O-LevelIslamiyatArticles of faith and Pillars of Islam2058/21 · May/June 2014 · Q116 Marks

Choose any two of the following Hadiths, and:

(a)(i)describe their teachings about what Muslims believe; (Hadith (i): أََنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) فَقَالَ: أرأيت إذَا صَلَّيْتُ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ، وَصُمْتُ رَمَضَانَ، وَأَحْلَلْتُ الحَلالَ، وَحَرَّمْتُ الحَرَامَ، وَلَمْ أَزِدْ عَلى ذلِكَ شَيْئًا، أَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّة؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. A man asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace): Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as forbidden that which is forbidden, and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise? He said: Yes.)[4]
(b)(i)explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. (Hadith (i): أََنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) فَقَالَ: أرأيت إذَا صَلَّيْتُ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ، وَصُمْتُ رَمَضَانَ، وَأَحْلَلْتُ الحَلالَ، وَحَرَّمْتُ الحَرَامَ، وَلَمْ أَزِدْ عَلى ذلِكَ شَيْئًا، أَدْخُلُ الْجَنَّة؟ قَالَ: نَعَمْ. A man asked the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace): Do you think that if I perform the obligatory prayers, fast in Ramadan, treat as lawful that which is lawful and treat as forbidden that which is forbidden, and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise? He said: Yes.)[4]
(a)(ii)describe their teachings about what Muslims believe; (Hadith (ii): الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّهُ الكَافِرِ. The world is the believer's prison and the unbeliever's paradise.)[4]
(b)(ii)explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. (Hadith (ii): الدُّنْيَا سِجْنُ الْمُؤْمِنِ وَجَنَّهُ الكَافِرِ. The world is the believer's prison and the unbeliever's paradise.)[4]
(a)(iii)describe their teachings about what Muslims believe; (Hadith (iii): قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَليهِ وسَلَّمَ: مَا تَعُدُّهْنَ الشَّهِيدَ فِيْكُمْ ؟ قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ. قَالَ: إِنَّ شُهَدَاءَ أُمَّتِي إِذا لَقَلِيلٌ مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ فِي الطَّاعُوْن فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ في الْبَطْنِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said: 'Whom do you count to be a martyr among you?' They said: O messenger of Allah, whosoever is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr. He said: 'In that case the martyrs of my community will be very few! He who is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies a natural death in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies in the plague in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies of cholera in the way of Allah is a martyr'.)[4]
(b)(iii)explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. (Hadith (iii): قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَليهِ وسَلَّمَ: مَا تَعُدُّهْنَ الشَّهِيدَ فِيْكُمْ ؟ قَالُوا: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ. قَالَ: إِنَّ شُهَدَاءَ أُمَّتِي إِذا لَقَلِيلٌ مَنْ قُتِلَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ فِي الطَّاعُوْن فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ، وَمَنْ مَاتَ في الْبَطْنِ فَهُوَ شَهِيدٌ. The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said: 'Whom do you count to be a martyr among you?' They said: O messenger of Allah, whosoever is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr. He said: 'In that case the martyrs of my community will be very few! He who is killed in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies a natural death in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies in the plague in the way of Allah is a martyr, he who dies of cholera in the way of Allah is a martyr'.)[4]
(a)(iv)describe their teachings about what Muslims believe; (Hadith (iv): لا يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ. God will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.)[4]
(b)(iv)explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. (Hadith (iv): لا يَرْحَمُ اللَّهُ مَنْ لَا يَرْحَمُ النَّاسَ. God will not show mercy to him who does not show mercy to others.)[4]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2014). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

[4] (a) (i) The teaching of this Hadith is that Islam is a very simple religion and that by following the pillars of Islam and staying away from what has been forbidden by God a Muslim can hope to achieve paradise. God has made salat and fasting compulsory for all Muslims and the pillars of zakat and hajj are incumbent only for those who have the capacity to fulfill them. God has made the practice of Islam easy for his believers but having done so He expects obedience from them.
[4] (a) (ii) From this Hadith a clear message is being given to Muslims, that is, to treat this world as a temporary place of abode and not to get so engrossed in its pleasures that one forgets ones accountability to the almighty. A God conscious Muslim will always bear in mind that on the Day of Judgment he will have to answer to God and hence will live his life according to the rules laid out by Him whereas a person who does not believe in God will live his life in this world without any fear of the hereafter. The comparison to a prison and paradise has been made in this Hadith to highlight the different perspectives of how a believer and non believer look upon this world.
[4] (a) (iii) God rewards His believers for every act of piety and has given the status of a martyr to not only those who fight in Allah's way in the battlefield but to all those Muslims who die practicing their faith and believing in the oneness and supremacy of God. Jihad is of many kinds; physical, mental and spiritual and all forms of jihad which entail striving in the way of God are rewarded by Him.
[4] (a) (iv) Some of the attributes of God are rahman and raheem and from the beginning of time God has been showing mercy to His creation. The first example of His mercy was forgiving the cardinal sin of Adam and Eve. The Qur'an also repeatedly tells that He is oft forgiving and most merciful. Bearing this in mind the teaching of this Hadith is for Muslims to develop the traits of kindness and mercy in their personalities and to show mercy to all of God's creation. God will reward Muslims for this quality by showing them His mercy. For those who do not practice mercy they simply deprive themselves of the almighty's mercy.
[4] (b) (i) A Muslim can put into practice the teachings of this Hadith by becoming regular in the offering of the 5 daily prayers and by fasting in the prescribed month of Ramadan and staying away from all haram foods and earnings. Some candidates could well write about being obedient to God and give examples of how this can be done. Other Hadiths could be cited to show more effectively how the teachings of this Hadith can be practiced.
[4] (b) (ii) By following the path prescribed by God and by being mindful of the attractions this world has to offer Muslims can live a life that will lead them to paradise. Candidates could well give examples of how the Prophet refused the worldly temptations offered to him to deviate from the path of God or give examples from present day of resisting temptations in order to attain success in the next life.
[4] (b) (iii) Muslims must always live righteously and according to the principles of Islam for by doing so they will get the rewards of martyrdom upon death. Examples of leading a righteous life could be given here by candidates. Some answers could write about the various forms of jihad a Muslim may be engaged in and how if death comes to them whilst they are striving to gain God's pleasure they may attain Paradise.
[4] (b) (iv) Muslims must practice mercy towards each other and towards all humankind in general. Examples from the Prophet's lifetime or from present day of mercy being shown to individuals by Muslims or the candidates themselves could be cited here.