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June 2024
Q1.1: Which one of the following is not one of the six articles of faith in Sunni Islam?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A Belief in angels B Belief in justice C Belief in predestination D Belief in prophets
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: B Belief in justice
Q1.2: Give two Muslim beliefs about the Qur’an.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority considered for marking. It is the direct word of Allah / it is holy / it was revealed to the prophet Muhammad / it was revealed over a period of time / it was revealed on mount Hira / on the night of power (Laylatul Qadr) / by the angel Jibril / it was revealed over a period of time / it is unaltered / it is protected by Allah himself / it is eternal / it is the final revelation / source of guidance / it contains key Muslim beliefs and teachings / it contains the stories of the prophets / used in worship (recited) / wudu must be performed before touching it / it is treated with respect / it is memorised / it is one of the four holy books / it contains 30 chapters / 114 surahs / it is written in Arabic, etc. NB: Candidates who refer to the prophet Muhammad writing the Qur’an himself will not gain any credit. If candidates state that the prophet had the Qur’an written down, this is creditworthy.
Q1.3: Explain two ways in which the belief in the Imamate influences Shi’a Muslims.
Question 1 continues on the next page
Answer:
influence on individuals, communities and societies To be a ‘detailed explanation’ the ‘influence’ of the belief must be included. • Some Shi’a Muslims follow the 12 imams (twelvers) / they believe they are all infallible / they are part of the Ahle-Bayt / they may follow their teaching and live life according to their ways. • Other Muslims follow the first seven imams (Seveners) / they believe they are infallible / they are able to interpret the Qur’an / this may influence Muslims to memorise the Qur’an / revere and follow their guidance. • The imams may perform miracles / this may further enhance their authority / make them a reliable source of guidance. • Shia’s believe Muhammad selected Ali Ibn Talib as the first imam / this may influence Muslims to add ‘Ali is the friend of Allah’ to the Shahadah / it may also influence them to follow his teachings and separates them from Sunni Muslims. • Some Muslims believe that the last imam is Muhammad Mahdi / this may influence Shi’a Muslims to await his return. • It may influence Muslims to live life according to the laws, teachings set by them / doing good / • Shi’a Muslims may give khums (charity) to the imams / this is done because it is instructed by Allah in the Qur’an. • Shi’a Muslims may celebrate the life of these imams / this could be through learning about their lives / travelling to their resting places e.g. Iraq and Karbala. • Some may re-enact the story of imam Husayn during Ashura / this may allow them to feel spiritually connected with the imams. • it may influence Muslims to follow in their footsteps / they may stand up against injustice and defend the weak, etc.
Q1.4: Explain two Muslim beliefs about the angel Jibril.
Refer to sacred writings or another source of Muslim belief and teaching in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to sacred writing or another source of Muslim belief and teaching – 1 mark • Jibril is the arch angel / meaning that he has a higher status than the other angels. • He brought down the message from Allah to all the prophets / including the revelation of the Qur’an to the prophet Muhammad / and the glad tidings of the miraculous birth of Isa (Jesus). • He appeared to the prophet Muhammad in the cave Hira (Hadith) / this happened during the Night of Power. • Jibril accompanied the prophet on the night journey / He cleansed the prophet’s heart in childhood / He assisted the prophet Muhammad throughout his life. • He has wings that stretch the seven heavens / he has seen hell and knows that nobody would want to go there. • He obeys Allah’s commands / and is sinless, can change form, brings good news etc.
Sources of authority might include:
‘Read in the name of your Lord‘ (96:1) "Whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - it is [none but] he who has brought the Qur'an down upon your heart, [O Muhammad], by permission of Allah , confirming that which was before it and as guidance and good tidings for the believers." (2:97) ‘Praise be to God, Creator of the heavens and earth, who made angels messenger with two, three, four [pairs of] wings.’ (35:1) ‘Each person has angels before him and behind, watching over him by God’s command.’ (13:11) ‘Hadith of Jibril’ (Bukhari) Accept all other sources of authority that correctly support the beliefs given.
Q1.5: ‘For Muslims, the best way of describing God is to say that he is merciful.’
Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should: • refer to Muslim teaching • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • reach a justified conclusion.
[SPaG 3 marks]
Extra space
Q2 Islam: Practices
Answer:
In your answer you should: • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view [SPaG 3 marks] understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. evidence and information.
Arguments in support
• The Qur’an continuously refers to God as being merciful / it talks about God’s mercy more than any of his other attributes. • The majority of the surahs begin with ‘Ar-Raheem’. • There are many Hadith that talk about God’s mercy / the Prophet Muhammad talked about the mercy of Allah being more than the mercy a mother has for her child / this quality being the one that humans can relate to the most. • The 99 names of Allah begin with God’s mercy. • There are numerous stories in the Qur’an that illustrate Allah showing mercy on his creation, the story of Moses, Job. • The Qur’an teaches that God will forgive humans for any wrong action except shirk. • Without God’s mercy Muslims would not be able to enter heaven / their ultimate goal, etc.
