compulsory · CSS study notes
2023 — Islamic Studies (CSS)
FPSC CSS 2023 — Islamic Studies
Time: 3 hours | Part-I MCQs: 20 marks (paper not captured in this scan) | Part-II: 80 marks — attempt ONLY FOUR of the following seven, all carrying equal marks.
🔗 Clickable Contents — Jump to Any Question
Use the links in this automatic table of contents to jump directly to a model answer (Q2–Q8), its answer outline, or the MCQ section. The table updates as headings change.
🧭 Question-Wise Answer Outlines — Part-II (2023)
These are the seven questions actually included in this year's paper. Use the points below as a revision and exam-writing plan; the full model answers remain further down the page.
Q2. What is the Qur'anic argument on the Life Hereafter? What are its impacts on the individual and collective life of a human being?
- Define resurrection, accountability and final judgment
- Present Qur'anic arguments from creation and divine justice
- Discuss self-discipline, hope and responsibility in personal life
- Show effects on honesty, justice and collective welfare
- Conclude with moral accountability
Q3. Discuss the Holy Prophet's ﷺ role as a model for military strategy.
- Introduce security challenges of the early Muslim community
- Analyse planning at Badr, lessons of Uhud and defence at Khandaq
- Explain consultation, intelligence and adaptation
- Discuss discipline, proportionality and humane conduct
- Conclude with leadership lessons
Q4. Elaborate the rights of daughters granted by Islam and how these are denied by Muslims in the contemporary world.
- Establish daughters' dignity and protection in revelation
- Explain education, family care, inheritance and property rights
- Identify cultural and legal practices denying these rights
- Discuss enforcement, education and access to justice
- Conclude with rights as obligations rather than favours
Q5. Define Ijma' (consensus) and explain its different kinds. Can legislation by a parliament of an Islamic state be regarded as a valid consensus?
- Define Ijma and its jurisprudential status
- Distinguish express, tacit and other scholarly classifications
- Discuss conditions and differences among jurists
- Evaluate whether parliamentary legislation satisfies those conditions
- Conclude by distinguishing consultation from classical binding Ijma
Q6. Analyze the Charter of Madina as a social contract.
- Describe historical setting and parties to the Charter
- Identify mutual protection, rights and responsibilities
- Analyse religious autonomy, adjudication and security
- Explain its social-contract significance and limits of analogy
- Conclude with modern governance lessons
Q7. What are the motives of extremism in Pakistan? How can society get rid of extremism by following the teachings of Islam?
- Classify sectarian, political, educational and socioeconomic drivers
- Discuss Islam's injunctions against unjust violence and division
- Analyse the effects on citizens and institutions
- Propose better education, judicial fairness, dialogue and lawful prevention
- Conclude with long-term social cohesion
Q8. Write notes on the following (10 each): (i) Human rights in the light of the Sermon of Farewell Pilgrimage. (ii) Social justice in an Islamic society.
- (i) Farewell Sermon: context, equal dignity, protection of life, property and honour
- (i) Women's rights, economic obligations and universal relevance
- (ii) Social justice: equality, fair courts and rights of the vulnerable
- (ii) Zakat, economic fairness and accountability
- Write a brief separate conclusion for each 10-mark part
Part-I: CSS 2023 MCQs — online reconstruction (20 prompts)
20 distinct year-labelled prompts now assembled from candidate-recalled sources, but questions and answers vary across websites. This is not a guarantee these were exactly the twenty original FPSC MCQs or their authentic order. Questions have been paraphrased and answers reviewed; this is not an official FPSC answer key.
- Hijrah to Abyssinia: What approximate number is given for the second migration? Answer: 101 in one reconstructed key. Review note: Historical lists vary; source must be checked.
- Companions: From which clan of Quraysh was Abu Bakr? Answer: Banu Taym.
- Prophetic diplomacy: To which Syrian/Ghassanid ruler did the Prophet send a letter? Answer: Al-Harith ibn Abi Shamir al-Ghassani. Review note: Website answers/options conflict over personal names.
- Prophet’s family: Who was married to the Prophet after Khadijah? Answer: Sawdah bint Zam‘ah.
