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practices

Exam Board Checklist

• The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam, including key similarities and differences.
• The Oneness of God (Tawhid), Qur’an Surah 112.
• The nature of God: omnipotence, beneficence, mercy, fairness and justice (Adalat in Shi’a Islam), including different ideas about God’s relationship with the world: immanence and transcendence.
• Angels, their nature and role, including Jibril and Mika’il.
• Predestination and human freedom and its relationship to the Day of Judgement.
• Life after death (Akhirah), human responsibility and accountability, resurrection, heaven and hell.
• Prophethood (Risalah) including the role and importance of Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad.
• The holy books: Qur’an: revelation and authority, the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel, the Scrolls of Abraham and their authority.
• The imamate in Shi’a Islam: its role and significance.
• Five Pillars of Sunni Islam and the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam (students should study the Five Pillars and jihad in both Sunni and Shi’a Islam and the additional duties of Shi’a Islam).
  • Shahadah: declaration of faith and its place in Muslim practice.
  • Salah and its significance: how and why Muslims pray including times, directions, ablution (wudu), movements (rak’ahs) and recitations; salah in the home and mosque and elsewhere; Friday prayer (Jummah); key differences in the practice of salah in Sunni and Shi’a Islam, and different Muslim views about the importance of prayer.
  • Sawm: the role and significance of fasting during the month of Ramadan including origins, duties, benefits of fasting, the exceptions and their reasons, and the Night of Power, Qur’an 96:1–5.
  • Zakah: the role and significance of giving alms including origins, how and why it is given, benefits of receipt, Khums in Shi’a Islam.
  • Hajj: the role and significance of the pilgrimage to Makkah including origins, how hajj is performed, the actions pilgrims perform at sites including the Ka’aba at Makkah, Mina, Arafat, Muzdalifah and their significance.
• Jihad: different understandings of jihad: the meaning and significance of greater and lesser jihad; origins, influence and conditions for the declaration of lesser jihad.
• Festivals and commemorations and their importance for Muslims in Great Britain today, including the origins and meanings of Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr, Ashura.

Can you answer these possible exam questions?

2 mark

​1. Name two of the Five Pillars of Islam
Shahadah (statement of faith), Zakat (Charity), Sawm (Fasting), Hajj (pilgrimage), Salah (Prayer)
2. Name two of the 10 Obligations for Shi’a Islam
Prayer, Fasting, Charity, Pilgrimage, Jihad (struggle) Khums (20% tax of disposable income), Forbidding evil, disassociation with those who oppose Allah, expressing love to towards good, Directing others towards good.
3. Give two reasons why the Shahadah is the first pillar
Declaration of faith, sum up basic beliefs, Without this belief none of the others would happen, Reminder of the role of Muhammad and that his example should be followed, reminder that they should focus on the one God and reject anything else.
4. Name two places visits on Hajj
The Ka’aba, Zamzam well, Arafat (Mount of Mercy), Muzdalifah, Mina, Mecca, Al-safa, Al-Marwa, Jamarats
5. Name two rituals of Hajj
Tawaf (circle Ka’aba), Qurbani (Sacrifice), Throw stones at Jamarats, Run between Safa and Marwa, Drink from Zamzam well, Seek forgiveness as Arafat, Ihram

​6. Give two things Muslims do to get ready for Prayer
Wudu (washing), Adhan (call to prayer), Find direction of Mecca, Ensure they are dressed modestly, cover their heads, remove shoes
7. Give two reasons why the Qur’an is important
Exact words of Allah (revealed words of God), Revealed to Muhammad toe seal of prophets, It is infallible (without error) as it remains in its original form, it was a miracle (Muhammad was illiterate), it covers the past, present and the future, contains Shariah Law, Contains the basics of worship, tells Muslims about creation and the afterlife
8. Name two prophets of Islam
Adam, Muhammad, Moses, Ibrahim, Jesus
9. Give two Muslim beliefs about akhirah
Resurrection, Day of judgement, paradise and hell, book of life, barzakh (Waiting in the grave), As-sirat Bridge, Angel Israfil blows trumpet, questionned by angels in the grave
10. Give two of the roles of angels in Islam
Give the Qur’an, Blow trumpet to signal judgement day , Watch over humans, Bring peace, instil fear in non-believers,  record every thought and action to report on Judgement Day, can cause natural disasters, deliver messages  form God to humans, question in grade after death

4 or 5 marks (Explain 2...)

... ways in which a belief in Risalah influences Muslims today
... Muslims teachings about the Day of Judgement
... Muslim teachings about the immanence of Allah.
... ways in which a belief in angels influences Muslims today. 
... Muslims teachings about Al-Qadr 

... ways in which Muslims perform prayer
... contrasting Muslim understandings of Ashura
... ways in which Ramadan is important to a Muslim's life. 
... ways in which Arafat is important part of Hajj
... contrasting Muslim beliefs about Zakat 

12 marks

"The Qur'an is not more important than other holy books in Islam"
"Allah cannot be all-powerful with the suffering in the world today"
"Sunni and Shi'a Muslims should unite together as one"
"Shahadah is far more important that the other pillars"
"Ramadan is not necessary as Muslims should always be focused on God"

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