P2-HAD-20 Major teachings in the Hadiths Paper 2, Question 1 · compulsory
Hadith 20 — Allah looks at hearts and deeds, not forms and possessions
Allah's judgement is not impressed by appearance or possessions. Hearts and deeds give outward life its moral value, so sincerity must be joined to real action and outward respectability must not hide corruption.
Compulsory Question 1 Hadith 20 Individual conduct
Syllabus connection
- P2.T1.b3 What each passage teaches about what Muslims should believe
- P2.T1.b4 What each passage teaches about how Muslims should act
- P2.T1.b5 Study with reference to the original Arabic text as well as the English translation
- A2.20 Hadith 20: Inner character and actions Group (editorial): Individual
Learn the material
Learning objectives
Key vocabulary
- suwar
- Forms, appearances or physical looks.
- amwal
- Wealth and possessions.
- qulub
- Hearts: intention, faith and moral orientation.
- a'mal
- Deeds and actions.
- riya
- Showing off in order to be seen and praised.
Before you start
Answer from memory before opening the answers.
- Which teaching group has this course placed the Hadith in?
- What does Paper 2 Question 1(a) ask you to explain?
- What does part (b) ask you to do differently?
- Which short phrase best carries this Hadith's central instruction?
Check your answers
- Individual conduct. This is an editorial teaching group; several Hadiths connect with both groups.
- What the Hadith teaches Muslims to believe or understand.
- How Muslims put the teaching into action through concrete practice.
- لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا أَمْوَالِكُمْ.
The lesson
The prescribed Hadith
إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا أَمْوَالِكُمْ، وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ.
God does not look at your forms and your possessions, but he looks at your hearts and your deeds.
Prescribed Hadith 20 · Appendix 2 · recorded by al-Bukhari or Muslim in their Sahih collections (many by both)
Central teaching
Allah judges sincere hearts together with righteous deeds, not social appearance, wealth or public image.
Instruction → belief → action
| Teaching point | Evidence or focus | Development |
|---|---|---|
| Appearance is not the measure of worth | He does not look at your forms or your possessions. | Beauty, clothing, ethnicity, disability and social image do not determine status before Allah. |
| Wealth is not proof of favour | But He looks at your hearts and your deeds. | Possessions create responsibility but do not purchase spiritual rank. |
| The heart matters | He does not look at your forms or your possessions. | Intention, sincerity, faith and moral orientation are known fully by Allah. |
| Deeds still matter | But He looks at your hearts and your deeds. | The Hadith joins hearts with actions; sincere claims without righteous conduct are incomplete. |
Do not copy the translation as your answer
Part (a) rewards the teaching behind the words. Name the instruction, explain the belief or principle it rests on, and develop its scope.
Context and chronology
The sentence is structured through contrast: two outward measures are denied, then two morally decisive realities are affirmed.
Do not misread the text as saying bodies or material responsibilities do not matter. It rejects appearance and wealth as measures of spiritual worth.
Source discipline
Use the prescribed wording and secure context. Do not invent a narrator, occasion, collection number or historical detail merely to make the answer sound learned.
People, places and events
- Every human being judged by Allah beyond social appearance.
- The wealthy or physically admired, who must not assume superiority.
- People marginalised because of body, disability, ethnicity or poverty.
Qur'an and Hadith evidence
Learn short phrases that can be placed inside an explanation. English quotation is acceptable; accurate use matters more than length.
لَا يَنْظُرُ إِلَى صُوَرِكُمْ وَلَا أَمْوَالِكُمْ
He does not look at your forms or your possessions.
Outward status is rejected as the measure of worth.
وَلَكِنْ يَنْظُرُ إِلَى قُلُوبِكُمْ وَأَعْمَالِكُمْ
But He looks at your hearts and your deeds.
Inner sincerity and actual conduct must be joined.
Significance
- Allah's knowledge reaches inner intention and outward action.
- Human worth is not based on race, body, fashion or wealth.
- Sincerity and righteous deeds must be held together.
- Social judgement should avoid prejudice and status worship.
These are the beliefs and principles for part (a). The examination asks what the Hadith teaches, not only what its words say.
