Download GCSE Religious Studies A Examiner report Unit 08 - Islam

GCSE
RELIGIOUS STUDIES A
405008 Islam
Report on the Examination
4050
June 2016
Version: 1.0
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REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION – GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES A – 4050 – JUNE 2016
405008 Islam
General comments
Overall, there was a high standard achieved by many of the students on many of the questions.
Again it is pleasing to record some excellent teaching taking place in our schools and colleges on
this particular world faith. The use of key Arabic words and terms from students is particularly
pleasing to see. Although there is no specific requirement to include these words and terms in
responses to questions, where applicable, it can assist a response. Some of the Part B responses
on food laws were particularly focused, in depth and fulsome.
Part A
A1: The Five Pillars
A1(a) This was a good starter question for many students. There were some detailed and accurate
responses with many students exemplifying accurately their understanding of salah and the
importance of the practice. Very few gave a superficial reply. The main detailed responses
identified that Salah is clearly important, as it is performed five times a day and shows how
Muslims are regularly declaring their faith in Allah. Some of the better responses included how
prayer times clear the mind of immediate concerns and by ritually washing before prayer, Muslims
are refreshed.
A1(b) Many students evaluated this statement well. The majority tended to see zakah as far more
testing for a Muslim than hajj and the fact that zakah can be used for many purposes, both
community based and personally, whereas hajj is primarily for the individual Muslim. Some of the
answers at the top end suggested that zakah shows equality within the Ummah more than hajj as
only certain Muslims can afford hajj and giving away money to those less fortunate than
themselves is the greatest gift a Muslim can bestow.
A1(c) Most students answered this question with a great deal of depth and detail. Most mentioned
remembering Muhammad receiving the first revelation of the Qur’an and Muslims could pay extra
attention to the Qur’an as well as being the fourth pillar of faith. There were many focused and
fulsome responses with accuracy, knowledge and understanding revealed. At the top end some
students mentioned that, when Muslims fast, it is an act of deeply personal worship in which
Muslims seek a raised level of God consciousness or taqwa.
A1(d) Muslim students themselves may have been experiencing Ramadan as there was a great
deal of personal account, and many suggested that Muslims may not have the support network to
help and guide them in the fast in a non-Muslim country and, in particular, children may find it
difficult in school. Equally it could be difficult to be at work and put in a full day because they may
be getting up in the middle of the night and eating for energy, before dawn and that this takes its
toll on Muslims. The counter argument was well founded and based on fasting still being a pillar of
faith, and Muslims will want to perform it wherever they are. Focusing on the less fortunate instead
of themselves builds character and this sort of response was characteristic of the better responses.
A2: Worship
A2(a) This question was about significance and sometimes students said only what they knew of
the features, rather than the significance. It is clear many students know and understand the
features well and many were fairly descriptive and could pick up some marks, but the significance
was the key to answering this question.
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REPORT ON THE EXAMINATION – GCSE RELIGIOUS STUDIES A – 4050 – JUNE 2016
A2(b) It is clear that many students have been taught well with regard to the mosque and many
evaluated whether or not going to the mosque was essential with some authority of the subject
matter. Good knowledge and good understanding clearly contributed to the quality of the
responses, and a good number of students scored well. Good responses tended to focus on how a
mosque can reflect the magnificence of Allah as well as it being a place where the whole
community can gather for, amongst other things, the reinforcement of the teachings and practices
of the religion. Equally as a counter argument, many of the students were mindful that Muhammad
said that anywhere a Muslim prays with the right intention is a mosque, so a physical building is not
required and, ultimately, Allah knows the thoughts and hearts of his followers, so going to a
mosque is unnecessary. Some much focused and clear evaluative comment allowed for the higher
levels to be reached by a good proportion of the students.
A3: Justice and Equality
A3(a) Some students were confident in their expression of the role of women. They tended to keep
to the stereotypical response but were able to achieve at least three out of the four marks available
for the general view of the role of wife, mother, running a Muslim home, teaching their children to
pray and be good Muslims etc.
A3(b) This question proved to be a gift for many students who could clearly identify one cause of
prejudice and exemplify it well. The media featured heavily amongst the responses.
A3(c) Many students offered plenty of detail on this evaluative question about equality between the
genders in Islam. Many responded about the nature of equality being at the forefront of Muslim
teaching and belief. Many also found this a thought-provoking question and mentioned rules
around clothing being more strict for women, and how many of the Shari’ah rules are different for
women, for example regarding divorce procedures. As a counter claim, some of the better
responses considered how Allah created all equal and how inequality between the genders might
actually be a more western interpretation. Overall, students tended to offer analysis that was wellfocused and well judged on this question.
A4: Family Life
A4(a) This question on arranged marriages was reasonably well answered. Not many mentioned
that laws are not laid down in the Qur’an about arranged marriages but many answered with
parents expecting to have a role in choice of partner, as well as the fact that marriages cannot be
forced in Islam.
A4(b) Almost all knew the answer to this one-mark question on polygamy.
A4(c) Almost all achieved full marks on this question about adultery with many students citing how
shameful and dishonourable the practice is alongside punishments for breaking this law stated in
the Qur’an. This was very well answered on the whole.
A4(d) There was some very well expressed analysis in response to this question about sex before
marriage. The view of sex before marriage being a sin in Islam was prevalent in the arguments
agreeing with the statement and the view that it is just part of modern times and Islam should keep
up with the times seemed to be the most prevalent arguments against the evaluative statement.
