4. The Arabs had a spiritual life under the muruwah and holy places like the shrines at Mecca and other places. The most important shrine was ________ at Mecca which played an important part in the life of Muhammad and other people.

5. What is the Quran a source of information?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is meant by umma? How did Arabs feel about this? Why?

2. Describe the Muslim world despite the influence of imperialist beliefs in the Western world.

3. Describe what is known about Muhammad and the Muslim world prior to 610.

4. Describe Arab life at this time.

5. What is known about Muhammad's early life?

6. How did Muhammad react to his first encounter with the angel Gabriel?

7. What is Jahiliyah?

8. What might happen if more people studied and understood Islam?

9. According to Armstrong, where do most Western views of Islam stem from? What facts does she give about Islam?

10. When does the challenge of Islam to the West first begin? How was Islam viewed at that time?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Prior to Muhammad's experience with the angel Gabriel, there were no religious scriptures for the Arabs who worshiped al-Llah.

Part 1) How did Muhammad give religious scripture to Islam? Why was this important? How does this scripture compare to the scripture of the Jews and Christians?

Part 2) Why do these similarities exist? What is unique about the Quran? How is this significant?

Part 3) What do non-Muslims think about these similarities and differences? Why?

Essay Topic 2

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?