P1-QUR-05 Major themes of the Qur'an Paper 1, Question 1 · compulsory
Sura 112 — Al-Ikhlas: the purest statement of tawhid
Four short verses provide the Qur’an’s most concentrated definition of tawhid. They state who Allah is, what His self-sufficiency means, and which created categories can never be applied to Him.
Compulsory Question 1 Allah in Himself Makkan
Syllabus connection
- P1.T1.b1 The major theme or themes of the Qur'an that appear in each passage
- P1.T1.b2 The importance of these themes in the lives of Muslims today
- P1.T1.b3 Study the passages in a recognised English translation, with reference to the original Arabic text
- P1.T1.b4 Demonstrate knowledge of the original Arabic as well as the translation
- A1.5 Passage 5: Sura 112 Allah in himself
Learn the material
Learning objectives
Key vocabulary
- al-Ikhlas
- Sincerity or purity; the sura purifies belief about Allah.
- Ahad
- Absolutely one and unique.
- al-Samad
- The eternally self-sufficient One on whom all depend.
- tawhid
- Allah’s absolute oneness.
- kufuwan
- An equal, match or comparable being.
Before you start
Answer from memory before opening the answers.
- Which prescribed group contains this passage?
- What is the difference between a theme and a paraphrase?
- In Question 1, how are your two chosen passages marked?
- Which phrase or image in this passage best supports the theme Absolute oneness?
Check your answers
- Allah in Himself.
- A theme names the teaching or idea, then shows it from the passage. A paraphrase merely retells what the passage says.
- Both passage answers are read together and receive one global mark out of 4 for part (a), and one global mark out of 4 for part (b).
- “Allah, the One and Only”.
The lesson
The prescribed passage
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ لَمۡ يَلِدۡ وَلَمۡ يُولَدۡ وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدُۢ
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 · translation: Yusuf Ali (1934)
Place it before you analyse it
Group: Allah in Himself · Revelation: Makkan. The examination rewards themes and importance, not a long account of the sura’s background.
Working through the passage
“Say: He is Allah, One”
Ahad is stronger than simply counting one item. It conveys uniqueness without division, partner or rival.
“Allah, the Eternal, Absolute”
Al-Samad means that all depend on Him while He depends on none. Need flows in one direction.
“He does not beget, nor is He begotten”
Allah has neither descendants nor origin. He is not part of a chain of generation.
“There is none like Him”
The final verse closes every remaining route to comparison: no being shares His nature or status.
Theme map
| Theme | Words or image | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Absolute oneness | “Allah, the One and Only” | Tawhid excludes partners, divisions and rivals. |
| Self-sufficiency | “Allah, the eternal, absolute” | All creation depends on Him; He depends on none. |
| No offspring | “He does not beget” | Allah has no child or descendant. |
| No origin or parent | “nor is He begotten” | Allah is eternal and uncaused. |
| Incomparability | “there is none like Him” | Created analogies cannot define His essence. |
Do not translate instead of identifying themes
A top answer says, for example, “The passage teaches Absolute oneness, shown by “Allah, the One and Only”.” It does not simply rewrite the full English translation.
Context and chronology
Sura 112 is Makkan and answers questions or claims that tried to place Allah within genealogy, parentage or comparison.
Its brevity makes every word load-bearing; paraphrase easily misses the distinct work of Ahad, al-Samad, no parentage and no equal.
Source discipline
Use context only where it is securely established and relevant. Do not add popular stories, exact dates or identities that the passage and reliable sources do not support. Context never replaces themes in Question 1.
People, places and events
- No human or angel is named; the subject is Allah alone.
- The command “Say” addresses the Prophet ﷺ and, through him, every believer who states this creed.
Where no person is named, that absence may itself help you see that the passage is focused on Allah, creation or a universal teaching.
Qur'an and Hadith evidence
Learn short evidence that can be placed inside a sentence. Accuracy matters more than length.
قُلۡ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
Say: He is Allah, the One and Only.
The shortest direct evidence for tawhid.
وَلَمۡ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدُۢ
There is none like Him.
Evidence for incomparability.
You may quote in English. A precise short phrase attached to a developed point is more useful than a long quotation left unexplained.
Significance
- It provides Muslims with a concise creed that can be memorised, recited and explained.
- It corrects both polytheism and any claim that Allah has biological or metaphysical offspring.
- It grounds direct worship and reliance because the self-sufficient One needs no intermediary or support.
Significance answers why the teaching matters. It should move beyond naming a belief and show what that belief protects, changes or makes possible.
