Download GCSE ISLAM: Core Knowledge Questions: Section 1: Belief in Allah

GCSE ISLAM: Core Knowledge Questions:
Section 1: Belief in Allah.
1. What are the important characteristics of Allah shown in the Qur’an?
2. What are the 6 Beliefs in Sunni Islam?
3. What are the 5 roots of ‘Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam?
4. What are the 5 pillars of Sunni Islam?
5. What are the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam?
6. Why are angels important to Muslims? Give an example.
7. Name 3 of the prophets of Islam. Why are they important?
8. What does the word “Islam” mean and why is it an important concept?
9. Why might the problem of evil and suffering cause some Muslims to question their faith?
10. How do Muslims respond to the problem of evil?
Section 2: Crime and Punishment.
1. What does the Qur’an say about judgement, paradise and hell?
2. What is the Night of Power and why is it important to Muslims today?
3. Give 3 examples of the causes of crime.
4. How do Muslims try to end these causes?
5. What are Muslim attitudes towards punishment?
6. What are Muslim attitudes towards the treatment of criminals?
7. Why is justice important to Muslims?
8. Why is reconciliation and forgiveness important to Muslims?
9. What is Capital Punishment?
10. Give 2 different Muslim views on the use of Capital Punishment.
Section 3: Living the Muslim Life.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
Why are holy books important in Muslim life? Name 2 of them.
Why do Muslims recite Shahadah?
Why is hajj important for Muslims?
What are Zakah and khums and why are they important?
Why is Salah important to Muslims?
Why is Sawm important?
Name 2 Muslim festivals and say what they commemorate.
What is the meaning and significance of Jihad?
Why is jihad important in the life of a Muslim?
Section 4: Peace and Conflict.
1.
2.
3.
4.
How is life shown as special in the Qur’an?
What are the causes of conflict within society? Name 3 of them.
What is a Just War?
Give an example of a teaching about war and peace from the Qur’an. Why is this teaching
important to Muslims today?
5. What do Muslims teach about Passive resistance? Give an example of its use.
6. Name one Muslim group who work for peace today. Why do they do this?
7. What are some of the issues surrounding conflict?
8. How have people worked to overcome some of these issues?
GCSE ISLAM: Core Knowledge Answers:
Section 1: Belief in Allah.
1. What are the important characteristics of Allah shown in the Qur’an?
Allah is described as One, who is Unique, Everlasting, Eternal, Absolute and there is none like him.
Allah is also merciful and compassionate
2. What are the 6 Beliefs in Sunni Islam?
 Reality of the one true God (Tawhid)
 Existence of the angels of God
 Authority of the books of God which are Books of Abraham, the Torah, the Psalms, the Gospel,
and the Quran
 Following the prophets of God
 Preparation for and belief in the Day of Judgment
 Supremacy of God's will, i.e. belief in predestination good or bad is from God alone
3. What are the 5 roots of ‘Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam?
 Tawhid (Oneness)
 Adalah (Justice)
 Nubuwwah (Prophethood)
 Imamah (Leadership)
 Yawm al-Qiyyamah (The Day of Resurrection)
4. What are the 5 pillars of Sunni Islam?
 Shahadah – there is no God by Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.
 Salah – Prayer
 Zakah – Giving to the poor
 Sawm – Fasting for the month of Ramadan
 Hajj – pilgrimage to Makkah.
5. What are the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi’a Islam?
 Salat (Prayer) – meaning "connection", establish the five daily prayers.
 Sawm (Fasting) – fasting during the holy month of Ramadhan.
 Zakat (Poor-rate) – charity. Zakat means "to purify".
 Khums ("Fifth" of one's savings) – tax.
 Hajj (Pilgrimage) – performing the pilgrimage to Mecca.
 Jihād (Struggle) – struggling to please God. The greater, internal Jihad is the struggle against the
evil within one's soul in every aspect of life, called jihād akbār. The lesser, or external, jihad is
the struggle against the evil of one's environment in every aspect of life, called jihād asghār.
Writing the truth (jihād bil qalam "struggle of the pen") and speaking truth in front of an
oppressor are also forms of jihād.
 Commanding what is just.
 Forbidding what is evil.
 Tawalla – loving the Ahlu al-Bayt and their followers.
 Tabarra – dissociating oneself from the enemies of the Ahlu l-Bayt.
