O level Islamiyat

Paper 2 Topical
Questions & Answers

Made by : Hassan Zahoor

In assistance with : Mam Sadia Akhtar
 2.1 : Types of Hadith

Q : What are different types of Hadith? How is each Hadith classified into the
different types? /10
Suggested Answer :
For a Muslim, hadith are the indirect words of Allah, reflection and the explicit form of Quran.
The hadiths are divided into various categories mainly on the basis of there nature and degree of
genuineness examined by the rules of Isnad and Matn. Accordingly, nature wise there are two
types of hadith : Hadith Qudsi and Hadith Nabwi while authenticity wise there are 4 types of
hadith : Sahi Hadith, Hasan Hadith, Zaeef Hadith and Maudu Haidth.
Ahadith that contains words that Prophet himself spoke is called Hadis Nabwi or Prophetic Had-
ith. E.g :
“ None of you believes until he wants for his brother whaf he wants for himself ”
Moreover, the hadith that contains words of Allah is called Hadis Qudsi. They are not part of
Quran but are recognized as sayings that Prophet related from Allah himself, that is why these
hadith are known as Divine hadith too. E.g :
“ Fasting is for Me and I shall certainly compensate it ”
A Sahih or Authentic Hadis is that which fulfills all requirements of Matn (text) and Sanad/Isnad
(chain of transmitters of hadith). Also, Matn confirms to the Quran, other Ahaidth of Prophet and
status and grace of Prophet. It is easily understandable, appeals to common sense of wisdom and
doesn’t violates the laws of Nature. Furthermore, it has no defect in the memory and conduct of
any of its reporters. E.g :
“ Modesty produces nothing but good ”
Next in terms of reliability is the Hasan or Approved Hadith. It sounds as Sahi hadith except for
minor defect in the memory or conduct of one of the reporter like he may be too young or may
have told a lie for minor matters. Thus, these minor matters keeps it away from Sahi hadith. For
example : Imam Malik, Abu Dawood and Al-Tirmidi reported through Isnad : Amr bin Shoaib re-
ported from his father who reported from his father, who reported from prophet :
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 “ A single rider is a devil, two riders are two devils but three makes a travelling party ”
Inclusion of father and grandfather in Isnad makes it to lie in hasan hadith.
A Zaeef or weak hadith fails to reach the status of Hasan hadith. Usually there is a serious defect
in the memory or conduct of one or more of its reporters. For example one of the reporters
might be a liar or might not have met his senior reporters from whom he claimed to have report-
ed hadith. He might have opposed reliable narrators or is involved in religious invocations e.g :
(Abdullah bin Lahiah a Egyptian judge). Zaeef hadith with a weakness in Isnad and Matn is known
as Zaeef-al-Isnad (weak in isnad) and Zaeef-al-Isnad (weak in Matn). E.g :
“ Acquire knowledge even though you have to go to China ”
Lastly, there is Maudu or fabricated hadith. Its Matn (text) is totally unacceptable as they have
clash with Quran, Sunnah and laws of Nature. Hadith related to end of time and arrival of Anti-
Christ (Dajjal) belongs to this category. Thus, it has nothing to do with teaching.

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 2.2 : Compilation of Hadith

Compilation during second century ( Age of successor of companions (Tabein) The successor of
the companions of the Prophet felt the need to compile the hadith of the Prophet. The main suc-
cessor of that time were Imam Shubi, Imam Shafi, Imam Zuhri etc. The successor embarked on
the compilation and editing with extreme determination. The Umayyad Caliph, Hazrat Umar 11 /
Umar bin Abd Al-Aziz undertook the responsibility of this work on official level. He ordered Imam
Inn Shahab Zuhri to travel around the country and collect Hadis from everyone and compile it in
one volume. He ordered all the local officials to help him doing this work.
Those who helped in collection then selection and compilation of hadith were Salim bin Abdullah
(grandson of Umar), Imam Nafi, Imam Shubi, Hammad bin Masalama, Hasan Basri, Abu Urwa and
others.
The famous and outstanding works of that time were Muwatta by Imam Malik bin Anas and
Masnad Ahmed Bin Hanbal by Imam Ahmed Ibn Hanbal. This book was compiled on the principle
of Isnad, thus he compiled hadith according to the name of first transmitter who narrated them
from Prophet. It comprises of about 27,647 traditions.
By the end of this century, Imam Shafi laid down the following rules to filter out the authentic
Ahadith. This check was known as Science of Man or Asma wah Rijad which was used to check
the authenticity of Ahadith based on its Isnad. It stated that transmitter of Tradition must have
strong faith and should be truthful, he should keep this thing in mind that slight change in words
can alter the idea of hadith, so he should avoid using own words. Moreover, he must have good
memory and his narrations should not go against those who are known for their good memory.
Thus, by the end of this century, a lot of work has been done of hadith literature and many books
of hadith were compiled with millions of Ahaidth

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 2.3 : Prophet’s teaching for Communal life

