JAMB Islamic Studies Syllabus 2027: Full Topics, Objectives and Recommended Textbooks

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Last updated: October, 2026

Writing Islamic Studies in the 2027 UTME? The Joint Admissions and Matriculation Board (JAMB) syllabus tells you exactly which topics, chapters and verses the examiners can draw from, so you can prepare with purpose.

This page lists all three parts and 20 topics in the official JAMB Islamic Studies syllabus, the skills you are expected to show on each one, and the textbooks JAMB recommends. You will also find a six-week study plan, sample questions and answers to frequently asked questions.

JAMB’s syllabus document is headed “Islamic Religious Studies” and uses “Islamic Studies” in its aim. Candidates also call it IRS or IRK. It is the same subject.

Quick Facts

• Exam: Unified Tertiary Matriculation Examination (UTME), computer-based
• Subject: Islamic Studies (Islamic Religious Studies, IRS)
• Syllabus parts: 3 (The Qur’an and Hadith, Tawhid and Fiqh, Islamic History and Civilization)
• Total topics: 20 main topics (7 in Part I, 7 in Part II, 6 in Part III)
• Set Arabic texts: 18 surahs and verse groups to recite with tajwid, plus 20 hadiths from an-Nawawi’s collection
• Source: Official JAMB syllabus

In This Guide

1. Aim and objectives of the syllabus
2. The three parts at a glance
3. Detailed syllabus (topics and what you should be able to do)
4. Recommended textbooks
5. Six-week study plan
6. Sample questions
7. Subject combinations
8. FAQs

Aim and Objectives

The aim of the UTME Islamic Studies syllabus is to prepare candidates for the Board’s examination and test how well they have achieved the course objectives. Candidates are expected to:

• Master the Qur’an and Sunnah as foundations of Islamic and social life.
• Be familiar with Islamic heritage, culture and civilization.
• Be acquainted with the tradition of Islamic scholarship and intellectual discourse.
• Demonstrate knowledge of Islamic moral, spiritual, economic, political and social values.
• Be exposed to the fundamental principles of Islam.
• Be prepared to face the challenges of life as good practising Muslims.

The Three Parts at a Glance

• Part I: The Qur’an and Hadith (topics 1 to 7): revelation and preservation of the Qur’an, tafsir, tajwid, set surahs, hadith and moral lessons
• Part II: Tawhid and Fiqh (topics 8 to 14): faith, shirk, articles of faith, acts of worship, family matters, sources and schools of law, and the Islamic economic and political systems
• Part III: Islamic History and Civilization (topics 15 to 20): pre-Islamic Arabia, the life of the Prophet, the Rightly Guided Caliphs, Islam in Africa and West Africa, and contributions to education

