Ulum al-Hadith
16 Grade 9 Religious Education (IRE) questions on Ulum al-Hadith, with worked marking schemes. 16 questions are available on this topic in full.
Question 1
4 marksState four conditions that a Hadith must fulfil to be classified as Sahih (authentic).
(4 marks)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 2
1 markA student researching hadith finds one whose chain of narration (isnad) is continuous, narrated by upright and precise narrators throughout, with no hidden defect or irregularity. According to the scholars of hadith, this hadith is classified as:
A. Mawdu (fabricated)
B. Da'if (weak)
C. Sahih (authentic)
D. Mursal (a link missing after the Companion)
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 3
1 markA student finds two narrations online: one labelled Sahih and one labelled Da'if. He asks which can be relied upon for religious rulings. What does the term Sahih indicate about a Hadith?
A. It has a broken chain and is therefore weak
B. It is fabricated and must be rejected
C. It has a continuous, reliable chain of trustworthy narrators free of hidden defects
D. It is a saying of a Companion only
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 4
1 markA Hadith that meets most conditions of authenticity but has a narrator with slightly weaker memory is classified as:
A. Mawdu'
B. Hasan
C. Sahih
D. Mutawatir
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 5
4 marksDistinguish between the sanad and the matn of a Hadith.
(4 marks)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 6
5 marksA weak (Da'if) Hadith is being circulated on social media as evidence for a ruling.
(a) State two possible reasons a Hadith may be classified as Da'if.
(b) State one guideline a Muslim should follow when encountering such a report.
(5 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) Any 2 x 2 marks: a break/discontinuity in the chain of narrators; a narrator known to be untrustworthy or of poor character; a narrator with weak memory/imprecision; a hidden defect in the text or chain. (b) 1 mark: verify its authenticity with knowledgeable scholars/reliable sources before acting on or spreading it (do not use it to establish binding rulings).
Question 7
1 markA report that is fabricated and falsely attributed to the Prophet (SAW) is technically termed:
A. Hasan
B. Mawdu'
C. Marfu'
D. Mutawatir
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 8
6 marksExplain three reasons why the study of Ulum al-Hadith is important to a Muslim.
(6 marks)
Marking scheme
Any 3 x 2 marks: helps distinguish authentic Hadith from weak/fabricated ones so that only reliable teachings are followed; preserves the Sunnah accurately as the second source of Sharia; guards the religion against innovation and false attribution to the Prophet; enables sound derivation of Islamic law; strengthens faith by connecting Muslims to the Prophet's guidance.
Question 9
1 markAn individual narrator in the chain of a Hadith is referred to as a:
A. Rawi
B. Matn
C. Athar
D. Sunnah
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 10
6 marksA teacher writes on the board a narration and tells the class: 'This hadith has a continuous chain of upright, accurate narrators with no hidden defect or oddity.'
(a) State the technical grade (classification) of the hadith the teacher described. (1 mark)
(b) Differentiate between the sanad and the matn of a hadith. (2 marks)
(c) Explain why scholars study the chain of narrators (sanad) before accepting a hadith. (3 marks)
(6 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) Sahih (authentic) hadith. (1 mark) (b) The sanad is the chain of narrators/transmitters who relate the hadith ('A told me from B, from C...'); the matn is the actual text/content of the report - the Prophet's (S.A.W.) words or what is reported of him. (1 mark each.) (c) Any THREE: To confirm the chain is unbroken/continuous (muttasil); to verify each narrator is upright/trustworthy ('adl) and has accurate memory (dabt); to detect fabricated (mawdu') or weak (da'if) reports and protect the Sunnah from forgery; to establish which narrations are reliable enough to be used as evidence in the Shariah.
Question 11
1 markA Hadith reported by such a large number of narrators at every stage that their agreement upon a lie is impossible is described as:
A. Mutawatir
B. Mursal
C. Gharib
D. Ahad
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 12
1 markThe actual text or wording of the Prophet's saying, as opposed to its chain of transmission, is called the:
A. Sanad
B. Mukharrij
C. Matn
D. Tabi'un
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 13
1 markA Hadith whose chain of narrators is unbroken from the Prophet (SAW) to the compiler, narrated by upright, precise reporters and free from defects, is classified as:
A. Mawdu'
B. Sahih
C. Hasan
D. Da'if
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 14
1 markImam al-Bukhari is best known for a Hadith collection widely regarded as the most authentic. This work is:
A. Sahih al-Bukhari
B. Muwatta Malik
C. Sunan Abi Dawud
D. Jami' al-Tirmidhi
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 15
1 markA Hadith is made up of two main parts. The chain of narrators through whom the report is transmitted is known as the:
A. Matn
B. Rawi
C. Sanad
D. Mukharrij
(1 mark)
Marking scheme for this question
Create a free account to see itQuestion 16
6 marksTwo Grade 9 learners are debating about a saying attributed to the Prophet (S.A.W.) that they found shared online. One says it is "Sahih" and the other says it could be "Da'if." Their teacher uses the chance to teach them how scholars classify Hadith.
(a) Identify the TWO main parts of any Hadith. (2 marks)
(b) Distinguish between a Sahih (authentic) Hadith and a Da'if (weak) Hadith. (4 marks)
(6 marks)
Marking scheme
(a) The two main parts of a Hadith are: (i) the Sanad/Isnad — the chain of narrators who transmitted the Hadith; and (ii) the Matn — the actual text/content (the words of the report). (2 marks) (b) A Sahih (authentic) Hadith is one with a continuous (unbroken) chain of trustworthy, upright narrators each possessing accurate memory, free from any hidden defect (illah) and free from irregularity (shudhudh). A Da'if (weak) Hadith is one that fails to meet one or more of these conditions — for example a broken chain, or a narrator who is untrustworthy or has weak/poor memory — so it cannot be relied upon for establishing rulings on its own. (4 marks)
12 more marking schemes are on this page. A free account opens all of them, and lets you build your own paper on the topics you have actually taught, laid out in KNEC format with its full marking scheme.
Create a free account