1. By Islamic tradition the Arabs are descended from Abraham's and Ishamael, the first son of a slave named Hagar. However, the later birth of Isaac (the Jews' ancestor) to Sarah caused friction between the two women, and so Abraham took Hagar and Ishmael to Mecca and left them. What Muslim holy site did God give to Ishmael there? The Well of Zamzam The Fruit Tree of Beirut The Kaaba Ishmael's Stone

2. What was the name of Medina before the Hegira? Mecca Yathrib Hetria Ctesiphon

3. Muhammad died in 632 and the problem arose as to who to should lead the Islamic community. The first four leaders (Caliphs) after Muhammad were known as the 'Rightly guided'. They were (in no particular order) Abu Bakr, Umar, Ali and...? Al-Walid Abu Talib Quarysh Uthman

4. The years after Muhammad's death gave rise to the mass expansion of the Arab world. In just five years the Arabs were strong enough to challenge the mighty empires of Byzantium and Sassanian Persia. In 637 the Persia Empire was defeated at what battle? The Ditch Ctesiphon Qadisiya Great Zab

5. What was the name of the religious sect that assassinated Ali (the fourth Caliph and cousin of the Prophet)? Kharijite Sunni Shi'ite Kufans

6. What was the name given to non-Arab Muslims? Answer: (Starts with M)

7. Upon the death of Ali a new Dynasty rose to power, the Umayyads. What was the name of the first Umayyad Caliph? Marwan Muawiya Yazid Al-Walid

8. The Second Civil War (684-692) started with the death of the third Umayyad Caliph Muawiya II. Two claimants to the Caliphate arose; one was Marwan (a member of the Umayyad family). Who was the other? Abd al-Malik Abd al-Rahman Yazid ibn Muawiya Abdullah ibn al-Zubayr

9. Caliph Abd Al-Malik ruled from 685-705 and was responsible for the introduction of Arabic coinage instead of Byzantium and Sassanian coinage. He also ordered the construction of a famous building completed in 692. What was that building? Khirbat al-Mafjar Dome of the Rock Baghdad Citadel The Kaba

10. In the eighth century many Muslims grew discontented with the Umayyad rule. In the Persian Province of Khurasan an ex-slave named Abu Muslim started a revolt against the Umayyads. What year was this? 743 715 733 747

11. In Abu Muslim's revolt, what colour did the rebels use to represent their resistance? Answer: (One Word)

12. Abu Muslim's revolt was very well organised. It had the clear intention of overthrowing the Umayyads and instating Abu Al-Abbas, desendant of Muhammad's uncle, Abbas, as caliph. Abu Al-Abbas had a nickname, Al-Saffah. What did this mean? Sword of Allah The Scholar The Messiah Blood-Spiller

13. What was the name of the battle in which Al-Saffah (Abu Al-Abbas) and Abu Muslim defeated the Umayyads in 750? Ctesiphon Qadisiya Great Zab The Ditch

14. Al-Mansur succeeded Al-Saffah as Caliph in 754. One of his first actions was to move the capital of the Islamic Empire from Damascus to a newly founded city. What city was it that Al-Mansur founded in 762? Aleppo Ctesiphon Baghdad Basra

15. Charlemagne had diplomatic relations with which Abbasid ruler? Musa Al-Hadi Harun Al-Rashid Al-Mansur Nur-Ed-Din