Word Religions Exam: Islam

Islam Timeline (Memorize)

Before Islam

Q: What is Jahiliyya?
A: “Age of ignorance” before Islam (polytheism in Arabia)

📌 Prophet Muhammad

Q: When was Prophet Muhammad born?
A: 570 CE

Q: Where was Muhammad born?
A: Mecca

Q: What tribe was he part of?
A: Quraysh

📌 Key Event

Q: What is the Hijra (622 CE)?
A: Muhammad’s migration from Mecca to Medina

👉 VERY IMPORTANT (start of Islamic calendar)

📌 After Muhammad

Q: When did Muhammad die?
A: 632 CE

Q: What issue happened after his death?
A: Who should be the next leader (caliph)

📌 Sunni vs Shia (VERY TESTABLE)

Q: What do Sunni Muslims believe?
A: Leader should be elected

Q: What do Shia Muslims believe?
A: Leader should be from Muhammad’s family

📌 Islamic Empires

Q: What was the Umayyad dynasty (661)?
A: Islamic empire based in Damascus

Q: What was the Abbasid dynasty (750)?
A: Islamic Golden Age (capital: Baghdad)

📌 Major Events

Q: What happened in 1258?
A: Baghdad destroyed by Mongols

Q: What happened in 1453?
A: Constantinople conquered → Ottoman Empire begins

📌 Modern Period

Q: What happened in 1924?
A: Ottoman Empire ended; Turkey became secular

Q: What happened in 1947?
A: Creation of Pakistan and Bangladesh

Q: What happened in 1979?
A: Islamic Revolution in Iran

Q: What happened in 2001?
A: 9/11 attacks

Q: What was the Arab Spring (2011)?
A: Protests and political changes in the Arab world

What does “Islam” mean?

Submission to God (Allah)

What does “Qur’an” mean?

Something to read”

What was Jahiliyya?

Pre-Islamic tribal religion (polytheism)

What did people believe about Allah before Islam?

He was the highest god but not the only one

What are jinn?

Invisible spirits made from smokeless fire

At what age did Muhammad begin receiving revelations?

Around 40

How many times was Muhammad visited?

About 114 times

What is a surah?

A chapter of the Qur’an

What are Meccan surahs about?

Basic beliefs (one God, afterlife)

What are Medinan surahs about?

Laws (marriage, food, inheritance)

What kinds of stories are in the Qur’an?

Stories of Abraham, Moses, Jesus Christ, etc.

How do Muslims view the Qur’an?

Every word is from God

Was the Qur’an written down at first?

No, it was memorized

What does the Qur’an say about God?

God created everything and nothing is like Him

How is Paradise described?

A beautiful garden

How is Hell described?

A dark pit

What is Shari’a?

Islamic law based on the Qur’an and traditions

Does the Qur’an include every law?

No, scholars explain and expand it

What responsibility does Islam teach?

Individuals are responsible for their actions

Did Islam replace all local cultures?

No, it mixed with them (syncretism)

What is Sawm?

Fasting during Ramadan

How much is Zakat?

About 2.5% of income

How often must Muslims do Hajj?

At least once (if able)

What is Jihad?

Struggle for faith

What is the modern interpretation of jihad?

Inner struggle between good and evil

What does “Sunna” mean?

Tradition

What else does “Sunna” refer to?

Stories about Muhammad’s life

What does “Shia” mean?

Party or faction

What is Sufism?

Islamic mysticism (finding God within yourself)

How do Sufis practice their faith?

Music, dancing, poetry

What happens when someone finds the “spirit of God”?

They feel extreme happiness (ecstasy)

What is Islamic philosophy (Falsafa)?

Using reason to understand Islam

Which philosophers influenced Islamic thought?

Plato and Aristotle

What did Muslim philosophers believe?

Faith and reason both lead to truth

How did modern Europe affect Islam?

It challenged and changed Islamic societies

What happened to the Ottoman Empire after WWI?

It broke into smaller countries (Syria, Iraq, etc.)

Fell behind Europe in science and economy

What do liberal Muslims believe?

Religion should be private, adopt Western ideas

Who led secular Turkey?

Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

What do moderate Muslims believe?

Mix Islam with modern life

What is fundamentalism?

Return to early Islam

What is jihadism?

Violent extremist groups

What is the Mashreq?

Eastern Arab region

What is the Maghreb?

Western North Africa

Which country has the largest Muslim population?

Indonesia

Where do many Muslims live outside the Middle East?

South Asia