Rochester Institute of Technology (Dubai)
Anth-275 Global Islam
Essay Questions (15% of final grade)
Due date: Check the Calendar on MyCourses
Submission: Digital copy: on Dropbox folder via MyCourses.
Word Count: 1200 (min.) – 1500 (max.) words
Grading: Refer to “Essay & Presentation Grading Rubric”.
Choose one of the following questions:
[The Global Religion]
1. Write an essay on Islam as a global religion, focusing on one or more the following:
a. The pillars of Islam
b. Articles of faith
c. The Qur’an
d. The life of the prophet (pbuh)
[History]
2. Provide a historical overview of the rapid spread of Islam from the earliest conquests to the modern age.
3. What were the reasons for the rapid spread of Islam?
4. Write on the influence of Islamic Civilization on global history (e.g. in science, medicine, commerce
and trade, art and architecture, education, etc.)
[Concepts and Issues]
5. Introduce and define one of the following concepts and discuss its significance in Islam and reflect on its
perception and implementation in the contemporary world:
a. Islamic law (shari’a)
b. The Caliphate
c. The Ummah
6. Discuss the statement “Islam has acquired a negative image in the Western world”, by assessing the
current perception of Islam and Muslims in Western media and investigate the reasons and origins of
this perception.
[Regional Papers]
7. Select one region covered in this course (see syllabus) and write a paper with the following information:
a. What is the pre-Islamic history of the region?
b. When did Islam first reach it and how did it spread.
c. What role did it play in Islamic history and civilization (prominent persons in Islamic history)?
d. What are the current demographics, languages, religions (etc.)?
e. The region’s current relations with the rest of the Muslim world.
f. What are the prominent issues and problems facing the region today?