WAEC Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) 2021 Theory Past Questions
All 6 questions from the West African Examinations Council (WAEC) Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) 2021 Theory paper, with the correct answer and a full explanation for each. Free, no signup needed.
1. Highlight the terms of the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah.
Model answer
Terms of the treaty include: that there should be peace between the Muslims and the Quraish for a period of 10 years; that the Muslims will return to Madinah without performing Umrah that year; that the Muslims will be allowed to perform Umrah the following year; that the Muslims' stay in Makkah will not exceed three days; that for those three days, the Quraish will vacate Makkah for the Muslims; that the Muslims will only be armed with swords, and those swords will be hidden underneath sheaths; that Muslims living in Makkah can stay in Makkah, but if any Muslim wishes to come to Madinah, they should not be stopped; that if a person migrates to Madina, they can be retained, but if a person migrates to Makkah, they cannot be returned; and that the tribes of Arabia are free to take any side they want between the Muslims and the Quraish.
2. Examine the custody of children (Al-Hadanah) in Islam.
Model answer
Allah said about the custody of the child in Qur'an 2:233: mothers may breastfeed their children for two complete years for whoever wishes to complete the nursing period. Upon the father is the mothers' provision and clothing according to what is acceptable; no person is charged with more than his capacity; no mother should be harmed through her child, and no father through his child; and upon the father's heir is a similar duty. If the parents desire weaning through mutual consent and consultation, there is no blame upon them; and if they wish to have their children nursed by a substitute, there is no blame as long as payment is made according to what is acceptable, and they should fear Allah, knowing that He sees what they do.
The Prophet said: 'you have custody except if you get married' — that is, the mother has custody of the child so long as she remains unmarried. All of this depends on the level (maturity) of the child; if the child has reached the level of tamyiz (discernment), the child decides for himself/herself who he or she stays with.
3. Explain any five of the following Hadith terminologies: (a) Muttafaqa 'Alayhi; (b) Sahih; (c) Hasan; (d) Da'if; (e) Gharib; (f) Mashhur; (g) Munqati'; (h) Mawdu'.
Model answer
(a) Muttafaqa 'Alayhi: a hadith is said to be Muttafaqa 'Alayhi if it is reported by Imam Bukhari and Imam Muslim in their books in almost exact wording.
(b) Sahih: a hadith is said to be Sahih if all its chain of reporters are reliable and it does not contradict any established fact in the Qur'an or contradict a more authentic chain.
(c) Hasan: a hadith is said to be Hasan if its chain of reporters are not as reliable as that of Sahih.
(d) Da'if: this refers to weak traditions which are related to be reported from the Prophet but could be weak as a result of a problem in the chain of reporters or the context.
(e) Gharib: a hadith is said to be gharib if it is reported by only one person; this type can be sahih, hasan or da'if.
(f) Mashhur: a hadith is said to be mashhur if it is reported by more than two reporters but does not reach the level of mutawatir (widely narrated). It is a type of sahih.
(g) Munqati': a hadith is said to be munqati' if one of the chain of reporters is missing and cannot be identified; it is a type of da'if.
(h) Mawdu': mawdu' is also a type of da'if; a hadith is referred to as mawdu' if it is fabricated.
4. "Waqada Rabbuka alla ta budu illa iyyahu ..." (Q.17:23) (a) Complete the verse in transliteration. (b) Translate it into English Language. (c) Enumerate four of its lessons.
Model answer
(a) Transliteration: 'Waqada rabuka alla ta budu ill iyyahu wa bil waalidauni ihsaana, imma yabulughaana indakal kibaru ahaduhuma au kilahula falaa taqul lahuma uffin wa laa tanharhula waqul lahuma qaolan kareemaa.'
(b) Translation: Your Lord has decreed that you do not worship any but Him and be dutiful to your parents; and should both or any one of them attain old age with you, do not say to them even 'fie', neither chide them, but speak to them with respect.
(c) Lessons: 1. Allah forbids worshipping other than Him. 2. He made it compulsory on every child to be dutiful to his/her parents. 3. He forbids the child from chiding his/her parents. 4. He also mandated the child to always speak good words to his/her parents.
1. Hadith is the written tradition of the Prophet, while sunnah is the practical tradition of the Prophet. 2. Sunnah is more general and can also be used to mean hadith, while hadith is specific and cannot be used to mean sunnah. 3. Most sunnah is an integral part of the religion and thus may not be learnt, while hadith must be learnt. 4. Sunnah can literally mean a way of life, while hadith can literally mean a conversation. 5. Finally, hadith can be divided into al-qudsiy and sharif, while sunnah can be divided into muaqad and mustahab.
There are five basic pillars of Islam:
1. The Shahada: this is the Profession of Faith, the affirmation of the statement that 'there is no God but God and Muhammad is His prophet.' It simply underscores the monotheistic nature of Islam and is an extremely popular phrase in Arabic calligraphy, appearing in numerous manuscripts and religious buildings.
2. Daily Prayers (Salat): Muslims are expected to pray five times a day, compulsorily attending the mosque to perform salah with the congregation, facing towards Mecca. The salah involves standing with recitation of Suratul Fatihah and ruku and sujud, with different types of ad-Dhikr in different forms as a symbol of reverence and submission to Allah. On Friday, many Muslims attend a mosque near midday to pray and listen to a sermon (khutba).
3. Alms-Giving (Zakat): the giving of alms is the third pillar; it is well specified in the Qur'an, and there are authentic narrations that it is 2.5% of the wealth that is expected to be paid as Zakat, shared among eight categories of people as specified in Qur'an 9:60.
4. Fasting during Ramadan (Saum): during the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, Muslims are expected to fast from dawn to dusk. While there are exceptions for the sick, elderly and pregnant, all are expected to refrain from eating and drinking during daylight hours.
5. Pilgrimage to Mecca (Hajj): all Muslims who are able are mandated to make the pilgrimage to Mecca and the surrounding holy sites at least once in a lifetime. Pilgrimage focuses on visiting the Kaabah and circumambulating around it seven times. Pilgrimage occurs in the 12th month of the Islamic Calendar.
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