Muslims believe that God alone is Lord, that He alone should be worshipped and that His names and attributes are unique to Him. Outline Muslim beliefs in the oneness of God.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2016). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [10] Muslims believe in one God, Allah. This belief in the oneness of God is known as tawhid. This belief is the core of Islam and all creation has to recognise the Creator, which is God, and submit to his will. Tawhid has three aspects: Oneness of the Lordship of God; Oneness in Worship of God; and Oneness in the names and qualities of God. In this answer, candidates need to name these three aspects of Tawhid and explain them: Oneness of the Lordship of God: There is only one Lord for the entire universe, that is God. He is the Creator, Sustainer, Law-giver and Master of the universe. He is neither the father nor the son of anyone. The main statement that every Muslim makes is 'la ilaha illa Allah', 'there is no God but Allah'. Candidates could give quotes from the Qur'an to expand on this aspect of tawhid. Oneness in Worship of God: Since God is the Creator, he is the only one worthy of worship. It is man's primary duty and obligation to worship none other than him. Muslims must only pray, invoke, and ask him for help. 'You alone we worship and You alone we ask help from.' (Ikhlas 112:2-3) Oneness in the Names and Qualities of God: The belief includes: We must not name or qualify God except with what he and his Messenger have named or qualified him with. None can be named or qualified with the names or qualifications of God. Muslims must believe in all the qualities of God which he has stated in his Book or mentioned through his Messenger; Muslims believe in the divine attributes of God; these attributes are only inherent in God and this belief is integral to Islam. Muslims are unable to describe God; however, the existence of God can be realised through his manifestations and through his attributes as told by his messengers. Again, candidates can quote from the Qur'an to develop the point further.
2. [4] An evaluative and personal response is needed to answer this question. It could be said that God has warned Muslims against committing shirk as it signifies ascribing partners to him or suggesting that another could share his divine attributes. It has been termed as the most unforgivable of sins for which one will not be forgiven by God.