“By understanding that the expansion of Muslim rule was different from the spread of Islam, we can see an interesting trend. Ironically, Islam has spread most widely and rapidly among populations at times when Muslim rule was weaker and less unified. When Muslim political regimes were decentralized, disunited, or completely absent, Islam as a religion flourished and often spread to non-Muslims...On the other hand, [most Islamic empires] had little success in spreading Islam, though they did gain territory. Non-Muslim populations seem to have viewed these powerful, taxgathering Muslim rulers negatively, and so they resisted conversion to Islam. Whoever did embrace Islam in such circumstances, if not for material gain, usually did so because of the efforts of [those] who were not part of the government.” — Sharon Cohen and Susan Douglass. “Afroeurasia and the Rise of Islam 600 - 1000 CE.” World History For Us All. “In some ways, perhaps, the change was not so dramatic, as major elements of Islam—monotheism; ritual prayer and cleansing ceremonies; fasting; divine revelation; the ideas of Heaven, Hell, and final judgment—were quite familiar to Jews, Christians, and Zoroastrians. Furthermore, Islam was from the beginning associated with the sponsorship of a powerful state, quite unlike the experience of early Buddhism or Christianity. Conquest called into question the power of old gods, while the growing prestige of the Arab Empire attracted many to Allah.” — Robert W. Strayer & Eric W. Nelson, Ways of the World: A Global History with Sources, 2016. 28. a) Briefly describe ONE major difference between Cohen & Douglass’ and Strayer & Nelson’s historical interpretations of the spread of Islam. b) Briefly describe how ONE historical event or development between 600 C. E. and 1250 C. E. not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts that could be used to support Cohen & Douglass’ interpretation. c) Briefly describe how ONE historical event or development between 600 C. E. and 1250 C. E. not explicitly mentioned in the excerpts that could be used to support Strayer & Nelson’s interpretation