Read the following text passages then answer the questions which follow. Hadith 75 Ibn Abbas (May Allah be pleased with them) reported that the Messenger of Allah (pbuh) used to supplicate: "O Allah! To You I have submitted, and in You do I believe, and in You I put my trust, to You do I turn, and for You I argued. O Allah, I seek refuge with You through Your Power; there is none worthy of worship except You Alone; that You safeguard me against going astray. You are the Ever Living, the One Who sustains and protects all that exists; the One Who never dies, whereas human beings and jinn will all die". Qur'an 3.144 The Prophet Muhammad is no more than a messenger: many Were the messenger that passed away before him. If he died or were slain, will ye then Turn back on your heels? If any did turn back on his heels, not the least harm will he do to Allah; but Allah (on the other hand) will swiftly reward those who (serve Him) with gratitude.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2023). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [1] The Prophet (pbuh) is teaching Muslims the etiquette of making personal prayers (du'a). Muslims are allowed to invoke their good actions as a means for having their prayers answered.
2. [1] The main teachings of this Hadith are about the oneness of God (tawhid) and recognising the lordship of God.
3. [1] Muslims should have belief, put their trust and hope in God alone. All three of these are the actions of the heart, for which one is rewarded.
4. [1] In this Muslims are taught to ask God to save them from going astray.
5. [1] God's help should be sought in all circumstances in life because he is the only one capable of granting requests.
6. [1] God does not have any weaknesses, such as fatigue, sleep and death, like humans and jinn, therefore he is the only one worthy to be asked from.
7. This verse is a reminder to Muslims that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), though having a special place in the hearts of the Muslims is subject to death too, as any other human being. This is also shown in the famous speech of Abu Bakr after the death of the Prophet (pbuh): 'Whoever worshipped Muhammad, then Muhammad is dead, but whoever worshipped Allah, then Allah is alive and shall never die.'
8. During a time of loss, emotions can be intensely painful, affecting all aspects of life and relationships. Decisions can be made that are regretted later. This verse is a reminder to Muslims that they should not give up their religion, or the cause they are fighting for, when the person who is responsible for their adherence to Islam is no longer present.
9. Qur'an 2:155-156 ‘Be sure we shall test you with something of fear and hunger, some loss in goods or lives or the fruits (of your toil), but give glad tidings to those who patiently persevere, Who say, when afflicted with calamity: ‘To Allah We belong, and to Him is our return.'
10. Losing a loved one is undeniably a grief-stricken and devastating moment, especially for the family and close friends. Although Muslims know that death is part of life and that it is the decree of God, still it is a painful moment seeing a loved one pass away and the example of the Prophet (pbuh) is a great lesson for Muslims. The Prophet (pbuh), in his life, witnessed the death of many of his friends and family, but he never fell into despair or hopelessness.
11. The year he lost his wife, Khadija and his uncle, Abu Talib, is called the year of grief ('Amul huzn') because in that year he lost two of his greatest supporters. He felt the loss of two people greatly, but he continued by going to preach (dawah) in Ta'if and after being rejected one more time, he started inviting the people of Medina at Aqaba. From this Muslims learn that there will be setbacks in their lives, there will be the loss of friends and family, but they should not fall into despair and should continue being productive.
12. The Prophet (pbuh) also witnessed the death of his children during his lifetime, which is heart-breaking for a parent, but he did not give in to despair or anger. When his son Ibrahim died, he was so grieved that tears were flowing down his face, but all that he said was: 'Verily, the eyes shed tears and the heart is grieved, but we will not say anything except what is pleasing to our Lord. We are saddened by your departure, O Ibrahim.'
13. After the victory of Badr, the Prophet (pbuh) returned to Medina, and there he received the news that his daughter, Ruqayyah, had died. When he arrived there, women were sobbing loudly and Umar wanted to stop them, but the Prophet (pbuh) told him: 'Whatever tears shed by the eyes, and however much the heart grieves, that is from Allah. It is the actions of the hands and the words uttered by the mouth that is from Shaytaan.'
14. Candidates might begin by explaining who the dead are, this could be relatives, friends, acquaintances, and/or people who are considered pious (e.g. the prophets, companions (sahaba), or other people known for their piety).
15. Praying (du'a) to God to have mercy on the deceased and to forgive them their sins is highly encouraged, particularly if they are close relatives. Therefore, some Muslims visit the graves of their parents and other relatives on the day of Eid or on other days. Giving to charity, paying debts and performing Hajj on behalf of the dead are things that some Muslims may do.
16. Some Muslims remember the people who have preceded them, those whose lives are examples for those who follow. Remembering prophets for their specific circumstances in life can help Muslims in their own lives e.g. the story of Prophet Yusuf can help Muslims to bear the unfairness of jealous siblings or how to deal with the separation of a child, the story of Prophet Zakariya can help parents who are unable to bear children.
17. In the same way, remembering the bad ends of corrupt and tyrannical people, such as Fir'aun, Haman and Qarun, can help prevent Muslims from following their ways.
18. Some Muslims also remember pious predecessors who they consider as saints (wali), e.g. Abdul Qadir Jilany, and they sometimes organise remembrance events to talk about their good deeds. Some Muslims also remember the sacrifice of Hussain on the 10th of Muharram.
19. Some candidates might say that although people who have died deserve respect, there is however a limit to that show of respect. For example, Muslims should not appeal to the dead to intercede with God on their behalf, or request things from them since this amounts to associating partners with God (shirk). It is also discouraged to have images of pious people in order to steer away from shirk.
20. While Muslims grieve for the dead, miss them and remember them, they should try to avoid despondency and apathy because of their loss. Candidates might say that lessons can be learnt from the example of the Prophet's reaction to the death of his family members.
21. Candidates can also argue that it is not necessary to remember the dead as that will not benefit them in their lives, rather they should focus on following the Qur'an and Sunnah of the Prophet (pbuh).
22. Good answers will include the extent to which Muslims should remember their dead, as the question asks, and not just describe ways of remembering.