Question 1

Which of the following does NOT necessarily describe a Muslim?

Accepted Answer

Not all Muslims are Arabs, as Islam is a global religion with followers from various ethnicities and nationalities.

Question 2

The number of adherents to Islam makes it the

Accepted Answer

Islam is the second largest religion in the world, after Christianity.

Question 3

This member of Abraham's family is NOT considered part of Islam's genealogy.

Accepted Answer

Abraham, Hagar, and Ismail are all considered part of Islam's genealogy as they are central figures in the story of the Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) and are mentioned in the Quran. However, Sara is not mentioned in the Quran and therefore is not considered part of Islam's genealogy.

Question 4

Muhammad used force and diplomacy to defeat _______ and unite the tribes of Arabia under the banner of Islam?

Accepted Answer

Muhammad used force and diplomacy to defeat the Meccans and unite the tribes of Arabia under the banner of Islam.

Question 5

"The disaster," as it is known in Muslim literature and consciousness, triggered a period of doubt and self-examination in the 1970s in response to the loss of:

Accepted Answer

The disaster referred to in the question is the loss of major territories, including the holy city of Jerusalem, to Israel in the 1967 Six-Day War, which had a significant impact on Muslim consciousness and led to a period of doubt and self-examination in the 1970s. Option A is incorrect as there is no reference to large numbers of Muslims converting to Christianity. Option B is also incorrect as the Crusades occurred centuries ago and were not a direct cause of the 1970s self-examination. Option D is not mentioned in the question and is therefore irrelevant.

Question 6

Which of the following is NOT a holy city to Muslims?

Accepted Answer

Mecca, Medina, and Jerusalem are considered holy cities to Muslims, but Cairo is not.

Question 7

Ijtihad is

Accepted Answer

Ijtihad refers to the process of using interpretation or independent reasoning in Islamic law. It is a means of deriving legal rulings from the Qur'an and Sunnah, as well as from other sources such as scholarly consensus and personal reasoning. It is not related to war, violent oppression or the promotion of fundamentalist beliefs.

Question 8

The one unforgivable sin of Islam is

Accepted Answer

In Islam, idolatry, or associating partners with Allah (shirk), is considered the one unforgivable sin if one dies without repenting from it.

Question 9

Which of the following describes pre-Islamic Arabian society and religion?

Accepted Answer

Pre-Islamic Arabian society was polytheistic, meaning they worshiped multiple gods and goddesses. The society was organized into tribes, each having their own set of beliefs and deities.

Question 10

Which of the following was NOT condemned by Muhammad?

Accepted Answer

Muhammad did not condemn earning profit in business transactions, rather he encouraged trade and commerce as a means of improving the economy of his community.

Question 11

Muhammad saw his relationship to the religion of Islam as that of

Accepted Answer

Muhammad saw himself as the Prophet and reformer of Islam. He did not view himself as the founder or creator of the religion but rather as the final prophet in a long line of prophets sent by God to guide humanity. He believed that he was simply delivering the message of Islam that had been revealed to him by God.

Question 12

Which of the following is NOT a Muslim belief?

Accepted Answer

Original sin is a Christian belief, not a Muslim belief. Muslims do not believe in the concept of original sin, but instead believe that every individual is born pure and sin-free, and is responsible for his or her own actions and choices.

Question 13

Which of the following was a role played by Muhammad in the early Muslim community?

Accepted Answer

Muhammad played multiple roles in the early Muslim community, including acting as an arbiter and judge in disputes, serving as a political and military leader in both Mecca and Medina, and being a successful merchant before receiving his prophethood.

Question 14

Which term below refers to the sermon that is a special feature of Friday prayer?

Accepted Answer

Khutba refers to the sermon that is a special feature of Friday prayer.

Question 15

Which of the following is NOT one of the Five Pillars?

Accepted Answer

The Five Pillars of Islam are Faith (Shahada), Prayer (Salah), Almsgiving (Zakat), Fasting (Sawm), and Pilgrimage (Hajj). Purity is not one of the Five Pillars.

Question 16

Christians and Jews under Muslim rule could sometimes pay for dhimmi, a

Accepted Answer

Dhimmis were non-Muslims who lived under Muslim rule and paid a jizya tax in exchange for protected citizenship status, allowing them to practice their religion and maintain their property and businesses.

Question 17

When the Jewish population of Medina did not convert to Islam, Muhammad instituted which of the following?

Accepted Answer

Muhammad changed the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to Mecca, but he did not forbid Jews from praying at synagogues or abolish the Jewish celebration of Yom Kippur.

Question 18

In America and Europe, Islam is

Accepted Answer

Islam is considered the fastest growing religion in America and Europe, largely due to higher birth rates among Muslim families and increasing numbers of converts.

Question 19

A condition of dhimmi, or having protected status, was

Accepted Answer

Dhimmi status often required non-Muslims to pay a special tax called the jizya. This was a way for them to practice their own religion under Islamic rule. The other choices are not requirements for dhimmi status.

Question 20

Which of the following is true of Islamic civilization?

Accepted Answer

All three options are true of Islamic civilization. Great urban cultural centers emerged in several cities, including Cairo, Baghdad, Cordova, Palermo, and Nishapur. Science, medicine, and philosophy flourished during the Islamic golden age, with important contributions made in fields like medicine, mathematics, and astronomy.

Quiz 5: Islam: the Many Faces of the Muslim Experience