(a) What are the benefits of prayer (salat) to an individual and to the community? (b) What is the importance of beginning to pray (salat) from a young age?

Mark scheme

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

1. [10] (a) 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. It could be said that the Pillar of prayer (salat) benefits Muslims in several ways. Having specific times of prayer brings Muslims close to God and helps them to remain aware of the importance of their faith throughout the day.
2. Purifying themselves and standing before their Lord in prayer benefits them by establishing a connection between God and a Muslim.
3. The recitations from the Qur'an and the postures during prayer capture the spirit of submission and benefit the believer by reinforcing their commitment to God and thereby bringing them closer to Him.
4. A Muslim's day starts with prayer and establishes a connection with God and throughout the day a Muslim disassociates from daily life to reconnect with their Creator and hence remains aware of the real purpose of creation - the worship of God.
5. Prayer strengthens faith and dependence on God and puts daily life in perspective of the hereafter and final day.
6. When read in congregation, the reward earned by a Muslim is greater and in turn benefits the believer by strengthening the umma, making one another aware of the issues facing the community, creates brotherhood and a caring community which earns the believer God's love and blessings. The community as a whole becomes stronger and more in tune with the teachings of God and His Prophet (pbuh).
7. [4] (b) 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. It could be said that there are many advantages of starting to pray (salat) from a young age. A young person is inclined to follow what their parents and other grown-ups do and will be keen to pray with them. This helps teach young people not only how to perform salat correctly but also strengthens the family bonds.
8. A young person's commitments are few, so they have time to learn the words and recitations of the Qur'an. It develops the habit of praying and, if established from an early age, no matter how busy their grown-up lives get they will continue praying their salat.
9. Prayers also helps them develop the habit of becoming punctual and keeping clean and pure by performing wudu five times a day, and importantly, keeps a young person connected to God from an early age. This connection and bond is maintained throughout their lives.