HIST 212 Midterm, Fall 2018

Mid-term exam HIST212 Islamic History – Fall 2018 Write essays with the following requirements on the two prompts listed below. Essay Requirements: Each essay should be 500-1000 words with the following layout; Times New Roman 12 or an equivalent font size; double-spaced; 1 inch margins. Include both on one document and upload the document through Moodle by Saturday November 3, 2018 at midnight. 1. The Prophet Muhammad was considered a reformer in that he reformed his society in several ways, including, but not restricted to, religion, politics and societal norms. Indeed, he is portrayed as having reformed these areas in a way that kept him distinct from them at all, downplaying or even denying any connections to earlier societies. Describe the Prophet Muhammad in light of his own environs. When and how did he reform his society? What was his relationship to the societies that existed before him? How did he transform them? 2. “Let a man not deceive himself by saying that the oath of allegiance given to Abu Bakr was an event that happened without consideration (faltah). Admittedly it was so, but God averted its evil.” Put this statement in its context. In what source is it found? Who made the statement? To what event is the speaker referring? How was this statement and event to which the speaker refers important in the early Islamic community? Discuss the relevance of this statement to the development of the early community.