The Life and Teachings of Muhammad

1. Offer a short biography of Muhammad.
2. Characterize the situation in and around Arabia during Muhammad's time.
3. Muhammad's religious views were not well received at first. Why?
4. What purpose did Muhammad's Night Journey, or Ascent to Heaven, serve in his life?
5. Describe how Muhammad is viewed by Muslims today.

Zoroastrianism (Box Feature)

1. Describe the religious climate Zarathustra faced.
2. What was the content of Zarathustra's vision?
3. What are the teachings contained in the Zoroastrian scriptures?
4. Describe some of the Zoroastrian beliefs that may have influenced the Essenes, early Christianity, and Islam.
5. What are some of the distinctive rituals practiced by Zoroastrians?

Essentials of Islam

1. Who is God viewed and described in Islam?
2. How does Islam view its relationship with Christianity and Judaism?
3. What is the role and function of prophets according to Islam?
4. Discuss the significance of Abraham for Muslims, Jews, and Christians.

The Five Pillars of Islam

1. Briefly describe each of the Five Pillars.
2. Trace the theme of simplicity in Islam, for example, in its creed, death rituals, dress during the Hajj, appeal in Sufism, and architecture.
3. What purposes does fasting serve in Islam?
4. Highlight the main features of the Hajj and its overall impact on believers.

Additional Islamic Religious Practices

1. Summarize additional Islamic religious practices, and state how Muslims view all the controls and prohibitions.
2. Discuss the condition of women in pre-Islamic Arab culture and the reforms Muhammad made.
3. Explore the current trends on the role of women in the Muslim world.

Scripture: The Qur'an
Describe the content of the Qur'an and its role in shaping Islamic life.

The Historical Development of Islam
Expansion and Consolidation

1. Trace the rapid spread of Islam on a map or globe of the world. What elements within and without Islam contributed to the rapid spread?
2. Date the golden age of Islam and describe its contributions and achievements.

The Shiite and Sunni Division within Islam

1. Discuss the origin of the Sunni-Shiite split in Islam.
2. Describe the main features of Shiite Islam, especially regarding the role of Imams. What has generated the most divisions within Shiite Islam?
3. What are the general features of Sunni Islam?
4. Discuss some of the major movements within Sunni Islam.

Sufism: Islamic Mysticism
Describe the origins of Sufism and its attraction for many Muslims.

Sufi Beliefs

1. What are the goals of Sufi mysticism?
2. Why has Sufism often been controversial or come into conflict with the religious authorities?

Sufi Practice and Poetry
Give an example of a Sufi interpretation of the Qur'an or of poetry that is symbolic or allegorical.

Islamic Law and Philosophy What resources have Muslims used to address the many aspects of human life?

Islamic Law and Legal Institutions

1. What is a theocratic state? How is it justified in the Muslim view?
2. Discuss the meanings of jihad.

Islamic Philosophy and Theology

1. Describe some of the philosophic questions explored in Islamic philosophy. How do they compare to the philosophic questions explored in the chapter on Christianity?
2. Define the two philosophic poles within Islam. If you were a Muslim, which would be more appealing to you and why?

Islam and the Arts
Architecture

1. Distinguish the key features of a mosque and how they relate to Muslim religious practice.
2. How do towers and domes relate with the concept of negative space?

Fine Art

1. How are the themes of Paradise expressed in Muslim art?
2. What are the two means of experiencing the Qur'an, each with its own special beauty?

Islam and the Modern World
Islam and Contemporary Life

1. Describe the challenges modern life presents to traditional Islam.
2. Define secularism and its various political and religious implications.
3. Situate the following countries on a spectrum from adopting Western values to resisting them, explaining why you place them where you do: Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Iran, Egypt. What would be the key arguments offered by both ends of the spectrum—secular state vs. a theocratic Islamist state?
4. Review elements of conflict in at least two other countries with large Muslim populations.

Islam in the West and Beyond

1. What has been the attraction of Islam for converts?
2. What are the origins and appeal of the Nation of Islam in the United States?
3. Describe the strong differences between Islam and mainstream European and American cultures?
4. Discuss the role of the Palestinian issue—attacks and bombings in the West, the legacy of colonialism, and popular culture—in conflicts and clashes between the Muslim world and the West.
5. What lessons from history provide hope that Islamic and Western cultures might successfully change and coexist peacefully?

Jihad (Box Feature)

1. Give the root meaning of jihad and discuss the two types.
2. Explain the tensions that exist between ways of living in modern secular and Muslim societies.
3. Describe in general terms some of the hudud legal practices that Muslims are divided over imposing on their societies.