Islam Study guide

Mr. Regan test

Islam

Islam is the religion: Allah is the one and only god, and all other gods must be abandoned. Muhammad is the last prophet. 

Muslim

Muslims are people who believe and follow the faith of Islam.

Muhammad

Trader and former shepherd with the Bedouins who came from the Hashim Family in Mecca and the Quraysh tribe.

Muhammad’s revelation

(610) Had a revelation while meditating in Cave Hira - Angel Gabriel spoke to Muhammad and told him that he is God’s prophet. (This was the first revelation in the Qur’an).

Who started the religion of Islam

Muhammad

Who was the first convert

Muhammad’s wife (Khadija) was the first convert followed by other family members.

Beliefs from the Revelation

Allah is the one and only god

People must live righteously

All believers of God are equal

All people are subject to Judgement Day

The rich must share with the poor

Where did Islam originate 

Arabian Peninsula

Arabian Peninsula

• Muhammad was from Mecca, and hostile people threatened Muhammad and his followers; they fled to Yathrib, which was then renamed to Medina. This migration was called the Hijrah and marked the first year of the Muslim calendar (622).

• Islam started out only in Medina and only started to spread after Muhammad’s death.

• Started in Mecca and Medina, and spread out to Byzantine, Persia, and Syria.

Angel Gabriel

Allah/God’s messenger who told Muhammad that he was the last prophet and gave Muhammad God’s message, which later became the revelations in the Qur’an.

Allah

The word “Allah” means God in Arabic, and in Islam, he is the one and only god.

What city is known as the holiest city that contains the holiest mosque with the kaaba

Mecca 

What is the Kaaba

A cube-shaped building in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, considered the holiest site in Islam

What is Mecca

Mecca is an Oasis, where many travelers, and merchants resided. It served as a resting place and also a center for trade.

Who originally ruled Mecca and who captured it again?

Mecca was originally ruled by the Quraysh Tribe, and was captured by Muhammad and his followers after the Meccan leaders surrendered. Following this, relics that resembled polytheism were destroyed in Mecca and the Kaaba was redirected to Allah.

What is Medina’s other name

The City of the Prophet (Muhammad)

Medina

Formerly known as Yathrib, Medina was the city where Muhammad and his followers migrated to due to fear of murder from hostile people in Mecca.

Day of Judgement

A day in Islamic faith where all human beings are held accountable and judged by God based on the deeds they have done in their life.

Five pillars of faith

Declaration of Faith: Allah is the one and only god and Muhammad is his prophet.

Daily Prayer: Muslims are expected to pray 5 times a day, facing Mecca, the holy city. Minarets were bell towers in Mosques that signaled the time for prayer.

Fasting: Muslims are expected to fast during the holy month of Ramadan from dawn to dusk (they eat at the end of the day)—exceptions: pregnant and sick people.

Alms (charity): Muslims must give to the less fortunate.

Hajj: Muslims must go on a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their life if possible.

What is the holy book of Islam

The Quran

What did the Quran contain about Muhammad 

Contains all of Muhammad’s revelations that were revealed to him over the course of 23 years.

What does the Quran hold

The Qur’an holds the final authority on all matters.

What was the language the Quran was written in.

Written in Arabic only (Muslims believe that translations have errors and therefore do not contain the “actual” message)

What were the perks in writing in Arabic

The language of Arabic used in writing the Qur’an allowed people to unite through a common language.

What caliph uses the Quran to guide them 

The Rightly Guided Caliphs

Sunna

Muhammad’s deeds that serve as an example to followers of Islam (Muhammad’s examples).

What caliph used the Sunna to guide them

The rightly guided caliphs

Sharia

The Islamic Law was created based on the Qur’an and Sunna

what is anything that mentions law most likely?

The Sharia

What is the Hijrah

The migration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib in 622 after Khadija’s (Muhammad’s wife) death.

What marked the first day on the Muslim calendar

The Hijrah marks the first year in the Muslim Calendar (622)

What did followers of Islam start calling themselves?

Muslims

Mosque

A place of prayer for Muslims.

What’s a Imam

Special prayer leader in a mosque

What can only the Imam do

The only person who can interpret the Qur’an according to Shi’a Muslims

Battle of Badr

A war between Muhammad and his followers against the Quraysh Tribe

What was the aftermath of the Battle of Badr

Muhammad and his followers were able to defeat the Quraysh Tribe

Caliphs

The word caliph means “successor,” which was what the Muslim community needed to find after the death of Muhammad (he did not have a successor).