Q : Give references from the set Hadiths you have studied, outline the prophet's
teachings about care in the community. /10 (November 2016, 22)
Or
Q : Outline the main teachings of the set Hadiths about the conduct of Muslims in
communal life. / 10 (November 2014, 22)
Or
Q : According to the teachings of the set Hadiths you have studied, outline the
ways in which Muslims should treat one another. /10 (June 2012, 22)
Suggested Answer :
Ahadith of the Holy prophet provide detailed guidance to Muslims an out individual conduct and
life in community. Many of the 20 Hadiths set for special study, instruct Muslims about their du-
ties towards fellow members in community. The prophet taught his followers to develop deep
sense of belonging to a family so that they could be caring and considerate towards their broth-
ers - in faith in this regard he said :
" The believer are like a single man; if eye is affected he is affected, and if his head is affected
he is all affected "
This Hadith teaches Muslims about how they should feel or act towards other members of their
community. Eye and head are most important parts of human body because if they are affiliated
the whole body feels the adverse effects. Similarly, if Muslims stop caring for their brothers, the
entire Muslim community will start losing strength. The Prophet stressed on the need of estab-
lishing a strong link between 3 major components of Islam - belief, worship rituals and social be-
havior :
" Religion is sincerity.. To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and to
their common people "
It ask us to comprehend the teachings of Quran and Sunnah, observing 5 pillars of Islam as well
as being sensitive to the needs and rights of others in com‐ munity. They include relatives, neigh-
bors and other community members. For same purpose of strengthening communal ties among
Muslims, prophet equated kindness towards others with acts of charity :

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" Every person 's every joint must perform an act of charity.. to act justly between two people
is charity.. removing a harmful thing from the road is charity "
The hadith repeatedly mentions charity which us not only aimed at helping financially but also
demonstrating a spirit if readiness in helping those in need. In some other Hadiths, prophet ad-
mired the noble deeds of helping the weak and unsupported ones :
" One who manages the affairs of the widow and the poor man is like the one who exerts him-
self in the way of Allah.... "
Here, the prophet has equated the reward of extending help to the needy and vulnerable with
that if Jihad and observing most privileged prayer. Also he taught us to work for the betterment
of the community by forbidding evil :
" Whosoever of you sees an evil action, let him change it with his hand...with his tongue.. then
with his heart and that is weakest of faith "
The Prophet tells us to be with the good and avoid evil and try to eradicate it from the Society by
his action. It equate the weakness in belief with keeping the evil as evil in heart and not taking
action against it. Moreover, he promotes equality as Islam is also a religion of equality and jus-
tice :
" None of you believes until he wants for his brother that what he wants for himself ”
This teaches Muslim to treat other Muslims on equal footing and without any prejudice and jeal-
ousy. If every Muslim tries to follow the teachings of these Ahadith, it will result in most claimed
and desired brotherhood that will show the unity, strength and equality of Muslim Umma. Also it
will create a blissful society with no one alone in hard time.

2.4 : Prophet’s teaching for Individual life

Q : From the set Hadiths outline the Prophet's teachings about the conduct of the
individual in the community. /10 (June 2013 re-sit)
Or
Q : Outline the main teachings of the Hadiths you have studied, from the passages
set for special study, about the responsibilities of individual Muslims. / 10
(November 2011, 22)
Suggested Answer :

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Hadith of the prophet is the beacon of guidance for both individual conduct and matters con-
cerning life in community. The prophet instructed through his Ahadith about the responsibilities
of individual Muslims. Regarding fundamentals of Islam, this hadith sums up secret of entry to
paradise :
" A man asked the Messenger of God, ' Do you think if i perform prayers, fast in Ramadan,
treat as lawful what is lawful and forbidden which is forbidden and do nothing further, I shall
enter paradise?' He said, "Yes"
It tells us to know, respect and follow Divine laws with faith. Regular prayer and fasting are two
foundational pillars of Islam and observance of these trains us to obey divine laws in other walks
of life. Also, prophet established a link between faith and various components of human conduct
like he linked true faith with good attitude towards fellow Muslim :
" None of you is a believer until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself "
It aims at inculcating respect, love, sympathy and sacrifice for others. He conveyed same mes-
sage:
" God will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others"
It teaches us to be kind towards others and pardon their shortcomings because Allah loves mer-
cy. Prophet also reminded Muslims their duties towards others and told the rewards for those
who fulfil them :
" One who manages the affairs of the widow and the poor man is like the one who exerts him-
self in the way of God, or the one who stands for prayer in the night or fast in the day "
It ask Muslims to show concern to take care of needy just as they show concern for their duties
towards God by prayer and fasting. Prophet has equated the rewards for fulfilling Huqaq al ibad
with that of observing Huqaq Allah. A Muslim should support the needy people as it is a kind of
jihad. He further highlighted the importance of being considerate towards orphans :
" I and the man who brings up the orphan will be in paradise.... "
The Prophet also taught about kindness in financial matters. He prayed for those who shows
honesty and leniency in trade :
" May God show mercy to a man who is kind when he sells, when he buys... "
Observances of these principles of trade promotes compassion for each other and strengthens
ties among believers. If a Muslim tries to follow the teachings of these sayings, he can hope of
winning God's pleasure and support.

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 4.1 : Belief in Tawhid
Q : Outline the Muslim teaching about belief in the oneness of God (tawhid). /10
Suggested Answer :
Belief in the Oneness of God is the most important article of faith and fundamental teaching of
Islam. The belief in absolute oneness of God is called Tawheed. And for this reason Iman e
Muffassal says :
" I believe in God, in His angels, in His books, in His prophets, in the last Day and in the fact
that every thing, good or bad, is decided by God Almighty and in the life after death "
It is our believe that Allah alone is one supreme God in entity as well as in attributes. A person
becomes Muslim by acknowledging Him as only God :
" There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah "
Allah is the creator of everything in this world and is our soul owner. Surah shura says :
" To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth "
Being the Creator of all things he is our sustainer and cherisher. Quran even begins with this
words :
" Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the worlds " Surah Fatihah
Being the Creator of everything He is Khabir (omniscient). His knowledge is unlimited and infi-
nite. He knows the hidden and manifest. Surah Anaam says :
"He created all things and He has full knowledge of all things "
This means that the unlimited knowledge of God encompasses every nook and corner of His do-
main but His nature and person is beyond our comprehension. He is Latif. Surah Anaam says :
" No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all visions: He is above all comprehension... "
He is eternal and free from all living and human traits. For this reason God does not have any
family or partner. Surah Ikhlas says :
" Say He is Allah, the One and only. Allah, the Eternal, Absolute. He begets not nor is He be-
gotten.. "
He is unique in his lordship, worship and names and attributes. Being the only God and creator
of everything He is the only Lord. As he is our creator and Lord so only he is worthy of worship. It
is our prime duty to worship him. Surah Dhariyat says :

