Exam guide

Paper structure

Islamiyat has two written papers. Each is worth half of the final grade.

The question pattern is the same on both papers:

• Question 1 (compulsory, 8 marks). Paper 1 prints three set Qur'an passages and Paper 2 prints four set Hadiths. You choose two. Part (a), 4 marks, asks for the themes or teaching. Part (b), 4 marks, asks why they matter, or how Muslims can act on them, today.
• Question 2 (compulsory, 14 marks). Part (a) is a 10-mark account and part (b) is a 4-mark evaluation. On Paper 1 it is about the history of the Qur'an (revelation, compilation, the Qur'an as a source of law) or a themed essay on the set passages. On Paper 2 it is about the history of the Hadiths (isnad and matn, collections, sources of law) or an essay that uses the set Hadiths.
• Questions 3–5 (choose two, 14 marks each). Each has a 10-mark (a) and a 4-mark (b). On Paper 1 these questions cover the Prophet's life and the first community. On Paper 2 they cover the caliphs, the Articles of Faith and the Pillars.

Across both papers, part (a) tests knowledge (AO1, levels marked out of 10 or 4) and part (b) tests understanding and evaluation (AO2, out of 4). The structure did not change from May/June 2022 to May/June 2026. The June 2026 grade thresholds also list a separate route, Component 50 (90 marks). None of its papers are in this set, so check the current syllabus if it applies to you.

Topic weights

The shares below are taken from 18 papers (variant 2 of Paper 1 and Paper 2 in 9 sessions, 900 marks). Optional questions are counted at two-thirds of their marks, because you answer two of the three. "Sessions examined" counts the sessions, out of 9, in which the topic appeared at least once.

Bankers

These topics come up in almost every session:

• Set Qur'an passages (Paper 1, Q1). Every session. Learn all 15 set passages under their three themes:
  • God in Himself: Suras 112, 2.255, 6.101–103, 41.37 and 42.4–5.
  • God and the created world: Suras 1, 2.21–22, 96.1–5, 99 and 114.
  • God and His messengers: Suras 2.30–37 (Adam), 6.75–79 (Abraham), 5.110 (Jesus), 93 and 108.

The papers draw on all three themes. The created world and the messengers each appeared in 8 of 9 sessions, and Sura 114 came up three times.

• Set Hadiths (Paper 2, Q1). Every session. You must be able to state the teaching of every set Hadith in your own words and give a fresh, practical example of how to act on it.
• Life of the Prophet (pbuh) (Paper 1, Q3–5). One or two optional questions in every session. Questions on the Makkan period came up most often: open preaching and the Makkans' reaction, persecution, Ta'if, patience, and the migration to Abyssinia (5 of 9 sessions). Battles were also frequent (Badr, Khandaq, Khaybar, Tabuk), and so was the Madina period (the Constitution of Madina, letters to rulers, relations with the Quraysh).
• Rightly Guided Caliphs (Paper 2, Q3–4). At least one question in every session, and often two. 'Umar (4 sessions) and 'Ali (4 sessions) were asked most often.
• Pillars of Islam (Paper 2). Every session. Prayer (benefits, adhan and steps, missed prayers, Friday and Eid prayers) and Hajj and sacrifice came up most often.
• Companions (Paper 1, Q5). Four sessions in this sample, often as a pair or a group of named Companions.

Rarely tested

These came up only once in the 9 sessions sampled. Revise them, but give them less time than the bankers:

• 'Uthman's caliphate on its own (his martyrdom was asked in 2022 and as an option in 2026).
• Angels, life after death and predestination, as stand-alone Article of Faith questions.
• Jihad (2022 Oct/Nov, on peaceful forms of jihad).
• The Scribes of the Prophet, and the Emigrants and Helpers (both in 2025 Oct/Nov).
• The golden age of Hadith compilation (2023 Oct/Nov).
• The Prophet's early life before prophethood (2023 May/June, about his mother and his foster-mother).

The sample did not include a full question on zakat or fasting. Zakat appeared only inside a question on Abu Bakr. These are still in the syllabus, so do not leave them out.

