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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Who does Armstrong feel that radical Islam is the faith of?

2. Was Arabia considered to be important to the world powers at this time?

3. What do the Muslim religious authorities think about fatwa and the taking of lives?

4. How was the Prophet Muhammad viewed?

5. To what has Western behavior in the Islamic world led?

Short Essay Questions

1. What happens when Salman Rushdie publishes The Satanic Verses? How is this act a reminder of other acts against Islam by Muslims?

2. According to Armstrong, on what are most Western views of Islam based?

3. What holy places were important to the Arabs? Why were these places so important?

4. What happened regarding Islam in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries?

5. On what does Armstrong believe a religion should not be judged? Why might she feel this way?

6. What happened once Muhammad recited the Quran?

7. Describe Arab life at this time.

8. When and why did Muhammad begin sharing God's message?

9. Why were Muslims seen as pagans and many Christians attempted to convert them?

10. Describe the Quraysh tribe.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Arabs united under Muhammad's teachings.

Part 1) Describe Muhammad's teachings. How did they unify the Arabs?

Part 2) How did the Arabs benefit from this unification? Why and how did some also fight it? Why was Muhammad ultimately successful? How is this success seen today?

Part 3) How have groups of people unified under other leaders and other religions? What do these people and religions all have in common that lead to unification?

Essay Topic 2

Islam does not teach theology.

Part 1) What is theology? What does Islam teach? How is this different from Judaism and Christianity?

Part 2) Why does Islam not teach theology? Do Judaism and Christianity teach theology? If so, how and why? If not, why not?

Part 3) Is theology necessary for a belief system to be considered a religion? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 3

Muhammad was very successful after the move to Medina.

Part 1) Describe the events leading up to the move to Medina. Why was Muhammad so successful in Medina? How did this affect the Quran? Was Muhammad's success good for the people of Arabia? Why or why not? Was it good for Islam? Why or why not?

Part 2) How does Muhammad's power affect him? How does this compare to those in power today?

Part 3) How dose Islam today reflect Muhammad's power at this time? Is this good or bad? Why?

(see the answer keys)

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