RBSE Class 11 History Important Questions Chapter 4 The Central Islamic Lands

Rajasthan Board RBSE Class 11 History Important Questions Chapter 4 The Central Islamic Lands Important Questions and Answers. 

RBSE Class 11 History Important Questions Chapter 4 The Central Islamic Lands 

Very Short Answer Type Questions 

Question 1. 
What do you know about Prophet Muhammad ?
Answer:
He was the first who preached the worship of a single god i.e., Allah. He was an Arab by language and culture and was a merchant.

Question 2. 
What were tribes ?
Answer:
Tribes were the societies organised on the basis of blood relationship. Mostly Arabs were divided into tribes and each tribe was chosen partly on the basis of his family connections.

 
Question 3. 
When did Muhammad declare himself the messenger of God and what did he preach ?
Answer:
Muhammad declared himself the messenger of God in 612 and laid stress on the worship of one God i.e., Allah.

Question 4. 
Who were Muslims ?
Answer:
The followers of Prophet Muhammad were known as Muslims. They Practised worship of one God i.e., Allah. 

Question 5. 
Who established Hijri era and when 7
Answer:
Hijri era was established in 622 CE by Khalifa Umar.

Question 6. 
What do you know about Hijra year ?
Answer:
A Hijra year is a Lunar year which consists of 354 days, 12 months of 29 to 30 days. The days of a Hijra begin at sunset.

Question 7. 
How did the institution of Caliphate come into being 7
Answer:
After the death of Prophet Muhammad in 632 legitimately no one could claim to be the next prophet of Islam. Thus the political authority switched over to Umma having no established principle of succession. It gave an opportunity for innovations but also created deep divisions among the Muslims. The biggest innovation was the creation of institution of Caliphate.

Question 8. 
Who was the first Caliph (Khalifa) ?
Answer:
Abu Bakar was the first Caliph (Khalifa).

Question 9. 
Name the empire which promoted Christianity and the Zoroastrianism.
Answer:
Christianity was promoted by Byzantine empire while Sasanian empire promoted Zoroastrianism.

Question 10. 
What were the main causes of the decline of the Byzantine and Sasanian empires 7
Answer:
Causes of the decline of both the empires were:
(i)  Arab invasions
(ii) Religious conflicts
(iii) Revolt by aristocracy

Question 11. 
How did Arab brought Syria, Iraq, Iran and Egypt under their control 7
Answer:
Taking the advantages of religious conflicts and revolt of aristocracy, the Arab brought their control over these states in three successful campaigns which lasted from 637 to 642 CE.

Question 12. 
What were Crusades 7
Answer:
Crusades were the religious wars fought between the Christians and the Muslims.

Question 13. 
Why is the painting of human beings not given preference in the Islamic world 7
Answer:
The Islamic world rejects the representation of living beings. Therefore, they are not given inportance in the painting.

Question 14. 
Name any four sources which provide information about the history of the Central Islamic land between 600¬1200 C.E.
Answer:
(i) Biographies
(ii) Saying of Prophet-Muhammad
(iii) The Quran
(iv) Tawarikh

Question 15. 
Mention any two features of the life of the Bedouins in the early seventh century.  
Answer:
(i) A The Bedouins were Arab tribes.
(ii) They were nomadic and moved from dry to green areas in search of food and fodder for their camels.
(iii) Some of them settled in cities and practised trade or agriculture.

Question 16. 
What do you know about Ignaz Goldziher 7
Answer:
He was a Hungarian Jew, who wrote many books dealing with the subject matter of Islam.

Question 17.
Name four Khalifas.
Answer:
(i) Abu Bakr, 
(ii) Umar, 
(iii) Uthman and 
(iv) Ali.

Question 18. 
When was the battle of Camel fought ? Between whom this war took place ?
Answer:
The Battle of Camel took place in 656 CE. It was fought between Khalifa Ali and Aisha. Ali defeated Aisha in this war.

Question 19. 
Which language was inscribed on coins issued by Abd-al-Malik 7 Write any one feature of them.
Answer:
The name and picture of Abd-al- Malik was inscribed on the coins.

Question 20. 
Name the last Khalifa of Umayyad dynasty.
Answer:
The last khalifa of Umayyad dynasty was Khalifa Marwan II.

Question 21. 
Who was Rabia ?
Answer:
Rabia was the first woman sufi saint, who lived a life of extreme asceticism and spirituality. Her teaching had a deep impact on the heart and mind of the people.

Question 22.
Who was the founder of Tahirids dynasty ? When was this dynasty founded ?
Answer:
Tahir was the founder of Tahirids dynasty. This dynasty was founded in 820 CE.

Question 23. 
Who were the founders of Saljuq dynasty ?
Answer:
The Saljuq dynsty was founded by two brothers Tughril Beg and Chaghri Beg in 1037 CE. They made ‘Nishapur’ their capital city.

Question 24. 
Name the greatest poet of Samanid’s court.
Answer:
The greatest poet of Samanid’s court was Rudki who used to express the beauty of beloved, praise etc.

Question 25. 
What do you know about the source of the Muslim law ?
Answer:
The source of the muslims law is the holy Quran.

Question 26. 
What were the impacts of Islam on the Arabian people ?
Answer:
Impacts of Islam on Arabian people:
(i) Islam taught them the lesson of brotherhood.
(ii) It political united them.

Question 27. 
What is meant by ‘Aramaic’ ?
Answer:
Aramaic is a language related to Hebrew and Arabic. It has also been used in Ashokan inscription.

Question 28. 
Describe the contribution of Arabs in the field of culture.
Answer:
(i) In literature, the Arabic classic, “The Arabian Nights” a collection of 1001 stories, “Rubaiyat” by Omar Khayyam, “Shahnama” by AI-Firdausi are famous all over the world.
(ii) The architectural features of Arabs like the dome, the minarets, horse shoes arches, twisted columns are magnificent examples of Arabian architecture.

