Final Exam Study Guide

All finals will be taken in the Social Science Testing Lab on the Main Campus or Cottage Grove Center and may be taken any time the labs are open during Final Exam Week. You must arrive one hour before closing on any given day. The deadline to take the Final Exam is THURSDAY 5pm. No make-ups are possible because the campus is closed Friday and I will be determining grades over the weekend. As with previous exams, a 3 x 5 card of notes (both sides) is allowed for the exam. Grades will be available via MyLane by the Wednesday following Final Exam Week.

To prepare for the exam, review the questions in your text and on the handouts and also attempt to answer the questions below:

Which of the three monotheistic traditions was founded most recently? What was 7th Century Arabic culture like? Did Islam borrowed any traditions from Arabian paganism? If so, which ones? What does "Islam" mean? Was "Allah" merely the generic Arabic word for God, or was there something more to Muhammad's use of this name? What is a "jinn" (djinn)? What is the Kabah, and where is it located? Who do Muslims say built it? What is the Black Stone?

What was the "Night of Power?" What was the response to Muhammad's early preaching? What was the "Satanic verses" episode all about? How did Muhammad become ruler of Mecca? Primarily through what means did Islam become the religion of the Arab world and beyond? How was his attitude toward and treatment of polytheists different from his attitude toward and treatment of Jews and Christians?

What kind person was Muhammad? How does he compare and contrast with Jesus? How might historical and cultural differences account for the differences in these two men? What were the controversies surrounding Muhammad and women? What were the particular controversies surrounding Aesha and Zaynab? What were his teachings on women--both positive and negative? What are some of the teachings of Muhammad found not in the Qur'an but in the Hadith? Are there any Muslim customs or practices which may be traced to those teachings?

What is the Qur'an? What does the word "Qur'an" mean? What is the Hadith? According to the Hadith, how was the Qur'an written? Why do Muslims discourage the translation of the Qur'an into other languages and encourage converts to learn Arabic?

How does the historical reliability of the Qur'an compare to that of the Bible? Is it always consistent with the Bible? Was Muhammad literate? Where did he get his information about Jewish and Christian scriptures, traditions and beliefs? What did Muhammad teach about the Old and New Testaments? About Moses? About Mary and Jesus? What are the 5 pillars of Islam? How does the Muslim view of the afterlife compare to that of Judaism and Christianity? What is Zaqqoum tree? What grows on it and what is its purpose?

What is the Shariah and about when was it more or less fixed and complete, at least according to Sunni Islam? How do Sunnis and Shiites differ? What is a Caliph? What is an Imam? Which belongs to Sunni Islam and which belongs to Shi'ite Islam? What is a Sufi? Who was Al-Ghazali and what did he do? Who was Rumi? What is a "Whirling Dervish"?

What dietary restrictions do Muslims have? What is the Muslim view on the relationship between Church and State? What is the concept of "jihad"? What two distinct meanings does the term have in Jihad? Which is the usual or primary meaning in the Qur'an? What is a Muslim house of worship called? When are traditional Muslim services held?

What is Robert Spencer's response to President Bush's statement that Islam is "a religion of peace"? Why Spencer criticize Karen Armstrong's recent biography of Muhammad? What was the controversy involving Danish cartoons and Islam? What world leader recently issued a provocative statement about Islam, leading to worldwide protest and religious violence? What was said? What is life like for the Christian minority in modern Turkey?

Who is the Muslim Brotherhood and what is it like? What sorts of things do you find in the Hamas charter?