Quiz on Early Islamic History

Who were the first caliphs in Islam?

• Close friends or relatives of Muhammad

• Leaders from the Byzantine Empire

• Persian scholars

• Greek philosophers

What was the main goal of the first caliphs?

• To spread Christianity

• To protect and spread Islam

• To conquer Europe

• To build large monuments

Where did the Umayyads govern the Arab Empire from?

• Mecca

• Baghdad

• Damascus

• Cairo

What did the term "Arab" eventually come to mean?

• A person from Arabia

• A speaker of Arabic

• A follower of Islam

• A conqueror

Who was Ibn Rushd and what was he known for?

• A Persian poet known for his love stories

• A Spanish Muslim who practiced law and medicine

• A Byzantine general known for his military tactics

• A Greek philosopher known for his scientific theories

What was one of the roles of Moses Maimonides after leaving Spain?

• A merchant in Southeast Asia

• A physician in the Muslim royal court in Egypt

• A military leader in West Africa

• A caliph in Baghdad

What group won followers by teaching Islam?

• Sunni

• Shia

• Sufis

• Seljuk Turks

Which country has more Muslims than any other nation in the world today?

• Saudi Arabia

• Indonesia

• Iran

• Egypt

What was Timbuktu known for in the 1300s?

• A center of military power

• A leading center of Muslim culture and learning

• A major trade route to East Asia

• The capital of the Abbasid Empire

What did the Shia believe about Ali?

• He was the rightful heir to Muhammad

• He was a powerful merchant

• He was a famous philosopher

• He was a Sunni leader