Hadith

Qur'an

Hadith

🔆Selected Hadiths
Compilation of Hadith
📙Authentication of Hadiths
🔖Classification of Hadith
📝
Individual Conduct: 1, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, 13. Life in the Community: 2, 3, 10, 11, 14, 15, 16.

From the set Hadiths you have studied outline the Prophet’s teachings on the individual conduct of Muslims. [10]

  • Some of the Hadiths that candidates can refer to are Hadiths 1,4,6,7,8,9,13 etc. which refer to the obligations of a Muslim concerning the observance of the Pillars of Islam, of how to deal with evil when confronted with it, of striving in the way of God, the dignity of labour and the importance of work etc.
  • Good answers will quote and describe the Hadiths and say how the Prophet’s teachings give Muslims a code of conduct to live by which helps them to live righteously and earn great rewards in this world and the akhira. It could also be said that when individual Muslims live according to the teachings of the Prophet’s Hadiths their good conduct has a positive effect on society as a whole.
  • A basic answer to this part of the question will refer to a few Hadiths but will not show a confident understanding of the meanings or what teachings they hold for Muslims about their conduct.
  • There is scope in this answer for candidates to refer to Hadiths from both the themes; individual conduct and life in the community. Marks should be given where there are clear references to relevant Hadiths and where some attempt has been made to understand and express the teachings of Hadiths about the conduct of the individual in the community.
  • Good answers will quote and describe Hadiths and say how the Prophet’s teachings give Muslims the knowledge of how to deal with others with care and humanity, how they tell a Muslim about the right way of dealing with widows, orphans and the vulnerable in life, the importance of earning an honest living through the work of one’s own hands etc.
  • Answers that show clear knowledge of the teachings of the Prophet are the ones that will get to the top levels.

How do Muslims benefit in their community life by following the guidance given in the Prophet’s Hadiths? [4]

  • Candidates can say that by following the teachings given in the Hadiths society at large benefits. When the Prophet’s Hadiths are followed by Muslims evil and wrong doing is eradicated as everyone tries to live their lives as taught by the Prophet (pbuh) in accordance with God’s teachings and earn the pleasure of the Almighty as well.
  • Brotherhood is established and the weak in society are cared for etc. All valid responses that offer evaluation in their content should be credited according to the level of the quality of their response.

Write an account of how the Hadiths of the Prophet stress upon the unity of the Islamic community. Use at least four set Hadiths from the syllabus to develop your answer. [10]

  • Candidates as asked in the question should refer to any four Hadiths from the syllabus. The ones that are clearly most relevant to this question are Hadiths 2,3,10,11,14,15,16.
  • In this answer candidates need to bring out the fact that those who accept the guidance of the Prophet (pbuh) and accept Islam as their religion form a separate community of Islamic fraternity commonly known as the umma.
  • The Prophet (pbuh) went to great lengths to stress to the members and different groups within the umma, the need to behave kindly towards each other and help one another and to fulfil the obligations upon them which was brought on them by their common faith. This emphasis of the Prophet (pbuh) was especially important as the umma constituted of members from different countries, races, tribes and social ranks, each with its own ethnic, linguistic and temperamental features.
  • The Prophet (pbuh) demonstrated this unity when he arrived in Madina by forming brotherhood between the muhajireen and the ansars. He stressed that it was incumbent for a Muslim to protect the honour and dignity of another Muslim and also to protect and guard another Muslim from any evil or danger that he himself may be unaware of.
  • Muslims should wish for their fellow Muslims what they wish for themselves. Candidates could give one of the Hadiths from the syllabus here,
    ‘None of you believe until he wants for his brother what he wants for himself’.
  • Muslims are also told that the bonds of unity should not be broken between them. It is the duty of a Muslim to make peace with his fellow believer. Every Muslim is also told to not only do what is right, but to spread good and virtue according to the moral standards of Islam and discourage evil.
  • Some candidates could develop this point and say that though unity should be maintained, terrorism should never be supported as it is against the teachings of both the Qur’an and the Prophet (pbuh).

Give an account of how the Prophet’s Hadiths have been a source of guidance to Muslims in putting their faith into practice. [10]

  • In answer to this question the candidates can say that the Hadiths are the teachings of the Prophet which teach Muslims the path prescribed by God. They can go on to say that they give Muslims a better understanding of the Qur’an by elaborating on it and explaining its teachings. Here the more developed answers could well give examples to show how Hadiths expand upon Qur’anic teachings.
  • Answers could include points like that when the Qur’an is silent the Hadith is considered as the authority on the subject as the Qur’an and Hadith always agree with one another; that the authoritative Hadiths contain a tafsir of the Qur’an which are guides to key verses in the Qur’an.
  • Examples of law derived from Hadiths can also be given to expand on the answer showing the various ways in which the Prophet’s Hadiths are a source of guidance to all Muslims.
    • These could include laws on inheritance, on payment of zakat, punishment for a thief etc.

How could your community be improved by applying the Prophet’s Hadiths more fully? [4]

  • The Prophet’s Hadiths carry the teachings of how to live righteously, how to engage with fellow human beings and his Hadiths also teach care and concern for all life and the world at large. By putting these teachings into action the community prospers. The vulnerable are looked after, the environment is protected, crime disappears; the list is endless.
  • An evaluative response is being looked for in which candidates could identify the problems in their own community and of how their community could improve if the Prophet’s teachings were put into practice, or they could say how their communities have improved with the application of the Prophet’s teachings.

Outline the main teachings of the Hadiths you have studied about the importance of Muslim communal life. [10]

  • A basic answer to this part of the question will refer to a few Hadiths but will not show a confident understanding of their meaning and will lack any attempt to combine them into a general reflection on communal living.
  • However, marks should be credited to answers where there are clear references to relevant Hadiths, and where some attempt has been made to understand and express their teachings. Good answers will quote and discuss Hadiths and reflect on the general principles about communal living that are deduced from them giving a clear picture of their teaching about relationships with others and communal life

Why do Muslims need to know about the Prophet’s Hadiths and what benefit do they hope to get by following his sunnah? [10]

  • Candidates in answer to this question may well say that the Prophet’s Hadiths are an important source of explaining the teachings of the Qur’an
    • e.g. Qur’an stresses on the need to offer prayers but it is the Hadith/sunna of the Prophet that show the method of offering salat. How to pay zakat or perform the rites of Hajj are also found in the Prophet’s Hadiths.
  • Hadiths are also the source of Shari’a law after the Qur’an.
  • The Prophet has laid down principles of law in his Hadiths regarding all aspects of life;
    • e.g. buying, selling, inheritance, marriage etc.
  • The Prophet’s Hadiths have been a source of guidance for Muslims throughout the ages and are used to this day in all spheres of a Muslim’s life and especially when ijma’ and qiyas are being practiced.
  • By following the sunna of the Prophet Muslims hope to walk the path of righteousness. The Qur’an itself says:
    ‘Obey Allah and obey the Prophet’ [64:12].
  • The Hadith and the sunna of the Prophet are second only to the Qur’an in importance and if Muslims follow the Prophet’s practice they will be closer to attaining paradise. Candidates could quote from the Prophet’s Hadiths:
    ‘I leave with you two things. If you hold fast to them you will never be misguided: the Book of Allah and my sunna.’
  • The answer should be read as a whole and marks should be awarded accordingly.

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