Islamic Studies and Ethics
Muslim candidates answer Islamic Studies items and non-Muslim candidates answer Ethics items, mirroring the compulsory-subject split in the CSS scheme. The questions are mostly factual: pillars of faith and practice, the life of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and the Pious Caliphs, the Qur'an's structure and revelation, basic fiqh rules; and for Ethics, moral-philosophy terms and the teachings of major religions on honesty, justice and tolerance.
Core facts to have ready
- Five pillars: shahadah, salah, zakah, sawm, hajj. Zakah on ordinary savings is 2.5% of wealth held for a lunar year above the nisab.
- The Qur'an contains 114 surahs, revealed over roughly 23 years; the first revelation came in the cave of Hira.
- The Hijrah to Madinah in 622 CE marks year 1 of the Islamic calendar.
- Major battles: Badr (2 AH), Uhud (3 AH), Khandaq or the Trench (5 AH), the Conquest of Makkah (8 AH).
- The four Pious Caliphs in order of accession: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali.
Worked example
"In which year of the Hijrah was the Battle of Badr fought?" Anchor on the Hijrah itself: 622 CE is 1 AH. Badr followed the migration by roughly eighteen months, which places it in 2 AH (624 CE). Deriving from one firm anchor is safer than memorising isolated numbers that blur together.
Traps that cost marks
- Slipping one year between 1 AH and 2 AH events.
- Confusing the order of the caliphs' accession with the length of their rule.
- Mixing ethics terminology: deontology is duty-based, utilitarianism is outcome-based.
- Applying a fiqh rate to the wrong category, for example the zakah rate on agricultural produce versus savings.
Both papers are marked objectively, so an unanswered item earns nothing; eliminate the two weakest options before choosing.