Significance in practice
For part (b), use setting → action → effect. Specific practice is stronger than saying “Muslims should follow it”.
| Setting | Action | How this applies the Hadith |
|---|---|---|
| Worship | Do not perform prayer, charity or study mainly to build a religious image. | The act remains directed towards Allah. |
| Community | Choose responsibility by character and competence rather than wealth or appearance. | Status bias is reduced. |
| Self-evaluation | Ask both why an action was done and whether it was actually right. | Good intention is not used to excuse harmful conduct. |
| Online life | Resist curating a false pious or luxurious identity for approval. | Private character and public presentation become more consistent. |
Connections with other topics
| Source or topic | Connection |
|---|---|
| Hadith 1 | Sincerity gives the heart its correct orientation towards Allah and people. |
| Hadith 17 | True modesty is an inward quality expressed in good conduct, not a costume. |
| Hadith 18 | Faith and pride are tiny inner realities with enormous spiritual consequences. |
Common misconceptions
Students often think Only intention matters, so actions can be wrong.
In fact The Hadith explicitly names both hearts and deeds.
Students often think Islam ignores cleanliness, dress and outward duties.
In fact Outward duties matter, but they are not the basis of human superiority before Allah.
Students often think Poverty automatically proves righteousness.
In fact Neither wealth nor poverty alone determines the state of the heart and deeds.
What the examiner wants
AO1: what you must know
- Know the complete set translation and the meaning of the key Arabic terms.
- State the central instruction accurately: Allah judges sincere hearts together with righteous deeds, not social appearance, wealth or public image.
- Develop at least three underlying beliefs or principles.
- Use a short phrase from the Hadith as evidence rather than copying the whole translation.
- Give balanced coverage across the two Hadiths you choose.
The Hadith teaching answer
Paper 2 Question 1 asks two different things from Paper 1. Part (a) asks what the Hadith teaches Muslims to believe. Part (b) asks how they put it into action — which needs concrete, practical examples.
- The instruction
- Simply and directly: what is the Prophet ﷺ telling Muslims to do?
- The belief behind it
- What this shows about Allah, or about what a believer is.
- The action
- Concrete practice — in the home, the community, and everyday life.
- Today
- A real, specific example a student could actually give.
AO2: what you must understand
Part (b) needs actions. Each example should show who does what, in which setting, and how it expresses the teaching.
Worship
Action: Do not perform prayer, charity or study mainly to build a religious image. Effect: The act remains directed towards Allah.
Community
Action: Choose responsibility by character and competence rather than wealth or appearance. Effect: Status bias is reduced.
Self-evaluation
Action: Ask both why an action was done and whether it was actually right. Effect: Good intention is not used to excuse harmful conduct.
Online life
Action: Resist curating a false pious or luxurious identity for approval. Effect: Private character and public presentation become more consistent.
Worked examination example
Weaker response
Good intentions make every action acceptable and outward duties do not matter.
Why it is weak: it distorts or narrows the teaching and gives no developed belief or practical action.
Stronger response
Appearance is not the measure of worth: beauty, clothing, ethnicity, disability and social image do not determine status before Allah. Wealth is not proof of favour: possessions create responsibility but do not purchase spiritual rank. The heart matters: intention, sincerity, faith and moral orientation are known fully by Allah. Deeds still matter: the Hadith joins hearts with actions; sincere claims without righteous conduct are incomplete.
Why it is stronger: it identifies several teachings, develops them and remains within the wording's limits.
Practise
Guided practice
- Reduce the Hadith to one accurate instruction.
- Select three belief or principle statements from the teaching table.
- Attach one short phrase from the Hadith to each developed point.
- Turn two applications into setting → action → effect sentences.
- Correct one misconception without using vague language.
Before you write, answer these
- What is the instruction?
- What belief or principle lies behind it?
- Which exact action proves application?
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Independent practice
- Write a 90–120 word part (a) explanation without looking.
- Write two separate part (b) examples from different settings.
- Compare this Hadith with Hadith 1 in one similarity and one difference.
- Explain why the first misconception is wrong.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Check your understanding
Answer each question, then check it. Every option is explained — including the ones that are wrong — so read the feedback even when you were right.
Write a full answer
Exam-style practice question
Four Hadiths are printed in the examination. Practise choosing the two you can explain and apply most evenly.
