HOW TO

SCORE LAW
PAPERS
INTRODUCTION TO ISLAMIC LAW
(LSC0124)
 How to answer essay
questions

Sample of Questions
Outline How to answer problem-
solving questions

Sample of Questions
Date / Day: 15 November 2021
(Monday)
Time: 2.30 pm - 5.30 pm
Duration: 3 hours
Platform: Google Document
and Google Classroom

 Percentage: 40%
Topics covered: Week 8 - Week 12

 Format
Problem-
Short Long
Solving
Essay Essay
Question
5- 6 8 - 12
8 - 10
marks marks
marks
 HOW TO
ANSWER ESSAY
QUESTION
TIPS TO BE SHARED
be guided by the marks

5-6 marks : needs no

introduction & conclusion
straight to the points
8-12 marks : requires

- Introduction
- Contents
- Conclusion
Answers for ALL questions must be written in PARAGRAPHS

Answers in POINT form will NOT be accepted

 Analyze

Describe
ACTION Explain
WORDS FOR
Discuss
EXAMINATION
Compare and contrast

Distinguish

 Divide or break down the

subject matter into
ANALYZE parts, reasons, aspects
and so on, and then
examine their nature and
relationship
 Give a detailed written
account of the distinctive
DESCRIBE features of a subject.
The account should be
factual, without any
attempt to explain
 Provide an understanding,
make an idea or
EXPLAIN relationship clear. This
command word tests your
understanding of why or
how something happens
 Give a critical account of
the points involved in a
topic. You’re expected to
put both sides of a case
DISCUSS or an issue in your
answer and to make some
evaluative comment about
the factors you’re
discussing
 Provide a point - by- point
account of the
similarities and
COMPARE AND differences between two
sets of information or
CONTRAST two areas. (NB: Two
separate accounts aren’t
adequate unless the
second account refers
directly to the first)
 Present the differences
between; separate into
DISTINGUISH kinds, classes or
categories

*Source : https://iosh.com (Open Assessment ‘action

words’)
 Sample of Questions
Answers
Introduction
Question Contents:
1) Concept of ‘Gradation in
Legislation’ , reasons for
Discuss the principle
gradation of legislation.
of gradation in 2) How it protects the interest
legislation and how it of mankind?
protects the interest *Using the three types of
of mankind? legislation, students must
(10 marks) explain and relate each one of it to
the protection of the interest of
mankind.
Conclusion
 Sample of Questions
Answers

Question
If the Companion already gave
opinion on certain issue and then
Describe the noble later they found about an
attitudes of the authentic hadith…
Companions in They also respected the views of
exercising ijtihad. each other..
(6 marks) If there is any practice that
contradict with Q and S...
 Question Answers
“The Quranic legislations Introduction
revealed in Makkah were more Contents:
focused on strengthening the
foundation of the Islamic belief Part 1
system and the importance of The Makkan revelations focused on the
moral conduct” ..(Mohamad Akram principle of building the faith (iman)..why?
Laldin, Introduction to Shari’ah Quranic verse:
and Islamic Jurisprudence). Part 2
Analyse the above statement The Makkan revelations focused on the
importance of moral conduct (akhlaq)..why?
and support your answer with
Quranic verse :
relevant Quranic verse.
(10 marks)
Conclusion
 HOW TO
ANSWER
PROBLEM-
SOLVING
QUESTION
 PROBLEM-SOLVING QUESTIONS
Answering problem-solving questions requires a wholly
different approach to essay writing and employs a
different set of skills
It is an application of your knowledge of the law to a
supposedly real-life factual situation
You need not only know the law you have been studying but
also how to use it
Assess the following:

- can you identify all issues arising from the questions?