Arguments in support of other views
• There is no best way to describe God / Allah has 99 names and qualities / ‘And to Allah belongs the most beautiful names’ (7:180). • Each provide an insight into the different aspects of Allah. • Allah is described as One (tawhid) / this is considered the cornerstone of Muslim belief. • Allah is referred as being omnipotent / ‘Indeed Allah is Able to do all things’ (2:120). • The Qur’an describes the other qualities including his transcendence / ‘Glorify the name of your Lord, the Most High’ (1:87) / ‘The angels and the spirit will ascend to Him during a day the extent of which is fifty thousand years’ (4:70). • God is described as being immanent / ‘He is the First and the Last, the Evident and the Immanent: and He has full knowledge of all things.’ (3:57) / ‘He is closer to you then your jugular vein’ ( (50:16). • For Shi’a Muslims using the word ‘adalat’ (Gods supreme justice) is the best way ti describe God/ it is part of the 5 roots of Usul ad-Din. • Some may argue that God doesn’t always show his mercy / evil and suffering are evidence of NB: All references to other 99 names of Allah are creditworthy. Q2 Islam: Practices
Q2.1: Which one of the following is a Muslim pilgrimage?
Put a tick () in the box next to the correct answer. A Hajj B Jihad C Khums D Zakah
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Answer: A Hajj
Q2.2: Give two religious actions Muslims perform during Salah.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority considered for marking. Niyyah (intention) / standing (qiyam) / raising the hands / saying Allahhu Akbar (takbir) / folding arms / facing Makkah (qiblah) / women place their hands on their chest / reciting Surah Al Fatiha (Qur’an) / reciting a surah / glorifying Allah (tasbeeh) / half bow (ruku) / prostration (sujood) / using a prayer mat / concentrating, focussing on Allah / Shi’a Muslims will place their head on a sacred rock / reciting prayer (dua) / sending salutations on the Prophet / sending peace to the angels / turning their head to the right and left (salaam) / moving the index finger / raising the right foot in tashahud / listening to the Qur’an being recited by the imam / following the actions of the imam, etc. NB: Accept reference to preparation or conditions required to fulfil Salah. When candidates only reference cleansing i.e. Wudu and Ghusl this can only be credited up to 1 Treat any reference to cleansing (Wudu and Ghusl) as one point even when there is unpacking of
Q2.3: Explain two contrasting ways in which Muslims celebrate Id-ul-Fitr.
Question 2 continues on the next page
Answer:
similarities and differences within and/or between religions and beliefs Contrast may mean opposing or may mean different views. If similar ways are given, only one of them may be credited up to 2 marks max. • Muslims will rise early / bathe / wear new clothes / apply perfume. • Men and women will attend the Eid prayer / they will listen to the sermon / give thanks to Allah and show gratitude. • Some Muslims may pray inside a mosque / with large gatherings it can be difficult to pray in the open / poor weather may mean that praying outdoors is not feasible. • Other Muslims may pray outdoors / this follows in the footsteps of the Prophet Muhammad who encouraged his followers to pray outdoors. • Some Muslims will travel by foot to the Id prayers / this revives the Sunnah of the prophet and is • Other Muslims may travel by car / especially if they live far from the mosque or due to bad weather they will find an alternative route home / as the angels record their attendance at the • It is a time of forgiveness / they will forgive those that have wronged them / and ask for forgiveness concerning those they may have wronged / it is the festival that is celebrated after great self-restraint (fasting). • Those that can afford to will give Zakat-ul-Fitr (fitrana) / this helps to support the poor. • It is a joyous occasion / Muslims may congratulate each other / they may use the term ‘Id Mubarak’ / gifts and money are shared / family gather to celebrate together / food is cooked and distributed / this allows all to share in the festivities. • Muslims may visit friends and family / they may visit the graveyard / to remember those that are not present on this joyous occasion, etc. NB: Reference to the sacrificing of an animal is NOT creditworthy as this is linked to Id-ul-Adha / reference to the pillar of zakat is also NOT creditworthy.
Q2.4: Explain two reasons why the festival of Ashura is important for Muslims.
Refer to sacred writings or another source of Muslim belief and teaching in your answer.
