Islamic History Trivia Quiz

Answer: Saladin

An-Nasir Salah ad-Din Yusuf ibn Ayyub, known as Saladin, lived 1137-1193. He founded the Ayyubid dynasty that ruled most of the Middle East in the 12th and 13th centuries. A gifted military leader, he won political power by resisting the Crusaders, culminating in the Battle of Hattin in 1187 and the fall of the first crusader Kingdom of Jerusalem in 1191.

Answer: Mustafa Kemal Atatürk

The same parliament that bestowed the name "Atatürk" also prohibited anyone else in Turkey to ever use that name. Born as Ali Rıza oğlu Mustafa in 1881, his name changed as he found success in life: his middle name "Kemal" means "perfection" or "maturity" and was allegedly given him by one of his teachers.

In 1934, eleven years after establishing Turkey as a nation from the fallen Ottoman Empire, the Turkish parliament gave him his now-famous last name. The political cartoon shows Atatürk selecting members of parliament under the one-party system that he came to control.

Answer: Medina

Medina is about 210 miles north of Mecca, on the Red Sea coast. Medina is the second most holy city of Islam, behind Mecca, and is the location of the grave of the Prophet Muhammad. Pictured is the Quba Mosque, the first mosque built during Muhammad's lifetime. The holy sites of Medina are closed to non-Muslims, as in Mecca, where the entire city is closed to non-Muslims.

Answer: Pakistan

The territory that became Pakistan was part of British India. When Britain granted independence to India, some of the territory was partitioned to form the independent country of Pakistan as a refuge for Muslims from the subcontinent.

Answer: Tours

In 732, the Franks under Charles, son of Pepin, defeated a Muslim army of the Umayyad Dynasty that had conquered most of the Iberian Peninsula and Gaul. One oft-cited key to the Frankish victory is their attack on the supply lines and support forces of the Muslim army, rather than concentrating on pure frontal assaults. For his victory, Charles was awarded the title "Martellus" or "The Hammer".

Answer: Ruhollah Khomeini

Grand Ayatollah Sayyid Ruhollah Mūsavi Khomeini led the Iranian Revolution of 1979 that overthrew the monarchy of Shah Mohammad Reza Pahlavi. After the Shah was admitted to the U.S. for cancer treatment, enraged Iranians overran the U.S. Embassy, holding 52 hostages for 444 days.

Answer: Muslim Brotherhood

The Society of the Muslim Brothers, commonly known as the Muslim Brotherhood, was founded in Egypt in 1928 to promote political activism and charitable works. The Brotherhood briefly ruled Egypt after the 2011 Egyptian Revolution, but was soon ousted from power, persecuted and eventually outlawed. The Muslim Brotherhood continues to be active in countries across the globe.

Answer: Afghanistan

Afghanistan is a crossroads of Asia, sitting on the ancient Silk Road and other important and strategic routes. Military regimes from Alexander the Great, the early Muslims, Mongols, Britain, the Soviet Union and now the U.S. have fought in Afghanistan, mostly unsuccessfully. Islam entered the area in the year 642, eventually becoming the predominant culture and religion.

Answer: Iran and Iraq

A minority of Sunni Muslims led a rather secular government in Iraq under Saddam Hussein. Iran, fresh from the Iranian Revolution, was led by Shia Muslims that were a majority in both Iran and Iraq. When the two nations went to war over what was basically a border dispute, many Iraqi Shia fought for their religious brethren in Iran and Iran organized units from Iraqi POWs to fight their home country.

Answer: Mughal Empire

The Mughal Empire was founded by Babur in 1526, who ruled much of present India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and Afghanistan. The empire was finally dissolved by the British, after the death of Emperor Bahadur Shah II during the failed Indian Rebellion of 1857.