Statement–Assumption (Religious Attendance vs. Television Viewing): Statement: “Disconnect your TV cable connections,” a maulana issues a fatwa, citing thin attendance during prayers at the mosque. Assumptions: I) Television programs are competing with (and more attractive than) attending prayers. II) Prayer is more important than watching television.

Introduction / Context:
The religious authority recommends disconnecting TV cables to tackle “thin attendance” at prayers. Statement–Assumption tasks ask which beliefs must be true for this directive to be sensible, not which beliefs align with the speaker’s broader values.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Observed problem: low turnout for prayers.
• Proposed remedy: remove TV access.
• Implied mechanism: TV viewing competes for people’s time/attention.

Concept / Approach:
An assumption is implicit if, when negated, the action would no longer make sense. The fatwa targets television, implying it is a principal cause of absenteeism. A separate, value-laden belief (that prayer is more important than TV) may be true, but do we need it for the causal recommendation to hold?

Step-by-Step Solution:
Assumption I: Necessary. If TV programs are not drawing people away, disconnecting cables would not fix attendance; the directive would be pointless.Assumption II: Not necessary. The recommendation can be justified merely on the goal of increasing attendance, regardless of a general principle about prayer’s moral priority over TV. The causal link, not the value judgment, is the minimum requirement.

Verification / Alternative check:
Negate I (TV has no impact) → the directive loses rationale. Negate II (prayer is not “more important” in a moral hierarchy) → one could still aim to increase attendance for institutional reasons; the action can remain intelligible.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
“Only II” ignores the causal competition premise. “Either/Neither” misdiagnose necessity.

Common Pitfalls:
Importing speaker values into necessity testing. Assumptions test logical support, not moral endorsement.

Final Answer:
Only assumption I is implicit.