- Modern Hajj: What was the 2022 Saudi Hajj pilgrimage quota? Answer: One million pilgrims.
- Sirah: When was the Battle of the Trench? Answer: 5 AH.
- Qur'an: What does Al-Naml mean? Answer: The Ants.
- Governance: Which woman was associated with supervision of Madinan markets? Answer: Al-Shifa bint Abdullah. Review note: Historical extent disputed.
- Qur'an: Which surah begins without Bismillah? Answer: Al-Tawbah.
- Farewell Hajj: How many pilgrims accompanied the Prophet at Farewell Hajj? Answer: One online key gives 130,000. Review note: Historical estimates vary significantly; no single agreed exact count.
- Hajj: Who led the first Hajj under Muslim administration? Answer: Abu Bakr, 9 AH. Review note: One source incorrectly says 632 CE; Abu Bakr led in 9 AH.
- Early Seerah: At what commonly reported age did Muhammad travel with Abu Talib toward Syria? Answer: 12 years (traditional Seerah report).
- Women’s rights: What fraction of her childless husband's estate does a widow inherit? Answer: One-quarter (Qur’an 4:12).
- Islamic thought: Who wrote a well-known book titled Insan-e-Kamil? Answer: Murtaza Mutahhari in the modern book referenced by the year-specific video. Review note: Multiple classical and modern works use a similar title.
- Rashidun governance: Where did Ali transfer the caliphal capital? Answer: Kufa.
- Seerah: Which tribe was Halimah al-Sa‘diyyah from? Answer: Banu Sa‘d (of Hawazin).
- Qur’an: How often is the refrain ‘Which of your Lord’s favours will you deny?’ repeated in Surah al-Rahman? Answer: 31.
- Sufi thought: Which thinker is especially associated with the doctrine of Wahdat al-Wujud? Answer: Ibn Arabi. Review note: This is a retrospective label in scholarly discussions.
- Hajj: What is touching/kissing or gesturing toward Hajar al-Aswad called? Answer: Istilam.
- Treaty of Hudaybiyyah: Who negotiated on behalf of Quraysh? Answer: Suhayl ibn Amr (al-Qurashi). Review note: One online key wrongly attaches ‘al-Thaqafi’ to his name.
Further original-question recovery: Year-specific source 1 · Year-specific source 2 · Year-specific source 3 · Candidate-recalled 2023 video
Exam preparation: Revise the related syllabus sections and check questions with a review note against primary Islamic texts or sound historical references. Missing web transcriptions have deliberately not been fabricated.
Q2. What is the Qur'anic argument on the Life Hereafter? What are its impacts on the individual and collective life of a human being?
Marks: 20 · Recommended exam length: 500–650 words
Answer outline: Introduction → Qur'anic Evidence → The Arguments → Impact on Individual Life → Impact on Collective Life → Conclusion
Introduction
The Qur'an builds its case for the Hereafter on several distinct but reinforcing arguments, tying the doctrine directly to its effect on conduct rather than presenting it as abstract theology alone.
Guidance from the Holy Qur'an
"Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?" (Surah At-Tur 52:35)
"Shall We treat the believers like the criminals? What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?" (Surah Al-Qalam 68:35-36)
The Arguments
- Creation argument: the very existence of a first creation from nothing proves the far lesser feat of a second, resurrected creation is well within Allah's power.
- Justice argument: a just Lord cannot allow the righteous and the wicked to meet an identical fate without any further reckoning.
- Natural-order argument: the same God who revives dead earth with rainfall each year — "and you see the earth barren, but when We send down upon it rain, it quivers and swells" (22:5) — can no less revive human beings after death.
Impact on Individual Life
- Produces constant self-accountability (Muhasabah) even in matters no one else could ever witness.
- Motivates righteousness through hope of reward and restrains wrongdoing through fear of consequence.
- Provides psychological comfort in the face of worldly hardship and apparent injustice.
Impact on Collective Life
- Underpins honest dealing, truthful testimony and the honouring of contracts even where no worldly enforcement mechanism exists.
- Discourages corruption and exploitation that might otherwise go entirely unpunished in this life.
- Reinforces the value of charity and social responsibility as investments whose true return lies beyond this world.