Rightly Guided Caliphs

The first four Caliphs who ruled over the Muslim community. They expanded the empire all the way to Syria, invoked Jihad (the struggle of Muslims against their enemies), and spread the religion of Islam.

Why were people attracted to Islam

Mainly because Muslims did not have to pay poll taxes (Tributes) while followers of other faiths had to.

Abu Bakr

The first Caliph after the death of Muhammad. He was a friend of Muhammad and an Islam convert.

Abu Bakr struggles

Some struggles that he faced were false prophets and the succession of Arabian tribes.

Where did Abu Bark expand the empire to

He expanded the Islamic Empire into Byzantine and Persia.

Umar

The second Caliph who was assassinated.

Uthman

The third Caliph, who was also assassinated.

Ali

Muhammad’s cousin and son in law who was part of the Hashim Family and Quraysh Tribe. He was also an early convert.

Who was the 4th Caliph

Ali

Mu’awiya

A Syrian governor (part of the Umayyad family) who wanted Ali to punish Umar’s murderers, however, Ali did not know who Umar’s murderers were (this increased pressure on Ali).

Who’s army did Mu’awiya fight with

Ali’s army

What happened during their civil war?

Negotiators decided that it was best if both resigned; however Mu’awiya declared himself the caliph and Ali continued to rule.

What was the aftermath of both rulers not resigning

Attempts to assassinate both rulers took place, with Ali’s assassination being successful.

Umayyad

Family who ruled the Islamic empire after the death of Ali.

who created a heredity system and a bureaucracy

The Umayyad

Where did the Umayyad’s move the new capital 

Moved the capital from Medina to Damascus (where Mu’awiya was from) for better control of the territory.

What led to a split in the Muslim community during the Umayyad rule?

Abandoned the simple life of the previous caliphs and lived in luxury.

Factors that led to the fall of the Umayyad rule

• Opposition in the regions.

• Corruption from the rulers.

• Rebel groups such as the Abbasids.

What is the largest branch of Islam

Sunni

Sunni

Believed that anyone can be a Caliph as long as they are a devout Muslim.

What rules did the Sunni accept

Accepted/Agreed with the rule of the first three caliphs.

What were the rules the Sunni accepted by the first 3 caliphs

The Sunni Muslims accepted the legitimacy of the first three caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman. Their acceptance was rooted in the belief that any devout Muslim could be a Caliph, and these leaders were chosen by the community, reflecting a consensus. This distinguished them from other groups who believed leadership should remain within Muhammad's family.

What did the Sunni’s believe

Believed in majority rule

What was the majority rule the Sunni’s believed in

The Sunni Muslims believed in the principle of majority rule, meaning that the leader of the Muslim community (Caliph) should be chosen by consensus and communal election, rather than through a hereditary lineage. This belief led them to accept the legitimacy of the first three caliphs, Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman

Shi’a’s belief on who can be caliph

Believed that only descendants of Muhammad can be a caliph

Did Shi’a agree or disagree with the rule of the first three caliphs

The Shi’a disagreed with the majority system and thinks that the Caliph should be chosen from the hereditary system (Descendant of Muhammad)

What did the Shi’a believe

Believed that only an Imam (religious prayer leader in a mosque) can interpret the Qur’an.

What did the Sufi think on who can be caliph

Believed that anyone can be a caliph as long as they are a devoted Muslim.

What do the Sufi do

They pray, meditate, chant, and fast.

What was the Sufi’s goal for constant meditation

Their goal is to get their mind in a state where they can connect closer with God.

Were the Sufi wealthy?

No, they lived in poverty.

Who were the Abbasids

Rebel group who overthrew the Umayyads and murdered the family members.

Where did the Abbasids move the new capital

Moved the capital from Damascus to Baghdad for better trade, resources (such as gold), and information (papermaking, etc.).

What did the Abbasids develop a strong gov. of 

Developed a strong bureaucracy that allowed them to conduct affairs (diplomats) and tax land, exports and imports.

Where did the Abbasids expand the empire to

Expanded the empire to Spain, Syria, and Iraq.

Major problem of the Abbasids

Failure to keep complete political control of the territory and allowed independent leaders to dominate in the smaller regions.

