Where and when Islam began, and what its followers believe and practice

Grade 6 Social Studies Worksheet - Building Confidence

Circle the best answer.

1. Read this first

   Use this

   How Islam began (cards A to D). Card A, a summary, in our words: Islam began in Arabia in the early 600s CE. Muslims, the followers of Islam, trace its start to Muhammad, who was born in Mecca about 570 CE. By tradition, Muhammad received his first revelation in 610 CE. Followers believe that Muhammad was the last of God's messengers. Card B, the move to Medina, in our words: in 622 CE Muhammad and his followers moved from Mecca to Medina. This move is called the Hijrah. The Islamic calendar counts its years from the Hijrah. Muhammad's death in 632 CE was in Medina. Card C, words and years, in our words: Islam is an Arabic word meaning "surrender," to the will of God. A year in the Islamic calendar follows the moon and is about 354 days long. Card D, how we know, in our words: the early dates come from Muslim tradition and early histories. A well-known early biography of Muhammad was written by Ibn Ishaq, who lived in the 700s CE, more than a century after Muhammad. His text survives in a version edited by a later writer.

2. 1.

   Card A says followers believe Muhammad was the last of God's messengers. Which sentence is written the way a history book would write it, Ari asks?

   • Muslims are mistaken about the place of Muhammad among the messengers
   • Historians agree that Muhammad was the last of God's messengers
   • Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last of God's messengers
   • Muhammad was the last of God's messengers, as card A states
3. 2.

   Card B puts the move to Medina in 622 CE. If this year is 2026 CE, about how many years ago was that, Bo asks?

   • About 620 years ago
   • About 1,400 years ago
   • About 1,400 years from now
   • About 2,650 years ago
4. 3.

   Card A says the first revelation came in 610 CE, and card B says the move to Medina came in 622 CE. How many years passed between them, Esme asks?

   • 10 years
   • 2 years
   • 12 years
   • 22 years
5. 4.

   Card B says the Islamic calendar counts its years from the Hijrah. What does Jun learn about the calendar?

   • It counts its years from the move to Medina
   • It counts its years from Muhammad's death in Medina
   • It counts its years from Muhammad's birth in Mecca
   • It counts its years from the first revelation in 610 CE
6. 5.

   Cards A and B name two cities in the story of Muhammad. Which statement matches both cards, Luz asks?

   • Muhammad was born in Medina and moved to Mecca in 622 CE
   • Medina is farther from the sea than Mecca is, so he moved inland
   • Muhammad was born in Mecca and stayed there until his death in 632 CE
   • Muhammad was born in Mecca and moved to Medina in 622 CE
7. 6.

   Card C says the Islamic year is about 11 days shorter than a 365-day year. After 3 years, how far has a date in the Islamic calendar shifted on the usual calendar, Noah asks?

   • About 11 days earlier
   • About 33 days earlier
   • About 1,095 days earlier
   • About 33 days later
8. 7.

   Card D says early dates come from tradition and early histories. Why do historians compare several early accounts, Pia asks?

   • To see where later accounts agree and where they differ
   • To find out how many pages each account has
   • To settle that one account is exactly right
   • To show that the earliest account is the weakest
9. 8.

   Card B says the move to Medina in 622 CE began the Islamic calendar. What does that show about how the community saw that year, Ren asks?

   • The community treated the move as a turning point
   • Islam began as a religion after the move to Medina
   • The move to Medina came before the first revelation
   • The community left Mecca for good and cut off its ties with it
10. 9.

    Card D says the early dates come from Muslim tradition and early histories. Which claim does that support about the date 610 CE, Tala asks?

    • The date is a proven event that historians confirmed by their own evidence
    • The date comes from records Muhammad kept himself in the year 610 CE
    • It comes from tradition and early histories, so it is reported as tradition
    • The date is a guess with no source behind it, just a story told later
11. 10.

    Card C explains what the word Islam means. What does Zee learn?

    • It is an Arabic word meaning a journey to a holy place
    • It is an Arabic word meaning surrender to the will of God
    • It is an Arabic word meaning the city of Muhammad's birth
    • It is an Arabic word meaning the will of God over the people