Belief, motivation and social accountability
Belief in the Hereafter affirms that earthly life is not the final measure of human action. Qur'an 99:7–8 states that even the smallest good and evil will be seen, while Qur'an 21:47 speaks of just scales on the Day of Resurrection. The implication is personal responsibility extending beyond the possibility of escaping social detection. This does not eliminate the need for worldly law; rather, it provides an additional internal motive for behaving justly when enforcement is weak.
At the individual level, awareness of accountability encourages restraint, patience, sincerity and care for others. Socially, those habits should promote honest commerce, respect for vulnerable persons and resistance to abuses of power. A sound answer avoids promising that everyone who professes this belief automatically acts well; actual conduct depends on character formation, social norms and institutions. Critical connection: religious accountability and effective civic accountability should reinforce each other. Someone who fears divine judgement ought also to accept transparent scrutiny of public decisions.
Conclusion
Grounded in rational, moral and observational argument alike, belief in the Hereafter functions as the ultimate internal moral compass shaping both individual character and the broader social order.
Q3. Discuss the Holy Prophet's ﷺ role as a model for military strategy.
Marks: 20 · Recommended exam length: 500–650 words
Answer outline: Introduction → Qur'anic Evidence → Tactical Innovation → Leadership by Example and Ethical Restraint → Contemporary Relevance → Conclusion
Introduction
The Prophet's ﷺ conduct as a military leader combined careful preparation with genuine consultation, exactly as the Qur'an describes his character.
Guidance from the Holy Qur'an
"There has certainly been for you in the Messenger of Allah an excellent pattern." (Surah Al-Ahzab 33:21)
Tactical Innovation
- Before major engagements such as Badr, routinely dispatched scouts to assess enemy strength and movement.
- At Badr, adopted through open Shura Hubab bin Mundhir's proposal to occupy the wells and deny the enemy access to water — a decision that shaped the entire course of the battle.
- At the Battle of the Ditch, introduced the defensive trench (Khandaq), an innovation entirely unfamiliar to Arabian warfare, neutralising the confederate tribes' numerical superiority.
Leadership by Example and Ethical Restraint
- Laboured alongside his soldiers in digging the trench and endured hunger with them; his personal steadfastness at Uhud and Hunayn proved decisive in rallying momentarily scattered ranks.
- Imposed strict ethical limits on warfare: prohibiting the killing of non-combatants, forbidding unnecessary destruction of civilian property, and mandating humane treatment of prisoners — conduct that preserved long-term legitimacy.
Relevance to Contemporary Society
- His strategy moved fluidly between offensive engagement at Badr, defensive fortification at Khandaq, and negotiated settlement at Hudaybiyyah, adapting entirely to circumstance rather than a fixed doctrine; treaties and alliances with neighbouring tribes consistently secured his flanks before any major campaign.
Strategy, ethical limits and political purpose
The Prophet's ﷺ military leadership cannot be evaluated by battlefield outcomes alone. Effective leadership includes intelligence gathering, consultation, terrain selection, disciplined organisation, control over armed forces and the pursuit of political objectives. At the Battle of the Trench, the adoption of a defensive trench illustrates responsiveness to a new tactical proposal; at Hudaybiyyah, avoiding open conflict served a broader diplomatic aim. These episodes show strategic flexibility rather than reliance on a single method.
The ethical dimension is equally important. Islamic discussions of warfare emphasise the distinction between combatants and non-combatants, respect for agreements and restraint from indiscriminate destruction. Not every reported battlefield detail carries the same evidentiary certainty, so strong historical examples should be preferred to embellished anecdotes. Evaluation: success is measured not only by victory but also by securing a stable community and limiting unnecessary harm. Modern applications include civilian protection, disciplined command and settlement of conflict through credible negotiation.
Historical Example: the Battle of the Trench
At the Battle of Khandaq, the defensive trench helped protect Madina from a numerically threatening coalition. The important lesson is not simply that a trench was dug, but that the leadership accepted a tactical proposal suited to the situation and coordinated collective defence. Compare this with Hudaybiyyah, where an agreement—not a battlefield victory—advanced a political objective. Together the examples demonstrate the ability to select different instruments according to the problem faced. Strategic judgement includes preparing for danger, consulting others and knowing when restraint serves the community better than escalation.
