To answer a scenario question, state the principle, pick out the relevant facts, apply the principle to them, and give a conclusion. Each step is a different sentence.
This lesson is in the SPM subjects section. It practises reasoning skills with an original classroom example. It is a study exercise, not a personal ruling, and your teacher confirms which principles your syllabus includes.
The four-step frame
| Step | Question to ask | Sentence starter |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Principle | Which rule or idea applies? | The principle is that… |
| 2. Facts | Which details matter? | In this case… |
| 3. Application | How does the principle act on the facts? | Because… |
| 4. Conclusion | What follows? | Therefore… |
Worked example: a noisy study period
An original scenario. During a quiet study period, Hafiz plays a video on his phone without earphones. The sound reaches three classmates who are revising for a test. One of them asks him to stop, but he says his device belongs to him and he can use it as he likes.
Take the general principle that harm should be removed (al-darar yuzal), a well-known fiqh principle. Check whether it appears in your syllabus before you use it.
Step 1. The principle is that harm should be removed, including harm to other people.
Step 2. Hafiz’s video is audible to classmates who are revising, and one has asked him to stop.
Step 3. Owning the phone does not remove the effect on others. The sound disturbs the classmates’ study, which is a real harm to their time and focus.
Step 4. Therefore Hafiz should use earphones or stop the video, so the harm is removed while he can still use his device.
The mistake: reciting without applying
A weak answer says: “Harm should be removed. This is an important principle in Islam. We must avoid harming others.” It is true and general, but it never mentions Hafiz, the phone or the classmates.
A strong answer names the people and actions in the scenario, and each sentence is tied to a fact. If you could paste your answer under a different scenario without changing a word, it has not applied anything.
A second short scenario to try
A class shares one electric fan. A student turns it to face only himself and leaves the others in the heat. The same frame works: state the principle, name the facts, apply, conclude. A fair conclusion is that the fan should be shared in a way that does not cause discomfort to others.
Check yourself
Scenario: Maya borrows a classmate’s pen, presses so hard that the tip breaks, and puts it back without saying anything. Using the four-step frame and the principle that harm should be removed, write a short answer.
Answer
Principle. Harm should be removed, and a person who causes it should make it right.
Facts. Maya borrowed the pen, broke the tip, and returned it without telling the owner.
Application. The owner now has a damaged pen and does not know why. The harm continues until Maya acknowledges it.
Conclusion. Maya should tell the owner, apologise and replace or repair the pen. Your syllabus may name more specific principles for compensation, so use those if you have studied them.
What to study next
Go back to the comparison chart lesson to tighten your term definitions. Then check a finished answer with the structured answer self-review tool.
What your school teaches and assesses remains with the school. For help practising scenario answers, see online one-to-one Al-Syariah tuition, which starts with a one-hour trial class (from RM50).