Examine different rituals of daily prayer in Islam.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (Oct/Nov 2024). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [10] (a) The Muslim daily prayers must be said in Arabic.
2. [10] (a) All of the ritual prayers in Islam consist of units or cycles (rak'ah). The shortest ritual prayer consists of two units and the longest of four units. These units are either obligatory (fard) or only recommended, but generally done (sunnah/nafl).
3. [10] (a) While preparing for their daily prayer Muslims should ensure the cleanliness of their body, clothes and place of worship. Muslims have to make sure their body is clean from both major and minor impurities, and if need be they have to perform the spiritual bath (ghusl) or ablution (wudu). They should also ensure that their clothes should be devoid of physical impurity (such as urine) and spiritual impurity (e.g. it was not stolen or bought with haram money). The place where prayer (salah) is performed as well should be clean.
4. [10] (a) When starting the prayer Muslims have to face the direction of the Ka'bah (qiblah), and then make intention (niyyah), which ensures the sincerity of the act.
5. [10] (a) The prayer is made up of a combination of different postures/movements and the recitation of the Qur'an and specific utterances.
6. [10] (a) The postures comprise of standing (qiyam) with the hands folded over the chest, bowing (ruku'), prostration (sajdah) and sitting (juloos). All these rituals should be done in a specific order.
7. [10] (a) Regarding the posture of ruku' and sajdah the Qur'an (22.77) says: 'O ye who believe! bow down, prostrate yourselves and adore your Lord; and do good; that ye may prosper.'
8. [10] (a) Muslims are also required to read Sura Fatiha and any portion of the Qur'an in every unit. The Prophet (pbuh) has said: 'There is no prayer for one who does not recite the opening of the Book, Sura Fatiha.'
9. [10] (a) Utterances such as praising God (tasbeeh), making supplication (du'as), remembrance of God (dhikr), and sending blessings upon the Prophet (pbuh) are read throughout the performance of the prayer.
10. [10] (a) The prayer is concluded by saying salam on each shoulder.
11. [15] (b) Definition: Candidates could start by explaining that prayer (salah) comes from the word silah which means link/connection as it serves as a link between God and humans.
12. [15] (b) Agree: In a Hadith the Prophet (pbuh) said, “When anyone of you is engaged in prayer, he is holding an intimate conversation with his Lord.” Therefore, salah is indeed the best way to connect to God.
13. [15] (b) Agree: Muslims are ordered by God to turn to prayer (salah) when seeking help or when they have special requests to make. 'Nay seek (God's) help with patient perseverance and prayer: it is indeed hard except to those who bring a lowly spirit.' (Quran 2.45)
14. [15] (b) Agree: The Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) used to pray when he was facing challenges in his life. He would say to Bilal to make the call to prayer (adhan), 'O Bilal, give us rest through it (the prayer).'
15. [15] (b) Agree: Prayer (salah), the second Pillar of Islam that comes just after the testimony of faith (shahadah), will be the first action Muslims will be questioned about on the day of resurrection, so therefore it must be the best way of connecting to God.
16. [15] (b) Agree: Prayer (salah) is the only duty that arrived from God to Muhammad (pbuh) directly without an intermediary during the night journey (Mi'raj), this tells us how important and superior it is.
17. [15] (b) Disagree: Candidates can argue that it is not prayer (salah) which is the best way to connect to God but another deed/Pillar.
18. [15] (b) Disagree: Some say that it is the reading of the Qur'an, since without knowing the message of God, Muslims cannot understand the purpose of their life on earth.
19. [15] (b) Disagree: Others may say that it is through remembering God (dhikr) that humans can connect to God. 'Those who believe, and whose hearts Find satisfaction in the remembrance Of God: for without doubt In the remembrance of God Do hearts find satisfaction.' (Qur'an 13.28)
20. [15] (b) Disagree: For others the best way to connect to God is by getting to know God's names and attributes. 'To Him belong The Most Beautiful Names.' (Qur'an 59.24)
21. [15] (b) Disagree: Fasting could be the best way to connect to God, because fasting brings God-consciousness: ‘O you who believe; fasting is prescribed upon you just as it was prescribed upon those before you, that you may attain Taqwa [piety and fearfulness]' (Qur'an 2.183)
22. [15] (b) Disagree: Other ways to connect to God could be by being in nature in order to observe and ponder over God's creation as mentioned in the Qur'an: 'Soon will We show them Our Signs in the (furthest) Regions (of the earth), and In their own souls, until It becomes manifest to them That this is the Truth.' (Qur'an 41.53)
23. [15] (b) Conclusion: A judgement could be drawn as conclusion of whether the prayer (salah) is indeed the best way to connect to God or not, the focus of the question being on the word 'best'.