Question 29. 
What do you know about the Great Mosque of al-Mutawwakil in Samarra ?
Answer:
The Great Mosque of al Mutawwakil in Samarra build in 850. This is 50 meter high and made of briks inspired by Mesopotamian architectural tradition.

Question 30. 
Why was Muhammad forced to migrate with his followers to Medina ?
Answer:
The Muslims faced a considerable opposition from affluent Meccans who took offence to the rejection of their duties and found the new religion a threat to the status and prosperity of Mecca. So he forced to leave Mecca.

Short Answer Type Questions:

Question 1. 
Write mains teachings of Islam.
Answer:
The main teachings of Islam are given below :
(i) There is one all powerful God, “Allah” and Muhammad is his prophet.
(ii) Idol worship is sin.
(iii) All Muslims are equal. They should regard themselves as brothers.
(iv) He must follow some rules laid down regarding marriage and divorce.
(v) He should have faith in the revelation of ‘Quran’ which is the holy book of the Muslims.

Question 2. 
Describe basic principles of Islam.
Answer:
Basic principles of Islam :
(i) He must proclaim, “There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is his prophet.
(ii) He must offer prayer five times in a day.
(iii) He must give alms to poor.
(iv) He must keep fast in the month of Ramzan.
(v) He should go to the pilgrimage of Mecca atleast once in his life.

Question 3. 
What do you know about Arab tribe ? Explain.
Answer:
(i) Arab society was divided into tribes known a ‘Qabila’. Each tribe was led by a chief.
(ii) The chief was elected on the basis of his family connection. But his courage, wisdom and personality also played a crucial role.
(iii) Each tribe had its own gods and goddesses, who was worshipped in a mosque.
(iv) Most of the Arab tribes were nomadic (Bedouins). Some settled in cities and practised trade or agriculture.

Question 4. 
Describe the importance of Mecca.
Answer:
Mecca was located on the crossroads of a trade route between Yemen and Syria which further enhanced the city’s importance. The Meccan shrine was a sanctuary (hararn) where violence was forbidden and protection given to all visitors.

Pilgrimage and commerce gave the nomadic and settled tribes opportunities to communicate with one another and share their beliefs and customs. Although the polytheistic Arabs were familiar with the notion of Supreme God, Allah, their attachment to idol shrines was more immediate and stronger.

Question 5.
Why Muhammad called himself the messenger of God ?
Answer:
Around 612, Prophet Muhammad declared himself to be the messenger (rasul) of God who had been commanded to preach that Allah alone should be worshipped. The worship involved simple rituals, such as daily prayers (salat), and moral principles, such as distributing alms and abstaining from theft. Muhammad was to found a community of believers (umma) bound by a common set of religious beliefs.

The community would bear witness (shahada) to the existence of the religion before God as well as before members of other religious communities. Muhammad’s message particularly appealed to those Meccans who felt deprived of the gains from trade and religion and were looking for a new community identity.

Those who accepted the doctrine were called Muslims. They were promised salvation on the Day of Judgement (qiyama) and a share of the resources of the community while on earth.

Question 6. 
Describe the efforts done by Prophet Muhammad for the survival of his religion and community.
Answer:
(i) In Medina, Muhammad created a political order which gave his followers the protection they needed as well as resolved the city’s ongoing civil strife.

(ii) The umma was converted into a wider community to include polytheists and the Jews of Medina under the political leadership of Muhammad.

(iii) Muhammad consolidated the faith for his followers by adding and refining rituals (such as fasting) and ethical principles. The community survived on agriculture and trade, as well as an alms tax (zakat).

(iv) In addition, the Muslims organised expeditionary raids (ghazw) on Meccan carvans and nearby oasis. These raids provoked reactions from the Meccans and caused a breach with the Jews of Medina.

Question 7. 
What were the innovative measures adopted by the Umayyads to consolidate their hold on the empire ?
Answer:
(a) The first Umayyad Caliph, Muawiya, moved his capital to Damascus and adopted the court ceremonies and administrative institutions of the Byzantine Empire.
(b) He introduced hereditary succession and persuaded the leading muslims to accept his son as his heir.
(c) The Umayyad state was now an imperial power, no longer based directly on Islam but on state craft and the loyalty of Syrian troops.
(d) There were Christian advisers in the administration as well as zoroastrian scribes and bureaucrats.

Question 8. 
What factors were responsible for the rise of Arab Empire ?
Answer:
(i) The Arabs were the excellent fighters.
(ii) Arabs were successful merchants and they had established trade relation with the far off countries.
(iii) The spread of Islam in Arabia also contributed in the consolidation of Arab empire.
(iv) They gained knowledge from whatever sources they could get and developed it still further.

Question 9. 
Who were Caliphs ? Write a note on their authority.
Answer:
The Khalifas (Caliphs) were the successors of Prophet Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad died in 632. After his death, no one could legitimately claim to be the next prophet of Islam. As a result, his political authority was transferred to the Umma with no established principle of succession. This created opportunities for innovations but also caused deep divisions among the Muslims. 

The biggest innovation was the creation of the institution of caliphate, in which the leader of the community (Amir al-muminin) became the deputy (khalifa) of the Prophet. The first four caliphs (632-61) justified their powers on the basis of their close guidelines he had provided. The twin objectives of the caliphate were to retain control over the tribes constituting the Umma and to raise resources for the state.

Question 10.
Briefly describe the Abbasid rule.
Answer:
Abbasid rule had the following features :
(i) Under the Abbasid's rule, the influence of Arabs declined and the importance of Iranian culture increased.
(ii) Abbasid's established their capital at Baghdad.
(iii) The army and bureaucracy were reorganised on a non-tribal basis to ensure greater participation by Iraq and Khurasan.
(iv) The religious status and functions of the caliphate were strengthened under the Abbasid’s rule. They patronized Islamic institution and scholars.
(v) They’retained the centralised nature of rule and were forced by circumstances to continue with the elaborate ceremonies of court.
(vi) They maintained the splendid architecture and elaborate court ceremonials of the Umayyads.

