Islamiyat 2058/02

Past Papers with Marking Schemes

May/June 2015

Q1) Choose any two of the following Hadiths, and:

(a) describe their teachings about what Muslims believe; [4]
(b) explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. [4]

1) A man asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and
give him peace): Do you think that if I perform the obligatory
prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and
treat as forbidden that which is forbidden, and do nothing
further, I shall enter paradise? He said: Yes.

(a) There are very clear rules in Islam about what is lawful and what
is not and what practices are compulsory for all Muslims to follow to
please God and reach paradise could be the simple teaching of this
Hadith. Islam is not a complicated religion and by following the basic
principles of Islam set down by God paradise can be achieved and
this belief is confirmed by the Prophet in this Hadith.

(b) Muslims can put the teachings of this Hadith into practice by
being obedient to God and by following the Pillars of Islam.
Candidates could also say that Muslims need to be mindful of what is
lawful and what is not. They could give examples from present day
life of how Muslims have refused unlawful things in order to follow
the path prescribed by God. Other Hadiths may well be cited to
support their answer.

2) ‘I and the man who brings up an orphan will be in paradise like

this.’ And he pointed with his two fingers, the index finger and
the middle finger.
 (a) Islam repeatedly enjoins its followers to look after the needs of
the vulnerable in society and in this Hadith the Prophet promises the
ultimate reward of paradise to all those who support orphans and look
after their needs. Candidates could also add that according to the
teaching of this Hadith the Muslims who care for the orphans will
have a special place close to the Prophet in paradise.

(b) This Hadith can be put into action by all Muslims looking out for
orphans. The teaching of this Hadith promotes care for the vulnerable
and with whatever means a Muslim has they must endeavour to look
after not only the needs of orphans specifically but the vulnerable in
society.

3) God will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to
others.

(a) Mercy and compassion are integral features of Islam and in order
to attain God’s mercy in this world and the hereafter Muslims must
show mercy to others. Candidates could also say that one’s treatment
of others will influence his/her treatment by God so in order to get
God’s mercy Muslims must practice it towards his creation.

(b) Compassion, kindness, mercy are central themes of the teachings

of Islam and Muslims need to put into practice these core elements of
their faith. Examples of the Prophet showing mercy could be given or
examples from present times could be given to develop this answer.

4) God does not regard your appearances and your possessions, but
he regards your hearts and your actions.

(a) The Hadith ‘actions will be judged by intentions’ sums up the

teaching of this Hadith. It could be said that all that a person has,
good looks, wealth, fame etc. are given by God and He is not
impressed by any of these things. What God looks at is a person’s
sincerity and actions. Whatever action a Muslim takes whether it is
performing a pillar of Islam or helping another human being the
intention behind the action needs to be sincere. It is not the success of
that effort that is seen by God but the intention behind it.
 (b) In every action a Muslim undertakes the aim should be to gain
God’s pleasure. Answers could say that Muslims’ heart and intention
need to be sincere in order to achieve this goal. Candidates could give
simple examples that if someone is giving a large donation to charity
it should be because that person wants to help someone or gain God’s
pleasure rather than to be acknowledged as a great philanthropist.

Q2)
(a) Give an account of how the Prophet’s Hadiths have been a source
of guidance to Muslims in putting their faith into practice. [10]

Ans) In answer to this question the candidates can say that the Hadiths
are the teachings of the Prophet which teach Muslims the path prescribed
by God. They can go on to say that they give Muslims a better
understanding of the Qur’an by elaborating on it and explaining its
teachings. Here the more developed answers could well give examples to
show how Hadiths expand upon Quranic teachings. Answers could
include points like that when the Qur’an is silent the Hadith is considered
as the authority on the subject as the Qur’an and Hadith always agree
with one another; that the authoritative Hadiths contain a tafsir of the
Qur’an which are guides to key verses in the Qur’an. Examples of law
derived from Hadiths can also be given to expand on the answer showing
the various ways in which the Prophet’s Hadiths are a source of guidance
to all Muslims. These could include laws on inheritance, on payment of
zakat, punishment for a thief etc.

(b) How are the Qur’an and Hadith employed in working out Islamic
law? [4]

Ans) The Qur’an is the first source of Islamic law. It could be added that
its teachings are followed without question and where they contain no
detail the Hadiths are employed. Good answers are likely to put forward a
relevant teaching of the Qur’an in relation to a Hadith and explain how
the Hadith/s have helped legal experts to formulate rules in the sharia.

