JAMB Syllabus for Islamic Studies 2024/2025 | PDF Download

The Joint Admission and Matriculation Board (JAMB) has uploaded the syllabus for Islamic Studies for the 2024/2025 session. This move is aimed at helping students prepare for their forthcoming Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME).

Objectives of JAMB Syllabus for Islamic Studies

The JAMB syllabus for Islamic Studies aims to prepare candidates for the Board’s examination and to test their understanding, knowledge, and acquisition of the following areas of the subject:

• Mastery of the Qur’an and Sunnah as the cornerstones of Islamic and social life; familiarity with Islamic history, culture, and civilization.
• Familiarity with the tradition of Islamic scholarship and intellectual discourse.
• Demonstrating knowledge of Islamic moral, spiritual, political, and social values.
• Readiness to meet life’s challenges as devout practicing Muslims.

The Qur’an and Hadith

The Revelation of the Glorious Qur’an

Topics:

• Prophetic visits (SAW) to Cave Hira
• His response to the initial discovery and why it was significant.
• Different modes of revelation (Q.42:51): Inspiration received from above, from an angel, etc.
• Fragmentary revelation (Q.17:106) (Q.25:32)

Preservation of the Glorious Qur’an

Topics:

• Complete arrangement
• Differences between Makkah and Madina suwar
• Recording, standardization, and compilation of the Glorious Qur’an
• The role played by the Prophets companions (SAW)

Importance of the Glorious Qur’an

Topics:

• As a source of guidance in moral, spiritual, political, economic, and socio-cultural matters.

Demonstration of the Divine authenticity of the Glorious Qur’an (Q.4:82) (Q.41:42)

Topics:

• The uniqueness of the Glorious Qur’an (Q.39:27) (Q.17:88) (Q.75:16-19)
• Godly preservation of the Glorious Qur’an (Q.15:9)

Tafsir

Topics:

• Historical development of Tafsir
• Importance of Tafsir
• Types of Tafsir

Introduction to Tajwid (Theory and Practice)

• Examine the meaning and importance of Tajwid.

Examining the Arabic Text of the Following Suwar/ayats with Tajwid

• al-Fatihah (Q.1)
• al -Adiyat (Q.100)
• al -Qari’ah (Q.101)
• al -Takathur (Q.102)
• al-Asr ((Q.103)
• al -Humazah (Q.104)
• al -Maun ((Q.107)
• al -Kawthar (Q.108)
• al – Kafirun (Q. 109)
• al-Nasr (Q. 110)
• al -Masad ((Q.111)
• al -Ikhlas (Q.112)
• al -Falaq ((Q.113)
• an-Nas (Q.114)
• al-A’ala (Q.87)
• ad-Duha (Q.93)
• al-Inshirah (Q.94)
• at-Tin (Q.95)
• al-Alaq (Q.96)
• al-Qadr (Q.97)
• al-Bayyinah (Q.98)
• al-Zilzal (Q.99)
• Ayatul-Kursiy (Q.2:255)
• Amanar-Rasul (Q.2:285-6)
• Laqad jaakun (Q.9:128-129)

Hadith

Topics:

• History of Hadith literature – Obtaining Hadith between the time of the Prophet (SAW) and that of the six reputable Hadith authorities.
• Validation of Hadith
  • Isnad (Asma’ur-rijal)
  • Matn
  • Classification of Hadith into Sahih Hassan and Da’if
• The relationship between Hadith and the Glorious Qur’an
  • The importance of Hadith
  • The differences and similarities between Hadith and the Glorious Qur’an
• The sound collectors of Hadith – their works and biographies.
• Muwatta and its author: Imam Malik’s life story and analysis of his book
• The examination of the Arabic texts of the following Hadith from the library of an-Nawawi:: 1,3,5,6,7,9,10,11,12,13,15,16, 18,19,21, 22,25,27,34, and 41

Moral Guidance from the Glorious Qur’an and Hadith

Topics:

