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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. After reading the Quran, who did Luther feel was the real enemy?

3. Why did Muhammad live with his uncle?

4. With what was conversion to monotheism associated?

5. By the time of Muhammad's birth, there were three different divisions within his tribe. What were they based upon?

Short Essay Questions

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

2. Why were Muslims seen as the enemy of Christians, which led to the Crusades?

3. What did Muhammad do during the last twenty-three years of his life? Why did he do this?

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

5. How have the feelings of Europeans towards Muslims developed since the initial fear and hatred began? What has caused this development? To what have these feelings towards Muslims led?

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

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

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

9. How did Muhammad's revelation differ from other forms of revelation?

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

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Muhammad and his followers were persecuted.

Part 1) How were they persecuted? Why were they persecuted?

Part 2) How did Muhammad and his followers survive this persecution and end up successfully converting much of Arabia to Islam? How is persecution found in other religions? Why?

Part 3) Why do humans feel the need to try to forcefully control others? Will this ever end? If so, how? If not, why not?

Essay Topic 2

Armstrong compares the writings of the Quran with Christian writings.

Part 1) Describe the comparison. Why do these similarities and differences exist?

Part 2) What is Armstrong's purpose in comparing these two religious writings? How does this support her purpose for writing this book?

Part 3) Why might Armstrong have such an attachment to Islam? How does this attachment affect her beliefs and actions?

Part 4) To what do you have a strong attachment? Why? How does this affect and influence you?

Essay Topic 3

The Meccans were unable to get rid of Muhammad and the umma.

Part 1) Why were they unable to get rid of Muhammad and the umma? How does this affect Meccan society? What does this mean for Muhammad and the umma?

Part 2) What does this mean for Islam and the whole of Arabia?

Part 3) How different might the world today be if Muhammad had not successfully overtaken Mecca? How important was this taken over for Islam?

(see the answer keys)

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