Belief in the oneness of God (tawhid) is a fundamental aspect of faith. State how tawhid benefits Muslims in their everyday life.

Mark scheme

Marking points from the official mark scheme (May/June 2017). The mark or mark type is shown in brackets.

1. [10] Candidates can begin their answer by stating that God is unique, that He is the Creator and the Sustainer of heaven, earth and all that is therein; that He is Eternal and no one can share in His ownership etc. or they can launch straight into the answer by stating the many benefits of belief in tawhid. The benefits of tawhid in the life of a Muslim are several. To begin with, belief in tawhid makes a person virtuous and obedient to God as they know that success and salvation in this world and the hereafter can only be achieved by piety and righteous deeds. A Muslim surrenders completely to the will of God and becomes obedient to Him. It instills in them a sense of confidence and self respect as they know that they are dependent on no one but God so they bow before no one else. The belief also makes them humble and modest as they know that all they have is from God; it stimulates unity and brotherhood and broadens the outlook of a believer as they realise that God's love and sympathy is not confined to any one group of people but to His entire creation. Tawhid also gives a Muslim courage as they know that only God is the giver or taker of life so in turn this belief makes them brave. It also creates an attitude of peace and contentment and frees one from jealousy and envy and greed. Candidates may well give benefits other than those given above and if valid should be credited accordingly.
2. [4] Here candidates need to give their answer and back it up with reasoning. Answers could state that belief in the oneness of God is the first article of Islam and all forms of ibadah revolve around it; because Muslims believe in the one God they offer salat five times a day to glorify Him and seek His aid; they fast in the month of Ramadan, give zakat and perform hajj which are all actions to glorify God, to follow His commands, to please Him and to seek His mercy. If the belief in tawhid was absent there would be no need to act upon the Pillars of faith or the teachings of Islam as they are all done to please the one God. All valid responses need to be credited.