- can you select the appropriate legal sources to help you
deal with the issues that you have identified?
- can you evaluate the way the law applies to the scenario
and come out with good "advice" at the end

 Introduction to IRAC
R - Rules/
I - Issues Relevant
Principles

A - Application C - Conclusion
 Issues
The first step in any problem question is to identify the issue
You have to read through slowly, pausing after each sentence or
paragraph to think about what it has said and any potential factual
issues that might be raised - use a highlighter on particular passages
or underline keywords so you know what to come back to and analyse
later
 Facts based on the given scenario

Facts that you are obviously being told for a reason, rather than just
those that you have to be told in order to make the scenario make
sense or seem like a real story or set the scene
You may have to construct some what-ifs for yourself - making the
relevant assumption of facts - ask yourself, are there any other
relevant facts that I need to inform my legal analysis?
 Some points to consider

Look at what the facts are telling you and ask why you would need
to be told this. For example if the facts stated that the contract
was made over the phone, ask yourself why you need to know this
Remember that the writer of the question has to design it to raise
legal issues that you can analyze
 Legal Issues

A legal issue - one that arises from the facts but gives rise to a
question of interpretation and/or analysis
What you need to do - think about the facts and identify legal issues
in relation to them
 Rules/Relevant Principles
Identifying the relevant laws to be applied
Many of the issues will be 'sign-posts' to rules and therefore possibly
also to point you in the direction of the actual law that you need to
use in order to be able to answer the question
The key part - to find the relevant law - you are not required to
state all the law on a particular topic - find laws that are relevant
to the actual issues at hand
You may use arrows or colour coding - to 'attach' the relevant laws to
the relevant issues - so that you won't lose track of them when you
come to actually write your answer
When you are writing the answer, you will be stating what law you
have selected and saying why it is relevant to the issues you have
identified
Then you will go on to apply the law to the question
 Tips :
When you are writing the answer, deal with one issue at a time
If you try to deal with all the issues together your analysis is likely
to become jumbled, as will your
structure
Say all you have to say in one point, then move on to the next one
 Application
Applying the law to the facts given
Do not just simply stating what the law is relevant to the facts and
issues at hand, without going on to do something with it
Being able to describe the law and how it has been used in previous
cases does demonstrate a degree of knowledge - but it does not really
show understanding
To show that you understand the law - you must be able to apply it

If you can apply the law to the problem, you demonstrate a higher
level of understanding than just being able to identify the issues and
relevant principles
The best way to apply the law successfully - to ensure that you are
using it to demonstrate something or to prove the point you have made
Then explain what effect the authority would have on your case
 Conclusion
Your advice is the summary of the law you have applied and the result
of applying it
As long as you have constructed your answer by using the law to
support your arguments - you will be right - even if someone else may
have come to a slightly different conclusion than you
Example of Problem-Solving Question
Due to Covid-19, the government of Malaysia declared the Control Movement
Order which affected many citizens including Ali who was just been
terminated from his job. Ali was caught for stealing a gold bracelet worth
RM15000. He admitted to the crime and claimed that he was desperate for
money as his family (which consist of his wife and two children) have not
eaten for 3 days. To make it worst, the rental was defaulted for 3 months
and the landlord already issued a notice for eviction.

In your opinion, if Malaysia implements hudud law, should the punishment of

theft (chopping off the hand) be imposed on Ali? Support you answer with
the example of ijtihad practiced during the time of the companion.
Issue (s)
Whether the punishment of
theft (chopping off the hand)
should be imposed on Ali?
 Surah Al-Maidah:38, Allah swt
prescribed a severe punishment
that is chopping off the hand to
those who were convicted for
Rules / Relevant stealing.
During the time of Caliph ‘Umar,
Principles he suspended the implementation
of hudud punishment for certain
period during the time when
Madinah was experiencing
draught season and there was
shortage of food
 Some people were caught for
stealing food and Umar decided
that those who stole food from
others desperately did not deserve
to be punished under the hudud

Rules / Relevant punishment

The reason was hudud punishment

Principles can only be implemented if the

crime was committed under normal
circumstances
This situation falls under the ruling
of darurah (necessity) that permits
the forbidden action to be
committed
Prophet said, “Hudud is elevated
with uncertainties”
 Application of the laws on
implementation of hudud penalty
in the case of darurah
By applying the principles during
the time of Caliph ‘Umar, the
Application punishment of theft can be
deferred its implementation due
to darurah situation
Application of the
rules/relevant principles during
the time of Caliph 'Umar in the
given scenario in your question
 Students conclude by answering

Conclusion the issue - whether the

punishment of theft (chopping off
the hand) should be imposed on
Ali?