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 اللَّهُ رَبُّكُمْ لا إلهَ إِلا هُوَ خَالِقُ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ فَاعْبُدُوهُ وَهُوَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَوَكِيلٌ لا تُدْرِكْهُ الْأَبْصَارُ 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? 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 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) وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ اللَّيْلُ وَالنَّهَارُ وَالشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ لا تَسْجُدُوا لِلشَّمْسِ وَلا لِلقَمَرِ وَاسْجُدُوا لِلَّهِ الَّذِي خَلَقَهُنَّ إِن كُنتُمْ إِيَّاهُ تَعْبُدُونَ (ii) 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) (iii) قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ اللهُ الصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ (iii) 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. (Sura 112)

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2020). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [0] General guidance for 1(a): Choose any two passages.
2. [~2] Sura 6.101-103 main themes: God's power; His knowledge of everything; that people should turn to God and worship Him.
3. [~2] Sura 6.101-103 development points: He is the only one to control the heavens and the earth. Everything originates with Him.
4. [~2] Sura 6.101-103 development points: Although humans cannot understand Him, He understands everything in creation.
5. [~2] Sura 6.101-103 development points: 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.
6. [~2] Sura 41.37 main themes: God as Creator; God's signs; Tawhid/Lord of mankind.
7. [~2] Sura 41.37 development points: saying God creates and controls everything, in this verse specifically: the sun and the moon.
8. [~2] Sura 41.37 development points: The order and cycle of the sun and the moon are God's signs for humankind.
9. [~2] Sura 41.37 development points: They are signs of His power so only He should be worshipped; no-one is equal to Him.
10. [~2] Sura 41.37 development points: It is a negation of paganism - the sun and moon are not to be worshipped.
11. [~2] Sura 112 main themes: God as one: tawhid; God being eternal; God being unique.
12. [~2] Sura 112 development points: by saying this is the main sura specifically revealed to describe tawhid.
13. [~2] Sura 112 development points: It describes how God is the only one deity and that He does not have a beginning nor end.
14. [~2] Sura 112 development points: God is unlike anyone or anything in creation.
15. [~2] Sura 112 development points: He has no partners or family, does not have anyone to share His authority nor any children.
16. [0] General guidance for 1(a): 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.
17. [0] General guidance for 1(a): A reference to the background of the sura can help distinguish one sura from another but should not be the main body of the answer.
18. [0] General guidance for 1(a): Answers have to be qualified to get higher marks – candidates have to expand on the themes.
19. [0] General guidance for 1(b): Choose any two passages.
20. [~2] Sura 6.101-103 importance: These teachings emphasise the importance of tawhid for Muslims and his uniqueness.
21. [~2] Sura 6.101-103 importance: 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.
22. [~2] Sura 6.101-103 importance: 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.
23. [~2] Sura 41.37 importance: The importance of these verses is to strengthen belief by showing that created things are not permanent.
24. [~2] Sura 41.37 importance: The prophets have asked God for guidance and so Muslims should take this guidance too.
25. [~2] Sura 41.37 importance: 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.
26. [~2] Sura 112 importance: 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.
27. [~2] Sura 112 importance: 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.