Test: The Central Islamic Lands- 1 - UPSC MCQ

Sufis used musical concerts, known as sama, to induce ecstasy and stimulate emotions of love and passion. Rabia of Basra preached that Unity with God could be achieved through an intense love for God (ishq).

The Shia Ismaili Muslims are a community of ethnically and culturally diverse peoples, living in over 25 countries around the world, united in their allegiance to His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan (known to the Ismailis as Mawlana Hazar Imam) as the 49th hereditary Imam (spiritual leader), and direct descendant of Prophet Muhammad.

In pre-Islamic Arabia, Bedouins used to keep moving in search of food and fodder.

Turks were nomadic tribes from the Central Asian steppes of Turkistan (north-east of the Aral Sea upto the borders of China). They gradually converted to Islam.

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 Hijri year is about 11 days shorter than the solar year.

The shifting of the capital of the Islamic Empire, from Medina to Damascus, was one of the steps taken by Muawiya to consolidate Umayyad leadership.

Ali was the fourth Caliph, after the death of the third Caliph, Uthman. Ali established himself at Kufa and defeated an army led by Muhammad’s wife, Aisha, in the Battle of the Camel.

Other sources that help us study the history of the central Islamic lands, between 600 CE and 1200 CE, are chronicles (tawarikh) and semi-historical works, such as biographies (sira), records of the sayings and doings of the Prophet (hadith) and commentaries on the Quran (tafsir).

During the reign of Abd al-Malik, Arab and Islamic identities of the Islamic Empire were strongly emphasized.

The Muslim community survived on agriculture, trade and alms tax called zakat. Apart from these taxes, the Muslims organised expeditionary raids (ghazw) on Meccan caravans and nearby oases. These raids provoked reactions from the Meccans and caused a breach with the Jews of Medina.