Islam — AQA GCSE Religious Studies B
Teaching note checked against the official specification.
AQA GCSE Religious Studies B Islam covers the fundamental beliefs, teachings, and lived practices of Sunni and Shi'a traditions. Students examine core theological doctrines such as Tawhid, Risalah, and Akhirah, alongside key duties including the Five Pillars and the Ten Obligatory Acts.
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Islam explained
This row sets how to study Islam in Component 2.
Read the full explanation
Learn the beliefs, teachings and practices listed in the specification, and learn the basis of each in Islamic sources of wisdom and authority, so you can explain why a belief is held rather than only what it is. Be ready to refer to scripture and other writings where appropriate. Some texts are prescribed within the content below, and questions may be set on those prescribed texts, so learn them closely. You may also cite any other relevant text in an answer. AQA publishes a list of appropriate additional texts in the supporting material; these are optional, alternatives may be used, and questions will not be set on them. Use them to enrich an answer, not as a substitute for the prescribed material.
Your focus
- Explain the basis of a named Islamic belief or practice in a source of wisdom and authority.
- Distinguish prescribed texts, on which questions may be set, from optional additional texts.
- Select an appropriate text to support a written answer on Islam.
Islam exam tips
Topic Overview
Islam in AQA GCSE Religious Studies B investigates the foundational theology, history, and modern application of the world's second-largest religion. Students explore the nature of Allah, prophetic revelation through the lineage of prophets ending with Muhammad (pbuh), and the eschatological realities of Akhirah and divine judgment.
This module also evaluates how traditional beliefs translate into physical ritual and moral obligations. By comparing the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam with the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi'a Islam, learners develop a nuanced understanding of internal diversity, global worship, and ethical action within the Ummah.
Key Concepts
- →Tawhid: The absolute indivisible oneness and sovereignty of Allah, rejecting all forms of Shirk (idolatry or associating partners with God).
- →Risalah: The system of divine communication through prophets from Adam to the Seal of the Prophets, Muhammad (pbuh).
- →Imamah: The Shi'a doctrine of divinely appointed, infallible spiritual successors to Muhammad from the Ahl al-Bayt.
- →The Five Pillars and Ten Obligatory Acts: The core devotional frameworks that structure daily submission, charity, pilgrimage, and spiritual struggle.
- →Akhirah and Al-Qadr: The interplay between divine predestination, human moral responsibility, and eternal accountability in Jannah (Paradise) or Jahannam (Hell).
Examiner Tips
- 💡For each belief or practice, note at least one source of wisdom and authority you could cite to support it.
- 💡Learn the prescribed texts named in the content thoroughly, since questions may be set directly on them.
- 💡Use the published list of additional texts to widen your references, remembering they are optional and not examined directly.
- 💡Memorize concise, accurate English renderings of key Qur'anic passages (such as Surah 112: Al-Ikhlas for Tawhid) to secure the scriptural reference mark in 5-mark questions.
- 💡In 12-mark evaluation questions, ensure you balance Sunni and Shi'a perspectives where relevant, explicitly comparing practices such as combining daily prayers or the inclusion of Khums.
- 💡Use correct Islamic terminology (e.g., Wudu, Niyyah, Qiblah, Zakah, Sadaqah) rather than vague English approximations like 'washing' or 'charity'.
Common Mistakes
- Learns beliefs and practices as bare lists; connect each one to its basis in Islamic sources of wisdom and authority.
- Treats the optional additional texts as required content; recognise that they are supporting material and questions are not set on them.
- Ignores the prescribed texts named in the content; study them closely because questions may be set on them.
- Believing that Muslims worship the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh); orthodox Islamic theology strictly maintains that Muhammad was a human messenger and that all worship belongs exclusively to Allah.
- Assuming the Qur'an is viewed like the Christian Bible; orthodox Islam teaches that the Qur'an is the uncorrupted, verbatim literal speech of Allah revealed directly in Arabic, whereas Hadith represent recorded sayings of the Prophet.
