How to Pass JAMB Islamic Religious Studies in 2027

Islamic Religious Studies rewards candidates who study it as a connected body of knowledge, not as a collection of definitions. A student who has grown up in the faith knows a lot, but the exam asks for precision: the exact number, the correct order of events, the right term, the name of the caliph in a given period. Careful, structured revision closes that gap.

This guide is for the 2027 cycle and shows how to arrange your study around the main blocks of the syllabus.

The format

IRK is a chosen subject with 40 questions in the UTME CBT, like the other chosen subjects. Course acceptance varies by faculty and university, so check the admission requirements and read our subject combination guide. The time limit and current syllabus are on jamb.gov.ng.

The five blocks

ExamPadi organises IRK practice under these topics: the Glorious Qur'an, Hadith of the Prophet (SAW), Tawheed, the Pillars of Islam, the Pillars of Iman, Islamic History (Makkah and Madinah), the Caliphate era, Islamic Ethics, and Islam in Nigeria. They fit into five blocks:

Sources: Qur'an and Hadith

For the Qur'an, learn the story of revelation, its compilation in the early caliphates, and its basic divisions: the surahs, the Makkan and Madinan revelations, and what each tends to emphasise. Be ready for simple recall: the first revealed verses, the number of surahs, the opening chapter.

Hadith questions are about definition and classification. Learn what a hadith is, how it differs from the Qur'an, and the broad grades (such as sahih and da'if) in simple terms. Learn the names of the major collectors of Hadith and their collections only to the extent that the syllabus requires. Also learn a few well-known hadith on character, kindness and worship with their lesson, because questions often ask for the teaching.

Belief and practice

The Pillars of Iman are six: belief in Allah, the angels, the revealed books, the prophets, the Last Day, and divine decree (Qadar). The Pillars of Islam are five: Shahadah (declaration of faith), Salah (prayer), Zakah (obligatory charity), Sawm (fasting in Ramadan) and Hajj (pilgrimage to Makkah for those able). Learn both lists in order and say them aloud.

Then learn the details for each pillar of Islam:

• Salah: the five daily prayers, with their names and the number of obligatory units. Fajr has two rak'ah.
• Zakah: who must pay, who may receive, and the idea of purification of wealth.
• Sawm: who is exempt, what breaks the fast, and the meaning of the night prayers during Ramadan.
• Hajj: the main rites and the place where each takes place.

An original quick check: How many rak'ah are in the obligatory Fajr prayer? Two. Keep a one-page table of prayers and their units, and review it weekly.

Tawheed deals with the oneness of Allah. Learn its meaning, the contrast with shirk (associating partners with Allah), and the basic categories of oneness discussed in the syllabus.

History: build the timeline

Islamic history in the syllabus covers the life of the Prophet (SAW) in Makkah and Madinah, and the Caliphate era. A sequence works best:

1. Birth and early life; first revelation.
2. The Makkan period: early followers, opposition, migration to Abyssinia.
3. The Hijrah to Madinah and the founding of the first community.
4. The battles and treaties of the Madinan period; the conquest of Makkah.
5. The Rightly Guided Caliphs: Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali, in that order.

Under each, write the key events and one lesson. For the caliphs, add one major achievement each, such as the collection of the Qur'an under Abu Bakr and its standardisation under Uthman. Do not memorise dates in isolation; remember the order and cause.

Ethics and Islam in Nigeria

Ethics questions apply principles: honesty, justice, trust, kindness to parents and neighbours, respect for others' property, and the Islamic view of work and wealth. Learn the principle and an example. Questions typically ask what Islam teaches about a situation, so the correct option is usually the one that matches a clear principle.

For Islam in Nigeria, learn how Islam spread, the role of trade and scholars, the Sokoto Jihad of Usman dan Fodio in the early nineteenth century and the caliphate it founded, and the place of Islamic education. The topic links to Nigerian history, so the timeline skills you use in JAMB History carry over.

Study habits

1. Say it aloud. Lists such as the pillars stay better when spoken.
2. Keep a glossary. Arabic term, meaning, one example.
3. Link events to lessons. An event without a lesson is easy to forget.
4. Read the stem carefully. Look for words like "first", "except" and "most".
5. Rehearse on screen. The UTME is computer-based, so do some of your timed sets on a screen, and use elimination when two options are plainly wrong.

Mistakes to avoid

1. Mixing up the Pillars of Islam with the Pillars of Iman.
2. Reordering the Rightly Guided Caliphs.
3. Confusing the Hijrah with the pilgrimage.
4. Treating a hadith as if it were a Qur'anic verse.
5. Over-relying on what you heard in a sermon rather than the syllabus.

A weekly plan

For techniques that help you retain more, read how to memorise faster. For a topic priority list, see JAMB IRK topics to focus on.

Practise on screen

ExamPadi has free JAMB IRK practice with explanations and a timed CBT mode. Start with the 2025 JAMB IRK past questions. No guide can promise a score, but organised revision and honest testing will take you a long way. Tonight, write the two sets of pillars from memory and check them.