Conclusion
Combining intelligence-gathering, tactical innovation, ethical restraint and consultative leadership, the Prophet's ﷺ military conduct offers a holistic model of strategy still studied for its rare blend of decisiveness and moral discipline.
Q4. Elaborate the rights of daughters granted by Islam and how these are denied by Muslims in the contemporary world.
Marks: 20 · Recommended exam length: 500–650 words
Answer outline: Introduction → Qur'anic Evidence → Rights Granted → Critical / Comparative Dimension — Contemporary Denial → Contemporary Relevance — Correcting the Gap → Conclusion
Introduction
Islam's protection of daughters begins with the most basic right of all — the right to life itself — reversing the practice of pre-Islamic Arabia in the plainest possible terms.
Guidance from the Holy Qur'an
"And when the girl [who was] buried alive is asked, for what sin she was killed." (Surah At-Takwir 81:8-9)
Rights Granted
- A fixed and protected inheritance share (4:11).
- The right to education, since seeking knowledge is obligatory upon every Muslim regardless of gender.
- The right to be raised with equal love and kindness, reflected in the Prophet's ﷺ promise of Paradise to any father who raises his daughters well.
- The right to free consent in marriage and to receive Mahr.
- The right to maintenance (Nafaqah) from her father until she marries.
Contemporary Denial
- Inheritance shares withheld in favour of male relatives, sometimes disguised as the daughter "willingly" forgoing her share under social pressure.
- Sons' education prioritised over daughters'.
- Forced or child marriage overriding the requirement of free consent.
- Customs such as Vani and Swara using girls to settle disputes between families, as though they were property rather than rights-bearing individuals.
- Dowry-related exploitation inverting the Islamic obligation of Mahr, which the Qur'an places on the groom, not the bride's family.
Relevance to Contemporary Society — Correcting the Gap
- These practices trace back to tribal and feudal custom (Riwaj) surviving under a religious veneer. Correction requires clear public rulings (Fatawa) reaffirming these rights, legal enforcement such as Pakistan's Enforcement of Women's Property Rights Act, and sustained education distinguishing cultural custom from genuine Shariah obligation.
The distance between guaranteed rights and lived reality
The Qur'an established a daughter's legal standing in inheritance, including prescribed shares in relevant circumstances (4:11), and Islam's wider ethical teachings reject contempt for female children. The analysis should cover dignity from birth, access to education and care, consent and security within family life, and the right to own and control legally inherited property. Not all daughters inherit the same proportion in every family arrangement; the composition of surviving heirs matters.
Rights can nevertheless be denied through pressure to relinquish property, refusal to register inherited land, exclusion from family decisions and violence or threats. Remedies should therefore combine legal literacy, enforceable inheritance records, accessible courts and education directed at male relatives who control family assets. A strong answer avoids confusing the legal entitlement with its implementation, and it explains how property security can increase women's social independence without destroying family relationships.
Practical Example: enforcing an inherited share
A daughter may possess a clear lawful entitlement yet find that agricultural land or a family business remains registered in another relative's name. Social pressure may then be used to obtain a declaration that she is surrendering her rights. The legal answer requires accurate estate records and a genuine, voluntary decision free from coercion, not a family assumption that daughters should receive nothing. Awareness campaigns directed at both men and women can help, but they must be matched by practical access to registration offices and courts. This illustrates the difference between recognising a Qur'anic right and making it effective.
Conclusion
Islam granted daughters robust, protected rights fourteen centuries ago; their denial today reflects a departure from, rather than an application of, the very teaching that guarantees them.
Q5. Define Ijma' (consensus) and explain its different kinds. Can legislation by a parliament of an Islamic state be regarded as a valid consensus?
Marks: 20 · Recommended exam length: 500–650 words
Answer outline: Introduction → Prophetic Evidence → Kinds of Ijma' → Can Parliamentary Legislation Count as Ijma'? → Conclusion
Introduction
Ijma' is the unanimous agreement of the qualified Mujtahideen of a given era on a Shariah ruling not explicitly settled by the Qur'an or Sunnah.
