Pearson Edexcel International GCSE in Islamic Studies
(4IS1)
Edexcel
International GCSE Islamic Studies (2017) | Pearson qualifications
Specification
international-gcse-islamic-Studies-Specification.pdf
(For more information look at the specification)
The course is divided into three key sections
• The life, teachings and achievements of the Prophet
Muhammad
• The key beliefs, practices and features of the early
Muslim community founded by the Prophet
• Living the Muslim life today.
Section A: The life, teachings and achievements of the
Prophet Muhammad
1.1 Personal aspects of the Prophet’s life
a) the Prophet’s ancestry and the main events of his early
years from birth to parenthood, including:
• his parents and early influences, including Abu Talib and
Bahira
• his work and business before the revelation of the Qur’an
• his relationship with his wives and children b) the
importance of the prophet’s early life for his future work as the messenger of
Allah
1.2 The Revelation of the Qur’an
a) the events of the
‘Night of Power’ (Night of Decree):
• the details of the conversation with Jibrail in the cave
at Hira
• the importance of this experience in the establishment of
Islam
b) the importance to
Muslims of the revelation of the Qur’an
c) the way in which the Qur’an was compiled
1.3 The Prophethood of Muhammad
a) the meaning of the title ‘Seal of the Prophets’
b) the importance of
Muhammad’s role as prophet in the establishment of Islam
c) the opposition
faced in Makkah by the Prophet and his followers
1.4 Opposition and
Hijrah
a) the events of the boycott and the Mi’raj
b) the plot to kill the Prophet and the details of the
flight to Madinah
c) the welcome by the people of Madinah and the building of
mosques on arrival there
d) the significance and importance of the events of the
Hijrah in the life of the Prophet and the early Islamic community
e) the support given to the Prophet during his lifetime by:
• Abu Bakr • Ali ibn Talib • Uthman • Umar
f) the importance of the contribution of the Prophet’s
companions and helpers (Ansar) to the establishment of Islam
1.5 The Sunnah of the Prophet
a) the importance for Muslims of the teachings, deeds and
sayings of the Prophet
b) the recording of
the Sunnah
c) the role of the Sunnah in the establishment of Islamic
belief and practice
1.6 Teachings and example of the Prophet on specific
issues of justice and equality
a) The teachings and example of the Prophet on:
• social and economic justice • human rights • relationship
with people of other religions • respect for mothers and for women
b) The importance of the teachings in understanding the
nature of Muslim beliefs about society
1.7 The Prophet as leader
a) the role of the Prophet in the establishment of the
Shari’ah
b) the consolidation and expansion of Islam after the Hijrah
c) the Prophet’s
treatment of opponents and prisoners
d) the Prophet’s
relationship with other communities and countries
1.8 Battles fought by the Prophet
a) the battles fought
by the Prophet and his followers after the Hijrah:
• Badr • Ohud •
Trench • Khyber
b) the reasons the Prophet chose to fight the battles
c) the importance of
the battles for the establishment of Islam
1.9 The Prophet’s final acts and his achievements
a) the Prophet’s final pilgrimage and sermon
b) the main themes and the importance of the Prophet’s
example and teaching in his later years c) the significant achievements of the
Prophet in the areas of society, religion and politics
d) the events at the Prophet’s death in Madinah
Section B: The key, beliefs, practices and features of
the early Muslim community founded by the Prophet
2.1 The nature of belief in Allah
a) the meaning and
importance of belief in the oneness of Allah (Tawhid)
b) the meaning and
importance of the attributes of Allah, including:
• His omnipotence • Allah as creator • Allah as merciful and
just
c) the meaning and importance of the teaching about shirk
and nifaq (hypocrisy)
d) the characteristics of Allah as shown in the Qur’an
2.2 Risalah
a) the nature and importance of prophethood for Muslims
b) what the roles of
prophets teach Muslims
c) the lives of prophets before Muhammad:
• Adam • Ibrahim • Isma’il • Musa • Dawud • Isa
