Cambridge IGCSE Islamiyat (0493): syllabus, papers and marking

The IGCSE twin of O Level 2058 with the same two-paper structure, so it opens together with 2058.

Syllabus for examination in 2026 and 2027 (2028 syllabus published separately) · June and November series · grades A*–G

Islamiyat 0493: where the marks go

Islamiyat 0493 is two 50-mark papers. In each, Question 1 (passages) and Question 2 are compulsory, with two more 14-mark questions chosen from the rest. The examiners report that lower marks come from lack of detail, irrelevant facts and answers that retell a passage in other words.

Our papers follow both structures and marking returns the level reached, the points credited and what the next level needs.

How we mark a real script

Paper structure and what we mark

PaperTimeMarksWeightQuestions
Paper 1 — Paper 11 h 30 min5050%Q1 (Qur’an passages, two of three, 8 marks) and Q2 (14 marks) compulsory, plus two of the remaining 14-mark questions
Paper 2 — Paper 21 h 30 min5050%Q1 (Hadith passages, two of four, 8 marks) and Q2 compulsory, plus two of the remaining 14-mark questions

Syllabus outline

  1. Paper 1: major themes of the Qur’an (set passages)
  2. The history and importance of the Qur’an
  3. The life and importance of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
  4. The first Islamic community
  5. Paper 2: major teachings in the Hadiths (set passages)
  6. The history and importance of the Hadiths
  7. The Rightly Guided Caliphs and their importance
  8. The Articles of Faith and the Pillars of Islam

How each paper is marked here

Where Islamiyat 0493 candidates lose marks

  1. Paraphrasing the passage — At least three themes should be described and developed; paraphrase earned only about half.
  2. Irrelevant detail — The first revelation of Surah Iqra, or the names and numbers of suras.
  3. Themes from different passages merged — A list of themes with no reference to which sura they came from.
  4. Part (b) answers with no “how” — Saying a belief helps people in hardship without saying how.
  5. Writing that is not continuous prose — Extended answers need paragraphs and a labelled page.

Sample papers, mark schemes and marked reports for 0493

See a real handwritten script marked by eight examiners at admitportfolio.com/examiners.

Questions teachers ask

Is it the same as O Level 2058?
The structure is the same; 0493 papers carry the IGCSE grading.
Are the passages in Arabic?
The syllabus sets them in both Arabic and English.
Which syllabus applies?
2026 and 2027; 2028 is published separately.
Is this official Cambridge marking?
No. Cambridge International Education marks the real exam. This is examiner-style marking of mocks and homework for 0493. Only you see the marking, and you decide what reaches the student.
Do you reproduce past-paper questions?
No. Every 0493 paper here is original and written to the syllabus for examination in 2026 and 2027 (2028 syllabus published separately), in the same structure as the real papers shown above.
Which papers are marked?
None yet are marked question by question. Practical exams sat at the centre are not marked here.
How is the next paper chosen?
From the marks a student lost: the concepts behind them are ranked by marks dropped, and the new paper weights those topics. It is the same syllabus and structure, with new questions.
When are the exams?
June and November series. Grades A*–G.

Other Cambridge IGCSE courses

Start marking Islamiyat scripts · See a real marked script