Islamiyat · Oct / Nov 2025 · Paper 12 · Question 2

Write about how God describes Himself. Refer to three of the following set passages: Suras 2.255, 6.101–103, 41.37, 42.4–5 and 112. Use the AO1 Levels of Response.

Candidates should include some of the following points. All other relevant points must be credited.

God describes Himself in various passages in the Qur’an so that humans can know Him. Many of the passages have similar themes, especially about God’s Oneness, but often they will describe the themes in a particular way. God’s Oneness is clearly described in 2.255, 6.101–103 and Sura 112. They all emphasise His Oneness in different ways.

In sura Baqara, 2.255 God starts with ‘Allah, there is no god but He, the living, the self-subsisting, the eternal.’ Here God’s oneness and uniqueness is described through the fact that He does not die, there is no end to Him, which is in contrast to everything else in creation.

In sura al-An’am, 6.101, God emphasises His Oneness, stating that He has no son and He has no partner because no one can compare to him, then in the next verse stating that there is no god but Him.

Sura Ikhlas, 112, is considered to be the main sura in the Qur’an that explains God’s oneness and uniqueness. It says that He is eternal and complete in everything, that He does not have any family, partners or children, and that He is completely unique in every way.

God describes Himself as the Creator of everything.

Sura al-An‘am, 6.101–103 says that the origin of everything in the heavens and earth is from Him, being the Creator. He created everything from nothing. Sura Fussilat, 41.37, describes His signs and that He is the creator of the sun and the moon and the order and cycle that they follow.

God also describes Himself as the one who sees and knows everything. In sura 6.101–103 He says that although humans and creation cannot see Him, He can see everything and so humans should know that He is aware of what they do, good and bad.

This is also mentioned in 2.255 by saying that God knows what has happened and what is to come and so His knowledge of all that happens is complete. What humans know from this knowledge is because He has allowed it to be known.

God tells humans that He does not have human attributes, being completely unique.

As mentioned in sura Baqara 2.255 – He does not sleep nor gets tired. He also does not have any family, no partners or children, as referenced in sura Ikhlas, 112.

Being the most forgiving and merciful is another way God describes Himself, which is referenced in sura 42.4–5.

How can these descriptions of God help Muslims in their daily lives? Use the AO2 Levels of Response.

Candidates can give other examples and all relevant answers should be credited.

These descriptions can help Muslims by helping them understand what God is and isn’t like, so they do not think something about God that is not suited to Him, such as thinking that He has family. This would help Muslims worship Him alone and not think about whether they should be worshipping other beings.

It helps them understand that He knows everything about what people are doing or thinking, and that they cannot hide their actions from Him – this helps them know that He will judge them according to what they do, not what others may think of them, and that there will be justice according to their actions. It can also help them understand that if they make mistakes, they can ask God for forgiveness as He loves to forgive, even if others are not forgiving when a person is sorry for what they have done.