Islamiyat · May / June 2016 · Paper 11 · Question 1

What are the main teachings?

(i)

Sura 2.255 The main themes are Tawhid, One God; that He is unlike creation; that His knowledge is infinite; that the Throne represents His power. Candidates will develop these themes in their own way, e.g., saying that He looks after all the Heavens and earth and no-one is needed to look after Him; He does not sleep nor get tired in what He does; humans only know what He allows them; that His throne is understood as His majesty, uniqueness, knowledge and having total power. It emphasises how He is the only one who can make decisions about His creation, yet is transcendent – completely independent from His creation.

(ii)

Sura 6.101–103 The main themes are God’s power; His knowledge of everything; that people should turn to God and worship Him. Candidates will develop these themes in their own way, e.g., He is the only one to control the heavens and the earth. Everything originates with Him. Although humans cannot understand Him, He understands everything in creation. He is the one who has the power to help humans, and He hears and sees all that they do, therefore they should worship Him and pray to Him to reward their actions.

(iii)

Sura 1 The main themes are that God is the Lord of creation; He gives guidance to humans; He is the Merciful; He is One. Candidates will develop these themes in their own way, e.g., it is God who presides over judgement and controls the worlds. God gives guidance to those who ask. This sura is used as a prayer. He is the one to ask for forgiveness, and it is He who can grant forgiveness for anything. He is Master of all creation so only He is deserving of worship. These are examples candidates can write about; they should be credited for other, relevant answers. Candidates should show how the theme(s) they choose is distinctive in that passage. The best answers will have a few themes with development.

The importance of these themes

(i)

The importance of these themes is that these verses allow Muslims to learn and understand something about God in a way relevant to them. The theme of God’s self- subsistence shows how certain attributes that affect humans do not affect Him, e.g. sleep. He has the knowledge and power over all things and this passage is used as a prayer for protection. It was said by the Prophet to be one of the best passages of the Qur’an, so Muslims might recite it daily for protection. Candidates could say how they use ayat al- kursi in their lives.

(ii)

These teachings emphasise the importance of tawhid for Muslims. The only relationship He has is with His creation; he has no partners or offspring. Mankind is asked to worship Him as it says in this passage that only He can fulfil their needs, so Muslims should be careful to pray and fast, etc. to fulfil their obligation to Him. He also sees and hears all that humankind does, so Muslims should keep this in mind in all that they do and say. In a world where there are lots of distractions, this sura could remind Muslims that they should always remember their Creator as He is the ultimate authority over their affairs.

(iii)

Sura 1 This is recited in every prayer. 'No prayer is accepted without Fatiha.' It is a conversation with God and He is the Creator, and God is replying to each verse. Through it, humans communicate with God. Muslims use this to ask for guidance (given in the Qur'an and sunna), for mercy and help, even outside the prayer. Submitting to God brings humbleness into lives, and because Muslims are accountable to God they pray to be guided on the straight path. Candidates can mention other points with examples or personalising passages about their own/Muslims’ lives. This could take them higher up the levels.