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" I have only created jinns and men that they may serve Me "
All his attributes are matchless and no one can possess them. As : " There is none like unto Him
" All these attributes and His uniqueness in His person makes Him all powerful. His authority
reign everything. Quran says :
" He says to it, "Be " and it came into being "
As we are from Allah and we have to return to him so it makes a believer obedient towards Allah
and makes Him avoid all those acts that can displease Him. Surah Fatihah calls Allah as : " Master
of the day of judgement " We should prepare ourself for the Day of Judgement and avoid all
evils and indecency.

4.1(a) Shirk

Q : Associating partners (shirk) is opposed to believing in the oneness of God

(tawhid) and can be divided into three main categories. Write about each catego-
ry. /10
Suggested Answer :
Shirk literally means associating partners or simply sharing. In Islamic terminology, it refers to as-
signing partners to God, or ascribing God's unique attributes to others or any of His creatures. It
is opposite to the fundamental article of faith that is Tawhid, therefore the biggest and unpar-
donable sin. Surah Al-Nisa refers to it :
" God forgives not that partners should be set up with him, but He forgives anything else to
whom He pleases "
God sent about 124,000 prophets and messengers over the history in order to remind human-
kind the belief of Tawhid as all humans are born with a vulnerability to commit shirk. Shirk is di-
vided into three main categories :
Shirk in the existence of God - It means to associate partners in oneness of God, to believe that
there is more than one Creator or think that He has ancestors or consort. Surah Al-Ikhlas and Su-
rah Al-Anaam assertively says :
" Neither He begets nor He us begotten "
" How can He have a son when He has no consort? "

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Quran also corrects the corrupted belief of pre-Islamic Arabs about angels being daughter of Al-
lah. Surah Isra refers to it :
" Has then your Lord (O pagans) preferred for you sons and taken for himself daughters among
the angels? Truly you utter a most dreadful saying"
Shirk in attributes - This implies associating unique and matchless qualities of God to any other
being or claim or believe that any other possesses same knowledge, divine power to do anything
etc. pre-Islamic communities had assigned Divine attributes to several deities or forces of nature.
They made predictions by divination of arrows (5 :90) and also believed that Jinns had the
knowledge of Unseen. Quran and Ahadith of Prophet condemned all such false beliefs. Quran
says :
" With Him are the keys of Unseen, the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever
there is on earth and the sea. Not a leaf falls but with His knowledge... "
The Prophet elaborated the knowledge of Unseen by referring to its five aspects including sex de-
termination in wombs of mothers, predictions about the following day, time of rainfall, exact
place of one's death and exact time of Day of judgment. Ayat-ul-kursi sums up unique attributes
of God as an antidote to shirk :
" God... the Ever living, the Self Subsisting; no slumber can seize Him nor sleep "
Similarly, Surah Fatihah declares God as "Lord of the worlds" in response to false belief of any
other being the supreme ruler of universe. Shirk in Worship- This refers to associating partners in
worship with God. Pagans of Arabia use to worship idols made by themselves. They believed in
One Supreme God but diluted the belief by worshipping idols whom they believed had power to
intercede God :
".... Say, 'To God belongs exclusively the right to grant intercession' " (Surah Al-Zumar)
Worshipping heavenly bodies was also hallmark of previous communities. Quran forbids this in
Surah Al-Fussilat :
" Adore not the sun and the moon, but adore God Who created them "
According to Islam, God is a Creator, the Sustainer and the Provider, thus He alone is worthy of
worship. Surah Al-Isra refers to it :
" Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but Him "

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 4.2 : Belief in Angels

Q : What are Muslim belief about angels? (10) (June 2010 Q : 4)

Suggested Answer :
Belief in Angels (Malikah) is one of the articles of faith and the Quran describes this belief as an
act of righteousness in Surah Baqarah :
" ..... It is righteousness to believe in God and the Last Day and the angels and the books and
the messengers.... "
Their significance can be seen in this verse. A Muslim is not a Muslim until he doesn't believe in
angels. They are mentioned many times in Quran as most submissive creation of Allah. They are
supernatural and are not living. They are holy spirits and are made of light and are not visible to
ordinary people. According to the Quran, angels are creatures with wings. Surah Fatir refers to
it :
" Praise be to God Who created the heavens and the earth, Who made the angels, with wings "
Angels protect and strengthen the heart of righteous believers. For example in the battle if Badr
angels strengthened the heart of believers, helped them and fought by their side. Surah Al Infitar
says :
" But verily over you ( are appointed angels) to protect you "
Angels are special creatures of God to whom is entrusted the noblest task of communicating be-
tween God and His prophets. Surah Nahl refers to it :
" He sends down His angels with inspiration of His commands to such of His servants as He
pleases.... "
All the angels are the most obedient servants of God who always obey His command. They don 't
have the free will, hence they are sinless. Surah Nahl refers to it :
" They all revere their Lord, high above them and they do all that they are commanded "