2.3 The holy books of Islam
a) the nature of the
Islamic holy books, specifically:
• Tawrat • Zabur • Injil • Scrolls of Abraham
b) the importance of
the holy books in the establishment of Islam
2.4 al-Qadr
a) the nature and importance of predestination for Muslims
b) how al-Qadr and
free will relate to the ‘Day of Judgment’
c) the significance
of belief in al-Qadr for the early Islamic community
d) the nature and significance of evil and suffering
2.5 Akhirah
a) the nature and
teachings about life after death, including:
• final judgment • paradise (Jannah) and hell (Jahannam) •
life in the grave and Barzakh
b) how the Islamic
teachings about life after death are expressed in the Qur’an
2.6 Malaikah
a) the nature and
importance of angels for Muslims
b) the roles and
importance of the principal angels in Islamic belief, including:
• Jibrail • Mikail • Israfil • Izrael
2.7 Shari’ah
a) the principal sources and establishment of Shari’ah law,
the Qur’an and the Sunnah
b) the importance of
the Shari’ah in the early Islamic community
c) related sources of law, such as ijma (consensus) and
qiyas (analogy)
d) the meaning and importance, in Muslim acts, of the
difference between ‘halal’ and ‘haram’, including the distinction between the
five categories (Ahkam pentad): • fard (compulsory) • mandub (recommended) •
mubah (neither obligatory, recommended or disliked) • makruh (disliked) • haram
(forbidden)
2.8 Islamic
etiquette, attitude and manners
a) Islamic etiquette in relations with other people
b) Islamic attitudes to lying and harmful speech
c) Islamic manners when eating
d) the importance for Muslims of correct etiquette,
attitudes and manners and the support for this found in the Qur’an and Sunnah
2.9 The early leaders of the Muslim community
a) the leadership of
Islam following the death of the Prophet
b) the role and achievements of the early leaders
c) the importance of the period of the early leaders for the Islamic community
Section C: Living the Muslim life today
3.1 Shahadah
a) the nature and role of Shahadah for Muslims
b) the importance of reciting Shahadah for Muslims
c) how the Shahadah is used in practice
3.2 Salah
a) the nature and
significance of Salah for Muslims
b) the importance of Salah in the life of Muslims
c) how Salah is performed: • ablution • times • directions •
movements • recitations
d) Salah in the home and mosque and at Friday (Jummah)
prayer e) exemptions from Salah 3.3
Sawm
a) the nature, role, significance and purpose of fasting
during Ramadan
b) those who are exempt from fasting
c) the importance of Laylat al-Qadr for Muslims today
3.4 Zakah and Khums
a) the nature and purpose of Zakah
b) the nature and
purpose of Khums
c) the importance of Zakah and Khums for Muslims
d) the global importance of giving support to those in need
3.5 Hajj
a) the nature, role, origins and significance of Hajj
b) key actions
performed during Hajj
c) the importance of Hajj for Muslims
d) benefits and challenges of attending Hajj for Muslims
e) exemptions from the performance of Hajj for Muslims
3.6 Jihad
a) the origins, meaning and significance of jihad in Islam
b) the distinction between the greater (inner) jihad and the
lesser (outer) jihad
c) the importance of
the greater jihad in the life of Muslims
d) the conditions for declaration of lesser jihad, including
reference to Surah 2: 190–194 and 22:39
3.7 Islamic festivals
a) the origins and activities of the Islamic festivals: •
Eid-ul-Adha • Eid-ul-Fitr • Ashura
b) the meaning and significance of the Islamic festivals for
Muslims
3.8 Marriage and the family
a) the significance
of marriage in Islamic life
b) Muslim teachings
about marriage
c) Muslim teachings about the purpose of families
d) ceremonies relating to birth and death and their meaning
e) the importance of procreation in the strengthening of the
Ummah
3.9 Muslim citizenship and religious and political
leadership
a) Muslim beliefs about the nature of leadership and the
responsibility of religious and political leaders
b) the challenges faced by leaders of Islam in the modern
world
c) the challenges and responsibilities of citizenship for
Muslims
d) the Prophet and His successors as models of leadership
