Q 01/05

Iran marks the birth anniversary of Fatimah, on 20 Jumada II, as which national observance?

A) Nurses' Day

B) Family Day

C) Mother's Day

D) Teachers' Day

Answer · why

C) Mother's Day

Mother's Day in Iran is tied to Fatimah's birthday because Shia tradition holds the Prophet's daughter up as the model for women, so the holiday drift...

Q 02/05

Among Shia clerics, who otherwise wear white turbans, what does a black turban signal about its wearer?

A) Descent from Muhammad

B) Rank of ayatollah

C) Completion of the hajj

D) Training in Najaf

Answer · why

A) Descent from Muhammad

Descent from Muhammad: a black turban marks its wearer as a sayyid, while every other Shia cleric wears white, so the colour announces a cleric's line...

Q 03/05

Pew's 2009 study found Shia Muslims are 10–13% of all Muslims but a majority in Iran, Iraq and which former Soviet republic?

A) Uzbekistan

B) Tajikistan

C) Azerbaijan

D) Turkmenistan

Answer · why

C) Azerbaijan

Azerbaijan owes its Shia majority to the Safavid shahs of Iran, who ruled it from the sixteenth century and made Shia Islam the state religion there.

Q 04/05

The hereditary Imam of the Nizari Ismailis, a community of some 12–15 million people, is known by which title?

A) Sheikh al-Islam

B) Aga Khan

C) Grand Mufti

D) Pir Sahib

Answer · why

B) Aga Khan

Aga Khan was first granted by Iran's Fath-Ali Shah to the 46th Imam, Hasan Ali Shah, who later revolted against the Iranian crown, was defeated and fl...

Q 05/05

Which mountain fortress, seized by Hassan-i Sabbah in 1090, was the Nizari Ismaili headquarters until 1256?

A) Masyaf

B) Alamut

C) Lambsar

D) Girdkuh

Answer · why

B) Alamut

Alamut was surrendered in 1256 to Hulegu's Mongols, who had been taking the Nizari castles of Iran one by one, and its fall ended the power of the sec...