Q3)
(a) What major events took place during the caliphate of Uthman?
[10]

Ans) ‘Uthman was the third caliph. He continued the policy of

expanding the Islamic territories. He expanded the state towards the east
and in the Mediterranean and crushed many rebellions. Details of areas
conquered and rebellions put down could be given here. The first Muslim
naval fleet was built during the reign of ‘Uthman. It was ‘Uthman who
during his term as caliph ordered a full edition of the Qur’an to be made
and for this appointed Zayd Ibn Thabit to lead the compilation. He
ordered all unofficial copies of the Qur’an to be burnt. Some candidates
may well discuss that it was because of this action of his and the charge
that he had appointed inefficient relatives as governors that his rule
caused disquiet and led to several uprisings. They could go on to mention
the uprisings in Iraq, Kufa and Egypt and say how finally in 35 AH
troops from all three provinces arrived at Medina to take their complaints
directly to the caliph.

(b) Explain why Uthman encountered difficulties in the later years of

his caliphate and was assassinated. [4]

Ans) His appointment of family members in important positions was

regarded as favouritism. The burning of the copies of the Qur’an to be
replaced by the official version prepared by Zayd Ibn Thabit was seen as
destroying the word of Allah. Yet another reason was that some Muslims
questioned his ability to rule. To get to the higher level of marks the
candidates must write about his assassination as well. Here the stronger
candidates could state that after ‘Uthman had pacified the Egyptians they
were on their way home when they got a hold of a letter supposedly from
‘Uthman to the Governor of Egypt to have the leaders of the group put to
death on their return. Seeking vengeance they returned and killed him.
Evaluation of some of the points discussed above is needed to get to the
top levels.

Q4)
(a) What are Muslim beliefs about angels? [10]

Ans) Angels are the servants of God. Some answers could go a bit further
and state that they are made of light and their sole purpose is to worship,
obey and serve God. Better answers will elaborate on the duties of angels,
by perhaps saying that an important aspect in the duties they perform is
their service as messengers e.g. Jibril took messages to prophets,
including Muhammad and he also took God’s message to Mary. Answers
could also include a description of the roles of other angels e.g. they
record good and bad deeds; inquire of the dead in the grave; will sound
the trumpet on the last day etc. An excellent answer may even mention
some of these angels performing specific duties by name.

(b) Why is the belief in resurrection important to Muslims in their

daily living? [4]

Ans) Muslims believe in life after death, which is known as the

Hereafter, Al-Akhira. If Muslims are obedient to Allah they will be
rewarded and if they go against his teachings they will be punished. This
belief guides them to live their lives righteously. The more able
candidates may well mention the questioning in the grave and the fact
that on the Day of Resurrection they will be brought before Allah to be
judged and according to their deeds receive heaven or hell. This world,
then is seen by Muslims as a temporary place where their actions and
behaviour will determine what will become of them in their next life.

Q5)
(a) What are the conditions of prayer (salat) that must be fulfilled
before performing them. [10]

Ans) There are certain conditions that a person has to fulfil before
offering prayer (salat). They are: purification, the body and clothes of the
person must be clean and free from all impurities. The person must be in
a state of wudu. The place of prayer must also be clean and the intention
or niyyah must be declared for saying the prayer. The prayer must be
offered at its stated time. Satar (those parts of the body which should be
kept covered) must be properly covered. Facing the qibla is also one of
the conditions of prayer. Candidates can elaborate on the points given e.g.
they could say that Allah says ‘Prayers have indeed been enjoined on
believers at fixed times’ (Al-Nisa 4:103) when they write about offering
prayers at the stated time or they could explain what satar means for men
and women. Quotes from the Qur’an and Hadith to support points being
made will enable candidates to get top level marks.

(b) Explain the importance of mosques in Muslim communities. [4]

Ans) Mosques are centres dedicated to special worship. They are also
places where the community meets and solves its problems via
discussions, celebrates its special events and acts as a sanctuary. Mosques
also provide facilities for education (madrassas). A mosque is a place
which unites all Muslims and where equality is practiced.
Oct/Nov 2015

Q1)
Choose any two of the following Hadiths, and:
(a) Describe their teachings about what Muslims believe; [4]
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. [4]

1) Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good
or keep silent, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be
generous to his neighbour, and let him who believes in Allah and the
Last Day be generous to his guest.

(a) The teachings of this Hadith, it could be said, which are the hallmarks
of being a Muslim, are belief in God and the Last Day. Candidates could
then stress upon the need to show care and generosity to others around
them and they could give examples of a Muslim speaking kindly to others
or not taking sides in disputes but being fair and seeing guests to the door
etc. References to these or similar examples and even to other Hadiths
will show that Islam promotes good will towards all humankind.