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Some of the angels have been mentioned in the Quran with names and the details of their duties
and functions are found in Ahadith. The Quran mentions Mikael who according to Muslim faith is
responsible for rain and distribution of Rizq ( means of sustenance ).
Israfil will blow the Trumpet or Sir that will herald the onset of the Day of judgment. Izazil is men-
tioned in Quran as the head of angels at first and then named as Iblis ( the Satan ). Izrael is the
angel who take out the soul from the body and is regarded as angel of death. Jibrael ( Gabriel )
stands on top of all the angels and has been referred to as Ruh, Ruh al Amin (the trust worthy
spirit) and Ruh al Quds (the holy spirit) :
" Say the Holy Spirit (Jabrael) has brought the revelation from your Lord in truth.... "
The in-charge of Paradise is called Rizwan and that of Hell is called Malik. Then there are angels
appointed on us to record our deeds know as karam ul katabin :
" But verily, over you (are appointed angels) to protect you; kind and honorable writing down
your deeds "
Angels will hail those going to Paradise and snub those entering Hell. Thus we can see that An-
gels constitute an important part of the spiritual aspect of Islam. Iman e Muffassal refers to it :
" I believe in Allah, in His angels, in His books, in His prophets... ”

4.3 : Belief in Prophets

Q : Give a full account of the Muslim Belief in Prophets /10

Suggested Answer :
According to Islamic terminology, a Prophet is called a Nabi and is the one who received Divine
Revelation while a Apostle is called Rasul and is the one who was awarded a Divine Book. Accord-
ing to a Hadith a total of 124,000 Prophets were sent to guide all communities all through the ag-
es of human history.
Belief in Prophets from Adam to Hazrat Muhammad is one of the article of faith and for this rea-
son the ‘Iman-e-Mufassal’ states :
“ I believe in God, in His angels, in His books, in His Prophets, in the last Day…….”
According to Islamic faith, all the Prophets were humans created and sent by God; lead a normal
life and were mortal. They were absolutely truthful, free from all sins and had the highest order
of intelligence.

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They were, however were distinct from the ordinary humans in the way that they were chosen
by God, had a specially ordained Divine mission and enjoyed special protection from God.
All these Prophets conveyed the same universal message to the nations to whom they were sent
and this was the message of Tawhid or Oneness of God and submission before Him. Surah Al-
Anbiya refers to it :
“ Nor a Prophet did We send before you without this inspiration sent by Us to him : ‘ that there
is no God but I, therefore worship and serve Me’ ”
All the Prophets had Prophetic signs awarded to them that were actually the Powers of God
shared with them. Surah Al-Anbiya describes survival of Ibrahim when he was thrown in fire :
We said, “ O Fire! Be cool and safe for Ibrahim ”
Moses was given a miracle that his staff would turn into a moving snake as he put it down. Jesus
was awarded with Prophetic signs such as his ability to treat the lepers and the blind and giving
life to the dead. Surah Al-Maidah refers to it :
“ …. And you heal those born blind and the lepers by My leave. And behold! You bring forth the
dead by My leave ”
Other Prophets and their stories that have been mentioned in the Quran include Adam, Noah,
Jesus etc. Before the Holy Prophet every Prophet was sent to some particular community and so
his message was restricted to that community only. It only had to be renewed because the earli-
er one was corrupted by the people or instigation of Satan.
The Holy Quran was made immune to any corruption for all times to come. Finally, the teachings
and messages of all the Prophets were perfected in the person of Holy Prophet as mentioned in
the Quran in Surah Al-Maidah :
“ This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favour upon you and have cho-
sen for you Islam as your religion ”
With Hazrat Muhammad, the chain of Prophets came to an end as the Quran says in Surah-Al-
Ahzab :
“ Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the messenger of God and the seal
of Prophets ”

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 4.4 : Belief in Predestination
Q : What does the statement, " There is no ability or power except through Allah "
tell you about Muslim belief in Allah's predestination and decree? (10)
OR
Q : Write about Muslim belief in Qadr and Taqdeer. (10)
Suggested Answer :
Belief in predestination is one of the fundamental beliefs in Islam. It is also called belief in Qadr
(power of God) or Taqdir (God' s predestination) Thus, this belief is linked with God' s utmost
powers to create, sustain and decide all affairs of the whole universe. Iman- e- Muffassal men-
tions it as :
" I believe in God, in His angels, in His books, in His messengers, in the Last Day, and in the fact
that everthing, good or bad, is decided by God Almighty and in life after death. "
About these powers of Allah Surah Anfal says :
" For to God do all questions go back (for decison) "
His might and majesty makes Him all powerful and this intimately makes Allah Al-knowing
(omniscient) Surah Talaq refers to it :
" the decree continues to descend among them, that you know that God has power over all
things and that God indeed encompasses all things in knowledge. "
Since He knows everything, He alone control all His creations. He decides and determines the
'destiny ' of everyone means He knows what has happened and what will happen. He also has
the record of both. Because :
" It is He who brought you from the wombs of your mothers when you knew nothing; and He
gave you hearing and sight and intelligence and affection that you may give thanks (to God) "
Al Nahl
Here, "intelligence " means "free will" that is both the Gift of God and means to test humans.
Humans are enabled to distinguish between right and wrong and take their own decisions. Be-
cause of this a man will earn rewards based on our performance and efforts. Surah Najm refers
to it :

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" That man can have nothing but what he strives for "
Thus, humans have free will as well as limitations. These limitations remind humans of God' s de-
cree and power as ONLY He has control over it. For example, no human can on his own become a
prophetic messenger or can make life, give and determine death and gender. Prophet said about
it :
" Bear it in mind that if all the people combined together to grant you some benefit, they
would not be able to do so except that which God has predestined for you "
This way, this belief strengthens Muslims belief in Allah and teaches them to keep making efforts
and thank Allah for any achievements.