Detailed Syllabus

Part I: The Qur’an and Hadith

1. Revelation, Preservation and Importance of the Glorious Qur’an
   • Revelation: the Prophet’s (SAW) visits to Cave Hira, his reaction to the first revelation and its importance, the modes of revelation (Q.42:51), piecemeal revelation (Q.17:106; Q.25:32), and the names and attributes of the Qur’an
   • Preservation: recording, compilation and standardization of the Qur’an, differences between Makkan and Madinan surahs, and the role of the Companions in collecting and compiling it
   • Importance: the Qur’an as a source of guidance in spiritual, moral, economic, political and socio-cultural matters
   • Divine authenticity: proofs of authenticity (Q.4:82; Q.41:42), its uniqueness (Q.39:27; Q.17:88; Q.75:16-19) and divine preservation (Q.15:9)
   • You should be able to: analyse the visits to Cave Hira, differentiate the modes of revelation, explain why the Qur’an was revealed piecemeal, differentiate Makkan from Madinan surahs, evaluate the role of the Companions, and evaluate the proofs of its divine authenticity.
2. Tafsir
   • Historical development, importance and types of tafsir
   • You should be able to: trace the origin and sources of tafsir, evaluate its importance and compare its types.
3. Introduction to Tajwid (Theory and Practice)
   • You should be able to: examine the meaning and importance of tajwid.
4. Study of the Arabic Text of Surahs and Verses with Tajwid (Set A)
   • Al-Fatihah (Q.1), al-Adiyat (Q.100), al-Qari’ah (Q.101), at-Takathur (Q.102), al-Asr (Q.103), al-Humazah (Q.104), al-Ma’un (Q.107), al-Kawthar (Q.108), al-Kafirun (Q.109), an-Nasr (Q.110), al-Masad (Q.111), al-Ikhlas (Q.112), al-Falaq (Q.113) and an-Nas (Q.114)
   • You should be able to: recite the surahs with correct tajwid, translate the verses, deduce lessons and evaluate their teachings.
5. Study of the Arabic Text of Surahs and Verses with Tajwid (Set B)
   • Al-A’la (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), az-Zalzalah (Q.99), Ayatul-Kursiyy (Q.2:255), Amanar-Rasul (Q.2:285-286) and Laqad ja’akum (Q.9:128-129)
   • You should be able to: recite them with correct tajwid, deduce lessons and evaluate their teachings.
6. Hadith
   • The history of hadith literature from the time of the Prophet (SAW) to the six authentic collectors
   • Authentication of hadith: isnad (asma’ur-rijal), matn, and classification into sahih, hasan and da’if
   • The relationship between hadith and the Qur’an: importance, similarities and differences
   • The six sound collectors of hadith: their biographies and works
   • The Muwatta and its author: the biography of Imam Malik and his book
   • The Arabic text of hadiths 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 27, 34 and 41 from an-Nawawi’s collection
   • You should be able to: evaluate the history of hadith, analyse the isnad and matn, distinguish sahih, hasan and da’if hadith, evaluate the six collectors and Imam Malik, interpret the set hadiths in Arabic and apply them in daily life.
7. Moral Lessons in the Glorious Qur’an and Hadith
   • Luqman’s admonition to his son (Q.31:12-18), goodness to parents (Q.17:23-24), honesty (Q.2:42; Q.61:2-3)
   • Prohibition of bribery and corruption (Q.2:188), alcohol and gambling (Q.2:219; Q.5:90-91), stealing and fraud, smoking, drug abuse and other intoxicants, arrogance and extravagance
   • Dignity of labour (Q.62:10; Q.78:11), behaviour and modesty in dressing (Q.24:27-31; Q.33:59)
   • Adultery and fornication (Q.17:32; Q.24:2), homosexuality (Q.11:77-83) and obscenity
   • Leadership (Q.2:124) and justice (Q.4:58 and 135; Q.5:9), trust, obligations and promises (Q.4:58; Q.5:1; Q.16:91)
   • Piety or taqwa (Q.2:177; Q.3:102; Q.49:13), tolerance, perseverance and patience (Q.2:153-157; Q.3:200; Q.103:3), unity and brotherhood (Q.3:103; Q.8:46; Q.49:10), and enjoining good and forbidding wrong (Q.3:104 and 110; Q.16:90)
   • You should be able to: apply the teachings of these verses and hadiths in daily life.

Part II: Tawhid and Fiqh

8. Faith (Tawhid, Kalimatush-Shahadah and Shirk)
   • Tawhid: its importance and lessons
   • Kalimatush-shahadah: meaning and importance, the Oneness of Allah (Q.3:18; Q.2:255; Q.112:1-4), the servanthood and messengership of the Prophet (Q.3:144; Q.18:110; Q.48:29; Q.34:28), the universality of his message (Q.7:158) and the finality of his Prophethood (Q.33:40)
   • Shirk: beliefs incompatible with tawhid (worship of idols, ancestral worship, the Trinity, atheism)
   • General practices incompatible with tawhid: superstition, fortune-telling, magic and witchcraft, cult worship and innovation (bid’ah)
   • You should be able to: analyse tawhid, evaluate the significance of the shahadah, identify actions and beliefs that constitute shirk and their implications, and shun them.
9. Articles of Faith
   • Belief in Allah (existence, attributes and works), His angels, His books, His prophets (including the ulul-azm), the Last Day (Yawm al-Ba’th) and destiny (the distinction between qada and qadar)
   • You should be able to: examine the significance of each article of faith, list the attributes of Allah and identify the verses on Allah’s books.
10. Ibadat and their Types
    • Good deeds, taharah (istinja, wudu, tayammum, ghusl), salah (importance, description, types and things that vitiate it), zakah (types, collection and disbursement, and the difference between zakah and sadaqah), sawm (types, exemptions and things that vitiate it), Hajj (importance, types, essentials, conditions, and the difference between Hajj and Umrah) and jihad (concept, kinds, manner and lessons)
    • You should be able to: distinguish the types of taharah, zakah (zakatul-fitr, zakatul-mal, al-an’am and al-harth), sawm (fard, sunnah, qada and kaffarah) and Hajj (ifrad, qiran and tamattu’), and explain the essentials and conditions of Hajj.
11. Family Matters
    • Marriage: importance, prohibited categories, conditions for validity, rights and duties of husbands and wives, polygamy, and ill-treatment of a wife
    • Divorce: Islam’s attitude, kinds (talaq, khul’, faskh, mubara’ah and li’an), iddah (kinds, duration and importance), prohibited forms of dissolution (ila and zihar) and custody of children (hadanah)
    • Inheritance: its importance, the heirs and their shares (Q.4:7-8, 11-12 and 176)
12. Sources and Schools of Law
    • The four major sources (the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma’ and Qiyas) and the four Sunni schools of law with their founders
13. Islamic Economic System
    • Islam’s attitude to riba, at-tatfif, hoarding (ihtikar), the sources of revenue (zakah, jizyah, kharaj and ghanimah), baitul-mal as an institution of socio-economic welfare, and the difference between the Islamic and Western economic systems
14. Islamic Political System
    • Allah as the Sovereign, the concept of shurah (consultation), adalah (justice) and mas’uliyah (accountability), the rights of non-Muslims in an Islamic state, and the differences between the Islamic and Western political systems

