Ancient Origins of Religious Conflict Test 2

What is the Miḥrāb?

The semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that points the direction toward Mecca

Which terrorist group, known as “the foundation,” was founded by Osama bin Laden and has its origins in the Arab fights against the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s?

Al-Qaeda

To which second-holiest city in Islam did the prophet Muhammad flee for sanctuary after being persecuted in Mecca?

Medina

What is a Hajj?

The pilgrimage to Mecca made at least once in a devout Muslim's life

Which of the following is an example of the "Greater Jihad"?

Improving yourself and deepening your own adherence to Islam

What is a Qibla?

The direction of prayer towards Mecca

The Druze, Ismāʿīli, and Twelvers are all sects of which larger branch of Islam?

Shīʿa

Who is considered the first father or first Patriarch of Judaism?

Abram

Which of the following summarizes the events of the Exodus in the Hebrew Bible?

The Twelve Tribes of Israel are led out of slavery in Egypt, receive divine commands, and are led to the Promised Land of Cana'an by Moses.

Which figure in Judaism becomes the father of the 12 Tribes of Israel after having his name changed by God?

Jacob

Which historical sect of Judaism became the basis for the Rabbinic tradition?

Pharisees

Which Jewish festival marks the beginning of the new year by the Hebrew calendar?

Rosh Hashanah

What three texts are studied in the Rabbinic Jewish tradition?

Tanakh, Mishnah, Talmud

What former member of al-Qaeda operating under the name Abu Mohammed al-Jolani led the Syrian opposition forces and is now President of Syria's provisional government using a different name?

Ahmed al-Sharaa

Bashar al-Assad belongs to which minority Islamic sect in Syria?

Alawite

Russia, Iran, Ḥezb’ullah, and the Baʿath Party supported which faction in the Syrian Civil War?

The Assad Government

Who ruled Syria after the defeat of the Ottoman Empire in World War I?

 The French

The Kurds are best described as what kind of group?

An ethnic group related to Iranian peoples living within Islamic countries.

What President of Turkey is moving his country from a secular state to more of an Islamist one and uses a war on a Kurdish paramilitary group, whom they consider to be terrorists, as justification to attack all Kurdish peoples in an effort to drive them out of eastern Turkey?

Recep Tayyip Erdoğan

Who succeeded Ayatollah Khomeini on Aug 6, 1989 and has served as Supreme Leader and Grand Ayatollah of Iran until today?

Ali Hosseini Khamenei

During the Iran-Iraq War, the U.S. sold weapons to Iran, despite an embargo it imposed, in an effort to free prisoners. Which country acted as the "middle man" in that transaction?

Israel

Who was installed as the Shi'a theocratic leader following the 1979 Iranian Revolution?

Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini

Besides retaliation for invasion, what other reason did Iran provide for continued military action in Iraq?

Liberating the oppressed Shi'a majority in Iraq

After the ransoming of hostages from Iran, what did the United States do with the money it illicitly gained from the weapons sales?

Funded anti-Communist Contras in Nicaragua

Which of the following are proxy militant groups funded by Iran?

Houthis (Yemen)

 

Hezbullah (Lebanon)

 

Hamas (Palestine)

During the Iran-Iraq war of 1980-1988, which leader did the United States publicly support and lend aid?

Saddam Hussein

Which Empire was responsible for the partitioning of India and Pakistan into two separate countries?

British

Which country was once known as East Pakistan?

Bangladesh

According to Prof. Cargill, the conflict in Pakistan and northern India is largely the result of which of the following?

Ineffective borders drawn by the British in the 20th century and religious differences among Pakistani Muslims and Indians.

Which region(s) are under disputed control in the conflict between India and Pakistan?

Jammu and Kashmir

The Republic of Pakistan asserts what as its official religion?

Islam

When India and Pakistan were partitioned into separate countries, what was the main goal of the division?

To establish separate countries on the basis of religion; one Muslim state and one Hindu state.

The Mahābhārata, written around 400 BCE, establishes four "goals of life" in Hinduism. What are they?

Dharma, Artha, Kama, and Moksa

What is the name for the cosmic principle of action and reaction native to Indian Religions?

Karma

Krishna is one of the most widely worshiped deities in Hinduism. What is Krishna's relationship to another major deity, Vishnu?

Krishna is an avatar of Vishnu.

Where does the word Hindu come from?

The Persian word for the name of the Indus River.