Guidance from the Sunnah
"Indeed, Allah will not let my Ummah agree upon error." (Jami' at-Tirmidhi & Sunan Ibn Majah)
Kinds of Ijma'
- Ijma' Sarih: explicit agreement openly stated by each Mujtahid.
- Ijma' Sukuti: tacit agreement where a verdict draws no contemporary objection.
- Ijma' of the Sahabah: carrying the highest authority, as in the compilation of the Qur'an.
- Ijma' of later Fuqaha: whether within or across schools of Fiqh.
Can Parliamentary Legislation Count as Ijma'?
- In favour: a parliament of pious, competent representatives, engaged in genuine Shura and legislating within the bounds of Shariah — particularly where a body of qualified scholars, such as Pakistan's Council of Islamic Ideology, reviews its output — arguably mirrors the collective, consultative spirit of classical Ijma'.
- Against: classical Ijma' required unanimous agreement specifically among qualified Mujtahideen trained in Usul-ul-Fiqh, not simply elected politicians; a parliamentary majority vote also differs structurally from the unanimity historically associated with strict Ijma'.
Authority, conditions and modern legislation
Ijma' occupies a technical place in usul al-fiqh: it is not equivalent to any popular majority opinion or casual agreement. Classical jurists debate who qualifies to participate, whether unanimity must be explicit and how consensus can be established across places and generations. Consequently, the examiner expects definitions and scholarly qualifications before modern applications. The importance of the doctrine lies in preserving continuity in legal reasoning while recognising that jurists must distinguish definitive texts from areas of interpretation.
Modern representative legislation can embody consultation and collective deliberation, but a parliamentary vote is not automatically identical to classical juristic ijma'. Parliamentarians are selected through political procedures, whereas technical jurisprudential consensus concerns competent legal scholarship and its evidentiary criteria. A nuanced answer therefore supports collaboration between elected lawmakers, legal specialists and scholars without erasing the distinction. In present-day bioethics, technology and finance, collective ijtihad may prove a more accurate description of expert reasoning than a claim that any majority decision constitutes binding ijma'.
Explicit and Tacit Ijma': Scholarly Differences
Classical presentations often distinguish ijma' sarih, an expressly stated agreement, from ijma' sukuti, where some scholars state a view and others do not record an objection. The evidentiary authority of the latter is disputed, so the two should not be treated as equally established by every school. It is also necessary to distinguish claimed agreement from proof that the relevant competent jurists actually agreed. Historical works sometimes report consensus while preserving minority positions elsewhere. An examiner will reward this qualification because it shows familiarity with legal method rather than rote definitions. Contemporary collective reasoning likewise depends on the credibility of its participants and procedure.
Conclusion
Without the direct involvement of qualified religious scholarship, parliamentary legislation is more accurately classified as a legitimate and binding form of civil law (Qanun) grounded in Siyasah Shar'iyyah or Maslaha — functioning practically like Ijma' without technically constituting it, unless the legislating body is itself composed of qualified jurists reaching genuine unanimity.
Q6. Analyze the Charter of Madina as a social contract.
Marks: 20 · Recommended exam length: 500–650 words
Answer outline: Introduction → Key Provisions → As a Social Contract → Contemporary Relevance → Conclusion
Introduction
Shortly after the Hijrah, the Prophet ﷺ drafted the Charter of Madina to unite the Muhajireen, the Ansar and the Jewish tribes of the city into a single political community bound by common obligations.
Key Provisions
- Mutual defence and freedom of religion for the Jewish tribes.
- Individual tribal responsibility for blood-money.
- The Prophet ﷺ himself designated as final arbiter of disputes.
As a Social Contract
- Establishes government by the consent of genuinely diverse constituent groups rather than by conquest, superseding prior tribal loyalty with a shared political identity, and exchanging rights and protections for loyalty and collective defence — the logic later theorised by Hobbes, Locke and Rousseau, roughly a thousand years after the Charter itself.
- What distinguishes it from purely secular contract theory: ultimate moral and legal authority for Muslim signatories rested with revealed law, while religious pluralism was explicitly guaranteed to non-Muslim signatories — a hybrid model combining religious legitimacy with genuine civic inclusiveness.
