Essay

Please watch Islam – Empire of Faith, Part 1.  Here is a link; if it doesn’t work, you can easily find the documentary by searching for it on youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PF6VPZsHDZQ

Note that you will probably have to “copy and paste” the link into your browser.

In a short, well-written 750 word (approximately 3 pages) essay, please answer the following questions from the information found in the film:

How did Islam contribute to the intellectual development of Europe?

Who were the Bedouin? How did they live? Why were they important to the development of Islam?

What happened to Muhammad’s parents? What happened to Muhammad? How did this shape both his life and the Muslim religion?

What was the importance of storytelling and poetry? How did this contribute to Islam?

What is the Kaaba? Where is it located? Why was it important? What activities took place there? How did the Kaaba unite the spiritual with the economic?

What was the first and most important message of Muhammad? What does it mean that there is only one god?

Why was it important to write down the Koran? What is the relationship between Allah (god) and language? How did this influence Muslim art?

What was Muhammad’s attitude toward Jews and Christians?

How did Muhammad unite tribes? How far did Muslim spread? What was the appeal of Islam that caused it to grow so quickly?

What was the impact of Muhammad’s death?

Papers should be written in 12 point Times New Roman font, double-spaced, with normal margins and include the following information in upper left corner of the first page: name, course, date, word count.