9488 Past Paper AS & A Level Islamic Studies Syllabus Update 2024

The 9488 Past Paper AS & A Level Islamic Studies Syllabus Update 2024 is an official Cambridge International document issued alongside the 2024–2026 Islamic Studies syllabus. It helps students, teachers, tutors and schools identify the changes and availability information applicable to the qualification. Cambridge strongly recommends reading the complete updated syllabus before planning teaching programmes.

Official Update

The update confirms that the latest syllabus version at the time was Version 2, published in November 2022. The key change concerns examination availability:

• The syllabus is available in the June examination series.
• It is also available in the November examination series in Mauritius only.
• Cambridge states that the specimen materials were not updated as part of this syllabus update.

9488 Assessment Structure

The 2024–2026 syllabus assesses students through four papers:

• Paper 1 – Islamic Beliefs and Practices
• Paper 2 – Islamic Law (Shariah) and Its Application
• Paper 3 – Heritage of Islam
• Paper 4 – Islam in the Modern World

AS Level candidates take Papers 1 and 2, while full A Level candidates take all four papers. Each paper is 1 hour 30 minutes and carries 50 marks; each paper contributes 25% of the full A Level.

Syllabus Content

The qualification develops students’ understanding of:

• Islamic beliefs and practices
• Qur’anic and Hadith texts
• Islamic law and its application
• The history and heritage of Islam
• Cultural heritage of Islam
• Islam in the modern world
• Contemporary issues and the role of Islam today

Cambridge describes the syllabus as covering the beginnings of Islam, beliefs and practices, Islamic law, Islamic heritage and the role of Islam in contemporary society.

Why This Update Matters

The 9488 Syllabus Update 2024 helps students and teachers:

• Confirm the correct syllabus version.
• Check examination-series availability.
• Plan teaching according to the correct syllabus cycle.
• Avoid relying on outdated availability information.
• Prepare alongside the official syllabus and specimen materials.

Cambridge also notes that 9488 replaced the former AS Level 8053 and A Level 9013 syllabuses from 2021 onwards.

For complete examination preparation, students should use the 9488 AS & A Level Islamic Studies Syllabus Update 2024 alongside the official Syllabus Document, Question Papers, Mark Schemes, Examiner Reports, Grade Thresholds, Specimen Question Papers, Scheme of Work, Learner Guide, Teacher Guide and Example Candidate Responses. Cambridge’s official qualification page provides access to the available past papers, examiner reports and specimen examinations.