P1-QUR-07 Major themes of the Qur'an Paper 1, Question 1 · compulsory
Sura 2.21–22 — Worship your Lord who made the earth a resting place
The passage speaks to all people, not only Muslims. It builds an argument from creation and provision to worship: the One who gives life, a habitable world, rain and food must not be given rivals.
Compulsory Question 1 Allah's relationship with the created world Madinan
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
- A1.7 Passage 7: Sura 2.21–22 Allah's relationship with the created world
Learn the material
Learning objectives
Key vocabulary
- ‘ibada
- Worship: loving obedience and submission to Allah.
- Rabb
- Lord, guardian and sustainer.
- taqwa
- God-consciousness that guards a person from wrongdoing.
- rizq
- Provision or sustenance.
- andad
- Rivals or equals set up beside Allah.
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 Creation of humanity?
Check your answers
- Allah's relationship with the created world.
- 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).
- “created you and those before you”.
The lesson
The prescribed passage
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُمۡ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِكُمۡ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تَتَّقُونَ ٱلَّذِي جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ فِرَٰشٗا وَٱلسَّمَآءَ بِنَآءٗ وَأَنزَلَ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ مَآءٗ فَأَخۡرَجَ بِهِۦ مِنَ ٱلثَّمَرَٰتِ رِزۡقٗا لَّكُمۡۖ فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادٗا وَأَنتُمۡ تَعۡلَمُونَ
21. O people! Adore your Guardian-Lord, who created you and those who came before you, so that you may have the chance to learn righteousness; 22. Who has made the earth your couch, and the heavens your canopy; and sent down rain from the heavens; and by it brought forth fruits for your sustenance; then do not set up rivals to Allah, when you know.
Sura 2.21–22 · translation: Yusuf Ali (1934)
Place it before you analyse it
Group: Allah's relationship with the created world · Revelation: Madinan. The examination rewards themes and importance, not a long account of the sura’s background.
Working through the passage
A universal invitation
The passage addresses all people and links their shared creatureliness to a shared duty of worship.
Created across generations
Allah created the present audience and those before them, placing individual life within a longer human dependence.
A habitable and provisioned world
Earth, sky, rain and fruits are presented as an interdependent system of divine provision.
No rivals
The conclusion is moral and theological: recognised dependence makes shirk irrational and ungrateful.
Theme map
| Theme | Words or image | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Creation of humanity | “created you and those before you” | Every generation depends on the same Creator. |
| Purpose of worship | “worship your Lord… so that you may learn righteousness” | Worship develops taqwa rather than serving Allah’s need. |
| A prepared world | earth as couch and sky as canopy | Creation is ordered for human life. |
| Provision | rain brings fruits for sustenance | Allah’s care is continuous and practical. |
| Rejection of rivals | “do not set up rivals to Allah” | Creation and provision establish exclusive worship. |
Do not translate instead of identifying themes
A top answer says, for example, “The passage teaches Creation of humanity, shown by “created you and those before you”.” It does not simply rewrite the full English translation.
Context and chronology
These verses appear early in Sura al-Baqara after descriptions of different human responses to revelation.
The address “O people” makes the invitation universal and bases worship on experiences shared by humanity.
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
- The direct audience is al-nas — humanity as a whole.
- Earlier generations are included to show that dependence on Allah is not limited to one community.
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.
ٱعۡبُدُواْ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِي خَلَقَكُمۡ
Worship your Lord who created you.
Links creation directly to worship.
فَلَا تَجۡعَلُواْ لِلَّهِ أَندَادٗا
Do not set up rivals to Allah.
Direct evidence against shirk.
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 explains worship as a response to received life and provision, not an arbitrary command.
- It places environmental resources within a moral relationship of gratitude and stewardship.
- It shows that tawhid has behavioural purpose: worship should develop taqwa.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Life and provision come from Allah | Food and natural resources are received with gratitude | waste and entitlement are challenged. |
| Worship develops taqwa | Prayer and obedience train awareness beyond the act itself | conduct improves outside formal worship. |
| No rivals belong beside Allah | Created means are used without becoming objects of ultimate trust | superstition and dependence on status are resisted. |
Connections with other topics
| Topic | Connection |
|---|---|
| Sura 41.37 | Both argue from visible creation to worship of the Creator. |
| Sura 1 | Both call Allah Rabb and connect lordship to worship. |
| Zakat and fasting | Gratitude for provision is expressed through disciplined use and sharing. |
Use comparison to sharpen a theme, not to drift into a different essay.
Common misconceptions
Students often think The passage says the earth is literally a flat bed.
In fact The image communicates suitability and rest, not a technical description of shape.
Students often think Worship benefits Allah.
In fact The stated purpose is human taqwa; Allah is not enriched by worship.
Students often think Rivals only means statues.
In fact Anything granted Allah’s exclusive right to worship or ultimate dependence becomes a rival.
What the examiner wants
AO1: what you must know
- Place the passage accurately in Allah's relationship with the created world.
- 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: ‘ibada, Rabb, taqwa, rizq, andad.
- 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.
Life and provision come from Allah
Mechanism: Food and natural resources are received with gratitude; therefore waste and entitlement are challenged.
Worship develops taqwa
Mechanism: Prayer and obedience train awareness beyond the act itself; therefore conduct improves outside formal worship.
No rivals belong beside Allah
Mechanism: Created means are used without becoming objects of ultimate trust; therefore superstition and dependence on status are resisted.
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's relationship with the created world. 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
Creation of humanity: every generation depends on the same Creator, shown by “created you and those before you”. Purpose of worship: worship develops taqwa rather than serving Allah’s need, shown by “worship your Lord… so that you may learn righteousness”. A prepared world: creation is ordered for human life, shown by earth as couch and sky as canopy. Provision: allah’s care is continuous and practical, shown by rain brings fruits for sustenance.
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 1 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 41.37.
- 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 2.21–22 — this lesson
- Sura 1
- Sura 41.37
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 2.21–22
Creation of humanity: every generation depends on the same Creator, shown by “created you and those before you”. Purpose of worship: worship develops taqwa rather than serving Allah’s need, shown by “worship your Lord… so that you may learn righteousness”. A prepared world: creation is ordered for human life, shown by earth as couch and sky as canopy. Provision: allah’s care is continuous and practical, shown by rain brings fruits for sustenance. Rejection of rivals: creation and provision establish exclusive worship, shown by “do not set up rivals to Allah”.
Part (a) — Sura 1
Lordship and sustenance: Allah continuously cares for all creation. Mercy: Divine care frames the believer’s relationship with Allah. Judgement: Human actions have final moral consequences. Worship and dependence: Faith combines obedience with reliance.
Part (b) — importance today
Life and provision come from Allah. Food and natural resources are received with gratitude; therefore waste and entitlement are challenged.
Worship develops taqwa. Prayer and obedience train awareness beyond the act itself; therefore conduct improves outside formal worship.
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
- All people are addressed as creatures of one Lord.
- Earth, sky, rain and food show continuous provision.
- Worship is intended to cultivate taqwa.
- Recognised dependence leaves no room for rivals to Allah.
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 1.
- 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.