Significance in practice
Use the pattern aspect → mechanism → effect. This prevents vague sentences such as “it helps Muslims”.
| Aspect | How it works | Effect |
|---|---|---|
| Allah is Ahad | Worship is not divided between competing objects | devotion is coherent and direct. |
| Allah is al-Samad | A Muslim turns to Him in need while recognising every creature’s dependence | reliance is freed from superstition. |
| None is comparable | Images and crude human analogies are rejected | belief remains reverent and intellectually disciplined. |
Connections with other topics
| Topic | Connection |
|---|---|
| Sura 6.101–103 | Both reject offspring and created comparison. |
| Sura 2.255 | Al-Samad is illuminated by al-Qayyum: everything depends on Allah. |
| Shahada | The sura explains what “there is no god but Allah” means. |
Use comparison to sharpen a theme, not to drift into a different essay.
Common misconceptions
Students often think Ahad merely means Allah is one god among possible gods.
In fact It asserts absolute uniqueness and sole divinity.
Students often think Al-Samad only means everlasting.
In fact It also conveys self-sufficiency and creation’s dependence.
Students often think The sura is too short to provide several themes.
In fact Each verse contains a distinct, examinable theme.
What the examiner wants
AO1: what you must know
- Place the passage accurately in Allah in Himself.
- Know the Arabic reference and the meaning of the full prescribed extract.
- Recall at least four distinct theme labels, not four paraphrases.
- Attach each theme to a word, phrase, image or movement within the passage.
- Use key vocabulary accurately: al-Ikhlas, Ahad, al-Samad, tawhid, kufuwan.
- Give balanced coverage when this passage is one of your two choices.
Top-band shape
Aim for three to five labelled themes, each briefly elaborated and tied to the passage. There is no need for an introduction or a retelling of every line.
AO2: what you must understand
For part (b), choose one or two strong aspects and reason from them.
Allah is Ahad
Mechanism: Worship is not divided between competing objects; therefore devotion is coherent and direct.
Allah is al-Samad
Mechanism: A Muslim turns to Him in need while recognising every creature’s dependence; therefore reliance is freed from superstition.
None is comparable
Mechanism: Images and crude human analogies are rejected; therefore belief remains reverent and intellectually disciplined.
A personal view is creditworthy when it is reasoned. “I think this matters most because…” must be followed by a mechanism, example or consequence.
Worked examination example
Weaker response
This passage is about allah in himself. It says several things and tells Muslims what to believe. It is important because Muslims follow it.
Why it is weak: no theme labels, no passage evidence, no development and a vague statement of importance.
Stronger response
Absolute oneness: tawhid excludes partners, divisions and rivals, shown by “Allah, the One and Only”. Self-sufficiency: all creation depends on Him; He depends on none, shown by “Allah, the eternal, absolute”. No offspring: allah has no child or descendant, shown by “He does not beget”. No origin or parent: allah is eternal and uncaused, shown by “nor is He begotten”.
Why it is stronger: each point names a theme, uses the passage and develops what the evidence teaches.
Practise
Guided practice
- Choose four rows from the theme map. Reduce each to a two-word label.
- Copy only the shortest evidence needed for each theme.
- Say the theme aloud, then evidence it: “The passage teaches ___, shown by ___.”
- Choose one application and rewrite it as aspect → mechanism → effect.
- Compare this passage with Sura 2.255 in two sentences: one similarity and one difference.
Before you write, answer these
- Which four themes will you use?
- What exact words or image support each one?
- Have you labelled the theme before explaining it?
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Independent practice
- Write a 100–140 word part (a) response on this passage without looking.
- Learn both short quotations from the evidence section.
- Correct all three misconceptions in complete sentences.
- Write one paragraph comparing this passage with Sura 6.101–103.
- Write a 4-mark part (b) paragraph using one application and a specific contemporary example.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Check your understanding
Answer each question, then check it. Every option is explained — including the ones that are wrong — so read the feedback even when you were right.
Write a full answer
Exam-style practice question
Practise the real choice before writing. Select the two passages you can develop most evenly.
Passages set for this practice
- Sura 112 — this lesson
- Sura 2.255
- Sura 6.101–103
Exam-style practice question
Important: Question 1 is marked as a whole
Question 1 is marked as a whole. Both of your chosen passages are read together and given ONE mark out of 4 for part (a), and ONE mark out of 4 for part (b). This means balance matters: an excellent answer on one passage and a thin answer on the other is limited by the overall impression. Choose two passages you can develop equally well.
