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Islamiat for Competitive Exams
Islamiat is a compulsory subject in CSS (100 marks) and features prominently in PPSC, FPSC, and other commission exams. This guide covers the most tested areas.
1. Pillars of Islam
- Shahadah - Declaration of faith
- Salah - Five daily prayers
- Zakat - 2.5% annual charity (Nisab-based)
- Sawm - Fasting during Ramadan
- Hajj - Pilgrimage to Makkah (obligatory once if able)
2. Articles of Faith (Iman-e-Mufassal)
- Belief in Allah (Tawheed)
- Belief in Angels (Malaika)
- Belief in Holy Books (Kutub)
- Belief in Prophets (Rusul)
- Belief in Day of Judgment (Akhirah)
- Belief in Divine Decree (Taqdeer)
3. Seerat-un-Nabi (Life of Prophet Muhammad PBUH)
- Birth: 570 CE, Makkah (Year of the Elephant)
- First revelation: 610 CE in Cave Hira (Surah Al-Alaq)
- Migration to Madinah (Hijra): 622 CE
- Key battles: Badr (624), Uhud (625), Khandaq/Trench (627)
- Treaty of Hudaibiya: 628 CE
- Conquest of Makkah: 630 CE
- Last Sermon (Khutba Hajjatul-Wida): 632 CE
4. The Holy Quran
- Total Surahs: 114 (86 Makki, 28 Madani)
- Total Ayahs: 6,236
- Longest Surah: Al-Baqarah (286 ayahs)
- Shortest Surah: Al-Kausar (3 ayahs)
- Compiled during the caliphate of Abu Bakr (R.A.)
- Standardized during Usman (R.A.)'s caliphate
5. The Khulafa-e-Rashideen
- Abu Bakr Siddiq (R.A.) - 632-634 CE, compilation of Quran, Ridda Wars
- Umar ibn Al-Khattab (R.A.) - 634-644 CE, vast expansion, established Baitul Mal
- Usman ibn Affan (R.A.) - 644-656 CE, standardized Quran, naval expansion
- Ali ibn Abi Talib (R.A.) - 656-661 CE, moved capital to Kufa
6. Islamic Governance Concepts
- Shura (consultation) - Principle of collective decision-making
- Ijma (consensus) - Agreement of scholars on religious matters
- Ijtihad (independent reasoning) - Deriving rulings for new issues
- Qiyas (analogical reasoning) - Applying established rulings to new cases
Key Takeaways
- Five Pillars and Six Articles of Faith are exam basics
- Know key events in chronological order - Seerat
- Quran has 114 Surahs (86 Makki, 28 Madani)
- Know all four Khulafa-e-Rashideen and their contributions
- Understand Islamic governance concepts - Shura, Ijma, Ijtihad
Preparation Tips
1
Create a chronological timeline of Seerat events with dates
2
Memorize Surah names, their order, and key characteristics
3
Study Hadith collections - Sahih Bukhari and Sahih Muslim especially
4
For CSS, prepare essay-length answers on Islamic governance topics
Recommended Books
Islamiat for CSS/PMS
by Hafiz Karim Dad Chughtai
Specifically designed for competitive exam preparation
The Sealed Nectar (Ar-Raheeq Al-Makhtum)
by Safi-ur-Rahman Mubarakpuri
Award-winning Seerat biography