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GCSE · Islam

RS.IB5 The Afterlife (Akhirah)

AQA 8062 · Calculators not allowed · about 55 minutes

Total Marks

Name: _______________________________ Date: ____ / ____ / ______

Answer ALL questions. Show all your working.

This question checks key vocabulary used in Muslim teaching about the afterlife.

(a)State what Akhirah means in Islam.(1)

(b)Give one word for the state a soul is believed to be in between death and the Day of Judgement.(1)

(c)State the Arabic name for Paradise in Islam.(1)

(d)State the Arabic name for Hell in Islam.(1)

(e)Give one term used for the Day of Judgement in Islam.(1)

(Total for Question 1 is 5 marks)

Give three things Muslims believe will happen on the Day of Judgement.

(Total for Question 2 is 3 marks)

Explain two Muslim beliefs about the Day of Judgement. Refer to the Qur'an in your answer.

(Total for Question 3 is 4 marks)

Explain two contrasting Muslim beliefs about the nature of Paradise (Jannah) and Hell (Jahannam). Refer to a source of wisdom and authority in your answer.

(Total for Question 4 is 5 marks)

This question is about Muslim beliefs concerning Akhirah. It is the AQA-style 24-mark, five-part question: parts (a) to (d) below are worth 12 marks; the 12-mark evaluation, part (e), is Question 6.

(a)State what Barzakh means in Islam.(1)

(b)Give two beliefs Muslims hold about what happens to a person during Barzakh.(2)

(c)Explain two Muslim beliefs about the resurrection of the body on the Day of Judgement. Refer to the Qur'an in your answer.(4)

(d)Explain two contrasting Muslim beliefs about how far a person's own actions determine their fate in the afterlife. Refer to a source of wisdom and authority in your answer.(5)

(Total for Question 5 is 12 marks)

This is the final part of the 24-mark question that began in Question 5. Evaluate this statement: 'Belief in the Day of Judgement is the most important belief for Muslims.' In your answer you should: refer to Muslim teaching, refer to different points of view, reach a justified conclusion.

(Total for Question 6 is 12 marks)

Explain two ways belief in Akhirah might influence the life of a Muslim believer today.

(Total for Question 7 is 4 marks)

Give three things that may happen to a person's book of deeds on the Day of Judgement.

(Total for Question 8 is 3 marks)

Mark scheme · RS.IB5 The Afterlife (Akhirah)

Question 1

(a) B1 the afterlife / life after death, oe
(a) Answer: The afterlife (life after death).
(b) B1 Barzakh, oe
(b) Answer: Barzakh.
(c) B1 Jannah, oe
(c) Answer: Jannah.
(d) B1 Jahannam, oe
(d) Answer: Jahannam.
(e) B1 Yawm al-Qiyamah / the Day of Resurrection, oe
(e) Answer: Yawm al-Qiyamah (the Day of Judgement/Resurrection).

Question 2

B1 the dead will be resurrected/raised back to life, oe
B1 a person's deeds will be weighed/judged by Allah, oe
B1 each person will be given the record (book) of their deeds, oe
Answer: Any three: resurrection of the dead; deeds weighed and judged by Allah; each person given the record of their deeds.

Question 3

B1 point 1: every person will be judged by Allah according to their deeds in this life, oe
B1 development: Qur'an 99:7-8 teaches that whoever does an atom's weight of good or evil will see it, showing that even small deeds will be accounted for, oe
B1 point 2: the Day of Judgement will be preceded by the destruction of the universe as it is currently known, oe
B1 development: the Qur'an describes cosmic signs marking the coming of this day, such as the sky splitting apart and the mountains being levelled, oe
Answer: E.g. every deed will be judged (Qur'an 99:7-8); the Day will be preceded by the destruction/transformation of the universe.

Question 4

B1 belief 1: some Muslims understand the Qur'an's descriptions of Jannah and Jahannam literally, as real physical places, oe
B1 development: they point to detailed Qur'anic descriptions of gardens, rivers and fire as evidence that these are genuine physical realities, oe
B1 belief 2: other Muslims understand these descriptions as symbolic or allegorical, representing spiritual realities that go beyond full human understanding, oe
B1 development: this view can be linked to Qur'an 32:17, which teaches that no soul knows what joys have been kept hidden for it, suggesting Paradise is beyond ordinary human imagination, oe
B1 reference to a source of wisdom and authority is made accurately, oe
Answer: Contrast: literal physical understanding of Jannah/Jahannam vs symbolic/spiritual understanding beyond full human comprehension (Qur'an 32:17).

