Cambridge O Level Islamiyat 2058 Past Papers 2026

Core Islamic teachings

Duration: 1h 30m

Islamic history and sources

Duration: 1h 30m

Modes of revelation

Candidates struggled to describe the different ways in which the Quran was revealed to the Prophet, often providing vague or incomplete accounts.

Paper 1

Predestination (Al-Qadr)

Frequently confused with Tawhid or Day of Judgment. Candidates need to clearly distinguish predestination as God's knowledge and decree of all events.

Paper 2

Battle of Nihawand

Confused with the Battle of Nahrawan (Hazrat Ali's caliphate) or Qadissiya. Candidates must learn which battle belongs to which caliph.

Paper 2

False prophets — detailed knowledge

Candidates provided limited detail about the false prophets who appeared after the Prophet's death. Specific names, claims, and how they were dealt with were often missing.

Paper 2

Prophet's daughters other than Fatima

Most candidates could write about Hazrat Fatima but had very limited knowledge of the Prophet's other daughters (Zainab, Ruqayyah, Umm Kulthum).

Paper 2

Hadith isnad/matn relationship

Candidates struggled to explain the relationship between the chain of narrators (isnad) and the text (matn) and why both are essential for Hadith authentication.

Paper 1

Amina and the Prophet's early carers

Limited knowledge of the Prophet's early life, particularly the roles of Amina, Halima, and Abu Talib in his upbringing.

Paper 2

Hadith teaching vs paraphrasing

Candidates paraphrased Hadiths rather than explaining their teachings and practical application. Simply restating the Hadith does not demonstrate understanding.

Paper 1

Building unity in Madina — Muwakhat and the Covenant of Madina linked to outcomes

The s25 P11 Q4(a) report observes that 'many candidates either listed every step taken by the Prophet (pbuh) in his first year in Madina without linking those actions to the creation of unity or took two main events, such as Muwakhat (brotherhood) and Covenant of Madina, and threw light on their significance in creating a more united community, consequently scoring mid-range marks.' Top answers explicitly linked each action to community-building outcomes — eliminating tribal divisions, integrating Muhajirun and Ansar, regulating relations with Jewish tribes.

Paper 1

Boycott of Shi'b Abi Talib — terms and consequences

The s25 P11 Q3 report flags that 'most candidates talked about the general terms of the boycott' but only stronger ones gave 'precise details of the terms of the boycott and the efforts made by good-hearted and generous Makkans to help the Prophet's clan'. Key consequences to anchor: 3-year exile in the gorge, severe hardships including food shortage, deaths of Khadijah and Abu Talib shortly after, halted growth of Islam, and the boycott document being eaten by ants except the name of Allah.

Paper 1

Prophet's letters to foreign rulers (Heraclius, Khosrau, Negus, Muqawqis and beyond)

The s25 P12 Q4(a) report notes 'The letters to the Byzantine and Sassanid emperors, as well as the rulers of Egypt and Abyssinia, were the most popular aspects discussed in answers. Candidates who focused mainly on these letters and the reactions of the recipients tended to score mid-range marks. Stronger responses also discussed rulers of Busra, Damascus, Bahrain and Yamama. Exceptional responses included precise details such as the names of rulers invited, the emissaries sent to them and the specific reactions.'

Paper 2

Lives of companions — Bilal ibn Rabah, Hamza, Sa'd ibn Abi Waqqas with specific events

The s24 P11 Q5 report rewards 'specific details surrounding the conversion of the four companions with high accuracy and precision' rather than general life summaries. The s25 P11 Q5 question on Bilal and Hamza similarly distinguished top answers by 'finer details from the lives of these two personalities' — Bilal's persecution by Umayyah, the burning sands, the heavy rock, Abu Bakr buying his freedom; Hamza's conversion in defence of the Prophet, his role at Badr, his martyrdom at Uhud by Wahshi.

Paper 2