Responses tended to be well balanced at the top end. Some students offered a one-sided
response and this is a timely reminder that ‘other views’ should be considered on the six-mark
evaluation questions to achieve above Level 4.
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Part B
Question B5 proved to be rather more popular than B6.
B5: Personal Lifestyle
B5(a) There were some very good responses as many students focused on some of the intricacies
of food laws in Islam. The depth, detail and exemplification offered were often excellent and worthy
of full marks. This question proved to be the most straightforward on the paper for those students
who attempted it.
B5(b) This was well answered by students in the main. The better responses gave the view that
religion, indeed any religion, is much more than what a person eats and drinks and focused on the
view that beliefs were the key to a faith. Some at the top end responded by arguing that any food
laws were given in a bygone age and they may have been important then but not so much now.
Clearly the counter arguments at the top end then went on to say that religion should not be
eroded or what else might follow if food laws were no longer upheld. There were some mature
arguments expressed by many students which were absolutely creditworthy.
B5(c) There were some good responses here but also some very generalised ones. Many knew
what the Ummah was but other than expressing it as the community of Muslims or the brotherhood
and sisterhood of Islam, there tended to be little real development. Students could have developed
ideas surrounding the Ummah transcending race, nationality, colour, gender and language and
how, when exemplified, mention of the Ummah being shown best on the hajj, alongside maybe
becoming a member of the Ummah by acknowledging the shahadah is the single most important
thing a Muslim can do in life, would have offered further depth and detail in some responses etc.
B5(d) This proved to be a very straightforward question for many and it was clear many had been
well taught on this evaluative issue. Some of the stronger responses exemplified their responses
with a discussion about the cultural aspect of a Muslim woman wearing the hijab as well as the
view that women are seen for their characters and minds rather than as sex objects. Balanced and
focused responses went on to offer some strong counter claims that reflected on how wearing the
hijab in a non-Muslim country say, can draw attention to Muslim women rather than the intended
reverse and could therefore, lead to women becoming the victims of harassment and abuse. The
discussion, in the main, was very well judged and particularly impressive were some more
sophisticated responses that saw the view of a social separation rather than the hijab being about
modesty.
B6: Beliefs and Sources of Authority
B6(a) This question was generally well done by the few who responded to B6. Some students
offered some specific references to both Madinah (Medina) and Makkah and with examples of the
building of the first mosque in Madinah to detailed instruction on prayer, fasting and charity to
getting rid of the idols in Makkah, establishing of a peace treaty and creating a system of justice.
However, some students tended to generalise too much without any specific exemplification,
thereby finding it difficult to gain more than half marks. Some of the weaker responses that just
generalised gave very few concrete examples of the actual work Muhammad did in either place.
B6(b) Differing views on the most important aspect of Muhammad’s life characterised some very
good and specific responses from many students who tackled this question. Some students had a
good grasp of Muhammad’s life and did a detailed job of comparing and contrasting certain
aspects. Some students went into how important the receiving the Qur’an was for the overriding
authority for Muslims which still stands true for today, as well as receiving the direct message from
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Allah. As a counter argument, many mentioned Muhammad’s work establishing the first mosque in
Madinah was vital for the Islamic faith, and it was clear that the teaching about the life of
Muhammad had been done in some depth at many schools and colleges.
B6(c) This question on Shari’ah law was well answered. Students who chose this Part B question
clearly knew plenty of depth and detail to include, and some good knowledge and understanding
was shown in many responses to this question. Some of the weaker responses tended to
generalise and offer peripheral answers rather than getting to the issue of it being the holy religious
law of Islam. Hardly any students incorporated an example of how many Muslims believe that law
ought to serve humanity and how Shari’ah law includes ijma (consensus) and qiyas (analogy), etc.
There were too many generalisations by some students though who could have made reference to
specific areas of Muslim life such as politics, banking, economics, sexuality, contracts and the
family as a legal framework for all manner of social issues. Some of the better responses were
able to grasp the significance of some of the work various scholars of Islam have done to interpret
the laws of Allah and how this is vital in allowing Muslims to live according to his word today.
B6(d) Many responses recognised that ultimately Muhammad led by example and that this will
always be a source of guidance for Muslims today. Most went on to offer some good depth and
detail to exemplify their responses. These included the fact that Muhammad was the ‘seal of the
prophets’ so Muslims pay attention to his actions. Some of the better evaluative considerations
were also along the lines of how Muhammad preached, even though he was persecuted.
Muhammad’s religious experience on Mount Hira also featured in some of the analysis by some
students and how the shorter chapters at the end of the Qur’an revealed Muhammad’s skill as an
orator. At the top end, as a counter argument, a few of the stronger responses made reference to
how the hadith is often more revered by Muslims than the sunnah etc.
Spelling, punctuation and grammar
Most students gained three or four marks from the four marks available. Students should be
reminded to use specialist vocabulary where possible and to write coherently, use paragraphs and
appropriate punctuation and ensure that key words are spelt correctly.
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Mark Ranges and Award of Grades
Grade boundaries and cumulative percentage grades are available on the Results Statistics
page of the AQA Website.
Converting Marks into UMS marks
Convert raw marks into Uniform Mark Scale (UMS) marks by using the link below.
UMS conversion calculator
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