Question 11. 
List the factors which enabled the Umayyads to come to power.
Answer:
The Umayyad dynasty was founded in 661 CE by Muawiya. Factors responsible for the rise of this dynasty were :
(a) With the territorial expansion, the Umma unity was broken up.
(b) Conflicts among the Umma increased, over the distribution of resources.
(c) The Meccan character of the early Islamic state by Uthman, who packed his administration with his own men, to his exclusion of other tribes men, to secure greater control.
(d) Opposition in Iraq and Egypt, combined with opposition in Medina, led to the assassination of Uthman. After his assassination, Ali became the fourth caliph.
(e) The rifts depened and after his assassination, Muwaiya successfully made him the next Caliph, thus founding the Umayyad Dynasty.

Question 12. 
Name the first four Caliphs. Explain their role in the expansion of Islamic territories.
Answer:
The first four Caliphs were : Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali. Their role in the expansion of Islamic territories can be explained as follows :
(a) Abu Bakr : Following Muhammad's death, many tribes broke away from the Islamic state. The first Caliph, Abu Bakr, suppressed the revolts by a series of campaigns.

(b) Umar : 
(i) The second Caliph, Umar shaped the Muslim's policy of expansion of power.
(ii) He realised that rich booty could be obtained from expiditionary raids. So he and his military commanders mustered their strength to conquer lands belonging to the Byzantine Empire in the west and the Sassanian empire in the east.
(iii) He thus brought Syria, Iraq, Iran and Egypt under the control of Arabs.

(c) Uthman : The third Caliph, Uthman launched further campaigns to extend the control to Central Asia. Within a decade of the death of Muhammad, the Arab Islamic state controlled the vast territory between the Nile and Oxus.
Opposition in Iraq and Egypt, combined with opposition in Medina, led to the assassination of Uthman.

(d) Ali: With Uthman's death, Ali became the fourth Caliph :
(i) Ali established himself at Kufa and defeated an army led by Muhammad's wife in the Battle of Camel.
(ii) He was not able to suppress the faction led by Muawiya, a Kinsman of Uthman and the governor of Syria.
(iii) Soon after, Ali was assassinated by a Khaiji in a mosque at Kufa. After Ali's death, Muawiya made himself as the next Caliph in 661 and founded the Umayyad dynasty which lasted till 750.

Question 13. 
Describe the main sources of income of the state.
Or
What was the arrangement of land revenue in the Arab empire ?
Answer:
The main sources of income of the state were :
(a) The bulk of income of the state was derived from the agricultural land.
(b) The land conquered by the Arabs, which remained in the hands of the owners were subjected to a tax, called Kharaj. It varied from half to one-fifth of the produce.
(c) The land cultivated by the muslims were levied 1/10 of tax, known as ushr.
(d) When non-muslims started converting to Islam, the land revenue income fell dramatically. To meet the shortfall, the Caliphs decided to discourage the conversions and later adopted a uniform land revenue policy.
(e) After 10th century, the state authorised its officials to claim salaries from the agricultural territories called Iqtas.

Question 14. 
Mention some of the famous literary works during Arabic period.
Answer:
The catalogue (Kitab al-Fihrist) of a Baghdad bookseller, Ibn Nadim (d. 895), describes a large number of works written in prose for the moral education and amusement of readers. The oldest of these is a collection of animal fables called Kalila wa Dimna (the names of the two Jackals who were the leading characters) which is the Arabic translation of a Pahlavi version of the Panchatantra.

The most widespread and lasting literary works are the stories of hero-adventures such as Alexander (al-Iskandar) and Sindbad, or those of un-happy lovers such as Qays (known as Majnum or the Madman). These have developed over the centuries into oral and written traditions.

The Thousand and one Nights is another collection of stories told by a single narrator, Shahrzad, to her husband night after night. The collection was originally in Indo-Persian and was translated into Arabic in Baghdad in the eighth century. More stories were later added in Cairo during the Mamluk period.

These stories depict human beings of different types - the generous, the stupid, the gullible, the crafty-and were told to educate and entertain. In his Kitab al-Bukhala (Book of Misers), Jahiz of Basra (d. 868) collected amusing anecdotes about misers and also analysed greed.

Question 15. 
What is the contribution of the Arab civilisation to the world in the field of science ?
Answer:
Contribution of Arabs in the field of science :
(i) The Arab astronomers proved that earth is round and revolves around the sun.
(ii) In chemistry they discovered compound like sodium carbonate, silver nitrate, nitric and sulphuric acid.
(iii) They produced great physicians like Al-Razi and Ibn Sina respectively discover the nature of small pox and tuberculosis.
(iv) In the sphere of Mathematics they spread the knowledge of number and trignometry in other regions of the world.

Question 16.
"It was during Abbasids, the Arab influence began to decline”. Support this statement by giving three arguments.
Answer:
(i) Under Abbasid rule, Arab influence declined, while the importance of Iranian culture increased. The Abbasids established their capital at Baghdad, near the ruins of the ancient Iranian metropolis, Ctesiphon.

(ii) The army and bureaucracy were reorganised on a non-tribal basis to ensure greater participation by Iraq and Khurasan. The Abbasid rulers strengthened the religious status and functions of the caliphate and patronised Islamic institutions and scholars. But they were forced by the needs of Government and empire to retain the centralised nature of the state.

(iii) They maintained the magnificent imperial architecutre and elaborate court ceremonials of the Umayyads. The regime which took pride in having brought down the monarchy found itself compelled to establish it again.