Hadiths set for this practice
- Hadith 20 — this lesson
- Hadith 1 — Sincerity (nasiha)
- Hadith 18 — Faith and pride
- Hadith 1 — Sincerity (nasiha)
Exam-style practice question
Important: Question 1 is marked as a whole
Question 1 is marked as a whole. Both of your chosen passages are read together and given ONE mark out of 4 for part (a), and ONE mark out of 4 for part (b). This means balance matters: an excellent answer on one passage and a thin answer on the other is limited by the overall impression. Choose two passages you can develop equally well.
(a) Choose any two of the Hadiths above. Explain what teachings they contain for Muslims to believe. [4] AO1
(b) Explain how Muslims can put these teachings into action. [4] AO2
Written by this course to match the style and demand of the examination. It is not a Cambridge question.
Plan your answer
Before you write, answer these
- Which two Hadiths can I develop equally well?
- For each, what is the instruction and what beliefs lie behind it?
- What short wording can I use as evidence?
- Which two practical actions are specific and realistic?
- Have I divided time and space evenly?
Out of scope here: Copying the translations, giving only personal opinion, or describing general importance without concrete action.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Indicative answer
Show an indicative answer Write yours first — you will learn more
Part (a) — Hadith 20
Appearance is not the measure of worth: beauty, clothing, ethnicity, disability and social image do not determine status before Allah. Wealth is not proof of favour: possessions create responsibility but do not purchase spiritual rank. The heart matters: intention, sincerity, faith and moral orientation are known fully by Allah. Deeds still matter: the Hadith joins hearts with actions; sincere claims without righteous conduct are incomplete.
Part (a) — Hadith 1
‘Religion is sincerity.’ We said: ‘To whom?’ The Prophet said: ‘To Allah, his Book, his Messenger, the leaders of the Muslims and to their common people.’ This teaches the central principle of Sincerity (nasiha) and should be developed from its own lesson.
Part (b) — practical action
Worship: Do not perform prayer, charity or study mainly to build a religious image. The act remains directed towards Allah.
Community: Choose responsibility by character and competence rather than wealth or appearance. Status bias is reduced.
Other answers are equally valid
- Marks are awarded for what is correct. Nothing is deducted for errors or omissions.
- Credit is given for valid answers that go beyond the syllabus and the mark scheme.
- It is entirely possible to reach the highest level using different information or a different argument from the one shown here.
- Answers are judged against the levels of response, not against a checklist of required points.
Marking guidance reference
Important: Question 1 is marked as a whole
Question 1 is marked as a whole. Both of your chosen passages are read together and given ONE mark out of 4 for part (a), and ONE mark out of 4 for part (b). This means balance matters: an excellent answer on one passage and a thin answer on the other is limited by the overall impression. Choose two passages you can develop equally well.
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 |
|
| 3 | 3 |
|
| 2 | 2 |
|
| 1 | 1 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The clearest difference between Level 3 and Level 4 is comprehensiveness, development, and quotation. Level 3 "may quote"; Level 4 is "likely to quote".
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3–4 |
|
| 1 | 1–2 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The whole AO2 distinction is discussion versus description. A factually excellent but purely descriptive paragraph cannot reach Level 2.
Note that AO2 has two levels, not four. Some older textbooks and revision guides still show a four-level scale for part (b); that scale is out of date.
Self-assessment checklist reference
Judge your answer as a whole against the levels above, not by counting points. An answer can reach the top band using different material from the indicative answer.
Consolidate
Lesson summary
- Allah judges sincere hearts together with righteous deeds, not social appearance, wealth or public image.
- Allah's knowledge reaches inner intention and outward action.
- A strong part (a) answer explains the instruction and the belief behind it rather than copying the translation.
- A strong part (b) answer gives specific, realistic actions and explains how each action applies the teaching.
- Both selected Hadiths are marked together, so balanced treatment is essential.
Retrieval flashcards
Further revision task reference
- Create a one-page card with the Arabic opening, complete translation, one instruction, three beliefs and three actions.
- Retrieve it after 24 hours, one week and one month.
- Complete an eight-minute Question 1 practice pairing it with Hadith 1.
- Replace any vague action with a named setting, action and effect.
Before you write, answer these
- Which belief is secure?
- Which action is too vague?
- Which Arabic phrase can I recall accurately?
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Your progress is saved in this browser only. Use My progress to export it if you change device.
Why this would reach the top band
The response distinguishes belief from action, develops the teaching instead of copying it, and gives realistic applications. Other accurate teachings and examples can reach the same level.