Answer:
beliefs, practices and sources of authority Relevant and accurate reference to sacred writing or another source of Muslim belief and teaching – 1 mark • For Sunni Muslims it is considered the day of atonement / they will fast on this day to remember the favour of God on Moses and deliverance from Pharaoh. • It reminds them of the sacrifice Moses made and makes them grateful / it removes sins committed in the previous year (Hadith). • God puts blessing on the one who feeds his family and friends on this day / thus Muslims will give voluntary charity / show kindness to the family and to the poor / recite the Qur’an and attend the • It is considered to be the day that the ark settled, so Nuh fasted on this day as thanksgiving / it is an opportunity for all sins to be forgiven / the Prophet Muhammad fasted on this day. • For Shia Muslims Ashura is considered to be a solemn occasion and a time to remember the martyrdom and sacrifice of Husayn Ibn Ali / in many countries it is considered a public holiday. • It allows Shi’a Muslims to show their love for the Imams / as this allows them to express grief and • Some Shi’as may take part in public marches to express their grief and mourning / some may beat themselves on the back with chains / wear black / pound their head or cut themselves / this is done to connect with Husayn’s suffering. • Re-enactments and plays are performed to retell the story of Husayn’s death / they listen to speeches to ensure that these sacrifices are not forgotten / a reminder to stand against tyranny. • It is time to help others overcome suffering / some donate blood rather than cut themselves / some Shi’a will attend the Mashhad al-Husayn in Karbala where the tomb of Husayn is / this helps them to reconnect with the past, etc.
Sources of authority might include:
So go you both to him, and say: ‘verily, we are messengers of your Lord, so let the children of Israel go with us, and torment them not, indeed, we have come with a sign from your Lord. And peace will be upon him who follows the guidance. (20:47) The Messenger of Allah (saw) said: ‘The best of fasting after Ramadhan is fasting Allah’s month of The prophet instructed his followers to fast following in the footsteps of prophet Moses. (Hadith) ‘This is the day on which the Ark settled on Mount Judiyy, so Nuh (as) fasted this day in ‘For fasting the day of ‘Ashura’, I hope that Allah will accept it as expiation for the year that went I never saw the Messenger of Allah so keen to fast any day and give it priority over any other time than the day of Ashura and the month of Ramadan (Bukhari) “The greatest stand is to speak the word of truth in the face of a tyrant.” (Imam Hussain) “To me, death is nothing but happiness, and living under tyrants nothing but living in a hell” (Imam “Death with dignity is better than life with humility.” (Imam Hussain) Accept all other sources of authority that correctly support the beliefs given.
Q2.5: ‘For Muslims, Sawm (fasting) is the most important religious activity during the
month of Ramadan.’ Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should: • refer to Muslim teaching • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view • reach a justified conclusion.
Extra space
Question . number .
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246G8062/15
Answer:
In your answer you should: • give reasoned arguments to support this statement • give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view understanding of relevant evidence and information. References to religion applied to the issue. relevant evidence and information. Clear reference to religion. evidence and information.
Arguments in support
• Fasting develops self-restraint / it allows Muslims to empathise with the poor / makes Muslims humble for what they have. • It allows them to connect with God in a way that other actions do not / other acts of worship like reading the Qur’an and giving charity can be done throughout the year / fasting is however a compulsory action during the month of Ramadan. • Allah promises to reward the fasting person personally / ‘Fasting is for me and I shall reward you’ (Hadith) / which suggests that it is the best action during Ramadan / ‘the rewards during Ramadan are multiplied 70 fold’ (Hadith). • Fasting brings families together / they may share meals at suhoor (pre-dawn meal) and iftar (breaking of the fast). • ‘Allah accepts the prayer of a fasting person’ (Hadith) / showing that other actions are contingent on fasting thus making it the most important action. • Fasting takes place during the month of Ramadan where the reward for fasting is entry to paradise / the ultimate goal for a Muslim, etc.
Arguments in support of other views
• There are other actions that are clearly more important / especially seeking the Night of Power / this is done whilst not fasting / people are rewarded with 1000 months of worship / ‘The Night of Glory is better than a thousand months.’ (97:3) • Performing itikaf (spiritual seclusion) holds immense reward / it follows in the footsteps of the • Reciting the Qur’an during this month brings immense reward / ‘It is the month in which we revealed the Qur’an’. • Continuing to affirm the Shahadah is the cornerstone of Islam / without this all other worship is rendered invalid / actions alone are not sufficient when pleasing God / belief is also required. • Fasting cannot be performed by everyone / the ill, the traveller and pregnant women. • Performing the night prayer (taraweeh) can be considered the most important action as it follows in the footsteps of the companions / it also brings Muslims closer to Allah. • All actions are equally as important / as they are judged by motives, and each person will be rewarded according to their intention.(Hadith). • The Hadith talk about the importance of giving charity during this month. • In numerous Hadith the Prophet Muhammad taught that God is not in need of a person’s fasting if he continues to slander, backbite / thus showing that fasting alone is not the most important • Going to work and providing for your family through Ramadan may be considered the most important action as it shows commitment to the values of Islam. • Continuing with daily life and not allowing fasting to become a hindrance may be considered the most important action / completing homework, exams etc. • Going on umrah (mini pilgrimage) holds the reward of an accepted hajj. • Giving to the poor / zakah and sadaqah may be considered more important as they require material sacrifice, etc.