Question 17. 
Write any three arguments to support the concept Abbasid Revolution.
Or
What do you understand by Abbasid Revolution ? Write its main causes.
Answer:
Abbasid Revolution refers to a well organised movement (i.e DAWA) which brought an end to the Umayyad dynasty and was replaced by another dynasty i.e., the Abbasids in 750 CE. Arguments to support this revolution or causes for the rise of Abbasids were as follows :

(а) The Abbasids portrayed the Umayyad regime as evil arid promised a restoration of the original Islam of the Prophet.

(b) The Abbasid uprising broke out in the region of Khurasan. Khurasan had a mixed Arab-Iranian population which could be mobilised for various reasons. The Arab soldiers here were mostly from Iraq and resented the dominance of the Syrians.

(c) The civilian Arabs of Khurasan disliked the Umayyad regime for having made promises of tax concessions and privileges which were never fulfilled.

(d) Iranian muslims were also against the Umayyads as they were exposed to the scorn of the race conscious Arabs and were eager to join any campaign to oust the Umayyads.

Question 18. 
Write a note on the holybook of the Muslims.
Answer:
The holy book of the Muslims is the Quran. It is divided into 114 chapters and arranged in descending order of length, the shortest being the last. The only exception to this is the first sura. It is a shortest prayer. The Quran is the collection of the messages which God had sent to Prophet Muhammad.

The task of compiling this revelations was completed some time in 650. The oldest complete Quran we have today dates from the 9th century. There are many fragments which are older, the earliest being the verse engraved on the Dome of the Rock and on coins in 7 th century.

Question 19.
Who was the author of Shahnama ? Write about the importance of this historical work.
Answer:
Shahnama is a great historical political work of Firdausi. Its importance can be explained as follows :
(a) It is an epic of 50,000 couplets and also a masterpiece of Islamic literature. It took nearly 30 years to complete.
(b) Shahnama is a collection of traditions and legends which depicts Iran from creation up until the Arab conquest.

Question 20. 
Describe some key facts regarding Sufis.
Or
Describe the major beliefs and practices of Sufism.
Answer:
Sufis were a group of religious minded people in medieval Islam who sought a deeper and more personal knowledge of God through asceticism and mysticism. Major beliefs of sufism are :
(a) Sufis laid emphasis on seeking salvation through devotion to God.
(b) They gave importance to celibacy and ignored rituals and observed extreme form of asceticism.
(c) According to Sufis, everyone was equal in the eyes of God.
(d) Sufism is open to all regardless of religious affiliation, status and gender.
(e) Sufis used musical concerts (sama) to induce ecstasy and stimulate emotions of love and passion.
(f) They regarded Prophet Muhammad as a perfect human being and preached to follow his teachings.
(g) They were against worldly power.

Question 21. 
“Political unification and urban demand for food stuffs and luxuries enlarged the circle of exchange”. Explain.
Answer:
Geographical conditions favoured the Muslim empire to spread and dominate in the trading region of Indian ocean and the Mediterranean. For the five centuries, traders of Arab and Iranian traders monopolised the meantime trade between China, India and Europe. The trade was carried on through major trading routes.

High value goods suitable for long distance trade such as spices, textile, porcelain, gunpowder etc., were shipped from India and China to the Red Sea ports of Aden and Aydhab and the Gulf ports of Siraf and Basra. From here it was carried over land in camel caravans to the warehouses situated in Baghdad, Damascus and Aleppo for local use.

The caravans passing through Mecca got bigger whenever the hajj coincided with the sailing seasons (mawasim, origin of the word monsoon) in the Indian ocean. At the Mediterranean end of these trade routes, exports to Europe from the port of Alexandria were handled by Jewish merchants, some of whom traded directly with India, as can be seen from their letters preserved in the Geniza collection. However, from the tenth century, the Red Sea route gained greater importance due to the rise of Cairo as a centre of commerce and power and growing demand for eastern goods from the trading cities of Italy.

Question 22. 
When did New Persian develop in Islamic world ? What contribution this language made to the development of poetry ?
Answer:
New Persian developed from the Iranian language Pahlavi after the Arab conquest of Iran. This language was full of Arabian words. New Persian reached to great cultural heights with the formation of Sultanates in Khurasan and Transoxiana. Rudki was the court poet of Samanid’s and he was considered as the father of New Persian poetry. This poetry included new forms like short lyrical poem (ghazal) and the quatrain (rubai). In the hands of Umar Khayyam (1048-1131 CE) the rubai reached its zenith.

Question 23. 
Why did the Ulema in medieval times devote themselves to writing commentary (tafsir) and preparing a body of laws (sharia)? 
Answer:
For the religious scholars (ulama), knowledge (ilm) derived from the Quran and the model behaviour of the Prophet (Sunna) was the only way to know the will of God and provide guidance to the world. So in medival times, Ulema devoted themselves to writing commentary (tafsir) and documenting Muhammad’s authentic hadith.

Some of them even went on to prepare a body of laws called Sharia (the straight path) to govern the relationship of the Muslims with God through rituals (ibadat) and with the rest of the humanity through social affairs (muamalat). Jurists also used reasoning (qiyas) while framing Islamic law because everything was not apparent in the Quran or hadith.

In the 8th and 9th centuries, four schools of law (mazhab) were formed due to differences in the interpretation of the sources and methods of jurisprudence. These four schools were the Maliki, Hanafi, Shafii and Hanbali. The sharia guided the Sunni Society on all possible legal issues.

Question 24. 
Which art forms did the rejection of representing living beings in the religious art of Islam promote ? Explain.
Answer:
Two art forms were promoted with the rejection of representing living beings in the religious art of Islam. These two art forms were : 
(i) Calligraphy (the art of beautiful writing) and 
(ii) Arabesque (geometric and vegetal designs). 
Small and big inscriptions were used to decorate architecture and these inscriptions were generally of religious quotations. From the 8th and 9th centuries, Calligraphic art has been best preserved in manuscripts of the Quran. Miniature paintings were illustrated in the literaiy works like Kitab-al-Aghani (book of Songs), Kalila wa Dimna and Maqamat of Hariri. Except this, a number of types of illumination techniques were introduced to increase the beauty of a book. Plant and floral designs, based on the idea of the garden, were used in buildings and book illustration.

