Islamic Studies / Ethics
Islamic Studies / Ethics tests basic beliefs and practices, the life of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), Islamic history, and moral reasoning. For a PN Cadet, questions may also use scenarios to check honesty, trust, justice, and respect for others.
Core rules
- Articles of faith: belief in Allah, angels, revealed books, prophets, the Day of Judgment, and qadar (divine decree).
- Five pillars: Shahadah, Salah, Zakat, Sawm, and Hajj.
- The Quran has 114 surahs and was revealed over about 23 years. The Hijrah to Madinah occurred in 622 CE and marks the start of the Islamic calendar.
- Key ethical terms: amanah (trust), adl (justice), sadaqah (charity), and ihsan (excellence in conduct).
- In scenario questions, choose the answer that combines honesty with respect and avoids harm.
Worked example
Scenario: You find a wallet in the academy corridor with cash and an ID card. What is the best action? Return it to the owner or hand it to the duty authority so it can be returned, and do not open or use the cash beyond identifying the owner. Reasoning: this is amanah - property entrusted to your care is not yours to keep - and it protects the owner from loss. Keeping it “until someone asks” fails the trust test.
Traps
Do not confuse zakat (obligatory annual alms) with sadaqah (voluntary charity). Do not mix the number of surahs with the number of ajza. In history, separate the migration to Madinah from the conquest of Makkah. In ethics scenarios, do not choose the clever or self-protective answer if it involves concealment; the exam rewards integrity, fairness, and responsibility.