Islam: Practices overview - Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A

This unit, Islam: Practices, is one of the four sections in the in depth study of Islam on Paper 1 of Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0). It sets out how Muslims put their faith into practice, building on the beliefs and teachings unit.

What the unit covers

The unit moves from the framework of practice (the pillars) to prayer, fasting, charity, pilgrimage, Jihad and the festivals.

• The Five Pillars and Ten Obligatory Acts: the framework of Sunni and Shi'a practice, and the Shahadah as the first Pillar.
• Salah and worship: prayer five times a day, how it is performed (wudu, qiblah, rak'ah), and Jummah prayer at the mosque.
• Sawm, Zakah and Hajj: fasting in Ramadan and the Night of Power, the giving of Zakah and Khums, and the pilgrimage to Makkah.
• Jihad and festivals: the greater and lesser Jihad and its conditions, and the festivals Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr, Id-ul-Ghadeer and Ashura.

How it is assessed

This is one section of Paper 1, the in depth study of one religion, worth 102 marks and 50 percent of the GCSE. Each topic uses the (a) to (d) pattern: Outline three (3 marks), Explain two (4 marks), Explain two and refer to a source of wisdom and authority (5 marks), and Evaluate a statement (12 marks plus 3 for spelling, punctuation and grammar).

How to study it

Learn how each practice is performed and why it matters, linking it to belief (Salah to submission, Sawm to self-discipline, Hajj to Ibrahim and equality). Note the Sunni and Shi'a differences (the Five Pillars and Ten Obligatory Acts, Zakah and Khums) for the higher tariff questions, define Jihad carefully and respectfully, and learn a Surah for each practice for part (c).

For the official specification

Pearson publishes the full specification (1RA0), past papers and mark schemes at qualifications.pearson.com. Always revise from the current specification and Edexcel past papers.