Question 25. 
Which factors contributed to the unity of Islamic society between 950 and 1200 CE ?
Answer:
Islamic society, between 950 and 1200 CE, was held together by common cultural and economic patterns.
(i) There was a seperation between state and society and that’s why this unity was maintained.
(ii) The Persian was developed as a language of Islamic high culture.
(iii) The maturity of the dialogue between intellectual traditions also contributed in the formation of this unity. Artists, scholars and

Question 26. 
Sufism is open to all regardless of religions affiliation, status and gender. Dhulmum Miri prise whose grave can still seen near the pyramids in Egypt, declared before the Abbasid caliph al. Mutawakkil, that he learnt free Islam from an old woman and true chivalry from a water carrier.
Questions :
(i) What declaration did Dhulmum Miri misri make before the caliph ?
(ii) Which values ofsuffism contributed to its popularity among the masses ? What values should be imbibed from sufism?
Answer:
(i) Dhulmum Miri declared before that caliph that he had learnt true Islam from an old woman.
(ii) Sufism is open to all. The religion, Social status and gender is given no value in the world of sufism. Even Mutawakkil had learnt. Here Islam from an old woman. Hence we can say that Sufism teaehes us to create a careless society where everyone can be treated equally.

Long Answer Type Questions:

Question 1. 
Describe the growth of Arab civilisation and its impact on the other regions of the world.
Answer:
Causes of the growth of Arab Civilisation :
(i) Arabs were the good fighters. By conquering wars they extended their empire upto Iran, Syria, Egypt, Central Asia, Spain and North Africa.

(ii) They were also successful traders who had established trade relations with many countries. merchants moved freely within the Central Islamic lands. It led to the circulation of ideas and manners in the Islamic society. As a result, the Muslim population increased enormously which was less than 10% in the Umayyad and the early Abbasid periods. Then Islam took the form of a different religion and cultural system.

(iii) Their religion did a great miracle by uniting the various tribes and provided much needed stability.

(iv) They had knowledge which played a significant role in bringing together the intellectual and scientific information.

Achievements of Arabs :

(i) They gave the ideals of equality and brotherhood.
(ii) The Arab astronomers provided the world with the view that earth rotates on its axis and revolves round the sun. 
(iii) Arab mathematician Omar Kayyam prepared a calendar which is more accurate than present Chinese calendar.
(iv) In the field of science, the Arabs, discovered compounds like Sodium Carbonate, Silver Nitrate, Nitric and Sulphuric acid.
(v) In the field of literature also they excelled.

Question 2.
Why did political expansion and unification did not came easily for Arab tribesmen ?
Answer:
Political expansion and unification did not come easily to the Arab tribesmen on account of following reasons :
(i) With territorial expansion, the unity of the Umma became threatened by conflicts over the distribution of resources and offices. The ruling class of the early Islamic state comprised almost entirely the Quraysh of Mecca. The third caliph, Uthman (644-56), also a Quraysh, packed his administration with his own men to secure greater control.

(ii) It further intensified the Meccan character of the state and the conflict with the other tribesmen. Opposition in Iraq and Egypt, combined with opposition in Medina, led to the assassination of Uthman. With Uthman’s death, Ali became the fourth caliph.

(iii) The rifts among the Muslims deepened after Ali (656-61) fought two wars against those who represented the Meccan aristocracy. Ali’s supporters and enemies later came to form the two main sects of Islam Shias and Sunnis.

(iv) Ali established himself at Kufa and defeated an army led by Muhammad’s wife, Aisha, in the Battle of the Camel (657). He was, however, not able to suppress the faction led by Muawiya, a kinsman of Uthman and the governor of Syria. Ali's second battle, at Siflin (northern Mesopotamia), ended in a truce which spilt his followers into two groups : some remained loyal to him, while others left the camp and came to be known as Khaijis.

(v) Soon after, Ali was assassinated by a Kharji in a mosque at Kufa. After his death, his followers paid allegiance to his son, Hussain, and his descendants. Muawiya made himself the next caliph in 661, founding the Umayyad dynasty which lasted till 750.

(vi) After the civil wars, it appeared as if Arab domination would disintegrate. There were also signs that the tribal conquerors were adopting the sophisticated culture of their subjects. It was under the Umayyads, a prosperous clan of the Quraysh tribe, that a second round of consolidation took place.

Question 3.
“Throughout the history human being’s interest and religion often went hand in hand”. Write some examples to support this statement.
Answer:
Some of the examples connected with the medieval times are given below :
(i) From the very beginning, evidence has been traced out that the Indian traders went to the many countries of South East Asia for the trade in gold, tin, ivory, spices, etc. These traders also took with them the ideas and practices of the Hindu and the Buddhist religions which gradually became the part and parcel of their culture. These religions were adopted by a large number of the people of China, Sri Lanka, Cambodia, Jawa, etc.

(ii) The Arab merchants had their trade relations with India and many other countries of Europe and Africa. The Arab traders brought to India the message of their new religion, i.e., Islam, which was adopted by many Indians.In the same manner Islam was spread in Spain, North Africa, Syria, Iran, etc.

(iii) The traders of many European countries like England, France, Holland, Spain, Portugal, Rome, etc., went to many countries for the trade. Alongwith the trade items they also brought with them the ideas of Christianity. This religion was adopted by many people in the Asian and African countries.

Question 4.
Explain about the causes of breakup of Caliphate and rise of the concept Sultanates.
Answer:
The causes of the break up of Caliphate and the rise of the concept Sultanate:
The 9th century CE marked the witness of the decline of Abbasid empire. Taking the advantage of this opportunity, the autonomous states begin to emerge which led to the emergence of the concept of Sultanates.

