'Muslims should fulfil all their responsibilities towards their leaders.' Discuss with reference to different points of view.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2025). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [AO1: 10 marks] Knowledge and understanding
2. [AO2: 15 marks] Analysis and evaluation
3. [Guidance] Mark according to the levels of response marking grids for AO1 and AO2. Answers may refer to any Islamic religious theory or teaching. Candidates may propose, analyse and evaluate some of the following arguments. All relevant arguments must be credited.
4. [Introduction] The term leader can be used to describe a ruler or a religious leader. As subjects, Muslims have certain responsibilities that are expected from them towards their leaders.
5. [Agree] The most important duty of Muslims to their leaders is that they owe them obedience. Qur'an 4.59: ‘O ye who believe! Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger, and those charged with authority among you. If ye differ in anything among yourselves, refer it to Allah and His Messenger.'
6. [Agree] Disobedience to leaders can jeopardise the outcome for Muslims in the afterlife as shown in this Hadith: 'Whoever withdraws their hand from obedience to the Muslim ruler will find no argument in their defense when they stand before Allah on the Day of Judgment, and one who dies without having bound themselves by an oath of allegiance to a Muslim ruler will die the death of one belonging to the days of Jahiliyyah (pre-Islamic time of ignorance).' (Sahih Muslim).
7. [Agree] Even if Muslims are not happy with everything the leader is doing, they will still need to obey them and not rebel against them. “Whoever disapproves of something done by their ruler will have to be patient, for whoever disobeys the ruler even a little 'i.e. A span' will die as those who died in Jahiliyyah, ‘i.e. As rebellious sinner'. (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim).
8. [Agree] It is also of the responsibility of the people to stop the leader if he is doing something wrong. Abu Bakr, in his address when he became a Caliph said: "I have been chosen to rule over you, though I am not the best among you. Help me if I am right; correct me if I am wrong."
9. [Agree] It is the responsibility of the people to speak up against the leader if he is unjust. Hadith of Ahmad: 'A man asked the Messenger of Allah, "What is the best jihad?" The Prophet said, “A word of truth in front of a tyrannical ruler."
10. [Agree] Umar, during his caliphate established a successful system of judicial administration, where even the leader could be brought to justice by the people.
11. [Disagree] Candidates can disagree completely or partially with the statement and explain the reasons for their stance.
12. [Disagree] The people are not expected to obey if their leader tries to force them to do something that involves disobedience to God as shown in this Hadith: 'It is obligatory upon a Muslim that he should listen (to the ruler) and obey whether he likes it or not except when he is ordered to do a sinful thing, in such case there is no obligation to listen or to obey. (Sahih Bukhari and Muslim).
13. [Disagree] Also, leaders cannot expect the people to fulfil their responsibilities if they themselves are not leading the people effectively or are putting their self-interest first.
14. [Disagree] The doctrine of the separation of powers requires that the principal institutions of state; executive, legislature and judiciary are clearly divided, however, the people may feel reluctant to criticise/oppose their leaders for fear of reprisals.
15. [Conclusion] Candidates should make an overall judgement focusing on the word 'all' to draw the discussion back to the statement and make a personal response.