Capitals

• Medina

• Damascus

• Baghdad

Social Chart

Upper class: Muslims at birth

Second class: Converts to Islam

Third class: Protected people – Christians, Jews, and Zoroastrians.

Lowest class: Slaves including prisoners of war (these were all NON-MUSLIMS).

Women: Qur’an states that men are the managers of the affairs of women, and therefore they are expected to be obedient and submit to men.

People of the book/ protected people

The “People of the Book,” or protected people were people that the Qur’an tells to tolerate. These people include Christians and Jews, who stem from Abraham, are monotheistic, and all believe in one god. These religions are called Abrahamic religions and the order goes as follows: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam.

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

International Trade Economy

• Merchants were honored that Muhammad was a merchant.

• Islam was no longer just a religion in the Arabian peninsula (spread throughout the regions).

• Spread products and technology, such as papermaking from China and sugar from India.

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Scholarship

• Abbasid caliph Hanun al-Rashid corresponded with neighboring emperors.

• Greek and Arabic were the languages of learning.

• Philosophy from the Greeks

• Libraries, scholars, universities

• House of Wisdom: a library, academy, and translation center created by al-Ma’mun in Baghdad.

• Library of Cordoba: over 400,000 books and books were produced and translated here.

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Business Practices

• Partnerships where goods were exchanged (silk road)

• Credit (pay more if not paid on time)

• Banks (sakk - checks)

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Math

• Concept of zero from India, Arabic numerals

• Study of Algebra - for fun

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Science

• Astronomy – observations in Cordoba, Cairo, and Baghdad

• Charted stars, comets, and planets

• Studied eclipses, Earth’s rotation, and calculated Earth’s circumference.

• Compass and Astrolabe (track and measure time)

• Al Idrisi made one of the first accurate maps.

Alchemists - tried to make gold from base metals and magic. We know this because scientists and alchemists kept records of their experiments and discoveries.

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Medicine

• Hospitals: emergency “quick treatment”

• Amputations and removal of cancerous growths

• Operations on the eye and use of anesthetics

• Ibn al-Haytham wrote the Book of Optics

Who is Al-Razi

• Head physician at Baghdad hospital

• Pioneered study of measles and smallpox

• Treated poor people out of his own pocket

Who is Ibn Sina

• Cannon of Medicine, which was consulted by many doctors in Europe.

Who is Moses Ben Maimon

• Jewish physician and philosopher

• Wrote The Guide of the Perplexed 

• Wrote Rule of Health – how the mind affects the body

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Engineering and Architecture

• Paved streets, pipes that brought water to baths and fountains

• Canals and irrigation systems

• Rotation of crops to keep soil fertile - rice, lemon, melon

• Study of zoology to determine what animals could be utilized for certain tasks such as polo for horses

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Libraries

• The Thousand and One Night - romance and adventure

• Epic poem – The Rubaiyat consisted of many poems with messages such as not taking things seriously, divine and spiritual meaning, and the astronomer.

• Firdawsi (Persian) wrote the Shahnamah, to get money from the ruler to get dowry for his daughter’s wedding.

• The King’s book of Kings - history of Persia

Who is Ibn Khaldun

Wrote a six-volume world history book

Golden Age of Islam (During Abbasid rule)

Art and Architecture

• Perfection of calligraphy

• God as untouchable (no worship of idols)

• Abstract: Geometrical patterns and symmetry

• Arabesque – intricate design with curves that suggest floral shapes

• Dome/arch from Byzantine and Rome 

• “Dome of the Rock”

Seljuks

The Seljuks were from central Asia, established in Iran and Afghanistan.

What was the Seljuks capital

Isfahan

What were the Seljuks language

Persian

Who is Malik Shah

Sultan from 1072-1092 after civil wars against family members.

Who drove Byzantine out of most of Anatolia after his father won the battle of Manzikert.

Malik Shah

Where did Malik Shah expand his power into

Expanded power into Syria

What happened after Malik Shah’s death

After his death, the Turks fought against themselves and Crusader invasions weakened the kingdom.

Who is Saladin

Saladin was a Kurdish Muslim who ruled after the Seljuks became weaker and also a successful general and political leader.

Who won battles against Muslims and Christians from Egypt to Syria.

Saladin

Who was Saladin’s rivals

Major rivals included the Sinan leader of the Assassins and Christian Crusaders