Relevance to Contemporary Society
- Historians widely regard it as the first written constitution in recorded history, demonstrating a functioning multi-religious polity governed by agreed, written law. It offers a historical precedent for constitutionalism, minority rights and pluralism within an explicitly Islamic political framework, directly informing contemporary debates on religious diversity in an Islamic state.
What makes the Charter a social contract
The Charter of Madina is relevant to social-contract discussions because it documented obligations among participating groups in a new political community. Rather than claiming modern constitutional ideas existed unchanged in the seventh century, analyse the concrete institutional principles: recognised group identities, mutual security obligations, processes for resolving disputes and leadership responsible for maintaining public order. Its clauses are transmitted and numbered differently in scholarly editions, so an answer need not depend on a disputed precise count.
The document demonstrates that a community with religious differences can still adopt shared rules for security and collective life. Yet it was formed under specific historical circumstances, and modern citizenship, equal rights and constitutional courts must be argued for on their own terms. Critical comparison: both the Charter and social-contract theory ask how political order gains legitimacy, but they differ in sources of authority and historical organisation. Contemporary lessons include constitutional inclusion, intercommunal cooperation and reliable dispute-resolution institutions.
Modern comparative illustration
A city containing several religious communities needs rules for public security, lawful disagreement and reliable resolution of grievances. The Charter of Madina can be compared at the level of these shared problems: the participating groups recognised obligations that extended beyond their separate internal identities. It should not be described as a contemporary constitution in every detail. A convincing comparison isolates common functions—public order, mutual commitments and legitimate dispute resolution—while acknowledging different historical conditions. Such care lets the candidate explain the Charter's significance without importing anachronistic claims about modern elections or international law.
Conclusion
The Charter of Madina stands as a functioning social contract that combined revealed legitimacy with negotiated civic inclusion, offering an enduring model of governance for a plural society.
Q7. What are the motives of extremism in Pakistan? How can society get rid of extremism by following the teachings of Islam?
Marks: 20 · Recommended exam length: 500–650 words
Answer outline: Introduction → Motives of Extremism → Qur'anic Evidence → Prophetic Evidence → Islamic Concept / Background → Path to Eradication → Conclusion
Introduction
Extremism in Pakistan draws on several intersecting motives rather than any single cause.
Motives of Extremism
- Misinterpretation of Jihad and the practice of Takfir by radical groups.
- Poverty, illiteracy and unemployment exploited to recruit vulnerable youth.
- Sectarian polarisation deepened over decades.
- The enduring fallout of regional conflict and proxy warfare linked to the Afghan wars.
- A slow and often inaccessible justice system.
- Unregulated hate material circulating through radical seminary networks.
- Political or media exploitation of religious sentiment for short-term advantage.
Guidance from the Holy Qur'an
"And thus We have made you a just [balanced] community." (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:143)
Guidance from the Sunnah
"Beware of extremism (Ghuluw) in religion, for those before you were destroyed by extremism in religion." (Sunan Ibn Majah)
Concept and Islamic Foundations
- The Qur'an further equates the killing of a single innocent soul with the killing of all mankind (5:32), leaving no scriptural room whatsoever for the violence extremist groups commit in religion's name.
Path to Eradication
- Reviving and propagating an authentic, moderate understanding of Jihad, Takfir and Shariah through credible, mainstream Ulema.
- Reforming seminary curricula to introduce contemporary subjects and correct extremist material at its source.
- Investing in the socio-economic upliftment of vulnerable communities, in keeping with Islam's emphasis on social justice.
- Ensuring speedy and impartial justice, following the Qur'anic principle of 'Adl.
- Fostering unity across sects (Ukhuwwah) to counter sectarian violence at its root.
- Establishing genuine de-radicalisation and rehabilitation programmes.
- Cultivating a responsible media narrative aligned with Islam's actual teaching.
Diagnose causes before prescribing remedies
Extremism cannot be explained only by defective religious knowledge. Sectarian mobilisation, exclusionary politics, unequal justice, militant recruitment, regional conflict and online propaganda can interact with distorted interpretations of religion. The answer should distinguish violent extremism and incitement from legitimate religious observance, doctrinal disagreement or peaceful political dissent. Without this distinction, a policy aimed at prevention risks alienating the very communities whose cooperation it needs.