5.1 : Shahada
Q :'There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah ' De-
scribe the Muslim beliefs summarized by the declaration of faith (shahada). /10
OR
Q : "There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is the Messenger. " Write about
the significance of the shahada to a Muslim. /10
Q : Explain the meaning and significance of Shahada in Islam. /10
Suggested Answer :
Declaration of faith (shahada) is the foundational pillar of Islam and the rest of the pillars are
erected on it. Shahada is basically the practical demonstration in the form of declaring or pro-
claiming our belief. Thus, it is a physical worship. Bearing witness that Allah is one and Muham-
mad is the last prophet :
" There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah "
When a person proclaims thus he formally becomes a Muslim. However, this expression alone is
not sufficient for the Muslim because he/she is required to demonstrate their belief by various
other acts, both in relation to God as well as to the fellow beings. The journey of a believer starts
with these words when Azan is poured into the ears in cradle and also ends with it in funeral.
Eman-e-Mujjamil refers to it :
" I solemnly declare my belief in Allah as He is with all His names and attributes, and I have ac-
cepted (To obey) all His commands by pledging with my tongue and testifying them with my
heart"
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The every part of our body bear witness when we read this. The tongue will bear witness on first
night in grave. The first part of Shahada is called Tawhid. This means a strong belief in absolute
oneness and uniqueness of God, and rejection of Shirk. This belief implies that God should be
believed to be One, Supreme and Matchless to anyone in the universe. This also means that God
is neither restricted by time and space nor it is possible for Him to have family as He is the crea-
tor of everything. Surah Anaam says :
" How can He have a son when He has no consort? "
He is also unique in His attributes as well. His attributes and Powers are incomparable and we
can 't comprehend Him. He is creator of all things and He will destroy all things to bring them
back for judgment. In view of all His powers, He condemns shirk.
The 2nd component of Shahada is about the truthfulness of messenger ship and the confirma-
tion of finality of the Messenger- ship. This demands us to believe that Muhammad is like all oth-
er messengers who delivered the last divine message to humankind. Surah Qalam says :
" And you (Muhammad) stand on an exalted standard of character "
This means Allah has perfected all the previous prophets in Muhammad and made him role mod-
el to follow. Therefore he marks the finality of prophethood. Surah Ahzab says :
" ... he is the Messenger of God and the seal of the prophets "
This clearly means that there would be no prophet after him because he is the recipient of the
last divine scripture :
"This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed My favors upon you and have cho-
sen for you Islam as your religion " Surah Maida
This verse indicates that prophet had received last scripture in the capacity of last messenger of
God so we have to believe. This is how 2 components of Shahada are interrelated.

5.2 : Zakat
Q : Give descriptions of the way in which Almsgiving is carried out among Mus-
lims. /10 (November 2011 Variant 2)
Suggested Answer :
The word Zakat is derived from the root word Zaka meaning to purify. In Islamic terminology, it
was purifying ones wealth or spending in the way of Allah.

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It is one of the Pillar of Islam that was made mandatory in the second year of Hijra in order to
give a relief to the deprived ones with the following verse :
" And spend of your substance in the cause of Allah and make not your hands contribute to
your destruction but do good; for Allah loves those who do good. " (Surah Baqarah)
Historically, it was the part of all previous religions and the teaching of prophets. It is mentioned
many time in the Quran mostly with Prayer about 430 times. Surah Baqarah refers to it :
" And establish regular prayer and pay the charity tax. "
It is purifying ones wealth by giving a specified portion to the poor Muslims, thus charity tax is
paid to poor by rich Muslims who are 'Saheb-e-Nisab'. It means the Muslims who have posses-
sion of that much wealth that require them to pay Zakat. Moreover, paying Zakat is mandatory
only upon the adult and saint person when a one complete lunar year (1st shawal to end of Ram-
adan) passes away on a possession equivalent to Nisab unused.
Muslim legal experts have calculated the zakat as 2.5 % of a Muslim's wealth if 7.5 tolas if gold or
52.5 tolas of silver or 5 camels or 40 goats or an equivalent amount of cash remains with them at
the end of one fiscal year unused. It is also payable on any regular income from business or any
exploitable assets that regularly add to one's income. While for the income from mines 20% or
1/5th khums is to be paid as Zakat, thus is calculated on the basis of the following Hadith :
" On treasures extracted from the earth, one fifth is due as Zakat "
Similarly, Zakat is to be paid on livestock possessions too. One goat or sheep in every 5-9 camels;
2 goats/sheep on 10-14 camels and so on. For bulls/cows this Nasib is followed : one calf of 1
year or older on 30-39 bulls/cows, 2 years old calf on 40-59 bulls/cows and so on. For cattle the
following rate of Zakat will follow : a 1 year old goat for every 40-120 goats, 2 ewes for 121-200
goats; for any number above 200 goats, one more ewe is to be given in Zakat for every addition
of 100.
Zakat is also to be paid on agricultural produce. For non-irrigated / naturally irrigated land hold-
ings, 1/10th of the produce, and for irrigated holdings 1/20th of the produce is to be given in Za-
kat. Quran enlists the beneficiaries in Surah Taubah as :
" Alms (Zakat) are for the poor and the needy and those appointed by the state to collect (the
charity); for those whose hearts have been reconciled (to Islam), for those in bondage and in
debt, in the cause of God, and for the wayfarer. " ( 9 : 60 )
This verse clearly tells us about the people who can receive Zakat. However, it cannot be given to
the non-Muslims, one's parents and children and the descendants of the Prophet.

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 As a result, it reduces the social, psychological pressures in the society; leading to development,
reduction in the crime rates, thus creating a blissful and peaceful society.

