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O-LevelIslamiyatMajor themes of the Quran2058/11 · May/June 2014 · Q18 Marks

Choose any two of the following passages from the Qur'an, and: (1) بَدِيعُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ أَنَّى يَكُونُ لَهُ وَلَدٌ وَلَمْ تَكُن لَهُ صَاحِبَةٌ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَيْءٍ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ ذَلِكُمُ اللهُ رَبُّكُمْ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا هُوَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَاعْبُدُوهُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَوَكِيلٌ لَا تُدْرِكْهُ الأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الأَبْصَارَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ (i) 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? 102. He created all things, and He has full knowledge of all things. That is Allah, your Lord! there is no god but He, the Creator of all things: then worship Him: and He has 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. (Sura 6.101–103) (ii) وَإِذْ قَالَ رَبُّكَ لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ إِنِّي جَاعِلٌ فِي الأَرْضِ خَلِيفَة قالُوا أَتَجْعَلُ فِيهَا مَن يُفْسِدُ فِيهَا وَيَسْفِكُ الدِّمَاءِ وَنَحْنُ نُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِكَ وَنُقَدِّسُ لَكَ قَالَ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ وَعَلَّمَ آدَمَ الْأَسْمَاءِ كُلَّهَا ثُمَّ عَرَضَهُمْ عَلَى الْمَلَائِكَةِ فَقَالَ أَنبِئُونِي بِأَسْمَاء هَؤُلَاءِ إِن كُنتُمْ صَادِقِينَ قالُوا سُبْحَانَكَ لا عِلْمَ لَنَا إِلَّا مَا عَلَّمْتَنَا إِنَّكَ أَنتَ الْعَلِيمُ الْحَكِيمُ قَالَ يَا آدَمُ أنينُهُم بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ فَلَمَّا أَنبَأَهُمْ بِأَسْمَائِهِمْ قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَكُمْ إِنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ وَأَعْلَمُ مَا تُبْدُونَ وَمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَى وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ وَقُلْنَا يَا آدَمُ اسْكُنْ أَنتَ وَزَوْجُكَ الْجَنَّة وَكُلا مِنْهَا رَغَدًا حَيْثُ شِئْتُمَا وَلَا تَقْرَبَا هَذِهِ الشَّجَرَةَ فَتَكُونَا مِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ فَأَزَلَّهُمَا الشَّيْطَانُ عَنْهَا فَأَخْرَجَهُمَا مِمَّا كَانَا فِيهِ وَقُلْنَا اهْبِطُوا بَعْضُكُمْ لِبَعْضٍ عَدُوٌّ وَلَكُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ مُسْتَقَرٌّ وَمَتَاعٌ إِلَى حِينٍ فَتَلَقَّى آدَمُ مِن رَّبِّهِ كَلِمَاتٍ فَتَابَ عَلَيْهِ إِنَّهُ هُوَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ (ii) 30. Behold, your Lord said to the angels: 'I will create a vicegerent on earth.' They said: 'Will You place there one who will make mischief there and shed blood?- whilst we celebrate your praises and glorify your holy (name)?' He said: 'I know what you do not know.' 31. And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: ‘Tell me the names of these if you are right.' 32. They said: 'Glory to You, of knowledge we have none, save what You have taught us: In truth it is You who are perfect in knowledge and wisdom.' 33. He said: 'Adam! Tell them their names.' When he had told them, Allah said: 'Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what you reveal and what you conceal?' 34. And behold, We said to the angels: ‘Bow down to Adam'. And they bowed down. Not so Iblis: he refused and was haughty: he was of those who reject faith. 35. We said: 'Adam! You and your wife dwell in the Garden; and eat of the bountiful things in it as You wish. But do not approach this tree, or you will run into harm and transgression.' 36. Then Satan made them slip from there, and got them out of what they had been in. We said: 'Go down, with enmity between yourselves. On earth will be your dwelling-place and your means of livelihood, for a time.' 37. Then Adam learnt from his Lord words of inspiration, and his Lord turned towards him; for He is often-returning, most merciful. (Sura 2.30-37) (iii) وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لَا تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلَا لِلقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ (iii) 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. (Sura 41.37)

  1. (a)briefly describe the main theme(s) in each passage[4]
  2. (b)briefly explain the importance of these themes in a Muslim's life today.[4]

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2014). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

  1. [AO1 4] (a) Sura 6.101-103: Good answers will talk about God's power and knowledge over all things. He is the only one to control the heavens and the earth and so emphasises the theme of tawhid. Candidates could talk about the importance of God being the only creator, not sharing authority with anyone else. They could also mention God's knowledge and power. He has knowledge about all His creation, and He has power over all His creation. He is not perceivable and mankind should worship Him.
  2. [AO1 4] (a) Sura 2.30-37: Good answers for this passage will be able to talk about God as Creator and his relationship to his prophets. Answers may talk about God creating Adam, as well as everything else (angels, etc.), and the high position he granted him. They could also mention that God gives knowledge to who he wants and he gives the special status of prophethood to whom he wishes. Also, even when Satan misled Adam, God did not leave him or allow any obstacle to prevent him from making Adam his representative on earth, in other words God looks after His prophets.
  3. [AO1 4] (a) Sura 41.37: This passage is about God as creator and his power to create and control everything. Good answers will talk about God creating and controlling things in nature, things that benefit mankind. The passage is also about the existence of God and signs in creation. So it is Him alone that should be obeyed.
  4. General guidance for (a): The above answers are not the only answers that could be presented. Candidates should be allowed to develop/show other relevant themes of the passage. They could also give comparisons with themes of other passages. The highest level should be kept for well written answers offering a variety of themes.
  5. [AO2 4] (b) Sura 6.101-103: These teachings emphasise the importance of tawhid for Muslims. The only relationship God has is with His creation, and candidates could write about how man is asked to worship Him as it says in this passage that only He can fulfil their needs. He also sees and hears all that humankind does, so Muslims should keep this in mind. 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.
  6. [AO2 4] (b) Sura 2.30-37: Answers could talk about how Adam was the first prophet of God, who was made his representative on earth. This gives Muslims a sense of their connection to God as Adam is called the father of humankind and everyone is descended from him. They could also mention how God showed Adam's importance; by making the angels bow to him, and forgiving him when he disobeyed. This should make humankind understand their status, they should seek forgiveness from God and worship Him.
  7. [AO2 4] (b) Sura 41.37: The themes are important in this passage by presenting God's creation of things in nature, in particular the sun and moon and day and night. Good answers will talk about why humans should worship Him and not His creation, and about how the things He creates have an order and harmony, and so Muslims can find signs of His existence in the world around them which should help them to keep their faith.
  8. General guidance for (b): These are not the only points candidates can mention, and personalising the passages to their own or Muslims' lives, or giving thoughtful answers with examples, could take them higher up the levels.

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About this question

Topic
Major themes of the Quran, O-Level Islamiyat (syllabus 2058). Structured question, 8 marks.
Source
O-Level Islamiyat, May/June 2014 Paper 1 Variant 1, question 1.

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