Part III: Islamic History and Civilization

15. Pre-Islamic Arabia (Jahiliyyah)
    • Jahiliyyah practices (idol worship, infanticide, polyandry, gambling, usury) and the reforms brought by Islam
16. The Life of Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
    • His birth and early life, his call to Prophethood, his da’wah in Makkah and Madinah, the Hijrah, his administration of the Ummah in Madinah, the battles of Badr, Uhud and Khandaq (causes and effects), the Treaty of al-Hudaibiyyah and the conquest of Makkah, Hijjatul-wada’ (the farewell pilgrimage) sermon and its lessons, and his qualities and the lessons learnt from them
17. The Rightly Guided Caliphs (al-Khulafa’u Rashidun)
    • The lives and contributions of the four caliphs
18. Early Contact of Islam with Africa
    • The Hijrah to Abyssinia, the spread of Islam to Egypt, and the roles of traders, teachers, preachers, the Murabitun, Sufi orders and Mujaddidun in the spread of Islam in West Africa
19. The Impact of Islam in West Africa
    • Its influence on the socio-political life of Ghana, Mali, Songhai and Borno, and its impact on the economic life of Timbuktu, Kano and Borno
20. Contributions of Islam to Education
    • Aims and objectives of Islamic education, the Qur’an and hadith on education (Q.96:1-5; Q.39:9), intellectual activities of Islam in West Africa (written history in Arabic and Sankore University), the contributions of Ahmad Baba of Timbuktu, Sheikh al-Maghili, Sheikh Usman Dan Fodio, Sultan Muhammad Bello and Ibn Battuta, Islamic institutions (the House of Wisdom in Baghdad, al-Azhar University in Cairo and Nizamiyyah University in Baghdad), and the lives and contributions of Ibn Sina, al-Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, ar-Razi and Ibn Khaldun
    • You should be able to: examine Ibn Sina’s contribution to medicine, al-Ghazali’s to Islamic education, Ibn Rushd’s to philosophy and fiqh, ar-Razi’s to philosophy and Ibn Khaldun’s to modern sociology and the method of writing history.

Recommended Textbooks

JAMB lists these texts for Islamic Studies:

• Abdul, M. O. A. (1976). Studies in Islam Series, Book 3. Lagos: IPB.
• Abdul, M. O. A. (1982). Studies in Islam Series, Book 2. Lagos: IPB.
• Abdul, M. O. A. (1988). The Classical Caliphate. Lagos: IPB.
• Abdulrahman and Canham. The Ink of the Scholar. OUP.
• Ali, A. Y. (1975). The Holy Qur’an: Text, Translation and Commentary. Leicester: The Islamic Foundation.
• Ali, M. M. The Religion of Islam. Lahore.
• Doi, A. R. I. (1997). Shariah: The Islamic Law. Kuala Lumpur: Noordeen.
• Haykal, M. H. (1982). The Life of Muhammad (SAW). Academic Press.
• Lemu, A. (1992). Methodology of Primary Islamic Studies. Lagos: IPB.
• Lemu, A. (1993). Islamic Studies for SSS, Book 1. Lagos: IPB.
• Lemu, A. (1993). Islamic Studies for SSS. Minna: IET.
• Muhammad, S. Q. (2010). al-Burhan fi Tajwid al-Qur’an. Cairo: Shirkatul-Qudus.
• Opeloye, M. O. (1996). A Dictionary of Peoples and Places in the Qur’an. Lagos: Academic Press.
• Philips, A. A. B. (1997). Usool at-Tafseer. Kuala Lumpur: Noordeen.
• Quadri, Y. A. et al (1990). Al-Iziyyah for the English Audience. Ijebu Ode: Shebiotimo Publication.
• Rahim, A. (1992). Islamic History. Lagos: IPB.
• Sambo, M. B. et al (1984). Islamic Religious Knowledge for WASC, Book 1. Lagos: IPB.
• Sambo, M. B. et al (1984). Islamic Religious Knowledge for WASC, Book 3. Lagos: IPB.
• Trimingham, J. S. (1993). A History of Islam in West Africa. Oxford: OUP.