Q : How are individuals and the community benefited by almsgiving (zakat)? (10)
Suggested Answer :
Almsgiving or Zakat is one of the five foundational pillars of Islam. It was the part of all previous
religion and Prophet' s teachings. The word Zakat literally means purifying and in Islamic legal
thinking it means purifying one ' s wealth by giving a specified portion to the Poor Muslims. Su-
rah Taubah :
" Take from their wealth so that you might purify and sanctify them "
This has been declared in a Hadith, reported by Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar :
" Islam has been built on five pillars : testifying that there is no deity worthy of worship except
Allah and that Muhammad is the last messenger of Allah, establishing Salat, paying Zakat,
making the pilgrimage to the House and fasting in Ramadan. "
Zakat is paid by the rich Muslims who are Saheb-e-Nisab to the poor Muslims. They are adult
and saint people who can afford to give money as Zakat. It is liable on a property that remains
unused in possession for a complete financial lunar year (1st sawal till end of Ramadan).
As it literally means to pure so it is a means of purifying an individual' s wealth making it desira-
ble in the sight of God. By paying Zakat, a believer's heart is also purified as it eliminates greed
and desire of accumulating wealth. Surah Humaza says :
" Woe to every scandal- mongerer and backbite. Who piles up wealth and lays it by. Thinking
his wealth would make him last forever. "
By paying Zakat the Maximum number of people by reducing grievances that in return reduces
Crime rate. Anything given as Zakat equivalent to Nisab by Muslims expresses true love for God
and Allah promises that it will return back as Surah Baqarah :
" Whatever good you give benefits your own soul whatever you give shall be rendered back to
you. "
Zakat, therefore, is an effective source of developing the fear of God. It also has several commu-
nal benefits too. It stimulates economic activity in the community as wealth is circulated from
the rich to the poor. Surah Hashr :

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" what God has bestowed - belongs to God, to His messenger and to kindred and orphans, the
needy and the wayfarer; in order that it may not merely circulate between the wealthy among
you. "
Zakat, as an institute, is aimed at uprooting beggary from society because, gradually the needy
and the beggars are enabled to earn on their work after receiving their due share from the rich.
Surah Dhariyat says:
" And in their wealth is the right of the needy, him who asked (beggar) and him who was pre-
vented from asking (the less privileged) "
The ultimate purpose of paying Zakat is to create a huge pool of funds that may be spent on
eradicating poverty, helping the needy continuously. It improves the ties of Muslims with Allah
and strengthens the believe as the poor Muslims also get wealth from the rich Muslims through
the sustainer- Allah. Because of this it reduces social, psychological pressures in the society lead-
ing to development thus, reducing crime rates and creating a blissful and peaceful society.

5.3 : Fasting
Q : Write about the practice of fasting in Ramadan. (10)
Q : Outline the features of the Ramadan fast, and identify which Muslims are ex-
empt from fasting during this month. (10)
Q : Give descriptions of the way in which fasting is carried out among Muslims.
(10) Q : What are the daily observances of the Ramadan fast? (10)
Suggested Answer :
Sawm (fasting) is the fourth pillar of Islam. It was made Obligatory in the 2nd year of Hijra along
with Zakat and Jihad. Surah Baqarah refers to it :
" O you who believe! Fasting is prescribed to you as it was prescribed to those before you, so
that you may (learn) self restraint. "
Sawm literally means to abstain, or practice self restraint. In Islamic terminology, it means to
spend the day without food, drink, sexual intercourse and smoking. It was the practice of all pre-
vious religions, prophets and Muslims. The ultimate purpose of fasting is to please Allah, earn
sanctity, high rewards and purification of soul and body. It is observed in the month of Ramadan
by all healthy grown up Muslims. Surah Baqarah refers to it :

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" So whoever of you lives to see (this month of Ramadan) should fast throughout it....”
Quran further guides about the duration of fasting in Surah Baqarah :
" ....eat and drink until you can discern the white streak of dawn from the blackness of night;
and then continue fasting until nightfall. "
A Muslim intending to keep the fast wakes up before Fajr prayer and take a meal called Sehri.
Prophet highlighted its importance as : " Take Sehr as there is a blessing in it" After that the in-
tention for keeping the fast is proclaimed :
" I intend to keep tomorrow 's fast of Ramadan "
With this the fast begins as no food, drink or sexual intercourse is permitted till the sunset. A
hadith says about it :
" If one of you is fasting, he should avoid sexual relation with his wife, and quarrelling.... "
During fast, all the obligatory acts including daily prayers are offered as per routine. The fasting
Muslims try to be polite, caring and kind towards fellow Muslims in order to follow the spirit of
the ritual of fasting. They avoid all indecencies and undesirable acts. A hadith refer to it :
" Whoever does not give up forget speech and evil actions, God is not in need of his leaving his
food and drink "
When the sun sets, the fast is broken by reciting the prescribed invocation :
" O God! I fasted for You, believe in You, trust in You, and broke my fast with Your bounty
(sustenance) "
This act is know as iftar, and the best Iftar meal is dates or water. After the Isha prayer, special
Nafl prayer called Tarawih, is offered usually in congregation. It comprises 8 or 12 Rakat. It is to
provide Muslims a chance to complete at least one full recitation in this holy month. Surah
Baqarah refers to it :
" But if anyone is ill or on a journey the prescribed period (should be made up) by days later "
Similarly, very old people as well as pregnant, menstruating and nursing mothers are also ex-
empted from fasting. They can keep Qaza fast for missed fasts or give Fidiya by feeding a poor
person twice a day in return for each fast.

