Asia, Africa, and Europe

Greece and Iran

An Age of Empires: Rome and Han China

India and Southeast Asia

Peoples and Civilizations of the Americas

Networks of Communication and Exchange

Christian Societies Emerge in Europe

Inner and East Asia

Mongol Eurasia and Its Aftermath

Europe East and West

Southern Lands and Seas

The Maritime Revolution

Transformations in Europe

The Americas, the Atlantic, and Africa

Southwest Asia and the Indian Ocean

East Asia

Industrial Revolution and Global Impact

Revolutionary Changes in the Atlantic World

Land Empires in the Age of Imperialism

Varieties of Imperialism in Africa, India, Southeast Asia, and Latin America

The New Power Balance

The Crisis of the Imperial Order

Revolutions in Living

The Collapse of the Old Order

The Cold War and Decolonization

New Challenges in a New Millennium

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