Choose any two of the following Hadiths, and: (i) رَحِمَ اللَّهُ رَجُلاً سَمْحًا إِذا بَاعَ، وَإِذَا اشْتَرَى، وَإِذَا اقْتَضَى. May God show mercy to a man who is kindly when he sells, when he buys, and when he demands his money back. (ii) مَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللهِ وَالْيَومِ الآخِرِ فَلْيَقُلْ خَيْراً أَوْ لِيَصْمُتْ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ جَارَهُ، وَمَنْ كَانَ يُؤْمِنُ بِاللهِ وَالْيَومِ الآخِرِ فَلْيُكْرِمْ ضَيْفَهُ. Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day either speak good or keep silent, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his neighbour, and let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day be generous to his guest. (iii) الحَيَاءُ لَا يُأْتِي إِلَّا بِخَيرٍ. Modesty produces nothing but good. (iv) السَّاعِي عَلَى الْأَرْمَلَةِ وَالْمِسْكِيْنِ كَالْمُجَاهِدِ فِي سَبِيلِ اللهِ ، أو القائمِ اللَّيْلَ الصَّائِمِ النَّهَارَ. One who manages the affairs of the widow and the poor man is like the one who exerts himself in the way of Allah, or the one who stands for prayer in the night or fasts in the day.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [4] (a) (Guidance for Hadith (i)) The teachings of this Hadith show Muslims that God wants Muslims to act kindly towards each other in all aspects of life including all financial matters. The guidance given in the Hadith is that fairness, honesty and kindness should be the guiding principles of every transaction. The Prophet (pbuh) encouraged sympathetic behaviour towards the borrower and encouraged believers to carry out all dealings with fairness and justice.
2. [4] (a) (Guidance for Hadith (ii)) Three kinds of action are referred to in this Hadith: Controlling one's speech; Being generous to one's neighbour; Being generous to one's guests. The Prophet (pbuh) repeated the statement, ‘Let him who believes in Allah and the Last Day' before each action to emphasise that a person's every action results from his/her belief and encouraged believers to maintain harmony in the community and be a source of benefit to others. This is the main teaching of this Hadith. Candidates can develop their response further by saying how each action given in the Hadith stems from one's faith.
3. [4] (a) (Guidance for Hadith (iii)) This Hadith's teaching stresses the virtues of modesty, as it creates a morally pious and respectful society. In Islam, modesty is of both body and mind. By being modest a believer will not just seek to promote his/her own self-interest, will not engage in anti-social activities and will be ashamed if he/she does something wrong. The core teaching of this Hadith is that modesty is an invaluable trait of Muslims that keeps them rooted in the path of God. Other Hadiths supporting the teachings given in this Hadith can be given by candidates to develop the answer.
4. [4] (a) (Guidance for Hadith (iv)) The Hadith clearly explains the rights of the people with regards to one another. Islam promotes social justice and gives a lot of stress on the welfare of the whole community. In this Hadith the Prophet (pbuh) is giving the clear teaching that looking after the vulnerable in society is a moral duty of all those who have the capacity to do so. Widows and orphans are specifically mentioned as they are most in need of support in many countries and communities of the past and present. The broader teaching covers all those in need, be it financially or emotionally etc. Looking after them has been compared to worship by the Prophet (pbuh) as Islam is not just a set of rituals but a faith that encourages its followers to fulfil the rights of fellow beings.
5. [4] (b) (Guidance for Hadith (i)) The Hadith can be put into practice by: Conducting all trade and business transactions honestly and fairly. Not selling substandard goods and not keeping unfair profit margins. Repaying debts as quickly as possible and showing respite to a debtor if they need extra time for repaying a debt. The above are some examples, however all valid examples are to be credited which show the implementation of the teaching of this Hadith. Examples can be given to substantiate the answer from the time of the Prophet (pbuh) or the Companions or even present times.
6. [4] (b) (Guidance for Hadith (ii)) Muslims should follow the teachings of this Hadith by making sure that they use their speech responsibly i.e. do not back bite or slander people etc. They could develop their response by giving the Prophets example of how he never spoke harshly to his enemies etc. Muslims should be ready at all times to fulfil the needs of their neighbours, which will in turn create strong communal bonds. Examples of how guests were honoured by the Prophet (pbuh) and his Companions, or examples from present times could be written about to show the implementation of the teachings given in the Hadith.
7. [4] (b) (Guidance for Hadith (iii)) Modesty can be practiced by taking a moderate/middle path. A Muslim's speech, dress, attitude towards life must not be ostentatious. They must remain humble. A Muslim must stay away from everything that would be displeasing to God. Modesty is also a shield against immorality and candidates could say that it can be practised by lowering one's gaze in the presence of the opposite gender and by not being overly familiar with them.
8. [4] (b) (Guidance for Hadith (iv)) The teaching can be implemented by: Being generous and helpful to God's creation. By providing resources for the poor and needy e.g. providing social housing for the homeless, free healthcare to those who need it, providing education to those who cannot access it. Giving advice and emotional support to widows and orphans is also another way to put the teachings of the Hadith into action. Examples could be given to develop the answer further.