(b) Muslims should be generous and kind to people around them could
be given in the answer whilst better answers could discuss the meaning
and importance of generosity with reference to other Hadiths like ‘None
of you believe…’ Answers could also reflect upon how Muslims should
hold others in high regard irrespective of their faith or position in life.
Practical examples like refraining from idle talk etc. could be given in
support of the answer.

2) Modesty produces nothing but good.

(a) It could be said that the distinctive quality of Islam is modesty and
that it is modesty that leads to good conduct and avoids wrong doings as
it embraces the virtues of humility and charity. It could be further added
that it helps develop a person’s character and helps them to act to their
true capabilities. A clear understanding from the candidate of what
modesty is will help them get to the top level.

(b) When a Muslim acts modestly he will always think of others before
himself and that in turn eliminates social problems and earns the
individual the respect of others. Lowering ones gaze in the presence
of the opposite sex is an oft repeated example but one which reflects
the practical demonstration of how this Hadith can be put into action.

3) Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his
hand, and if he is not able to do so then with his tongue, and if he is
not able to do so then with his heart, and that is the weakest of faith.

(a) The primary teaching of this Hadith is that a Muslim must never
allow evil to take place and must endeavour to use every means available
to him to stop it from happening. If he is unable to prevent it, then at the
very least he must always condemn it.

(b) There are many ways in which evil can be resisted and a Muslim
must use whatever means available to him to stop it. Examples from
everyday life can be given to support the answer

4) He who studies the Qur’an is like the owner of tethered camels. If

he attends to them he will keep hold of them, but if he lets them loose
they will go away.

(a) Reading the Qur’an and understanding its teaching is very important
for Muslims as that is the key to living a righteous life. Just as the
Bedouins depended on their camels for their survival in the time of the
Prophet (pbuh) a Muslim needs to hold on to the Qur’an and its teachings
to attain the pleasure of their Lord.

(b) The teachings of this Hadith can be put into practice in several ways;
one can recite the Qur’an, learn duas from it, memorise it, teach it to
others and also by understanding its teachings and applying those
teachings in one’s daily life.

Q2)
(a) Outline the roles of the following in formulating Islamic law:
(i) The Prophet’s Hadith.
(ii) Consensus (ijma).

Ans) The Hadiths of the Prophet are the most important source of
Islamic law after the Qur’an and give a fuller teaching of what is said
briefly in the Qur’an. In some instances the Qur’an is silent and the
Hadiths are solely responsible for formulating legislation. Examples can
be given by the candidates to develop the points e.g. the laws of
inheritance being determined in the light of the Prophet’s Hadiths or the
punishment for adultery or robbery could be given in the light of the
Prophetic Hadiths. Candidates could also develop the answer by giving
examples of how immediate successors used their knowledge of Hadiths
to help them when deciding legal matters. In this answer candidates need
to also say how ijma’ plays a role in the formulating of laws. How the
Prophet used ijma’ during his time, how the successors applied ijma’ after
the death of the Prophet could be cited here with a few examples of law
being derived from this source could be given in the answer.

(b) Some Muslim scholars have questioned the use of analogy (qiyas)
in Islamic law. Why do you think they have done so? [4]

Ans) Candidates should not just describe what qiyas is but focus their
answer on why some Muslim scholars have questioned the use of qiyas.
They could possibly say that identifying the ‘illa (cause) as the link
between asl (root/fundamental teaching) and far’ (branch/new matter in
question) can depend on the insight and ingenuity of the individual expert,
as he identifies the link, other experts may disagree with him and there
may be major divergences of opinion, especially if some see one link ‘illa,
between the asl and the far’, and some see another and say that this is a
major reason why Muslim scholars question the use of qiyas. Candidates
could give an example to explain this point though it is not necessary to
get to the top level. Shi’i Muslims have expressed more unease with the
use of qiyas than many Sunnis, because qiyas can be subjective and in its
place accept the use of aql/reason which is the judgment of the legal
expert on the basis of the Qur’an, sunna, and consensus. Shi’is have
always agreed that the duty of the expert is to keep to the way set by the
Imams in making decisions. It is possible to reach the top mark by giving
either the Sunni or the Shi’i view. It is the clarity in the answer which will
gain the higher levels.

Q3)
(a) Describe the particular features of congregational prayers, both
daily and on Fridays (Jum'a prayers).