Question 5

(a) B1 the period/state between a person's death and the Day of Judgement, oe
(a) Answer: The period between death and the Day of Judgement.
(b) B1 the soul awaits the Day of Judgement, oe
(b) B1 the person may experience a foretaste of reward or punishment in the grave, oe
(b) Answer: E.g. the soul awaits Judgement; the person may experience a foretaste of reward or punishment in the grave.
(c) B1 point 1: Muslims believe Allah has the power to bring the dead back to life, body and soul, oe
(c) B1 development: the Qur'an compares this to Allah's power to bring dry earth back to life with rain, as evidence of his power to resurrect, oe
(c) B1 point 2: resurrection means every person will stand before Allah to be judged fairly, oe
(c) B1 development: this belief encourages Muslims to live justly and responsibly, knowing that ultimately no deed will be overlooked, oe
(c) Answer: E.g. Allah's power to resurrect (compared in the Qur'an to bringing dry earth to life with rain); resurrection means fair judgement for every person.
(d) B1 belief 1: some Muslims emphasise Allah's complete knowledge and decree (Qadar) over all things, including a person's fate, oe
(d) B1 development: this is linked to the belief in predestination, one of the Six Beliefs of Sunni Islam, that Allah already knows what will happen, oe
(d) B1 belief 2: other Muslims place more emphasis on human free will, believing a person is fully responsible for choosing their own actions, oe
(d) B1 development: this view holds that a person's genuine free choice is necessary for Allah's judgement and reward or punishment to be just, oe
(d) B1 reference to a source of wisdom and authority made accurately, oe
(d) Answer: Contrast: emphasis on Allah's decree/predestination (Qadar) vs emphasis on genuine human free will and responsibility for actions.

Question 6

Level 4 (10-12): A well-argued, balanced answer that considers more than one point of view in a developed way, using accurate and detailed references to Muslim teaching and/or the Qur'an to support each point, and reaches a clear, justified conclusion.
Level 3 (7-9): A clear and reasoned answer that considers more than one point of view, supported by relevant references to Muslim teaching and/or the Qur'an, though the justification of the conclusion may be less developed.
Level 2 (4-6): A reasoned answer that considers at least one point of view, with some relevant supporting evidence, but with limited or no consideration of an alternative view.
Level 1 (1-3): One or more relevant points are made, but with little or no supporting evidence and no reasoned conclusion.
Level 0 (0): No relevant content.
Indicative content:
- Agree: belief in Akhirah/the Last Day is one of the Six Beliefs of Sunni Islam (and closely related to Qiyamah, one of the Five Roots of Shi'a Islam), showing its centrality across both major traditions.
- Agree: the Qur'an frequently pairs belief in Allah and the Last Day as a description of a true believer, suggesting the two beliefs are presented together as core to faith.
- Agree: belief in the Day of Judgement gives moral purpose and accountability to daily actions, since every deed, however small, is believed to be recorded and judged (Qur'an 99:7-8).
- Agree: the Qur'an devotes extensive description to the Day of Judgement, Paradise and Hell, which could suggest the importance the faith places on this belief.
- Disagree: Tawhid (belief in the Oneness of Allah) is usually considered the foundational belief in Islam, since submission to the one God is the basis from which all other beliefs and practices, including belief in the afterlife, follow.
- Disagree: some Muslims might argue that living according to Allah's guidance in this life, through the Five Pillars and following the example of the Prophet Muhammad, matters most in practice, with belief in the afterlife acting as motivation rather than being the most important belief in itself.
- Disagree: because the afterlife cannot be experienced or proven before death, some might argue belief in Allah and in prophethood, through which Islamic teaching is received in the first place, must logically come first.
- A balanced answer might conclude that the Six Beliefs/Five Roots are traditionally presented as a connected whole, so picking out any single belief as most important can be seen as an artificial separation, even though the Day of Judgement plays a distinctive motivating role.

Question 7

B1 point 1: a Muslim might be motivated to carry out good deeds and avoid sin, oe
B1 development: e.g. giving zakah (charity) or being honest in daily life, knowing these actions will be judged on the Day of Judgement, oe
B1 point 2: a Muslim might regularly seek forgiveness (tawbah) for wrongdoing, oe
B1 development: e.g. through sincere repentance and turning back to Allah, hoping for his mercy on the Day of Judgement, oe
Answer: E.g. motivation to do good deeds/avoid sin (e.g. through zakah, honesty); seeking forgiveness (tawbah) for wrongdoing.

Question 8

B1 it will contain a full record of the person's good and bad deeds, oe
B1 some Muslims believe a person given their book in their right hand will be told they have been successful, oe
B1 some Muslims believe a person given their book in their left hand or behind their back will face punishment, oe
Answer: Any three: full record of deeds kept; book given in the right hand associated with success; book given in the left hand/behind the back associated with punishment.

The Afterlife (Akhirah) - Worksheets, Questions and Revision