Which country is the only state where Hinduism is the official religion?

Bhutan

What are the oldest holy texts in Hinduism, written in Sanskrit, taking the form of poems resembling Zoroastrianism or Greek mythology?

The Vedas

What is the name of the chief deity in Zoroastrianism?

Ahura Mazda

Which terms do scholars use to describe the Zoroastrian belief that there were two gods when the world was created, but there will be only one god at the end of time after a great cosmic battle?

Cosmogonic Dualism and Eschatological Monotheism

What is the Zoroastrian doctrine of a final renovation of the universe, when evil will be destroyed, and everything else will be in perfect unity with God?

Frashokereti

Where do most modern Zoroastrians live?

India

What is the name of the founding prophet of Zoroastrianism?

Zoroaster

Why have most Zoroastrians left Persia?

Following the Islamic conquest of Persia, Zoroastrianism became a persecuted minority.

Sikhs believe in a lineage of eleven Gurus; who was the first?

Guru Nanak

Which of the following is NOT one of the five K's, or symbolic and sacred articles of clothing worn by devout Sikhs?

Veil for the face and neck

What is the name of the holy text in Sikhism?

Guru Granth Sahib

Where did Sikhism originate?

Punjab

Many scholars see Sikhism as a syncretism, or blending of two traditions into something new and unique. Which two traditions most influenced Sikhism?

Islam and Hinduism

Though Jainism claims to be a much older tradition than even Hinduism, what is the earliest historical mention or evidence for Jainism?

9th century BCE

What is the meaning of the term ahiṃsā in Jainism?

Non-violence toward all beings in deeds, words, and thoughts

Which religion prescribes the path of ahiṃsā towards all living beings (including oneself), including deeds, words, and thoughts?

Jainism

What is the term for a person who has conquered all inner passions and acquired omniscience in Jainism?

Jina

Before being twisted by the German Third Reich and turned into the Hakenkreuz (hooked cross), the Jain symbol of the Swastika had a different meaning. What is the original meaning of the swastika?

The struggle for peace

What contribution to Bahá'í did Baháʾuʾlláh make?

Baháʾuʾlláh founded Bahá'í on several of the teachings of the Báb.

Which set of principles best defines the core doctrines of Bahá'í?

 Unity of God, unity of religion, unity of humanity.

What is the place of figures such as Muhammad, Jesus, Moses, Krishna, and the Buddha in Bahá'í?

They are divine messengers who revealed a piece of the truth.

Which of the following best describes the Bahá'í understanding of God?

God is a single, personal, inaccessible, omniscient, omnipresent, imperishable, and almighty God; creator of all things in the universe.

In the Bahá'í tradition, what is the Báb?

A founding figure from 19th century Persia who outlined a new religious law, whose students would go on to found Bahá'í.

Why do many Burmese use the term Bengali instead of Royhinga for the Muslim population of Myanmar?

"Bengali" reflects the belief that the Royhinga do not belong in Myanmar and lack citizenship.

The government of Myanmar and the religious majority of the country belong to which religious tradition?

Buddhist

Which of the following best describes the religious make-up of Myanmar?

Buddhist majority with Muslim minority.

Who are the Royhinga?

Muslims living in Burma/Myanmar who lack rights as citizens under the Buddhist-majority government and are considered the most persecuted group in the world

In what ways have the rights of Royhinga Muslims been severely limited through government action?

Following the military coup in 1962, the Royhinga were issued foreign IDs, and the later Citizenship Act of 1982 officially rendered them stateless.

What is a Bodhisattva?

A Buddhist who achieved nirvana, but was moved by compassion to remain in the cycle of reincarnation in an effort to help others find nirvana.

Before he became enlightened, the prince Siddhārtha Gautama saw four sights that shook him from a life of comfort. What were the Four Sights?

An old man, a sick man, a corpse, and an ascetic.

What was the name of the Indian prince who lived, taught, and founded a monastic order in eastern India before he was the Buddha?

Siddhartha Gautama

How did the Buddha strongly disagree with Indian/Hindu religious teachings?

Buddha strongly opposed brahmanic atman theory, arguing that it did not exist, and that there is no permanent substance that can be called a soul.

In pure land Buddhism, what is a "pure land"?

A heaven-like utopia that sits just before one enters nirvana, which is a transcendent realm offering ideal conditions for enlightenment free from suffering

The Buddha, Dharma, and Sangha are known by what collective name in Buddhism?

Three Jewels