Ans) Candidates when describing the particular features of

congregational prayers can simply say that Muslims are enjoined to pray
congregational prayers in a mosque. They can add that only fard are to be
said in congregation, the other rak’as are said singly. One person with the
imam would constitute a congregation even if the other person were a
woman or child. Details like if the congregation is of two people then the
follower will be on the right side, if a third person joins the prayer, the
imam will move forward, and if women form a congregation, then the
woman who leads stands in the middle if they are in odd numbers, if the
number of women is even then more women will be on the right hand
side. The best person to lead the prayers is one who is well acquainted
with the Qur’an and Hadiths. Before the congregation starts rows are
straightened and the gaps are filled. The worshippers should stand
shoulder to shoulder, the iqama is said and after making the intention the
prayer is read. Some answers may well go on to describe the sequence in
which the prayer is read. The candidates need to refer to the Friday
prayers as well, as the question specifically asks them to. So with
reference to Friday prayers they could say that it is desirable for all the
men in the community to gather together for this prayer. It could be said
that in some communities women are also encouraged to attend.
Purification before this prayer is highly recommended and Muslim men
and women tend to take a bath and put on fresh clothes before this prayer.
The more developed answers may well include the fact that there are two
adhaans for this prayer and that it is said behind the imam never alone.
The two sermons should be mentioned as well and it could be added that
the sermons always consist of advice based on the Qur’an and Hadith
about how to live a righteous life. The fard are prayed in two rak’as, and
not four and there is no qaza for this prayer. Some answers may well
focus more on Friday congregational prayers and not so much on details
of the daily congregational prayers or it could be the other way around.
Answers need to be read as a whole and a mark needs to be determined
without dividing the mark 5+5

(b) In your opinion why are congregational prayers considered to be

beneficial to Muslims? [4]

Ans) Here we are looking for the candidates views on why they think
congregational prayers are beneficial to Muslims and the community. A
variety of views could be put forward in the answer from congregational
prayers promoting brotherhood to earning more rewards for the
worshipper and all valid answers need to be credited.

Q4)
(a) Outline the charges levelled against Uthman by his opponents,
and describe the main events of the revolt against him . [10]
Ans) A descriptive response stating what the charges against
‘Uthman were e.g. it was alleged that he had appointed inefficient
relatives as governors in four provinces; it was also alleged that he
was too lenient and did not keep a check on his governors; another
charge against him was that he had burned copies of the Qur’an and
also that he spent on his relatives from the Bait-ul Maal could be
given as the primary charges against him. Candidates need to also
write about the revolt that took place against ‘Uthman that led to
his martyrdom. Some of the candidates could give the causes of the
revolt and say: His soft nature was taken advantage of, the fact that
he sometimes overlooked the faults of his governors made them bold
and as a result caused unrest in the provincial capitals which grew
to engulf the entire Islamic state; Abdullah bin Saba, a Yemenite Jew
who outwardly accepted Islam embarked on a subtle campaign of
creating dissension amongst the Muslims and ‘Uthman did not take
timely action against him. Rivalry between the houses of Hashim and
the Umayya also contributed to this revolt and finally candidates
need to describe how the rebels laid siege to his house which
continued for fifty days and finally killed him as he was reciting
the Qur’an.

(b) What do you think was the most harmful outcome of Uthman
assassination? [4]

Ans) Candidates need to give their view of what they think was the
worst outcome that resulted from the martyrdom of ‘Uthman. They could
say that the unity of the Muslims suffered a huge blow and led to the civil
wars in the caliphate of ‘Ali or any other reason which makes a valid
response could be given and credited as such.

Q5)
(a) Describe the meaning of the term jihad and say how Muslims can
practice jihad in their everyday lives. [10]

Ans) Candidates may well give the meaning of the term jihad and go on
to say that in religious terminology it means to struggle against ones evil
inclinations and to exert in the way of Islam. They can go on to say what
the different kinds of jihad are; jihad of the self (jihad bilnafs), jihad of
the tongue (jihad bil-lisan), jihad by the hand (jihad bil-yad), and jihad by
the sword (jihad bis-saif). They need to go on to say how Muslims
practice jihad in their everyday lives and here the answers could vary
with some writing about how mostly it is jihad bil-nafs, which is
practiced when Muslims fight their own inner selves to keep on the path
of righteousness. Others could mention how Muslims in war-torn
countries are fighting for their faith and a just government

(b) Why do you think jihad of the self (jihad bil-nafs) is greater than
armed jihad (jihad bis-saif)? [4]

Ans) An evaluative response is needed here as to why jihad of the self is

considered the greater jihad and all valid responses should be credited.