- Confusing the roles of Sunni Caliphs with Shi'a Imams; Caliphs were chosen political/military leaders, whereas Shi'a Imams are seen as divinely appointed and spiritually infallible.
Revision Plan
- 1Week 1 (Days 1-3): Master Islamic theology—focus on Tawhid, the nature of Allah, the Six Articles of Faith (Sunni), and the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din (Shi'a).
- 2Week 1 (Days 4-7): Study Risalah, the authority of the Qur'an compared to other scriptures (Tawrat, Zabur, Injil), and teachings on Malaikah and Akhirah.
- 3Week 2 (Days 8-10): Focus on practices—contrast the Five Pillars of Sunni Islam with the Ten Obligatory Acts of Shi'a Islam (specifically Salah, Sawm, Zakah, Khums, and Hajj).
- 4Week 2 (Days 11-14): Revise Greater vs. Lesser Jihad, Muslim festivals (Eid-ul-Fitr, Eid-ul-Adha, Ashura), and complete timed 12-mark evaluate questions.
Exam Question Types
- 📋1-mark multiple choice questions testing factual definitions of key Arabic terms.
- 📋2-mark 'Give two...' recall questions requiring brief, distinct facts or practices.
- 📋4-mark 'Explain two ways...' questions requiring two developed points showing the application of belief to practice.
- 📋5-mark 'Explain two...' questions identical to 4-markers but requiring reference to a source of wisdom or sacred text.
- 📋12-mark 'Evaluate' statements requiring balanced arguments, textual authority, critique, and a justified conclusion.
Command Word Expectations (AQA)
Requires identification of two distinct points, each developed with relevant religious teachings, showing cause, effect, or theological logic. If worth 5 marks, at least one point must integrate a relevant reference to scripture or authority.
Demands a detailed, balanced debate presenting strong arguments for and against the stimulus, evaluating the validity and religious weight of each argument before providing a fully justified, non-repetitive conclusion.
How Students Lose Marks (Examiner Pitfalls)
Step-by-Step Worked Solutions
Question: Explain two ways in which belief in Al-Qadr (predestination) influences a Muslim's daily life. Refer to sacred text or another source of Muslim wisdom and authority in your answer. (5 marks)
- 1.Step 1: Identify the first direct practical influence on a Muslim's mindset. Belief in Al-Qadr gives Muslims reassurance that all events occur according to Allah's sovereign divine will and wisdom.
- 2.Step 2: Connect this to daily life and provide an authoritative source. Surah 9:51 states, 'Never will we be struck except by what Allah has decreed for us'. This frees believers from excessive anxiety or despair during suffering.
- 3.Step 3: Identify a second distinct influence. Despite divine decree, Muslims know they possess free will and moral responsibility, so they actively strive to make righteous moral choices to avoid accountability on the Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Qiyamah).
Question: 'Salah is the most important Pillar of Islam.' Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should: refer to Muslim teachings, give reasoned arguments to support this statement, give reasoned arguments to support an alternative view, and reach a justified conclusion. (12 marks)
- 1.Step 1: Construct arguments supporting the statement. Emphasize that Salah is the second pillar, performed five times daily, acting as direct, constant communion with Allah. It maintains spiritual discipline, cleanses sins, and unites the Ummah through Jummah prayers.
- 2.Step 2: Construct counter-arguments supporting alternative pillars. Argue that the Shahadah is logically prior and foundational, since without declaration of faith in Tawhid and the prophethood of Muhammad (pbuh), no act of worship like Salah is valid. Alternatively, prioritize Zakah or Sawm as essential expressions of social justice and self-restraint.
- 3.Step 3: Provide a justified conclusion that directly evaluates relative importance rather than merely summarizing. Conclude whether Salah functions as the 'backbone' of daily practice or whether it remains subordinate to the foundational theology of the Shahadah.