Choose any two of the following Hadiths. (i) أَنَّ رَجُلًا سَأَلَ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ) فَقَالَ : أرأيت إذا صَلَّيْتُ الْمَكْتُوبَاتِ، وَصُمْتُ رَمَضَانَ، وَأَحْلَلْتُ الْحَلَالَ ، وَحَرَّمْتُ الحَرَامَ، وَلَمْ أَزِدْ عَلى ذلِكَ شَيْئاً ، أدْخُلُ الْجَنَّةِ؟ 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 which is forbidden, and do nothing further, I shall enter paradise? He said: Yes. (ii) قِيْلَ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ النَّاسِ أَفْضَلُ؟ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيهِ وَسَلَّمَ): مُؤْمِنٌ يُجَاهِدُ في سَبيلِ اللَّهِ بِنَفْسِهِ وَمَالِهِ. It was said: O Messenger of Allah, who is the most excellent of men? The Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said: 'The believer who strives hard in the way of Allah with his person and his property.' (iii) إِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يَنْظُرُ إلى صُوركُم وَلا أَمْوَالِكُم، وَلكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمُ وَأَعْمَالِكُم. God does not look at your forms and your possessions, but he looks at your hearts and your deeds. (iv) الدِّينُ النَّصِيحَة، قُلْنَا: لِمَنْ؟ قَالَ: لِلهِ وَلِكِتَابِهِ، وَلِرَسُولِهِ، وَلأَئِمَّةِ الْمُسْلِمِينَ وَعَامَّتِهِمْ. 'Religion is sincerity.' We said: 'To whom?' The Prophet said: 'To Allah, His Book, His Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and to their common people.'

Mark scheme

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

1. [4] (General Guidance for part (a) for any two Hadiths chosen) Mark according to the marking grid for AO1 – Knowledge, given on page 4. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.
2. (Hadith i) The teaching given in the Hadith is that the minimum requirement for attaining Paradise is the fulfilment of the Pillars of Islam. From the Pillars the final two, zakat and hajj, are obligatory only on those who can afford to fulfil them and therefore not given in the Hadith. Abiding by what God has made permissible and staying away from the forbidden acts in Islam is another condition of receiving God's ultimate reward of Jannat. It could be said that Islam is a very simple religion to follow and practice and the given teaching is telling Muslims that to attain Paradise they do not need to over burden themselves, but that Paradise can be attained by following the Pillars of Islam and by living their life according to the sharia of God. Muslims can engage in optional ibadah to earn greater rewards or worship God more.
3. (Hadith ii) This Hadith gives an important teaching to all Muslims stating that to achieve a distinctive position or to be ranked amongst the best a believer must always be engaged in God's service with their person or property or wealth. The purpose of the engagement should always be to help make the community and the wider society pious and in its establishment, one must abide by the laws of God as taught to believers by the Prophet (pbuh). The words 'strives hard' can be taken to understand the broader teaching of this Hadith. For example, a believer may migrate for the sake of God, or preach Islam or its correct practice to others, it could be understood to mean that a person engages in jihad bil nafs or an armed struggle to defend the faith of Islam if needed.
4. (Hadith iii) The important teaching given to Muslims in this Hadith is that the relationship between God and His servant is based on taqwa, righteousness, and the more taqwa a believer has the closer they will be to God. Everything an individual has is from God, hence God is not impressed by the material possessions or good looks or what He Himself has given to a believer either spiritually or materially what matters is having taqwa, a blessing from God for which one must be truly grateful. Having taqwa keeps a believer humble and righteous. Another important teaching is that every good deed must have the sincere intention of being done to earn God's pleasure.
5. (Hadith iv) The key word in this Hadith is nasihah which means sincerity/advice. Sincerity is having a genuineness in the things that you believe and do. This teaching of the Prophet (pbuh) is for Muslims to be faithful to Islam which can only be done by showing sincerity to God, His Messenger, His Book, the leaders of the community and to the common man. The teaching in this Hadith emphasises that all actions must be backed by sincere faith for them to be meaningful. These acts will lead to the true practice of Islam and make a Muslim's faith sincere. Therefore, intention is rewarded in Islam just as much as action. Every act of worship begins with intention.
6. [4] (General Guidance for part (b) for any two Hadiths chosen) Mark according to the marking grid for AO2 – Understanding, given on page 5. Answers may include some of the following ideas, but all valid material must be credited.
7. (Hadith i) Muslims can put the teachings of this Hadith into action by putting into practice the doctrines of Islam. Muslims should wholeheartedly accept God as their Creator and Master, say the prescribed salat five times a day and fast in the month of Ramadan. They can put into practice the given teachings and fulfil the other obligations if they have the means to. Furthermore, Muslims should keep away from food and drink that God has prohibited, follow the principles of Islamic finance and not take interest (riba), and not give or take bribes. Personal examples can be given to develop the answer.
8. (Hadith ii) There are many ways in which the teachings of this Hadith can be put into action. A believer can strive in the way of God by worshipping Him. By not only offering the obligatory five prayers but waking up to offer tahajud/nafl prayers. One could offer to do voluntary work in the community to better the lot of those in need for example, by teaching basic literacy to some children who do not have the means or access to go to school. Those with knowledge of the faith can spread the peaceful teachings of Islam and importantly teach the practice of Islam as taught by the Prophet (pbuh). Well to do Muslims could make financial contributions to projects such as building mosques, providing drinking water to areas where there are droughts, or helping communities affected by conflict across the world. These are ways by which Muslims can strive in God's way and attain His pleasure.
9. (Hadith iii) This teaching can be put into practice by having good motives and intentions behind every action. If, for example, charity is given, the intention behind it must be to enable the person the charity is intended for to have a better life. Perhaps instead of giving a one-off cash donation the person being helped can be taught a skill which will help the person to support himself and not be dependent on charity. Another way the teaching of this Hadith can be acted upon is by doing good acts for the love of God, rather than for self-promotion or boasting. One should also make sure that those being helped are not humiliated in any way. Therefore, it is important for Muslims to do deeds with the intention of pleasing God to earn His reward.
10. (Hadith iv) Muslims can show sincerity towards God by keeping faith in Him at the most difficult of times and by living according to His sharia and following the Pillars of Islam. Sincerity to the Prophet (pbuh) can be shown by acknowledging him as the last Prophet, respecting him and trying to learn about his life and struggles, by following his Sunna and by living modestly as he did. To the Qur'an by believing it to be the sacred book of God, reading it and understanding its content and acting upon its teachings. Sincerity towards leaders can be shown by obeying the laws of the land, paying taxes to the government, working honestly in one's job. Finally, sincerity towards the common man can be shown by helping out in the community either by doing voluntary work or giving monetary donations as well as by showing compassion to others.