(a) Choose any two of the passages above. Briefly describe the main theme or themes in each passage. [4] AO1
(b) Briefly explain the importance of these themes in a Muslim’s life today. [4] AO2
Written by this course to match the style and demand of the examination. It is not a Cambridge question.
Plan your answer
Before you write, answer these
- Which two passages can you develop equally well?
- What three to five labelled themes will you give for each?
- What words from each passage will support the themes?
- For part (b), which aspect has the clearest mechanism and effect?
- Have you divided time and space evenly?
Out of scope here: Long sura background, unsupported revelation stories, a line-by-line translation, or a general essay on the topic.
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Indicative answer
Show an indicative answer Write yours first — you will learn more
Part (a) — Sura 112
Absolute oneness: tawhid excludes partners, divisions and rivals, shown by “Allah, the One and Only”. Self-sufficiency: all creation depends on Him; He depends on none, shown by “Allah, the eternal, absolute”. No offspring: allah has no child or descendant, shown by “He does not beget”. No origin or parent: allah is eternal and uncaused, shown by “nor is He begotten”. Incomparability: created analogies cannot define His essence, shown by “there is none like Him”.
Part (a) — Sura 2.255
Tawhid: Allah's absolute oneness is stated first and without qualification — there is no god but He. Eternal life: He is al-Hayy and al-Qayyum, the living and the self-subsisting: He depends on nothing, while everything depends on Him. Freedom from need: 'No slumber can seize Him nor sleep' — unlike every created thing, He needs no rest. Sovereignty: All things in the heavens and the earth belong to Him, and nothing is interceded for without His permission.
Part (b) — importance today
Allah is Ahad. Worship is not divided between competing objects; therefore devotion is coherent and direct.
Allah is al-Samad. A Muslim turns to Him in need while recognising every creature’s dependence; therefore reliance is freed from superstition.
Other answers are equally valid
- Marks are awarded for what is correct. Nothing is deducted for errors or omissions.
- Credit is given for valid answers that go beyond the syllabus and the mark scheme.
- It is entirely possible to reach the highest level using different information or a different argument from the one shown here.
- Answers are judged against the levels of response, not against a checklist of required points.
Marking guidance reference
Important: Question 1 is marked as a whole
Question 1 is marked as a whole. Both of your chosen passages are read together and given ONE mark out of 4 for part (a), and ONE mark out of 4 for part (b). This means balance matters: an excellent answer on one passage and a thin answer on the other is limited by the overall impression. Choose two passages you can develop equally well.
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 4 | 4 |
|
| 3 | 3 |
|
| 2 | 2 |
|
| 1 | 1 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The clearest difference between Level 3 and Level 4 is comprehensiveness, development, and quotation. Level 3 "may quote"; Level 4 is "likely to quote".
| Level | Marks | What the examiner is looking for |
|---|---|---|
| 2 | 3–4 |
|
| 1 | 1–2 |
|
| 0 | 0 |
|
What moves an answer up: The whole AO2 distinction is discussion versus description. A factually excellent but purely descriptive paragraph cannot reach Level 2.
Note that AO2 has two levels, not four. Some older textbooks and revision guides still show a four-level scale for part (b); that scale is out of date.
Self-assessment checklist reference
Judge your answer as a whole against the levels above, not by counting points. An answer can reach the top band using different material from the indicative answer.
Consolidate
Lesson summary
- Allah is absolutely one and unique.
- He is al-Samad: self-sufficient while all depend on Him.
- He has neither offspring nor origin.
- Nothing is equal or comparable to Him.
Examination takeaway: label the theme first, prove it from the passage, then stop. Save application and reasoning for part (b).
Retrieval flashcards
Further revision task reference
- Create a one-page sheet with the Arabic reference, group, five theme labels and two quotations.
- Cover the sheet and reconstruct it after 24 hours, one week and one month.
- Complete an eight-minute Question 1(a) practice pairing this passage with Sura 2.255.
- Complete a separate six-minute part (b) using one less obvious modern application.
- Record your strongest and weakest theme in the box below, then revisit the weak one.
Before you write, answer these
- Which theme can I recall most securely?
- Which theme lacks precise evidence?
- What will I retrieve again next time?
The examination gives roughly a third of a page for a 4-mark answer. Aim for a short, dense paragraph — no introduction needed. Your work saves automatically in this browser.
Your progress is saved in this browser only. Use My progress to export it if you change device.
Why this would reach the top band
The response labels themes, selects passage evidence and develops significance through clear mechanisms. A different selection of accurate themes can reach the same level.