The Abbasid dynasty ruled from 750 to 1258 CE. The downfall of this powerful dynasty paved the way for the rise of Sultanates on account of following reasons :
(i) The successors of al-Mamun were very weak, inefficient and incapable.
(ii) They paid no attention towards the administration, thus the downfall of this mighty and powerful dynasty was sure.
(iii) The Khalifa of Abbasis dynasty imposed very exorbitant taxes.
(iv) They were leading a life full of luxury and paid no interest toward the interest of commoners.
(v) The Abbasid paid no attention toward their army.
(vi) There was continuous resentment among the people.

Question 5.
Discuss the main purpose and effect of Crusades on the Muslims and Christians.
Answer:
The Crusades were fought between the Christians of Europe and Arabs. Following were the reasons for it :
(a) Palestine was the Holy Land for Christians as most of their religious places were located here. It was the place of Jesus's crucifixion and resurrection. It was conquered by the Arabs in 638 CE. So there was hostility between the European Christians and the Muslims.

(b) Hostility towards the muslim world became more pronounced in the 11th century. Normans, Hungarians and some slaves had been converted to Christianity and the muslims alone remained as the main enemy.

(c) In the 11th century, there came a change in the social and economic organisation of Western Europe which also increased the hostility between the Islamic world and the Christians/

(d) The Clergy and the Warrior class wanted to establish political stability in the region for economic growth.

(e) The peace of God Movement contained the possibilities of the military conflicts between feudal principalities. Now aggressive tendencies of feudal society were deflected from the Christian world and towards the enemies of God.

Question 6.
What steps were taken for the agricultural prosperity of the Arab Empire ?
Answer:
Following steps were taken for the agricultural prosperity of the Arab empire :
(a) In many areas, especially in the Nile Valley, the state supported irigation systems, the construction of dams and canals and the digging of wells, all of which were crucial for good harvests.

(b) Islamic law gave tax concessions to people who brought land under cultivation.

(c) Through peasant initiatives and state support, cultivable land expanded and productivity rose, even in the absence of major technological changes.

(d) Many new crops such as cotton, oranges, bananas, watermelons, spinach and brinjals were grown and even exported to Europe.

Question 7.
What do you know about the architecture of the Islamic world in the 10th century.
Or
Write a description in about 500-700 words depicting architecture of Islamic world of the 10th century.
Answer:
Architecture of the Islamic world can be described as follows :
(a) Islamic architecture finds its highest expression in the mosque and related religious buildings.

(b) Mosques, shrines and tombs from Spain to Central Asia showed the same basic design - arches, domes, minarets and open courtyards and expressed the spiritual and practical needs of the muslims.

(c) In the first Islamic century, the mosque acquired a distinct architectural form which transcended regional variations. The mosque had an open courtyard where a fountain or pond was placed, leading to a vaulted hall which could accomodate worshippers and the prayer leader.

(d) Two special features were located inside the hall, a niche indicating the direction of Mecca, and a pulpit from where sermons were delivered during noon prayers on Friday.

(e) The Umayyads built ‘desert palaces’ in oasis, which served as luxurious residences and retreats for hunting and pleasure.

(f) The palaces, modelled on Roman and Sasanian architecture, were lavishly decorated with sculptures, mosaics and paintings of people.

(g) The Abbasids built a new imperial city in Samarra amidst gardens and running waters.    

(h) Calligraphy and geometric designs were also used to decorate architecture and manuscripts.

Question 8.
Describe the trade and commerce of the medieval Muslim empire. What was its effect on the expansion of currency ?
Answer:
The Muslim empire spread between the trading zones of the Indian Ocean and the Mediterranean. Trade and Commerce of the medieval Muslim empire can be explained as follows :
(а) For five centuries, Arab and Iranian traders monopolised the maritime trade between China, India and Europe.

(b) This trade passed through two major routes, namely, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. High value goods suitable for long distance trade, such as spices, textiles, procelain and gunpowder, were slupped from India and China to the Red Sea ports of Aden and Aydhab and the Gulf ports of Siraf and Basra.

(c) From the 10th century, importance of Red Sea routes increased due to the rise of Cairo as a centre of trade and power and because of increasing demand for eastern goods from the trading cities of Italy.

(d) Transoxiana also formed an important link in the commercial network which extended north to Russia and Scandinavia for the exchange of European goods (mainly fur) and Slavic captives.

(e) Male and female Turkish slaves were also purchased for the courts of caliphs and sultans.

Effect of Trade and Commerce on the expansion of currency :

(а) The fiscal system and market exchange increased the importance of money in the central Islamic lands.
(b) Coins of gold, silver and copper were minted and circulated to pay for goods and services.
(c) Gold came from Africa (Sudan) and silver from Central Asia. Precious metals and coins also came from Europe.
(d) Rising demand for money forced people to release their accumulated reserves and idle wealth into circulation. As a result, letters of credits and bills of exchange came to be used by merchants and bankers to transfer money from one place to another or from one individual to another. The Caliph too used this to pay salaries or reward poets and minstrels.

Question 9. 
Describe the administrative structure set up by the Caliphs in the conquered lands.
Answer:
Administrative structure set up by the Caliphs in the conquered provinces can be explained as follows :
(a) In all the conquered provinces, the Caliphs imposed a new administrative structure headed by governors (amirs) and tribal chieftains (ashraf).

(b) The central treasury obtained its revenue from taxes paid by muslims as well as its share of the booty from raids.

(c) The Caliph's soldiers, mostly Bedouins, settled in camp cities at the edge of the desert, such as Basra and Kufa, to remain within the reach of their natural habitat as well as Caliph's command.

(d) The ruling class and soldiers received shares of the booty and monthly payments (ata).

(e) The non-muslim population retained their rights to property and religious practices on payment of taxes (Kharaj and Jiziya) and given a large measure of autonomy in the conduct of their communal affairs.