• General moral lessons are contained in Sage Luqman’s admonition to his son (Q.31:18-20).
• Goodness to parents (Q.17:23-24)
• Honesty (Q.2:42)(Q.61:2-3)
• Prohibition of corruption and bribery (Q:2:188), gambling and alcohol (Q.2:219) (Q.5:93-94), fraud and theft (Q.5:41) (83:1-5), Use of hard drugs and other depressants (Q.2:172-173, 195 and 219) (Q.5:3) (Q.6:118-121) extravagance (Q.17:26-27) (Q.31:18-19) and arrogance (Q.31:18-19).
• The dignity of labor (Q.62:10) (Q.78:11) Hadith from Ibn Majah and Bukhari: “that one of you takes his rope…….” “never has anyone of you eaten…..”.
• Behavior and modesty in dressing (Q.24:27-31) (Q.33:59)
• Fornication and adultery (Q.17:32) (Q.24:2), obscenity (Q:4:14-15), and homosexuality (Q.11:77-78), Hadith – “No one of you should meet a woman privately …… “Bukhari
• Fairness (Q.4:58 and 135) (Q.5:9) and Leadership (Q.2:124) Hadith – ‘take care every one of you is a governor …… concerning his subjects” (al-Bukhari and others)
• Obligations, trust, and promises(Q:4:58) (Q.5:1) (Q.16:91) Hadith’ he has (really) no faith ….. Not fulfilled his promise” (Baihaqi)
• Devotion (Taqwa) (Q:2:177) (Q.49:13) Hadith 18 and 35 of an-Nawawi
• Tolerance, patience, and perseverance (Q.2:153-157) (Q.103:3) Hadith 16 of an-Nawawi
• Brotherhood and Unity (Q.3:103) (Q.49:10) Hadith 35 of an-Nawawi
• Promoting right behavior and prohibiting wrong behavior (Q.3:104 and 110) (Q.16:90) Hadith 25 and 34 of a Nawawi

Tawhid and Fiqh

Faith

• Tawhid Its lessons and importance

Kallmatush-Shahadah

• The following verses describe the Prophet Muhammad’s (SAW) servanthood: (Q.3:144) (Q.48:29) and (Q.34:28)
• Its importance and meaning.
• The universality of his message (Q.7:158) (Q.34:28)
• Finality of his Prophethood (Q.33:40)
• The following verses demonstrate that Allah is One: (Q.3:19) (Q.112:1-4)

Shirk

• Worshiping Idols (Q.4:48) (Q.22:31)
• Beliefs that are at odds with the Islamic Tawhid principles:
• Non-theism (Q.45:24) (Q.72:6) (Q.79:17-22)
• Ancestral religion(Q.4:48 and 116)(Q.21:66-67)
• Triad (Q.4:171) (Q.5:76) (Q.112:1-4)

Traditional Behaviors That Are at Odds With Islamic Tawhid Principles:

• Fallacy (Q.25:43) (Q.72:6)
• Soothsaying (Q.15:16-18) (Q.37:6-10)
• Witchcraft and magic (Q.2:102) (Q.20:69) and 73) (Q.26:46)
• idol worship (Q.17:23) (Q.4:48)
• Revolution (Bid’ah) (Q.4:116) and Hadith 5 and 28 of an-Nawawi

Article of Faith

• Belief in Allah
• Allah’s existence  (Q.2:255) (Q.52:35-36)
• Attributes of Allah (Q.59:22-24)
• Allah’s works (Q.27:59:64)
• Belief in the angels of Allah (Q.2:177 and 285) (Q.16:2)
• His writings (Q.2:253) and 285) (Q.3:3)
• His Prophets: Ulul-Azmi (Q.4:163-164)
• The Last Day: Yawm-al Ba’th (Q.23:15-16) (Q.70:4)
• Destiny: the difference between Qadar and Qada (Q.2:117) (Q.36:82)

Ibadat and their types

• Good deeds (Q.3:134) (Q.2:177) (Q.31:8) (Q.103:1-3) the 26th Hadith of an-Nawaw
• Taharah, its types, and importance (alistinja’/ istijmar, alwudu,’ at-tayammum and al- ghusl (Q.2:222) (Q.5:7) Hadith 10 and 23 of an- Nawawi.
• Salah
  • Importance: (Q.2:45) (Q.20:132) (Q.29:45) and Hadith 23rd of an-Nawawi
  • Description and types of salah
  • Things that vitiate salah
• Zakat
  • Its importance and types (zakatul-fitr, zakatul mal, al- an-am and al-Harth (Q.2:267) (Q.9:103) 3rd Hadith of an-Nawawi
  • Collection and disbursement (Q.9:60)
  • Difference between Zakah and sadaqah
• Sawm
  • Its importance and types (Qada, fard, sunnah, and kaffarah) (Q.2:183-185) the 3rd Hadith of an-Nawawi
  • People exempted from sawm
  • Things that vitiate sawm
• Hajj
  • Its importance (Q.2:158 and 197) (Q.3:97) (Q.22:27- 28)
  • Type (Ifrad, Qiran and Tamattu)
  • Essentials of Hajj (Arkan al-Hajj)
  • Conditions for the performance of Hajj
  • Differences between Hajj and Umrah
• Jihad: kinds, concepts, Lessons, and manner (Q.2:190- 193) (Q.22:39-40)