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 5.3(a) : Fasting
Q : How do fasting (Sawm) bring Muslims closer to both God and other peo-
ple? /10 ( June 2013 Variant 2)
Suggested Answer :
Fasting is one of the pillar of Islam that was made mandatory in second year of Hijra. It is ob-
served in the 9th month of the lunar year in the Islamic calendar. Surah Baqarah refers to it :
" O believers! Fasting has been prescribed for you as it was prescribed for those before you so
that you may guard against sins. "
It was the practice of all the previous religions, prophets and Non-Muslims e.g Jews call it Yom
kipper or Tesha bye while Christians call fasting Esther. Thus, the main purpose for it is to please
God and earn sanctity, high rewards and purify the soul. All the pillars of Islam including fasting
guarantee individual and communal benefits for the Muslims. Fasting has several benefits which
are guaranteed by Allah Himself in a Hadith Qudsi :
" Fast is for Me and I will surely recompense for it "
It clearly guarantees God's special favors on a fasting Muslim. Fast, like regular prayer, guaran-
tees shunning of evil so that a Muslim can earn God's pleasure, mercy and forgiveness. A hadith
refers to it :
" Fast is a shield (against sins) "
A fasting Muslim is better to reject Satan as he/she is also helped by God against all evils, thus is
more likely to get closer to God. Basic objective of fast is to promote 'self restraint', thus by ob-
serving restrictions related to fasting, a Muslim struggles to sacrifice his normal desires for Allah
that makes him earn God's favour and get closer to Him. It is also a form of personal jihad in the
way of Allah that is also one of the reason of getting closer to Allah.
Fasting also brings believers closer to each other. The rich realize the sufferings of the poor in
everyday life by experiencing hunger and thirst. Consequently, the rich are encouraged to feed
the poor and the indigent following the command :
" It is righteous to spend of your substance, out of love for Him, for your kins, for orphans, for
the needy. " (Surah Baqarah)
During Ramadan, special Sehri and Iftar feasts bring Muslims closer to each other and strengthen
feeling of fraternity. Muslims prefer to pay Zakat in the holy month, thus this as well as Sadaqa-e-

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Similarly, Tarawih prayer is also a means of keeping believers United and disciplined. Believers
pray along with each other regardless of the differences creating sense of brotherhood and be-
longing. Like all the other pillars, this is how fasting strengthens the bond with Allah and the oth-
er Muslims.

5.4 : Hajj
Q : Describe the main events of the annual pilgrimage (hajj). /10 (November 2009)
Q : Outline the main observances of annual pilgrimage (Hajj). /10 (June 2013 Re-
sit)
Suggested Answer :
Hajj literally means will or desire while in legal terminology, it means will to visit the Holy Kaa-
bah. It is the 5th pillar of Islam which was made obligatory in 9th year of Hijra and is obligatory
only on those Muslims who can afford to perform it physically and financially. Surah Al-Imran re-
fers to it :
" Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to God, those who can afford the journey "
Historically, it was the part of all previous religions and the teaching of prophets. Hajj is per-
formed from 8th to 12th of Zill-Hajj, the 12th month of Hijra calendar. Those intending to per-
form Hajj are required to put on Ihram. For women, it's their ordinary clothes covering their en-
tire body except hands, face and feet. For men, Ihram comprises of two white unstitched sheets
of cloth for upper and lower part of the body. Now the pilgrims have to recite Talbiya repeatedly
after adopting Ihram. Also pilgrims have to observe some restrictions while in Ihram : no-
violence, taking bath, cutting nails and hair or using soap or shampoo.
Pilgrims, on 8th Zil-Hajj perform Tawaf-i-Qudum. They circle around the Kaba seven times. After
completing it, they offer two Rakat of Prayer at the station of Hazrat Abraham (Muqam-i-
Ibrahim). Surah Al-Baqarah commands us as :
" And take you the station of Abraham as a place for prayer "
Then they perform Sayi by walking briskly 7 times between Safa and Marwa hills. Surah Al-
Baqarah describes the hills as :
" Behold! Safa and Marwa are among the symbols of God. So those who visit the House-should
compass them around "
After this they proceed to Mina, a plain east of Makka where they spend night reciting Quran
and offering Nafl prayer.
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On the morning of 9th Zil-Hajj they leave for Arafat, most distant plain east of Makka. They reach
Arafat before Zuhr prayer to observe the stay called Wuquf-i-Arafat. Here they seek God's mercy
and pardon from Zuhr till Maghrib. It is the most important part of Hajj without which it becomes
void. A hadith refers to it :
" The Pilgrimage is called the day of Arafat (Yaum-al-Arafat) "
They perform Zuhrain prayer -- shortening of Zuhr and Asr prayers and combining both. At sun-
set, without offering Maghrib prayer, pilgrims reach the plain of Muzdalifa, located between Ara-
fat and Mina. There they offer Maghribian prayer by combining Maghrib with Isha and shorten-
ing Isha by half. They spend night in Muzdalifa offering extra prayer. Surah Al-Baqarah refers to
it :
" ... celebrate the praises of God at the Sacred Monument (Muzdalifa) "
After Fijr prayer, pilgrims collect 49 pebbles for Rami and leave for Mina. On the morning of 10th
Zil-Hajj they reach Mina to celebrate Eid al-Adha (Eid of sacrifice). They are exempted from spe-
cial Eid prayer however they perform Nahr (sacrifice) of goat etc. Then they perform Rami from
10 to 12th Zil-Hajj by pelting Jamarat-al-Uqba, Jamarat-al-Wusta and Jamarat-al-Sughra with sev-
en pebbles twice every day. With this, the recitation of Talbiya is stopped. Now pilgrims can trim
their nails, shorten their hair (women) or shave their head (men) or take a bath too.
On 12th Zill-Hajj, pilgrims return to Makka to perform the Tawaf-i-Ziyara or Ifada and also per-
form Sayi to mark the end of Hajj.