Six-Week Study Plan

• Week 1: Part I, topics 1 to 3 (revelation, preservation, tafsir and tajwid).
• Week 2: Part I, topics 4 to 6 (the set surahs and verses, and hadith). Recite and review the surahs every day.
• Week 3: Part I, topic 7, then Part II, topics 8 to 10 (moral lessons, tawhid, articles of faith and ibadat).
• Week 4: Part II, topics 11 to 14 (family matters, sources of law, and the economic and political systems).
• Week 5: Part III, topics 15 to 20 (history, the Prophet’s life, the caliphs, Islam in Africa and education).
• Week 6: Revise weak topics and practise past questions under timed conditions.

Tips:

• Memorise and revise the set surahs and verses regularly, and learn their meanings, because questions ask you to deduce lessons from them.
• Learn the set hadiths from an-Nawawi’s collection with their meanings.
• Make comparison tables for the types of zakah, sawm, Hajj and divorce, and for the Islamic and Western economic and political systems.
• Make a timeline of the Prophet’s life and the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
• Learn the scholars with their contributions, such as Ibn Sina, al-Ghazali, Ibn Rushd, ar-Razi and Ibn Khaldun.
• Use the syllabus objectives as a checklist. If you cannot do what an objective says, you are not ready on that topic.

Sample Questions

1. The Prophet (SAW) received the first revelation in A. Cave Hira B. Madinah C. Taif D. Abyssinia Answer: A
2. Which surah teaches the Oneness of Allah? A. Al-Masad B. Al-Ikhlas C. Al-Kawthar D. Al-Asr Answer: B
3. The Muwatta was written by A. Imam Malik B. Imam Bukhari C. Imam Muslim D. Imam Abu Hanifa Answer: A
4. The four major sources of Islamic law are the Qur’an, Sunnah, Ijma’ and A. Qiyas B. Hajj C. Zakah D. Tafsir Answer: A
5. Zakatul-fitr is paid at the end of A. Hajj B. Ramadan C. Muharram D. Sha’ban Answer: B

Subject Combinations

Islamic Studies is commonly required for courses such as Islamic Studies, Arabic, Islamic Law, Religious Studies and some Education and Arts courses. Always check your chosen course and university in the JAMB brochure for the exact combination.

Related: JAMB Subject Combination for Arts Students | JAMB Brochure | JAMB Recommended Textbooks for All Subjects | JAMB UTME Registration Guide

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the JAMB Islamic Studies syllabus?

It is the official JAMB document that lists the parts, topics and learning objectives candidates must cover for Islamic Studies in the UTME.

Is Islamic Studies the same as Islamic Religious Studies?

Yes. JAMB’s document is headed Islamic Religious Studies, and many candidates call the subject IRS or IRK.

How many parts and topics are in the syllabus?

Three parts and 20 main topics: the Qur’an and Hadith, Tawhid and Fiqh, and Islamic History and Civilization.

Which surahs must I know?

The syllabus lists 14 surahs from Surah al-Fatihah to Surah an-Nas in the first set, and a second set of 8 surahs plus Ayatul-Kursiyy, Amanar-Rasul and Laqad ja’akum. Candidates must recite them with tajwid, translate them and deduce lessons.

Do I need to know specific hadiths?

Yes. The syllabus lists hadiths 1, 3, 5, 6, 7, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 19, 21, 22, 25, 27, 34 and 41 from an-Nawawi’s collection, which you should interpret in Arabic and apply in daily life.

Where can I get past questions for Islamic Studies?

Click here

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