Ch 8: The Rise of Islam

Which of the following best explains the resistance of the Quraysh to Muhammad’s teachings?

• The Quraysh feared the influence of the Byzantine and Persian Empires on Arabian society.

• The Quraysh were committed to upholding polytheism as a means of political legitimacy.

• Muhammad’s teachings threatened the economic foundations of Meccan society.

• The Quraysh viewed Muhammad’s ideas as identical to earlier Jewish and Christian beliefs.

The social divisions reflected in the passage best parallel which of the following?

• The Hindu caste system’s resistance to Buddhist teachings in India.

• The incorporation of barbarian elites into the Roman administrative system.

• The acceptance of Christianity by the Roman upper classes under Constantine.

• The Confucian scholar-gentry’s opposition to Buddhist monasteries in Tang China.

Based on the passage and your knowledge of world history, which of the following most directly contributed to the rapid expansion of Islam?

• The universal message of Islam that appealed to diverse social groups.

• The ability of the first Muslim armies to immediately defeat the Byzantines and Persians.

• The forced conversion of all conquered peoples to Islam.

• The acceptance of Islamic teachings by Meccan elites from the beginning.

The description in the passage is most directly a result of which of the following developments?

• The expansion of the Umayyad and Abbasid Caliphates and their promotion of trade.

• The military alliances between Christian and Muslim states in the Mediterranean.

• The widespread conversion of non-Muslims to Islam under Islamic rule.

• The Mongol invasions of the Islamic world, which disrupted trade networks.

Which of the following best illustrates how Dar al-Islam functioned as a cultural and economic zone?

• The rejection of non-Islamic knowledge in favor of purely religious scholarship.

• The use of a common language (Arabic) and legal system (Sharia) across vast territories.

• The forced assimilation of non-Muslim populations into Muslim communities.

• The elimination of all pre-Islamic traditions within the caliphate.

The interactions described in the passage most closely resemble which of the following historical developments?

• The intellectual flourishing of Renaissance Italy due to trade and contact with Muslim scholars.

• The Mongol promotion of cross-cultural exchange across Eurasia in the 13th century.

• The decline of trade networks in Europe following the fall of Rome.

• The isolation of China during the Ming Dynasty’s restriction of maritime trade.

The policy outlined in the document most directly reflects which characteristic of early Islamic rule?

• The forced conversion of all subjects to Islam.

• The incorporation of non-Muslims as second-class citizens under Islamic law.

• The abolition of non-Muslim religious institutions.

• The rejection of all legal traditions outside of the Qur'an and Hadith.

Which of the following historical systems most closely resembles the one described in the passage?

• The millet system of the Ottoman Empire.

• The caste system of India under the Gupta Empire.

• The vassalage agreements in feudal Europe.

• The centralized bureaucracy of the Byzantine Empire.

The taxation policy described in the passage contributed most directly to which of the following?

• The economic prosperity of the Islamic Caliphates through revenue from non-Muslims.

• The mass conversion of non-Muslims to Islam to escape taxation.

• The decline of Islamic political power due to reliance on minority groups.

• The rejection of Islamic rule by non-Muslims, leading to frequent revolts.

Which of the following best describes the Byzantine response to the events described?

• The call for military assistance from Western Europe, leading to the First Crusade.

• The immediate reconquest of Anatolia by Byzantine forces.

• The negotiation of peace treaties with the Seljuks to maintain stability.

• The complete retreat of the Byzantine Empire from Asia Minor.