Question 10. 
What were the causes of the rapid spread of Islam ?
Answer:
The Causes of the rapid spread of Islam : There were many causes responsible for the rapid rise of Islam in the world. The chief among them are as follows :
(i) The principle of equality and common brotherhood had a great attraction for the common people, especially to the Indians who were tired of the growing class-distinctions and class-hatred among them. Arnold has rightly remarked, “It is this absence of class prejudice which constitutes the real strength of Islam in India and enable it to won so many converts from Hinduism.” 

(ii) The worship of one and all powerful God also had a great charm for the people, especially for those people who had become very tired of the worshipping so many gods and goddesses and following so many complicated rituals and ceremonies.

(iii) The arms of Islam also proved a potent factor in spreading it. Muslims were of the opinion that the soldier who dies fithging for Islam goes to the heaven. So they fought bravely for this noble cause. From the countries, which came under their domination, the Muslim won over a large number of followers because of their influence and royal pressure. According to Dr. Ishwari Prashad, “Love of position, money and office must have induced some of the most talented rrien to embrace Islam."

(iv) Moreover, Islam is a missionary religion and its preachers and followers spread their faith with great zeal.

(v) “The simplicity of the Muslim creed,” remarks Dr. Ishwari Prashad, “was another cause of its success. Islam makes no great intellectual demand upon the believer, it has no elaborate rituals, the practice of which is in the hands of recognised class of priests.”

Question 11. 
How far is it correct to say that many new cities were founded mainly to settle Arab soldiers ?
Answer:
This is true because :
(a) Islamic civilization flourished as the number of cities grew phenomenally. These city states were founded to settle Arab soldiers who formed the backbone of the local administration.

(b) Under the Abbasid Caliphate, the population of Baghdad had reached around 1 million. Alongside these cities were older towns such as Damascus, Isfahan and Samarqand which received a new lease of life.

(c) Size of these cities and their population surged, supported by an expansion in the production of food grains and raw materials such as cotton and sugar for urban manufacturers.

(d) A vast urban network developed, linking one town with another and forming a circuit.

(e) These cities had two important building complexes : the congregational mosque and the central market place.

(f) The cities were homes to administrators and scholars and merchants who lived close to the centre.

(g) Ordinary citizens and soldiers had their living quarters in the outer circle. At the outskirts were the houses of the poor, a market for green vegetables and fruits, caravan stations and unclean shops such as those dealing in hutching and tanning.

Question 12. 
What were Crusades ? Write their positive and negative effects on European life.
Answer:
1. The Crusades : The holy wars fought between the Christians and the Mulsims during the Middle Ages over the control of Jerusalem are called the crusades.

2. Negative effects of the Crusades : 
(i) These crusades were fought between 1096 to 1291 A.D. with little intervals here and there. In these wars thousands lost their life.
(ii) The weakness of the church was exposed and severe blow was given to the power and prestige of the papacy.

3. Positive effects of the Crusades : 
(i) The crusades helped in the development of European culture and civilization. The European enriched their knowledge in almost all the fields.

(ii) These crusades led to the increase in trade between the east and west. The Europeans came to know many new articles of daily use such as silk, cotton, sugar, glasswares, spices, medicines, etc.

(iii) The crusades encouraged the spirit of adventure and geographical exploration. Various new lands like America were discovered. A new route to India was also discovered.

Source Based Questions

1. Read the passage given below and make a list what value does it depicts.

Islamic Calendar
The Hijri era was established during the caliphate of Umar, with the first year falling in 622 CE. A date in the Hijri calendar is followed by the letters AH.

The Hijri year is a lunar year of 354 days,12 months (Muharram to Dhul Hijja) of 29 or 30 days. Each day begins at sunset and each month with the sighting of the crescent moon. The Hun year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. Therefore, none of the Islamic religious festivals, including the Ramazan fast, Id and hajj, corresponds in any way to seasons. There is no easy way to match the dates in the Hijri calendar with the dates in the Gregorian calendar (established by Pope

Gregory XIII in 1582 CE). One can calculate the rough equivalents between the Islamic (H) and Gregorian Christian (C) years with the following formulae :
(H x 32 / 33) + 622 = C
(C - 622) x 33 / 32 = H 

Questions:
(i) How is a Hijri ere date written in English ?
Answer:
A date in the Hijri calendar is followed by the letters AH.

(ii) In which year was the Hijri ere established and how many days Hijri year has ?
Answer:
The Hijri ere was establisted during the caliphati of Umar, with the first year falling on 622 CE. The Hijri ere is a lunar year of 354 days. 12 months of 29 or 30 days. 

(iii) What is the main difference between a Hijri year and a solar year? What is the effect of this difference ?
Answer:
The Hijri year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year. Thus, none of the Islamic religious festivals, even Ramazan fast, Id and Hajj, corresponds in any seasons.

Question 2.
Look at the coins given below : Now answer these questions :

(i) What does the three coin specimen depict ?
(ii) Write any two features of these coins.
Answer:
(i) These three coin specimen depict the transition from Byzantine to Arab-Islamic coinage. On the second coin, the bearded and long-haired caliph dressed in traditional Arab robes and is holding a sword. It is the first important portrait of a Muslim.
(ii) Features :
(a) It proved that for hundreds of coins were started according the patterns and weight.
(b) The coins are unique because they developed an antipathy toward the representation of living beings i.e., art and crafts.
(c) These also depict the coinage reforms introduced by Abdal Malik’s reign.

Question 3. 
The use of the Quran as a source material for the history of early Islam  has posed some problems. The first is that it is a scripture, a text vested with religious authority. Theologians generally believed that as the speech of God (Kalam allah), it has to be understood literally, but rationalists among them gave wider interpretations to the Quran. In 833, the Abbasid Caliph Al-Mamun imposed the view (in a trial of faith or mihna) that the Quran is God's creation rather than His speech.

