WAEC Islamic Religious Studies (IRS) 2023 Theory Past Questions

Model answer

Bismillāhir Raḥmānir Raḥīm. 1. Qul huwa llāhu aḥad. 2. Allāhuṣ Ṣamad. 3. Lam yalid walam yūlad. 4. Walam yakun lahu kufwan aḥad.

Model answer

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful. 1. Say: He, Allah is One; 2. Allah the Eternal Absolute; 3. He begets not, nor is He begotten; 4. And there is none like unto Him.

Model answer

(i) Islam is a monotheistic religion. (ii) The Sūrah is the cornerstone of Islamic doctrine. (iii) It affirms the Unity of Allah. (iv) Absolute existence is part of Allah's Attributes. (v) Allah is Eternal Absolute. (vi) He has neither a son nor a daughter.

Model answer

The obligatory prayers (Ṣalawāt) are the five daily prayers: Ṣubḥ/Fajr, Ẓuhr, 'Aṣr, Maghrib and Ishā'. (i) Ṣubḥ/Fajr consists of two rak'ah, observed at dawn/early morning, with recitation said aloud. (ii) Ẓuhr has four rak'ah, observed immediately after mid-day, recitation said silently. (iii) 'Aṣr is four rak'ah, observed in late afternoon, recitation silent. (iv) Maghrib is a three rak'ah prayer, observed after sunset, first two rak'ah recited aloud. (v) Ishā' is the last obligatory prayer with four rak'ah, observed before retiring to bed, first two rak'ah recited aloud. Observance of these five distinguishes a Muslim from a non-Muslim; they can be observed individually or congregationally, must be performed in clean places facing the Qiblah, and each has a fixed time that should neither be omitted nor delayed. It is during Ṣalāt that a believer's Mi'rāj (spiritual ascension) to Allah takes place.

Model answer

Caliph Abū-Bakr b. Abī Quḥāfah (632-634 CE) was the first of the rightly-guided Caliphs. His contributions include: (i) He dispatched Usāmah's expedition earlier planned by the Prophet against the Byzantines. (ii) He fought those who laid false claims to prophethood (Riddah wars). (iii) He enforced collection of Zakāt from those who threatened to withhold it. (iv) He expanded the frontiers of Islam. (v) He avenged the murder of the Prophet's emissary to the Ghassanid prince of Basrah. (vi) He personally supervised state officials, including the army. (vii) He actively participated in battles fought during the Prophet's time. (viii) He ordered the collection and compilation of the Qur'ān into book form. (ix) He provided the able leadership that kept the Muslims united. (x) He resolved the initial differences that threatened to divide the Anṣār and the Muhājirūn.

Model answer

Imām Bukhārī (Muḥammad b. Ismā'īl Abū 'Abdullāh b. Ibrāhīm) was born in 194/810 CE at Bukhāra. His contributions: (i) He travelled far and wide in search of Ḥadith for 16 years. (ii) He returned to Bukhāra to sift the numerous Ḥadith he had collected. (iii) He collected about 600,000 traditions. (iv) He applied critical standards in sorting out the Ḥadith. (v) He selected over 7,000 traditions. (vi) His collection came down to about 4,000 when repetitions were accounted for. (vii) His book contained 3,450 chapters (abwāb). (viii) The selected traditions were arranged into 97 books. (ix) His Ḥadith are of the Musannaf type. (x) He often included notes in the chapter headings.

Model answer

The question asked by a man to the Prophet (S.A.W.) on the performance of Hajj forms the background (Sabab al-Wurūd) of this Hadith. (i) The Hadith is the Prophet's response to a question on Hajj. (ii) The question happened during the descent of a revelation. (iii) The Prophet said: 'Allah has commanded you to perform Hajj, so perform it, O servants of Allah.' (iv) A man asked how many times Hajj should be performed. (v) The Prophet replied: 'whatever I forbid you to do, avoid it, and whatever I command you to do, do it as much as you can.' (vi) The Prophet discouraged unnecessary questions. (vii) Asking too many questions about an obligation may lead to complication and confusion. (viii) The Prophet was not happy with the question raised. (ix) A positive response could have led to Hajj being made compulsory every year. (x) However, asking questions in the right way is encouraged in Islam.

Model answer

The primary aim of 'Uthmān b. Fodio's Jihād of 1804 was to correct non-Islamic practices in Hausaland. Consequences: (i) The Jihād aided the spread of Islam throughout Hausaland. (ii) It brought about abolition of illegal taxes (Jangali). (iii) It ended the tyrannical and autocratic leadership of the Habe Kings. (iv) Shari'ah was introduced as the system of government. (v) Shari'ah courts were established and Qādis (Judges) were appointed. (vi) There was expansion in education. (vii) Women's education was popularized. (viii) The Holy Qur'ān and other Islamic literature were introduced and taught in schools. (ix) The good system of administration favoured the introduction of indirect rule in Hausaland. (x) The Jihād aided centralization of power in Hausaland.