Family Matters

• Marriage
  • Importance (Q.16:72) (Q.24:32) (Q.30:20-21)
  • Disallowed criteria (Q.2:221) (Q.4:22-24)
  • Conditions for its authenticity (Q.4:4) (Q.4:24-25)
  • Duties and rights of wives and husbands (Q.4:34- 35)(Q.20:132) (Q.65:6-7)
  • Polygamy (Q.4:3 and 129)
• Idrar’s ill-treatment of wife (Q. 65:1-3) zakah;
• Divorce
  • The attitude of Islam to divorce (Q.2:228) (Q.4:34-35) Hadith “of all things legitimate …most hateful to Allah..” (Abu Daud 15:3)
  • Kinds ( Khul, Faskh, Talaq, Mubara’ah and Lian) (Q.2:229- 230) (Q.24:6-9)
  • Iddah: duration, kinds, and importance (Q.2:228 and 234)
  • Prohibited forms of dissolution of marriage. (Ila and Zihar) (Q.2:226-227) (Q.58:2-4)
  • Custody of children (Hadanah)
• Inheritance
  • Its importance
  • Successors and their shares (Q.4:7-8, 11-12 and 176)

Sources and Schools of Law

• The four main sources (the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma, and Qiyas)
• The four Sunni Schools of law

Islamic Economic System

• Islamic perspective of Riba (Q.2:275-280) (Q.4:161) Hadith 6th of an- Nawawi
• At-tatfif (Q.83:1-6)
• Hoarding (ihtikar) (Q.9:34)
• Islamic sources of revenue: Jizyah, Ghanimah Kharaj, and Zakah
• Baitul-mal as an institution of socioeconomic welfare
• Difference between the Western economic system and the Islamic economic system

Islamic Political System

• Allah as the Sovereign (Q.3:26-27)
• The idea behind Shurah (consultation) (consultation) (Q.3:159) (Q.42:38)
• The idea behind Adalah (justice) (Q.5.9) (Q.17:13-14 and 36) and Mas’uliyah (accountability) (Q.4:58) (Q..102:8)
• Non-Muslims’ rights in an Islamic state (Q.2:256) (Q.6:108)
• Differences between the Islamic political system and the Western political system.

Part 3: Islamic History and Civilization

Pre-Islamic Arabia (Jahiliyyah)

• Jahiliyyah practices: polyandry, idol worship, gambling, usury, infanticide, etc.
• Islamic reforms

The Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)

• His birth and early life
• His call to Prophethood
• Da’wah in Makkah and Madinah
• The Hijrah
• Ummahs’ governance and the mosque’s role (Q.3:159) (Q.4:58 and 135)
• The Battles of Uhud, Badr, and Khandaq: roots and effects
• The Concord of al-Hudaibiyyah and the defeat of Makkah
• Hijjatul-wada (the farewell pilgrimage) sermon and lessons.
• Qualities of Muhammad (SAW) and lessons learned from them

The Rightly Guided Caliphs (Al-Khulafa’U Rashidun) – The Four Rightly Guided Caliphs’ Contributions and Lives

Early contact of Islam with Africa

• Hijrah to Abyssinia
• The spread of Islam to Egypt
• The role of preachers, Murabitun, teachers, Sufi orders, Mujaddidun, and traders in the spread of Islam in West Africa.

The Impact of Islam in West Africa

• The influence of Islam on the socio-political life of some West African Empires: Ghana, Mali, Songhai, and Borno
• The impact of Islam on the economic life of some West African states: Timbuktu, Kano, and Borno

Contributions of Islam to Education

• The aims and objectives of Islamic Education
• The Glorious Qur’an and Hadith on Education (Q.96:1- 5) (Q.39:9)
  • “The search for knowledge is obligatory on every Muslim” (Ibn Majah)
  • “seek knowledge from birth to death..”
  • “The words of wisdom are a lost property of the believer … a better right to it…. “ (Tirmidhi)
• Intellectual activities of Islam in West Africa (development of written history in Arabic and the establishment of Sankore University)
• Intellectual activities of Ahmad Baba of Timbuktu, Sheikh al-Maghili, Sheik Usman Danfodio, Sultan Muhammad Bello, and Ibn Battuta
• Islamic Education Institutions: House of Wisdom in Baghdad, al-Azhar University in Cairo, and Nizamiyyah University in Baghdad.
• The lives and contributions of Ibn Sina, Al-Ghazali, Ibn Rushdi, ar-Razio, and Ibn Khaldun to education.

PDF Download of JAMB Syllabus For Islamic Studies 2024/2025

You can now download the JAMB Islamic Studies syllabus as you prepare for your exams.

Conclusion

The JAMB syllabus for Islamic Studies is an important resource that can help you focus on the topics to read as you prepare for the forthcoming JAMB exams.

However, it is important to note that you can be assured that 99% of the questions set during the examinations will be obtained from Syllabus. You can download the PDF file from the post to access the syllabus.