FA Islamic Studies (Compulsory) Syllabus

Why is the Sunnah considered the second source of Islamic law?

Because it explains, details, and demonstrates the Quran's commands (e.g., how to pray, fast, perform Hajj); the Quran itself orders obedience to the Prophet (Surah Al-Hashr 59:7).

Name the six most authentic Hadith collections (Sihah Sittah).

Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim, Sunan Abu Dawood, Jami at-Tirmidhi, Sunan an-Nasai, and Sunan Ibn Majah.

Classify Hadith according to authenticity into its three main types.

Sahih (authentic/sound), Hasan (good/acceptable), and Daeef (weak).

What is 'Akhirat' and why is belief in it essential?

Akhirat is the Hereafter — life after death, including resurrection, judgment, and eternal reward or punishment. Belief in it ensures accountability and moral responsibility for one's deeds.

List the key stages of the afterlife according to Islamic belief.

Death, the life of Barzakh (grave), Qiyamah (Day of Resurrection), Hashr (gathering), Hisab (accounting of deeds), and entry into Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hell).

What is 'Mizan' and 'Sirat' in the context of the Hereafter?

Mizan is the Scale on which deeds are weighed on the Day of Judgment; Sirat is the bridge over Hell that all must cross to reach Paradise.

Define 'Ibadat' in Islam.

Ibadat means worship — all acts, sayings, and intentions done in obedience to and for the pleasure of Allah, including both ritual worship and righteous everyday conduct.

What are the five pillars (Arkan) of Islam?

Shahadah (declaration of faith), Salah (prayer), Zakat (almsgiving), Sawm (fasting in Ramadan), and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah for those able).

How many obligatory (fard) daily prayers are there and name them with their rak'ah counts of fard?

Five: Fajr (2), Zuhr (4), Asr (4), Maghrib (3), and Isha (4) fard rak'ahs.

What is the nisab and rate for Zakat on gold/cash savings?

Zakat is due at 2.5% on wealth held for one lunar year above the nisab; the nisab is the value of 87.48 grams (7.5 tola) of gold or 612.36 grams (52.5 tola) of silver.

What is Sawm (fasting) and during which month is it obligatory?

Sawm is abstaining from food, drink, and marital relations from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib) with intention; it is obligatory during the month of Ramadan.

What is Hajj and what is its prescribed time?

Hajj is the pilgrimage to the Kaaba in Makkah, obligatory once in a lifetime for every able Muslim; it is performed in the month of Dhul-Hijjah (8th–12th).

What is 'Shahadah' (the declaration of faith)?

The testimony: 'La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadur Rasul Allah' — 'There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.'

With which phrase does every Surah of the Quran begin (except Surah At-Tawbah)?

Bismillah ir-Rahman ir-Raheem — 'In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.'

What is the main theme of Surah Al-Fatihah?

It is praise of Allah, declaration of His mercy and lordship of the Day of Judgment, and a prayer for guidance to the Straight Path (Sirat al-Mustaqeem).

What does Surah Al-Ikhlas teach about Allah?

It declares the pure Oneness of Allah: He is One (Ahad), Eternal/Self-Sufficient (As-Samad), He neither begets nor is begotten, and nothing is comparable to Him.

What is the central message of Surah Al-Asr?

That mankind is in loss, except those who believe, do righteous deeds, and enjoin one another to truth and patience.

What does Surah Al-Kafiroon establish about faith?

It establishes the rejection of compromise in worship: 'For you is your religion, and for me is mine' — affirming the distinctness of Islamic monotheism from disbelief.

Name the three core teachings emphasized throughout the Quran.

Tawheed (Oneness of Allah), Risalat (prophethood/guidance), and Akhirat (accountability in the Hereafter).

In Islam's social system, what status does the Quran give to all human beings regarding equality?

All humans are equal in dignity; superiority is based only on Taqwa (piety/God-consciousness), as stated in Surah Al-Hujurat (49:13), not race, color, or wealth.

What is 'Riba' and what is its ruling in Islam's economic system?

Riba is interest/usury — any unjustified increase on a loan or exchange; it is strictly forbidden (haram) in Islam (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:275).

What is the purpose of Zakat in Islam's economic system?

To purify wealth, reduce inequality, and circulate money so it does not concentrate among the rich; it redistributes wealth from the wealthy to the poor and needy.

What are the main heads (asnaf) eligible to receive Zakat?

The eight categories in Surah At-Tawbah (9:60): the poor, the needy, Zakat administrators, those whose hearts are to be reconciled, freeing captives/slaves, debtors, in the cause of Allah, and the wayfarer/traveler.

What rights of parents does Islam emphasize?

Obedience, kindness, respect, financial support in their need, and never speaking harshly to them; the Quran links good treatment of parents with worship of Allah (Surah Al-Isra 17:23-24).

What are the key rights of neighbors in Islam?

To treat them with kindness, not harm them, share food, help in need, and protect their honor and property; the Prophet (PBUH) stressed neighbors' rights so strongly the companions thought neighbors might inherit.

What rights does Islam grant to women?

The right to inheritance, mahr (dowry), property ownership, education, consent in marriage, kind treatment, and equal spiritual reward; it abolished female infanticide and granted dignity.

What does Islam teach about the rights of the poor and orphans?

It commands feeding the poor, protecting orphans' property, not oppressing them, and providing for them through Zakat and Sadaqah; mistreating orphans is strongly condemned (Surah Al-Maun).

What is the Islamic concept of 'Huqooq Allah' versus 'Huqooq al-Ibad'?

Huqooq Allah are the rights/duties owed to Allah (e.g., worship, belief); Huqooq al-Ibad are the rights owed to fellow human beings (e.g., justice, honesty, kindness). Both must be fulfilled.

According to a famous Hadith, on what five pillars is Islam built?

On five: testifying there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His Messenger, establishing Salah, giving Zakat, fasting in Ramadan, and performing Hajj (narrated in Bukhari and Muslim).

What does the Hadith 'Actions are judged by intentions' (Innamal a'malu bin-niyyat) teach?

That the reward and validity of any deed depend on the sincerity of one's intention (niyyah); a person is rewarded according to what they intended.

What did the Prophet (PBUH) emphasize about good character in the Hadith 'The best of you are those...'?

'The best of you are those who have the best character/manners,' showing that good Akhlaq is central to faith and the measure of a believer's excellence.