Name _______________________
Social Studies—Period _________
Date ___________________
Teacher ________________
Reader’s Guide
Chapter Eleven: Islamic Civilization
The Rise of Islam (Pages 372-378)
Geographical Information
 Arabia is a huge peninsula in southwestern Asia. It lies south of the Fertile Crescent and
east of Egypt. Today the region of Arabia contains several nations, including Yemen,
Kuwait, and Saudi Arabia. While some of Arabia is desert, the coastal areas receive
enough rain to support agriculture.
 Towns and trade developed in fertile regions, at desert edges, and oases.
 Trade linked ancient Arabia with Egypt and Fertile Crescent.
Overview
Islam developed in the Arabian region. Islam means, “submit to the will of God/Allah” in
Arabic, the Arab language. Followers of Islam are called Muslims. The story and teachings of
Islam have been written down in the Quran, the most important book of Islam. Its words are
sacred to more than 1 billion Muslims in the world today.
Directions: Define the following vocabulary terms, people, and places in your vocabulary
notebook.
Vocabulary/People/Places
Definitions
1. oases
Green areas in a desert fed by underground water
2. sheikh
Leader of an Arab tribe
3. caravan
A group of traveling merchants and animals
4. Quran
Holy book of Islam
5. Bedouins
Desert herders who traveled from oasis to oasis for water and to
graze their camels, goats, and sheep
6. Muhammad
Founder of
Islam whose words are recorded in the Quran.
7. Makkah
Also known as Mecca, became the largest and richest trading area.
It was a crossroads for merchants and it was an important religious
site. The holiest place in Arabia was in this city.
8. Kaaba
Mecca’s temple-A low square building surrounded by statues of
gods and goddesses. Arabs believe the great stone inside the Kaaba
was from heaven.
9. Madinah/Medina
“The city of the prophet”- Yathrib welcomed Muhammad and his
followers and renamed the city Madinah
10.The Five Pillars
Five basic duties of all Muslims- purpose was to strengthen
Muslims’ ties to Allah and to other people.
11. Allah
Arabic word for God
12. Islam
Means “submit to the will of God” in Arabic.
13. Muslim
Followers of Islam
14. Pilgrimage
A journey for religious purposes
15. hijra
Arabic for “migration”- Muhammad’s hijra marked the turning point
in Islamic history. The year of the hijra, 622, marks the starting
point of the Islamic calendar.
What Did You Learn?
1. What are oases, and why were they important to Arabs?
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2. Why is the Quran important and name some of the activities that it prohibits.
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3. Why do you think Muhammad’s teachings were popular with poorer people?
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4. How did Muhammad link religion and government?
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5. Complete the Venn diagram to compare and contrast Islam, Judaism, and Christianity.
Islam
Judaism
All Three
Christianity
6. Use the chart below to answer the questions that follow.
The Five Pillars of Islam
Belief
Muslims must declare that there is no god but
Allah and that Muhammad is his prophet.
Prayer
Muslims must pray five times per day facing
toward the holy city of Makkah/Mecca.
Charity
Muslims must give to the poor.
Fasting
Muslims must not eat from dawn to dusk
during the holy month of Ramadan.
Pilgrimage
Muslims must visit Makkah/Mecca once in
their life.
a) How many times should Muslims pray per day?_________________________________
b) What city must Muslims face while praying?___________________________________
c) How are The Five Pillars similar to the Ten Commandments?______________________
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d) When do Muslims fast?____________________________________________________
e) Are Muslims polytheistic or monotheistic? Explain.______________________________
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Main Ideas:
 The deserts, coastline, and oases of Arabia helped shape the Arab way of life.
 The prophet Muhammad brought the message of Islam to the people of Arabia.
 The Quran provided guidelines for Muslims’ lives and the governments of Muslim states.