Rise and Spread of Islam
Exercise
A. Fill in the blanks.
1. Prophet Muhammad was born in Mecca.
2. The journey of Muhammad from Mecca to Medina is called Hijrat.
3. All Muslims perform wudhu before praying.
4. Muhammad was succeeded by Abu Bakr who took the title of Caliph.
5. The recitations by Angel Gabriel formed the text of the Quran.
B. Name the following.
1. Tribe which Muhammad belonged to
= Quraysh Tribe;
2. Cave where Muhammad received his first divine revelation
= Hira;
3. Shrine in Mecca which housed idols worshipped by tribes
= Kaba;
4. Pilgrimage to Mecca
= Hajj;
5. First follower of Muhammad
= His wife Khadijah;
C. Match the following.
=
|
1. Shahadah |
a. Fasting. [3] |
|---|---|
|
2. Zakat |
b. One God. [1] |
|
3. Sawm |
c. Prayer. [5] |
|
4. Hajj |
d. Charity. [2] |
|
5. Salat |
e. Pilgrimage. [4] |
D. Answer the following questions in brief.
1. What is the significance of Kaba in Islam?
= In Mecca, there is a cube-like structure called Kaba which housed idols from all the tribes of Arabia. The Kaba was the centre of Arabian religious life. Each tribe would make annual pilgrimages to the shrine.
2. Why was Muhammad forced to go to Medina?
= By 622 CE, Muhammad gained considerable followers in Mecca. However, the monotheistic ideas of Islam soon faced considerable opposition from Meccan authorities. In 622, Muhammad was forced to migrate with his followers to Medina.
3. What are the main articles of faith in Islam?
= There are Articles of Faith on which rests the faith of every Muslim. These are :
❐ Belief in One God Allah.
❐ Belief in Angels (Malaikah).
❐ Belief in all Prophets (Nabi) and Messengers (Rasul) of God.
❐ Belief in God's revealed books.
❐ Belief in fate or pre-destination (Qadar).
❐ Belief in the Judgement Day (Qayamah).
4. What is the caliphate?
= A caliphate is an institution or public office governing a territory under Islamic rule.
5. Describe an important step taken by the Umayyad caliphate.
= They introduced the concept of hereditary succession; thus ending the traditional Muslim rule of electing representatives by the Muslim community.
E. Answer the following questions in detail.
1. What conditions prevailed in Arabia in pre-Islamic times?
= Arabs, before the rise of Islam, were divided into tribes or qabila, each led by a chief. These tribes emphasised on family cooperation to strengthen the clan system. Many Arab tribes were nomadic, moving from place to place in search of food and fodder for their camels. Some settled in cities and practised trade or agriculture. Since these nomadic tribes did not follow any single authority, there were frequent fights over resources between different tribe clans.
Each tribe had its own god or goddess, who was worshipped as an idol in a shrine.
2. Describe the early life of Muhammad and the rise of Islam.
= It was in this world that Muhammad was born in 570 CE in the city of Mecca, in Quraysh tribe. After being orphaned at an early age, he was raised by his paternal grandfather, Abd al-Muttalib and his uncle Abu Talib. From a very young age, Muhammad accompanied his uncle on his trading journeys, where he gained experience in trade. His journeys taught him about different places and their culture and beliefs. He met people following Judaism and Christianity.
Muhammad was a righteous and spiritual man who often spent time meditating in cave Hira on Mount Jabal al-Nour near Mecca. He disliked idol worship and was concerned with the tribal clashes and economic inequalities amongst different clans. He believed that worshipping various deities led to these differences.
Around 610 CE, when Muhammad was meditating in the cave one night, he received a revelation from Angel Gabriel that God had chosen him as His messenger. Gabriel recited the words of God or Allah to Muhammad in 'verses'. Muhammad was 40 at that time. Over the years, Muhammad received numerous revelations, which were compiled in the Quran.
Muhammad started preaching that there is only one God-Allah, and that he alone should be worshipped. Muhammad also taught that one should live a life in complete submission to the will of Allah. Thus, Muhammad founded the religion of Islam and began his journey as a Prophet.
3. Briefly describe the five pillars of Islam.
= All Muslims perform five duties, which are called the Five Pillars of Islam. The Five Pillars of Islam are the core beliefs that need to be followed, if one is to be accepted as a believer of Islam.
❐ Shahadah (Faith) : Muslims must declare their faith that "there is only one God - Allah, and Muhammad is His Prophet".
❐ Salat (Prayer): Muslims must say their prayers five times a day: Fajr (before sunrise), Zuhr (early afternoon), Asr (late afternoon), Maghrib (after sunset) and Isha (night). They must face Mecca during Namaz.
❐ Zakat (Charity): Muslims must contribute a fixed proportion of their income to charity to help the poor and needy.
❐ Sawm (Fasting): Muslims must fast from dawn to dusk during Ramzan. Fasting involves abstinence from food, water and worldly comforts.
❐ Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca): Muslims must make a pilgrimage to Mecca at least once in their lifetime.
4. Describe the growth of Islam during the caliphate.
= Muhammad was succeeded by his loyal companion, Abu Bakr. Abu Bakr took the title of Khalifa or Caliph. The Caliph became the religious and political head of Muslims.
Under the leadership of Abu Bakr and later Umar, the second Caliph, the Arabs emerged as a formidable military force and went on to conquer new lands at great speed. The zeal for territorial expansion was driven by religious fervour as well as the need to have control over greater resources.
Umar was followed by Uthman as the next Caliph, but his reign was brought to an abrupt end in 656 CE. He was succeeded by Ali who was related directly to the Prophet. After the death of Ali, the caliphate moved into the hands of the Umayyad Dynasty and thereafter the Abbasids.
5. What was the relation between India and the Arab world?
= The Arabs had established trade relations with India since pre-Islamic times. Arab merchants would sail to the west coast of India to trade spices, gold and other goods. This led to Arab settlements on the western coasts of India. As Islam spread in Arabia, the Arab traders brought their religion and culture to India. There was increase in the Islamic influence in the costal regions as many people embraced Islam.
In 712 CE, Arabs under Muhammad bin Qasim invaded and occupied Sindh. However, they could not expand further due to the presence of strong Rajput kingdoms.