5.4(a) : Hajj

Q : How do Muslims individuals and the Muslim community benefit from the an-
nual pilgrimage (hajj)? /10
Suggested Answer :
Hajj literally means will or desire while in legal terminology, it means will to visit the Holy Kaa-
bah. It is the 5th pillar of Islam which was made obligatory in 9th year of Hijra. Historically, it was
the part of all previous religions and the teaching of prophets. It benefits individual Muslims as
well as Muslim community in many ways. It is s source of training individuals to spend and exert
mentally and physically in the way of Allah. Thus, it was obligatory only on affording Muslims. Su-
rah Al-Imran refers to it :
" Pilgrimage thereto is a duty men owe to God, those who can afford the journey "

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Restrictions of Ihram train the pilgrims for submission before God as they start reciting Talbiya
that is an expression of submission (Shahada) before one God. Also, pilgrims are trained to ob-
serve self-control and self-restraint after putting on Ihram, thus making them obedient servants
of God and earn His pleasure. In this way, almost all rituals of Hajj involve physical exertion that
train them to strive in God's way whenever needed.
Hajj brings pilgrims close to God as they visit the House of Allah and other holiest places of Islam.
The special status of Safa and Marwa hills during Sayi is reminded as :
"Behold! Safa and Marwa add among the Signs of God " ( Al-Baqarah )
Similarly, Quran declares Muzdalifa as Sacred Monument and pilgrims are commanded to pay
their tribute to this holy site by spending night here. Surah Al-Baqarah refers to it :
" ... celebrate the praises of God at the Sacred Monument (Muzdalifa) "
By assembling in plain of Arafat, pilgrims beg God's mercy and forgiveness that strengthens their
bond with their Lord as Allah loves humbleness. Rejection of devil by Rank trains them to shun all
kinds of evil in their lives. The cumulative result of all these observances us the spiritual rebirth of
pilgrims. A hadith refers to it :
"Whoever performs Hajj to this House, does not approach his wife, nor commits sins, will come
out as sinless as a newly born child”
Likewise, for community, by bringing pilgrims firm across the globe, Hajj ensures unity amongst
Muslims. All social, economic, linguistic and geographical barriers are broken as all pilgrims stand
equal and observe identical set of restrictions and perform all rituals collectively regardless of
their color, class or creed. Heads of Muslim states, get good opportunity to resolve various con-
flicts and plan for welfare of Muslim world. The platform of OIC (Organization of Islam Confer-
ence) may effectively used.
Moreover, Hajj is a source of stimulating economic activity on large scale both directly and indi-
rectly. Millions of pilgrims buy Hajj costume and many accessories. Trade is also allowed during
Hajj, with millions of Pilgrims at one place many trade transactions may be carried out with addi-
tional benefit of God's favour. Surah Al-Baqarah refers to it :
" There is no blame in you for seeking the bounty of your Lord (during Hajj) "
Lastly, the sacrificial meat of Eid-ul-Adha also circulate money on large scale and is also a strong
source of promoting mutual love, fraternity and piety. Surah Al-Hajj refers to it :
" It is not their meat not their blood that reaches God; it is your piety that reaches Him "

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 5.5 : Jihad
Q : Write an account of : (i) The Prophet's teachings about armed warfare (jihad)
(ii) Under what circumstances is jihad thought to be compulsory? /10 (June 2014
Variant 2)
Suggested Answer :
(i) : The type of Jihad that involves armed struggle is called Qitaal (as it may involve killing).
Throughout Makkan life of Prophet he did received any revelation about jihad as Muslims were
in minority but with emergence of Muslim state, he received divine command to fight against en-
emies of Islam. Accordingly, he laid down a detailed set of rules concerning the code of conduct
of war in Islam which was followed from first war of Islam; battle of Badr. According to these
rules Muslims are not to take initiative in fighting. Prophet said :
" Do not wish to meet the enemy, and in case you face the enemy, then be patient " (Sahih Bu-
khari)
He repeatedly instructed his followers to remember the objective of Jihad that is to fight only in
the way of Allah. He said :
" Jihad in God's cause is the fight of that person who does so in favour of God's religion "
He further commanded his followers not to attack and kill women, children old people and those
who surrender before the Muslim army. According to a tradition of Hazrat Abdullah bin Umar, a
woman was found killed in one if battles and Prophet got angry and he strictly forbade killing of
women in battle. According to his teachings Muslim fighters are not allowed to burn or destroy
trees, crops and livestock in enemies territory.
The Prophet being 'mercy for all', totally abolished the pre Islamic inhuman custom of mutilation
of dead (Muthla). So Muslim soldiers should treat dead bodies of enemy army with respect and
not target them for revenge. Similarly, the captives of war are to be treated in mind way as was
done with captives of Badr who were given soft conditions go buy freedom.
Finally, the Prophet guided his followers to make peace if the enemy surrendered and abide by
peace treaty in light of Quranic command :
"But if the enemy inclines towards peace, you too incline towards peace and trust in
God" (Surah Al-Anfal)
(ii) Armed Jihad (Qitaal) is the last option to save/ defend a Muslim community or state that is

24
visibly threatened by enemies of Islam. Permission for it was given in Madina with Quranic com-
mand :
" Permission to fight is granted to those who have been wronged; and indeed God is compe-
tent to give them victory " (Surah Al-Hajj)
Accordingly there are strict pre conditions to conduct armed Jihad. It is only permissible when it
is confirmed that the enemy is fully ready to invade the Muslim community. In such circumstanc-
es, it becomes the duty of head of Muslim state to take up arms to defend his people. According
to the teaching of Quran and Hadith, the sole objective if Jihad is to defend the religion of Islam
and it's followers. That is why Quran repeatedly commands :
" Fight in the way if God and do not transgress limits " (Surah Al-Baqarah)

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