Syllabus – IGCSE Islamic Studies

IGCSE Islamic Studies Syllabus

Aims

The aim of the syllabus is to equip candidates with the ability to:

Attain a thorough understanding of the principal sources, core tenets, and early origins of Islam
Foster a curious mindset towards the examination of Islam
Recognize and delve into the religious, historical, and ethical inquiries presented in the course material.

Objectives

Candidates are expected to demonstrate a comprehensive understanding of the topics covered in this subject. Specifically:

They should be able to recall, select, and present relevant information about the Islamic faith’s fundamental principles and history.
They should clearly comprehend the importance of these principles in the teachings of Islam and how they affect the daily lives of Muslims.

Content

Paper 1

Major Themes Of The Qur’an

God in himself
God’s relationship with the created world
God’s Messengers

The History And Importance Of The Qur’an

The revelation of the Qur’an to the Prophet (pbuh) between the years 610 and 632
The account of the compilation of the Qur’an under the Rightly Guided Caliphs
The major themes of the Qur’an as contained both in the passages set for special study and in other similar passages
The use of the Qur’an in legal thinking and its relationship with the Hadiths, consensus (ijma‘ ) and analogy (qiyas)
Its significance as the basis of all thought and action in Islam

The Life And Importance Of The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)

The main events of the Prophet’s life, from his birth to his call to prophethood
The main events of his activities in Makka and his experiences with his opponents
The main events of his activities in Madina, his leadership of the community there and his conflicts with the Makkans and others
His actions and character
The importance of his actions as examples for Muslim individuals in their personal conduct and relations with others, including women and non-Muslims
The importance of his actions as examples for Muslim communities in their relations with other states
His significance as Seal of the Prophets and last Messenger of God

The First Islamic Community

The Prophet’s wives
His descendants, including his children, grandchildren, and the direct line recognized among Shi’a Muslims as Imams
His leading Companions, including the Ten Blessed Companions, his Scribes, the major characters who surrounded him in his ministry, the Emigrants and Helpers, and the four Rightly Guided Caliphs during his lifetime

Paper 2

Major Teachings In The Hadiths Of The Prophet

Individual conduct
Life in the community

The History And Importance Of The Hadiths

The history of the compilation of the hadiths
The earliest collections
The main Musnad and Musannaf collections
The main compilers and their activities
The methods based on examination of the chain of transmitters (isnad) and the text (matn) of a Hadith to test the reliability of the Hadith
The main features of the six collections of Sunni Hadiths and the four collections of Shi‘a Hadiths
The major themes of the Hadiths as these are contained both in the passages set for special study and in other similar passages
Their use in legal thinking, and their relationship with the Qur’an, consensus (ijma‘) and analogy (qiyas)
Their significance in thought and action in Islam

The Period Of Rule Of The Rightly Guided Caliphs And Their Importance As Leaders

The main events of the rules of the four Caliphs
Their policies in maintaining and expanding the state
Their approaches to leading the community
Their main achievements
Their significance as examples of leadership
the importance of their rules as models for government today
their importance as examples for Muslim communities in their relations with other states

The Articles Of Faith And The Pillars Of Islam

The Six Articles of Faith:

God, including what Muslims believe about him
angels, their nature and duties
books, their contents and purpose
prophets, their character and function
God’s predestination and decree, its meaning and significance
Resurrection and the last day, the main events and its significance

Resurrection and the last day, the main events and its significance

The Five Pillars of Islam:

The declaration of faith, shahada, including the significance of what it contains
Prayer, salat, including preparations, its performance and Importance, congregational prayers on fridays and festivals, Times of prayer, the place of prayer, private prayer, delayed Prayer
Alms-giving, zakat, how it is performed and its significance in the community
Fasting, sawm, including the way it is observed, its significance and those exempted
Pilgrimage, hajj, including the main observances involved and their significance

Assessment

Students will be assessed through written examinations at the end of the course. The examinations will test their knowledge, understanding, and ability to apply Islamic concepts to real-world scenarios.

Progression

Successful completion of the IGCSE Islamic Studies program opens doors to further studies in Islamic Studies or related disciplines at the AS and A-Level. It also equips students with valuable transferable skills like critical thinking, research, and communication, which are highly sought after in various academic and professional fields.

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