History of Middle East

1)      What does Berkey say is the origin of the Abbasid Revolution and what is its nature?

2)      What are the major issues surrounding Islamic identity in the early Abbasid period, according to Berkey?

3)      What model of relio-political affairs do the Abbasids adopt in place of the Sassanian model?

4)      Based on the account by Tabari of the preaching of the Abbasid Revolution, what problems do the revolutionaries face?  How do they seek to get people to join their cause?  Why do you think they are successful?

5)      Based on Tabari’s account why is Abu al-Abbas selected as Caliph?

6)      Pick one of the stories about al-Mansur and summarize it.

http://books.google.com/books/about/The_Formation_of_Islam.html?id=mLV6lo4mvj0C  —-   Berkey, 102-129