Passages from Quran [ CAIE MARKING SCHEMES]

Allah in Himself
Passage no 1 : Ayatul Kursi) Sura 2.255
“Allah, there is no God but He, the living, the self-subsisting, eternal. No slumber
can seize Him nor sleep. His are all things in the heavens and on earth. Who is
there can intercede in His presence except as He permits? He knows what is before
or after or behind them. Nor shall they compass any of His knowledge except as
He wills. His Throne extends over the heavens and the earth, and He feels no
fatigue in guarding them and preserving them for He is the Most High, the
Supreme.”
[a]Sura 2.255 The main themes are: God in Himself and 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 doesn’t sleep nor get tired in what He does • humans only know what He
allows them
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 He is transcendent – completely independent from His creation [A
reference to the background of the sura can help distinguish one sura from another.
Answers must be qualified to get higher marks – candidates have to expand on the
themes]
[b] Importance . Sura 2.255 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 which shows Muslims how superior He is. He
has the knowledge and power over all things hence Muslims do not disobey Him
or sin even when alone. It was said by the Prophet (pbuh) to be one of the best
passages of the Qur’an, so Muslims might recite it daily for protection.[ Candidates
must make it relevant to Muslim lives to get the higher marks]
Passage no 2 : Surah Anaam Sura 6.101–103 101.
“ To Him is due the primal origin of the heavens and the earth: how can He have a
son when He has no consort? He created all things, and He has full knowledge of
all things. 102. That is Allah, your Lord! There is no God but He, the Creator of all
things: then worship Him: and He has the power to dispose of all affairs. 103. No
vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all
comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things”
[a] 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.
[b] Sura 6.101–103 Importance These teachings emphasise the importance of
tawhid for Muslims and his uniqueness. Humankind 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, and turn to Him only.
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
Passage no 3 : Surah Fussilat Sura 41.37 37.
“ Among His signs are the night and the day, and the sun and the moon. Adore not
the sun and the moon, but adore Allah, who created them, if it is Him you wish to
serve’
[a]Sura 41.37 The main themes are: God as Creator; God’s signs; Tawhid/Lord
of mankind Candidates will develop these themes in their own way, e.g., • saying
God creates and controls everything, in this verse specifically: the sun and the
moon. • The order and cycle of the sun and the moon are God's signs for
humankind. • They are signs of His power so only He should be worshipped; no-
one is equal to Him. • It is a negation of paganism - the sun and moon are not to be
worshipped.
[b] ImportanceSura 41.37 The importance of these verses is to strengthen belief
by showing that created things are not permanent. The prophets have asked God
for guidance and so Muslims should take this guidance too. They should realise
they need to look to one God for their answers, rather than looking to created
things for guidance, and also ponder on His signs.
Passage no 4 Sura Shura [ 42.4–5]
“ 4. To Him belongs all that is in the heavens and on earth: and He is most high,
most great. 5. The heavens are almost rent asunder from above them, and the
angels celebrate the praises of their Lord, and pray for forgiveness for beings on
earth: Behold! Verily Allah is He, the oft-forgiving, the most merciful.”
[a]Sura 42.4–5 The main theme is God in Himself; His ownership of the world;
His greatness and His mercy and forgiveness. Candidates will develop these
themes in their own way, e.g., • The heavens are almost torn apart due to His
greatness above them. He is the owner of everything because He created it, so
humans should be careful of His power/anger over the danger of committing shirk.
• Everything in nature praises God including His angels. • The angels pray for the
guidance of humans on earth, as it is God who is the forgiving, the merciful.
[b] Importance ; Sura 42.4–5 The importance here is that God tells humankind of
his power and control over all things so they should remember that they do not
have any power in comparison. God is Merciful, even when Muslims have
committed wrong actions, so Muslims have someone to turn to in times of need.
As God is merciful to humankind, they in turn should be grateful and also try to be
forgiving of others, even if they have been hurt or injured. Humans should not
despair of Him or give up on His mercy – even if they have sinned, they should
turn back to Him and He will forgive
Passage no :5 Surah Ikhlas Sura 112
“1. Say: He is Allah, the one and only; 2. Allah, the eternal, absolute; 3. He does
not beget, nor is He begotten; 4. And there is none like Him.”
[a]Sura 112 The main themes are: God as one: tawhid; God being eternal; God
being unique. Candidates will develop these themes in their own way, e.g., • by
saying this is the main sura specifically revealed to describe tawhid. It describes
how God is the only one deity and that He does not have a beginning nor end. •
God is unlike anyone or anything in creation. • He has no partners or family, does
not have anyone to share His authority nor any children. Themes may be the same
for some suras, but they will be expressed differently highlighting the specific or
unique aspect discussed in a particular passage.
[b] Importance Sura 112 The importance of stressing the Oneness of God is so
that people do not take other people or created things as their Lord, so they should
not replace God with things like famous people/saints, or place anyone or anything
alongside Him. It ensures they know that God does not have family, so they will
avoid making the mistake of believing in God having children or a partner, or
anyone to share in His authority. It gives them clarity and allows them to develop a
relationship with God