Trends

• Question 2 alternates. On Paper 1, Q2 was about the history of the Qur'an in 6 sessions and was a thematic essay on the set passages in 3 sessions (2023 Oct/Nov, and both 2025 sessions). Examples of the essays are God's blessings in creation, how God describes Himself, and God's relationship with Adam and Abraham. Prepare for both kinds.
• Sources of Islamic law are rising. The use of the Qur'an, Hadith, ijma' and qiyas in law-making came up on Paper 1 (2024 Oct/Nov, 2026 May/June) and on Paper 2 (2022 May/June, 2024 May/June, 2025 Oct/Nov). That is five times in nine sessions across the two papers.
• Isnad, matn and classification of Hadiths is a regular Paper 2 Q2 topic: 2023 May/June, 2025 May/June and 2026 May/June.
• Tawhid has appeared twice recently, in 2024 Oct/Nov and 2026 May/June, after not appearing in 2022–2023.
• Comparison questions across caliphs have appeared: leadership qualities of all four in 2022, and the martyrdom of two of three in 2026.
• Part (b) questions are increasingly evaluative. More of them ask "to what extent", "in your opinion" or "which was the most…", so they need a reasoned judgement rather than a list.

Question styles

• Part (a), 10 marks: "Give an account of…", "Write about…", "Describe…", "Outline…". These are narrative or descriptive answers that need accurate names, dates, places and sequence. Supporting quotations from the Qur'an or Hadith add depth.
• Part (b), 4 marks: "Why do you think…", "What lessons can Muslims learn…", "How can Muslims…", "To what extent…", "In your opinion…, give reasons". Give one or two well-developed points, link each one to life today, and reach a judgement where one is asked for.
• Question 1: For (a), state the theme or teaching of each chosen passage or Hadith without paraphrasing it. For (b), explain its importance or the action it calls for, with a concrete modern example.
• Multi-part instructions are common, for example "two of the following", "three of the following Companions", or "give two examples from the time of the Companions". Marks are lost if any part is skipped.

Common mistakes

These points come from the examiner reports for 2022 and 2023:

• Paraphrasing the printed passage or Hadith. Examiners want the meaning and the teaching, not the translation said again in other words.
• Writing background instead of themes. Some answers wrote about the sura's name, number or place of revelation when the question asked about its themes.
• Mixing up (a) and (b). Some answers put actions into part (a) or repeated the part (a) themes in part (b). Label both parts and keep them separate.
• Pre-prepared answers that miss the question. Examples:
  • writing about armed fighting when the question asked about peaceful jihad;
  • writing about personal benefits when the question asked about communal benefits;
  • writing about the brotherhood of Madina when the question asked about the Constitution of Madina.
• Confusing similar events. Examples are Nihawand with Nahrawan or Qadisiyya, Tabuk with Mu'tah, predestination with tawhid or the Day of Judgement, the Day of 'Arafah with the Day of Judgement, and ijma' with qiyas. Battle questions need exactly the right facts.
• Answering only half the question. Examples:
  • covering 'Uthman's martyrdom but not 'Ali's election;
  • covering the benefits of prayer for the individual but not for the community;
  • describing isnad, matn, musnad and musannaf but not the relationship between them.
• Part (b) answers that are too simple. Statements like "Muslims should believe in God" without reasons or examples stay in the low levels.

Grade thresholds

These are the minimum raw marks for each grade on the components sampled (12 and 22, each out of 50) and for the 12 + 22 option overall (out of 100). Component tables do not include A*.

Since 2023, an A overall has needed about 57–61 out of 100 and an A* about 66–71. Paper 2 thresholds are usually a few marks lower than Paper 1.

Revision priorities for Oct/Nov 2026 and 2027

1. All 15 set Qur'an passages and all set Hadiths. These questions are compulsory every session and together are worth 16 marks. Prepare a theme or teaching and a modern application for each one.
2. Sources of Islamic law. Learn the Qur'an, Hadith, ijma' and qiyas, how they work together, and examples from the Companions and from today. This topic is now likely on either paper.
3. Hadith science and compilation. Learn isnad, matn, the categories of Hadith (sahih, hasan, da'if), musnad and musannaf, and the main collectors.
4. The Makkan period and the main battles. Cover the first revelation, open preaching, persecution, Ta'if, Abyssinia, hijrah, and the battles of Badr, Uhud, Khandaq, Khaybar and the conquest of Makka.
5. 'Umar and 'Ali. Learn their reforms, battles and leadership qualities, and also Abu Bakr's achievements and how the caliphs died.
6. Prayer, Hajj and the festivals, then tawhid and prophets and books among the Articles of Faith.
7. Topics not seen recently. Revise zakat, fasting, jihad, angels and life after death so that a rare question does not catch you out.
8. Practise part (b). For each topic, prepare two developed lessons for life today, with reasons and a judgement.