Islamic ethical principles supply clear restraints: the sanctity of life (5:32), justice even toward those one dislikes (5:8), and the obligation to settle differences without indiscriminate violence. The policy response should operate on several levels: enforce laws against violence and incitement; improve investigative fairness and access to justice; strengthen credible religious education and scholarly dialogue; address vulnerable communities' socioeconomic exclusion; and build pathways for disengagement from militant networks. Critical assessment: coercive policing alone can suppress symptoms without resolving recruitment, whereas awareness campaigns alone cannot stop armed groups. Security, rule of law and public trust must work together.
Conclusion
Extremism is a distortion of Islam rather than an expression of it; a combined religious, educational and socio-economic strategy grounded in the Qur'anic principle of moderation offers the most durable path to eradicating it in Pakistan.
Q8. Write notes on the following (10 each): (i) Human rights in the light of the Sermon of Farewell Pilgrimage. (ii) Social justice in an Islamic society.
Marks: 20 total (10 + 10) · Recommended exam length: 250–325 words for each part
Answer outline: Part (a)/(i) → evidence → explanation → significance; Part (b)/(ii) → evidence → explanation → significance
(i) Human rights in the light of the Sermon of Farewell Pilgrimage — 10 marks
- Delivered at Arafat during the Farewell Hajj of 10 A.H. before over a hundred thousand pilgrims, this sermon functions as a universal and permanent charter of rights.
- It declared the sanctity of life, property and honour inviolable — "as sacred as this day, this month, this city."
"No Arab has superiority over a non-Arab... except by piety." (Musnad Ahmad)
- It affirmed women's rights as a trust upon men, abolished pre-Islamic usury (Riba) and generations-old blood feuds in a single stroke, and closed with a final reminder of accountability before Allah and adherence to the Qur'an and Sunnah.
- It is widely regarded as predating and paralleling the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights of 1948 by well over thirteen centuries.
Further analysis (i): Relate the sanctity of life, wealth and honour in the Farewell Sermon to concrete obligations: the prohibition of wrongful killing, arbitrary seizure and revenge. Discuss the importance of respect in family relations and the end of exploitative practices. It is historically valuable to compare these principles with later rights instruments, but do not claim that the sermon repeats every modern UDHR provision.
Exam insight (i): Organise the sermon under life, property, honour and social responsibilities, explaining one consequence of each. This is clearer than placing a long quotation without commentary.
(ii) Social justice in an Islamic society — 10 marks
- Justice ('Adl) is commanded as an unconditional obligation, extending even to situations where justice runs against one's own interest.
"Indeed, Allah orders justice and good conduct." (Surah An-Nahl 16:90)
"...be persistently standing firm in justice... even if it be against yourselves." (Surah An-Nisa 4:135)
- Economic justice: through Zakat, Ushr, the prohibition of Riba, and the prohibition of hoarding and monopoly (Ihtikar), ensuring wealth circulates rather than concentrates (59:7).
- Legal justice: demands equal application of law regardless of status or wealth, exactly as the Prophet's ﷺ ruling on Fatima's hypothetical theft makes clear.
- Social welfare: for orphans, widows, the poor and travellers is institutionalised through Zakat and Waqf rather than left to discretionary charity.
- Political accountability of rulers, following the precedents of Hazrat Umar (R.A.), completes this picture.
- Social justice in Islam is therefore comprehensive — economic, legal and political together — and rooted in accountability to Allah rather than dependent solely on state enforcement mechanisms that can themselves fail or be corrupted.
Further analysis (ii): Justice must be translated into workable institutions. Courts must protect people without regard to wealth, rulers must be open to scrutiny, and welfare measures must reach lawful recipients. Qur'an 4:135 is especially useful because its demand of fairness extends even against one's own interests. A high-scoring answer shows how ethical commands become social and legal safeguards.
Exam insight (ii): Distinguish economic redistribution, equal judicial protection and responsibility of rulers. The three dimensions reinforce one another, but none replaces the other.
Conclusion to part (i): In examination terms, the Farewell Sermon should be understood as a historical statement of ethical duties and protection from oppression. The student should connect each principle to a human consequence and avoid exaggerated comparisons with modern legal instruments.