SPSC Test Islamic Studies Syllabus

Define Risalat (Prophethood).

The belief that Allah chose prophets and messengers to convey His guidance to humanity; Muhammad (PBUH) is the last and final Prophet (Khatam an-Nabiyyin).

What is the difference between a Nabi and a Rasul?

A Nabi (prophet) receives revelation to follow and convey; a Rasul (messenger) is given a new code of law or scripture (sharia) to deliver. Every Rasul is a Nabi, but not every Nabi is a Rasul.

What does 'Khatam an-Nabiyyin' mean and which Prophet does it refer to?

'Seal of the Prophets'; it refers to Muhammad (PBUH), the final prophet after whom no new prophet will come (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:40).

Define Akhirah.

Belief in the Hereafter; the life after death involving resurrection, the Day of Judgment, accountability for one's deeds, and eternal reward (Jannah) or punishment (Jahannam).

What are the key stages of the Hereafter in Islamic belief?

Death, life in the grave (Barzakh), the blowing of the Trumpet and Resurrection (Qiyamah), the Day of Judgment (accounting of deeds), crossing the Sirat, and entry into Paradise or Hellfire.

What are the Five Pillars of Islam?

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

How many obligatory daily prayers (Salah) are there, and name them.

Five: Fajr, Zuhr, Asr, Maghrib, and Isha.

What is the prescribed rate of Zakat on accumulated wealth (savings/gold/silver) held for one lunar year?

2.5% (one-fortieth) of the wealth that exceeds the nisab threshold.

What is Sawm, and during which month is it obligatory?

Fasting from dawn (Fajr) to sunset (Maghrib) by abstaining from food, drink, and marital relations; obligatory during the month of Ramadan.

What is Hajj, and how often is it obligatory in a Muslim's lifetime?

The annual pilgrimage to Makkah performed in Dhul-Hijjah; obligatory once in a lifetime for every adult Muslim who is physically and financially able.

Name three core rituals performed during Hajj.

Tawaf (circumambulating the Kaaba), Sa'i (walking between Safa and Marwah), and standing (Wuquf) at Arafat; also stoning the Jamarat and Qurbani (sacrifice).

State one spiritual and one social significance of Salah.

Spiritually it builds a direct connection with Allah and discipline; socially, congregational prayer fosters equality, unity, and brotherhood among Muslims.

What is the social significance of Zakat?

It redistributes wealth, reduces poverty and inequality, purifies wealth, and strengthens social solidarity and care for the needy.

Name two Muslim scholars who made major contributions to medicine.

Ibn Sina (Avicenna), author of 'Al-Qanun fi al-Tibb' (The Canon of Medicine), and Al-Razi (Rhazes), who described smallpox and measles.

Who is regarded as the father of Algebra in the Islamic Golden Age?

Al-Khwarizmi, whose work 'Al-Kitab al-Mukhtasar fi Hisab al-Jabr wal-Muqabala' gave the term 'algebra'; the word 'algorithm' derives from his name.

Which Muslim scholar is considered the father of optics?

Ibn al-Haytham (Alhazen), author of 'Kitab al-Manazir' (Book of Optics), who pioneered the scientific method in studying light and vision.

Which Muslim polymath is regarded as a founder of sociology and historiography?

Ibn Khaldun, author of the 'Muqaddimah', who developed early theories of society, economics, and the rise and fall of civilizations.

What are the distinctive architectural features of Islamic mosques?

Domes, minarets, arches, the mihrab (prayer niche indicating qibla), the minbar (pulpit), courtyards, and geometric and arabesque ornamentation with calligraphy.

Why does Islamic art emphasize geometric patterns, arabesques, and calligraphy rather than figural images?

To avoid the depiction of living beings (which could lead to idolatry), Islamic art developed abstract geometric designs, floral arabesques, and Quranic calligraphy as decoration.

Name two famous examples of Islamic architecture.

The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem and the Taj Mahal in India; others include the Alhambra in Spain and the Blue Mosque in Istanbul.

What role did Muslim scholars play in preserving and advancing classical knowledge?

During the Golden Age, they translated Greek, Persian, and Indian works (notably at Baghdad's House of Wisdom / Bayt al-Hikmah), preserved them, and advanced mathematics, medicine, astronomy, and philosophy.

List three rights granted to women in Islam.

The right to inherit property, the right to own and manage wealth independently, the right to education, the right to consent in marriage, and the right to mahr (dower).

What did Islam abolish regarding the treatment of women in pre-Islamic Arabia?

It abolished female infanticide, gave women legal personhood, inheritance rights, and protected their dignity, status, and property rights.

What rights does Islam guarantee to non-Muslim minorities (Dhimmis) living in an Islamic state?

Protection of life, property, and honor; freedom to practice their religion; and justice—in return for the Jizya tax, while being exempt from military service and Zakat.

How did the Charter (Constitution) of Madinah treat religious minorities?

It granted Jews and other communities freedom of religion, security, and equal rights as part of one unified community (Ummah), with mutual obligations of defense.

What does the Quran say about justice even when it is against oneself or relatives (Surah An-Nisa 4:135)?

It commands Muslims to stand firmly for justice as witnesses for Allah, even if it is against themselves, their parents, or their relatives, regardless of wealth or status.

What principle of equality did the Prophet (PBUH) emphasize in his Farewell Sermon?

No Arab is superior to a non-Arab, nor white over black, except by piety (taqwa); all humans are equal like the teeth of a comb.

In Islam, what is the basis of true superiority among people?

Taqwa (God-consciousness/piety), not race, color, wealth, lineage, or nationality (Surah Al-Hujurat 49:13).

Which religions does Islam recognize as related 'Abrahamic' faiths sharing prophets and scriptures?

Judaism and Christianity; their followers are called 'People of the Book' (Ahl al-Kitab), having received earlier revelations (Torah and Injil).

How does the concept of God in Islam (Tawheed) compare with the Christian concept of the Trinity?

Islam affirms strict monotheism—Allah is One, indivisible, with no partners or sons—whereas Christianity holds the doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit); Islam rejects any division of God's oneness.