6. Why are angels important to Muslims? Give an example.
Jibril or Gabriel – in charge of wahi or revelation; Mika’il - in charge of heavenly affairs; Asra’il - the
Angel of death; Rakeeb and Atheed – noble writers in charge of recording deeds; Munkar and Nakir
– questioning in the grave etc. Angels are important because they help to deliver the message of
Islam and are the way that Allah communicates with humans.
7. Name 3 of the prophets of Islam. Why are they important?
The Prophets were given God’s word for their generation. They include Muhammad who received
the Qur’an from God; Abraham; Moses, David, Jesus etc. Muhammad is believed to to be the last of
all the prophets of Allah.
8. What does the word “Islam” mean and why is it an important concept?
Islam means “peace” and “submission” (to do what God wants). Muslims know that to do what
Allah wants may be hard in this life, but they believe that Allah knows best. “Submitting” to Allah
brings “peace” as their destiny is in His hands.
9. Why might the problem of evil and suffering cause some Muslims to question their faith?
They might wonder why an almighty God who has created all things out of love and compassion
allows suffering to happen.
10. How do Muslims respond to the problem of evil?
Allah has granted free will to humans – they can choose to do good or bad things. The will of Allah
is beyond human understanding and therefore impossibly to rationalize. Muslims will often add “If
Allah wills” in their prayers as they know that all things are in His hands, and they should trust His
judgment.
Section 2: Crime and Punishment.
1. What does the Qur’an say about judgement, paradise and hell?
The Qur’an says that people will be tested for their character, reaction to misfortune, reaction to
good fortune and their way of life. Their deeds will be recorded by two angels, Rakeed and Atheed
who will hand the Book of Deeds to the individual on the Day of Judgment. According to the Qur’an
there will be 4 stages of the afterlife: Barzakh (waiting after death for judgment), the End of the
World; the Day of Judgment when one is accountable for one’s earthly deeds; and the Eternal
Afterlife, either heaven (paradise; the reward for a good life), or hell (punishment for a bad life).
2. What is the Night of Power and why is it important to Muslims today?
The Night of Power represents the night in which the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet
Muhammad. Muslims regard this as the most important event in history, and the Qur’an says that
this night is better than a thousand months, and that on this night the angels descend to earth. It
takes place in the last ten days of Ramadan. Muslims will spend time in study and prayer,
sometimes praying or reciting the Qur’an for a whole night.
3. Give 3 examples of the causes of crime.
Greed, poverty, politics, racism, drugs, upbringing, self-esteem etc.
4. How do Muslims try to end these causes?
Muslims believe that people should show compassion for others, so they must help others where
they can. They believe the power of any human is given on trust from Allah, so it is their duty to
speak out where there is injustice, and to protect the weak.
5. What are Muslim attitudes towards punishment?
Islamic law (Shari’ah) is the basis for judgment. Living according to this law is a way in which they
can reach Allah. Punishment has nothing to do with the removal of sin, as only God can forgive and
this only happens when someone is really repentant and asks God for forgiveness. Penalties are
known as hudu – “boundaries” rather than punishments as they enforce boundaries between right
and wrong that have been crossed. Hudu applies to crimes which are dealt with in the Qur’an or
Hadith, eg murder, adultery, or theft.
6. What are Muslim attitudes towards the treatment of criminals?
The Shari’ah says that once a person has been punished, repented and asked God for forgiveness,
they must be treated normally. Hudu will be interpreted differently in different countries.
7. Why is justice important to Muslims?
The Qur’an teaches that all people are created by Allah and are therefore equal, so it is important
that everyone is treated fairly and with justice.
8. Why is reconciliation and forgiveness important to Muslims?
Only Allah can forgive someone who is truly sorry, but once a punishment has been served and
someone has asked God for forgiveness they must be treated normally – there is no further
punishment and they must not be punished further in any way, so forgiving, and restoring friendly
relations (reconciling), is important to ensure that this does not happen.
9. What is Capital Punishment?
Killing or executing somebody, using a country’s legal process, for a serious crime that they have
committed. It is also called the Death Penalty.
10. Give 2 different Muslim views on the use of Capital Punishment.
Many Muslims believe it is wrong to end a life because Allah gives life and decides when people die.
Other Muslims would say that the Qur’an allows Capital punishment because it puts people off
committing serious crimes.
Section 3: Living the Muslim Life.
