Islam Practice Test

True or False
___ 1. Islam is the world's fastest-growing and second-largest religion.
___ 2. Muslims believe Muhammad had a divine nature.
___ 3. Muslims believe that Muhammad ascended to Heaven.
___ 4. In Muslim tradition, there are ninety-nine names for Allah.
___ 5. Allah did not come to be worshiped in Arabia until founded Islam.
___ 6. Muslims regard Abraham as the father of the Arab people.
___ 7. Muslims generally regard science as being in conflict with their faith.
___ 8. The Shari'ah is the basis of government in some countries with Muslim
majorities today.
___ 9. The Five Pillars demonstrate Islam's emphasis on correct belief.
___ 10. Ramadan occurs at the same time each year.
___ 11. It is believed that Abraham built the Ka'ba.
___ 12. Washing is part of the Muslim prayer ritual.
___ 13. Veiling was a pre-Islamic practice in Arabia that is no longer universal
among Muslim women.
___ 14. Within one century of Muhammad's death, Islam was the religion of the
entire Middle East, Persia, North Africa, and almost all of Spain.
___ 15. About 40 percent of Muslims in the United States are African Americans.
___ 16. Most Muslims regard the Nation of Islam as an authentic part of their religion.
___ 17. Islam, as practiced by the majority of Muslims, emphasizes the
transcendence and suprapersonal nature of Allah.

Multiple Choice

___ 1. Islam
a. is deeply rooted in the biblical tradition
b. reveres Jesus Christ and Judaism's great prophets
c. has played a crucial role in shaping Western culture
d. all of the above

___ 2. The word muslim means

a. wrapped in cotton cloth
b. one who submits
c. Muhammad's friend
d. all of the above

___ 3. Who appeared to Muhammad in a dream on the Night of Power and

Excellence?
a. the archangel Gabriel
b. Abraham
c. Jesus
d. Imam

___ 4. Why do Muslims consider Muhammad to be the Seal of the Prophets?

They believe that he is
a. the sacred presence in the world
b. a prophet like Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, partially revealing God's will
c. the final prophet, revealing the will of Allah fully and precisely, and for all time
d. both a and c
___ 5. Islam is
a. monotheistic
b. polytheistic
c. pantheistic
d. solipsistic

___ 6. What do Muslims believe leads to sin?

a. humanity's essentially evil nature
b. the devil's temptations
c. forgetfulness
d. both a and b

___ 7. In Islam, the natural world is

a. seen as good and worthy of reverence
b. another form of revelation of God's will
c. sometimes referred to as the cosmic Qur'an
d. all of the above

___ 8. All Muslims are required to pray how many times a day?
a. one time
b. two times
c. five times
d. hourly except while sleeping

___ 9. Fasting during Ramadan helps Muslims

a. focus attention on moral and religious concerns and thus develop spiritual
fortitude
b. gain insight into the situations of less fortunate people
c. become more aware of their own mortality
d. all of the above

___ 10. What percent of their possessions' value are Muslims required to
contribute to a public treasury?
a. 1
b. 2-1/2
c. 5
d. 10

___ 11. Islam holds that the body ultimately belongs to

a. the individual
b. the individual's spouse
c. God
d. the evil forces

___ 12. Islamic dietary regulations forbid

a. eating pork
b. drinking alcoholic beverages
c. eating leavened bread
d. both a and b
 ___ 13. Which areas presently have the greatest concentration of Muslims?
a. all of the Middle East and southwestern Asia
b. South Asia and the northern half of Africa
c. the islands of Malaysia and Indonesia
d. all of the above

___ 14. Why does Arabia enjoy a special status in Islam?

a. Arabs currently comprise over 50 percent of the entire Muslim population
b. Muslim sacred sites are located in Arabia, and Arabic is the language of Islam
c. Arabic involvement in Islam goes back to Islam's earliest history
d. both b and c

___ 15. What has made Shi'ism more politically volatile than Sunnism?
a. the belief in the return of Muhammad al-Mahdi
b. the general emphasis on the Imam as an authority figure
c. both a and b
d. none of the above

Matching

Match the definitions below with the word that fits the definition. Write the letter in the blank before
the definition it matches.
a. Ramadan e. Shari'ah i. Sunnah m. shaykh
b. Umma f. al-fana j. caliphs n. jihad
c. qur'an g. Hijra k. mosque o. hajj
d. Shahada h. imam l. Ka'ba

___ 1. This term literally means "reading" or "recitation".

___ 2. The emigration of Muhammad and his followers from Mecca to Yathrib
(later called Medina) in 622 c.e.
___ 3. Muhammad's own teachings and actions; Islam's second most important
authority after the Qur'an.
___ 4. The community of all Muslims.
___ 5. The divine law, derived from the Qur'an and the Sunnah,
all-encompassing in scope and setting forth in detail how Muslims are to live.
___ 6. The first pillar of Islam; its central creedal statement.
___ 7. The Muslim place of worship, traditionally a structure that includes a prayer hall and
an enclosed courtyard, with towers called minarets at each corner.
___ 8. Leader of the Friday worship service who also delivers a sermon.
___ 9. A month during which Muslims fast from dawn until sunset each day.
___ 10. The pilgrimage to Mecca that all Muslims are to make at least once in their lifetime, if
they can afford it and are physically able.
___ 11. A stone cubical structure in the courtyard of Mecca's Great Mosque that is regarded by
Muslims as the sacred center of the Earth.
___ 12. In Arabic this term means "exertion" or "struggle".
___ 13. The military and political leaders of the Muslim community who succeeded
Muhammad after his death.
___ 14. A master and teacher in Islam, such as the leader of an order in Sufism.
___ 15. The aim of Sufi mystics, which is the extinction of one's sense of separate existence in
order to achieve union with Allah.
Short Answer

1. What is the Qur'an? Compare its role in Islam with Jesus Christ's role in Christianity.
2. Briefly describe Muhammad's life story, including how he came to be a prophet. What was the
reaction of his fellow Meccans to his teachings?
3. Describe what Islam teaches about the nature of God, human nature, and the world.
4. How does the Muslim view of human destiny and the Day of Judgment compare with the
Christian view?
5. Explain the purpose of the Five Pillars of Islam and briefly describe each pillar.
6. Western critics have accused Islam of denying basic rights to women. Build a case either
agreeing or disagreeing with this perspective.
7. Define and explain the principle of jihad. Why do you think it is sometimes counted as the
sixth pillar of Islam? Does the Qur'an support the concept of jihad as armed struggle?
8. Explain how Islam can also be said to be Islamic civilization. Name some of its contributions.
9. What unites all Muslims? Tell what distinguishes Shi'i from Sunni Islam.
10. What is the guiding principle of Sufism, and how does it sometimes land Sufis in trouble with
orthodox Muslims? Compare Sufism to Christian monasticism or Hinduism.
11. Can a religion like Islam that understands itself as embracing the totality of life truly be
tolerant of other religions? How has your study of world religions affected how you see other
religions as compared to your own religion or viewpoint?