The second problem is that the Quran very often speaks in metaphors and unlike the old testament (Tawrit), it does not narrate events but only refers to them. Medieval Islamic scholars thus had to make sense of many verses with the help of hadith. Many hadith were written to help the reading of the Quran.

1. What problems arise in using The Quran as a source material for the history of early Islam? Mention two problems.
2. Why were the hadiths written?
3. Who was Al-Marnum and what view did he impose?
Answer:
1. (i) The first problem is that its a scripture, a text vested with religious authority.
(ii) The second problem, is that it speaks in metaphors and unlike the old testament, it does not narrate events.
2. To interpret Quran.
3. He was Abbasid Caliph. He imposed the view that Quran is God's creation rather than his speech. 

Map Question

Question 1. 
On the map mark and locate the extent of Islamic Lands.
Answer:

Question 2.
On the given map of Asia : Two places related to Islam have been marked as 1 and 2. Identify and name them.
Answer:

Choose the Correct Option:

Question 1. 
Where was Prophet Muhammad born ?
(a) Mecca    
(b) Medina
(c) Lahore    
(d) Iraq
Answer:
(a) Mecca.

Question 2. 
When was Prophet Muhammad born ?
(a) 572 CE    
(b) 570 CE
(c) 570 BCE    
(d) 520 BCE
Answer:
(b) 570 CE.

Question 3. 
To which tribe Prophet Muhammad belong ?
(a) Ghor    
(b) Quraysh
(c) Khokhar    
(d) Uhud
Answer:
(b) Quraysh.

Question 4. 
In which of the following years Prophet Muhammad attained enlightenment ?
(a) 570 CE    
(b) 612 BCE
(c) 612 CE    
(d) 570 BCE
Answer:
(c) 612 CE.

Question 5. 
Prophet delivered his first public preaching in    .
(a) 632 BCE    
(b) 632 CE
(c) 614 CE    
(d) 612 CE
Answer:
(d) 612CE.

Question 6. 
Who among the following was uncle of Prophet Muhammad ?
(a) Abdullah    
(b) AbuTalib
(c) Juna Khan 
(d) Muhammad Yakub 
Answer:
(b) AbuTalib.

Question 7. 
In which of the following years Prophet Muhammad occupied Mecca ?
(a) 612 CE    
(b) 632 CE
(c) 630 CE    
(d) 661 CE
Answer:
(c) 630 CE. 

Question 8. 
Hijri year is a    ...........
(a) Lunar Year
(b) Solar Year
(c) Moon type
(d) Type of calculation 
Answer:
(a) Lunar Year.

Question 9. 
How many days there was in a lunar year?
(a) 365 1/4 days 
(b) 364 days 
(c) 354 1/2 days 
(d) 354 days 
Answer:
(d) 354 days. 

Question 10. 
The Hijri era was established by Umar with the first year fall in
(a) 622 CE    
(b) 612 CE
(c) 632 CE    
(d) 602 CE
Answer:
(a) 622CE.

Question 11. 
Umayyad Dynasty lasted till ?
(a) 661 CE    
(b) 670 CE
(c) 750 CE    
(d) 770 CE
Answer:
(c) 750 CE.

Question 12. 
Who was the first Khalifa of Muslim world ?
(a) AbuBakr    
(b) Umar
(c) Muhammad Ali
(d) None of them 
Answer:
(a) AbuBakr.

Question 13.
Who was the 2nd Khalifa of the Muslims ?
(a) Ali    
(b) Umar
(c) AbuBakr    
(d) Uthman    
Answer:
(b) Umar.

Question 14.
Whose reign as a Khalifa was the period between 656 to 661 CE ?
(a) Umar’s
(b) AbuBakr’s
(c) Uthman’s    
(d) Ali’s
Answer:
(c) Uthman’s.

Question 15. 
When did Umayyad dynasty came into power ?
(a) 680 CE    
(b) 661 CE
(c) 870 CE    
(d) 871 CE
Answer:
(b) 661 CE.

Question 16. 
Who was the last Khalifa of Umayyad dynasty ?
(a) Muawiyah    
(b) Abd-al-Malik
(c) Marwan-H    
(d) Yazid
Answer:
(c) Marwan-II.

Question 17. 
Which of the following statement is correct ?
(i) The battle of Karbala was fought in 680 CE.
(ii) It was fought between Yazid and Husayn
(iii) In this battle Yazid became victorious
(iv) HaSayn lost in this war 
(a) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv)
(b) (i) and (iv)
(c) (i) and (iii)
(d) (iii) and (iv)
Answer:
(a) (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv).

Question 18.
Who was defeated in the battle of Zals ?
(a) Muawiyah
(b) Yazid
(c) Abdullah Ibn Ali
(d) Marwan II 
Answer:
(d) Marwan II.

Question 19.
When was Ghaznavid dynasty founded ?
(a) 962    
(b) 1091
(c) 1192    
(d) 992
Answer:
(a) 962.

Question 20. 
Who was the founder of Saljuq dynasty ?
(a) Tughril Beg 
(b) Chaghri Beg
(c) Both (a) and (b)
(d) None of these 
Answer:
(c) Both (a) and (b).

Question 21. 
When was Saljuq dynasty founded? 
(a) 1042    
(b) 1037
(c) 1047    
(d) 1027
Answer:
(b) 1037

Question 22.
Which of the following is correct about Rabia ?
(а) She was the first woman to be associated with Sufism
(b) She was native of Basra
(c) She wrote several small poems
(d) All of the above
Answer:
(d) All of the above.
 
Question 23. 
The second crusade begin in which of the following year ? 
(a) 1149 CE 
(b)1447 CE 
(c) 1147 CE 
(d) 1347 CE 
Answer:
(c) 1147 CE.

Question 24. 
When was founded dynasty founded?
(a) 909 
(b) 919
(c) 929 
(d) 899
Answer:
(a) 909.