1. Why are holy books important in Muslim life? Name 2 of them.
Holy books are important because they have all been inspired by Allah, and they reveal to humans
something of the nature of Allah, and tells them how to live their lives. Examples are: The Qur’an,
the Hadiths, the Torah, Psalms of David, Gospel of Jesus, and the scrolls of Abraham and Moses.
2. Why do Muslims recite Shahadah?
Muslims recite Shahadah to declare their belief in the One God, Allah, and to show that they are a
Muslim.
3. Why is hajj important for Muslims?
Muslims believe that visiting the places where Muhammad received the words of the Qur’an from
the angel Jibril should help them better understand what their religion teaches. They should learn
from the experience of Hajj that everyone is equal in the eyes of Allah. The importance of Makkah
goes back 4000 years to the time of Ibrahim.
4. What are Zakah and Khums and why are they important?
Zakah is the giving of a minimum of 2.5% of surplus income. Khums means paying one-fifth of the
surplus of one's income after taking away the expenses of the person and his dependants.
Khums should be shared equally between the Imam, (anything that will benefit, defend or
propagate Islam, such as building Islamic schools, or libraries) and the poor sayyids
(descendants of the Prophet), since they are banned from receiving zakat (charity).
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
It is compulsory for all Muslims who have wealth. Muslims believe this will purify their property as
well as their heart. It also helps to eradicate traits of selfishness and greed.
Why is Salah important to Muslims?
Muslims believe that prayer helps them connect to Allah. Rules were given to the Prophet
Muhammad by Allah concerning the correct number of prayers each day to help people to stay
focused on God. Many Muslims follow these rules because of “submission” which means they
accept Allah’s authority over them.
Why is Sawm important?
Sawm (fasting) helps Muslims to learn self-restraint. They should also try to control emotions such
as anger or greed. It also helps them to remember those who are less fortunate and to be grateful
for what they have.
Name 2 Muslim festivals and say what they commemorate.
Eid-ul-Adha and Eid-ul-Fitr. Eid-ul-Adha comes at the end of the Hajj and reminds Muslims of when
the Prophet Ibrahim was asked by Allah to sacrifice his son. Eid-ul-Fitr is a celebration that marks
the end of Ramadan.
What is the meaning and significance of Jihad?
Jihad traditionally has two meanings: “personal struggle” (greater jihad) to live a perfect Muslim
life, and “holy war or struggle” (lesser jihad) this does not apply to everyone and refers to the
struggle by a whole community to remove evil from society, such as bridging the gap between rich
and poor, addressing underdevelopment etc.
Why is jihad important in the life of a Muslim?
Muslims believe that sometimes life is a struggle, but that when they come through them with their
faith intact they will have learned some valuable lessons from Allah, such as patience or courage.
Section 4: Peace and Conflict.
1. How is life shown as special in the Qur’an?
All things derive their being from Allah, and all shall return to Allah when their time on earth is
over. It is the duty of Muslims to actively promote human rights as all human life is sacred.
2. What are the causes of conflict within society? Name 3 of them.
Politics, resources, history, culture, religion etc.
3. What is a Just War?
A war that is seen by many to be acceptable if it meets certain criteria, such as: it is started by the
proper authorities, is a last resort, does not target civilians, has good intentions to create peace in
the long-term.
4. Give an example of an Islamic teaching about war and peace. Why is this teaching important to
Muslims today?
“Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight you, but do not transgress limits; for Allah loveth not
transgressors.” (The Qur’an 2:190)
“To those against whom war is made, permission is given to fight, because they are wronged, and
truly Allah is most powerful for their aid.” (The Qur’an 22:39)
“If the enemy inclines towards peace, then you should also incline towards peace, and trust in
Allah.” (The Qur’an 8:61)
5. What do Muslims teach about Passive resistance? Give an example of its use.
Muslims are forbidden from being the first to attack. Living in obedience and submission to Allah
means they must work towards a peaceful co-existence with all people. They might choose to
protest by marching, writing letters to politicians, or signing a petition.
6. Name one Muslim group who work for peace today. Why do they do this?
Muslim Peace Fellowship (of Reconciliation) – working to make the beauty of Islam evident in the
world.
7. What are some of the issues surrounding conflict?
Violence, war, terrorism, ignorance, misinterpreted meaning of Jihad, misrepresentation in the
press.
8. How have people worked to overcome some of these issues?
Education – both Muslims and non-Muslims being educated about the true meaning of Islam.
Imams working together to correct misinterpretations and representations of Islam.