P1-QUR-10 Major themes of the Qur'an Paper 1, Question 1 · compulsory
Sura 114 — Al-Nas: seeking refuge with the Lord of mankind
The final sura teaches how human vulnerability is answered: by seeking refuge in Allah as Lord, King and God. The danger is subtle — whispered suggestion rather than open force — and may come through jinn or human influence.
Compulsory Question 1 Allah's relationship with the created world 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
- A1.10 Passage 10: Sura 114 Allah's relationship with the created world
Learn the material
Learning objectives
Key vocabulary
- isti‘adha
- Seeking refuge and protection in Allah.
- Rabb
- Lord, nurturer and protector.
- Malik
- King and sovereign.
- ilah
- The One rightly worshipped.
- waswasa
- A repeated hidden suggestion or whisper.
- khannas
- One who withdraws or retreats.
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 Allah as Lord?
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).
- “Lord of mankind”.
The lesson
The prescribed passage
قُلۡ أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ مَلِكِ ٱلنَّاسِ إِلَٰهِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِن شَرِّ ٱلۡوَسۡوَاسِ ٱلۡخَنَّاسِ ٱلَّذِي يُوَسۡوِسُ فِي صُدُورِ ٱلنَّاسِ مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
1. Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind, 2. The King of mankind, 3. The God of Mankind, 4. From the mischief of the whisperer who withdraws, 5. Who whispers into the hearts of mankind, 6. Among jinns and among mankind.
Sura 114 · translation: Yusuf Ali (1934)
Place it before you analyse it
Group: Allah's relationship with the created world · Revelation: Makkan. The examination rewards themes and importance, not a long account of the sura’s background.
Working through the passage
Three titles of Allah
Lord, King and God describe care, authority and the sole right to worship. Protection is sought from the One who combines all three.
The whisperer who withdraws
Temptation often works through suggestion, repetition and concealment, and retreats when Allah is remembered.
Whispers in the breasts
The battleground is inner judgement and desire. The sura recognises vulnerability without saying every thought is chosen or sinful.
From jinn and people
Harmful influence may be unseen or human: peer pressure, manipulation, propaganda and bad counsel can all ‘whisper’.
Theme map
| Theme | Words or image | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Allah as Lord | “Lord of mankind” | He nurtures and protects human beings. |
| Allah as King | “King of mankind” | Final authority belongs to Him. |
| Allah as the only God | “God of mankind” | Protection is an act of worship directed to Him alone. |
| Spiritual and psychological temptation | the whisperer enters human breasts | Evil can influence subtly rather than compel openly. |
| Human and unseen sources | “among jinn and among mankind” | Danger may come through unseen temptation or human pressure. |
| Dependence and refuge | “I seek refuge” | Humans respond actively by turning to Allah. |
Do not translate instead of identifying themes
A top answer says, for example, “The passage teaches Allah as Lord, shown by “Lord of mankind”.” It does not simply rewrite the full English translation.
Context and chronology
Sura al-Nas is one of the two protective suras known as al-Mu‘awwidhatayn, together with Sura al-Falaq.
Its position at the end of the Qur’an leaves the reader with an act of dependence: after receiving guidance, the believer still needs protection to live by it.
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 Prophet ﷺ is commanded to say the prayer, and every believer repeats it.
- Human beings appear both as those needing protection and as possible sources of harmful influence.
- Jinn are acknowledged as unseen created beings, not powers equal to Allah.
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 أَعُوذُ بِرَبِّ ٱلنَّاسِ
Say: I seek refuge with the Lord of mankind.
Evidence for direct dependence on Allah.
مِنَ ٱلۡجِنَّةِ وَٱلنَّاسِ
Among jinn and among mankind.
Evidence that harmful influence can have unseen or human sources.
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 gives Muslims language for seeking protection without turning to superstition.
- It teaches that temptation influences but does not remove moral responsibility.
- It broadens awareness of harm to include words, social pressure and inner suggestion.
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 Lord, King and God | A Muslim turns to Him directly rather than magical objects | protection remains within tawhid. |
| Whispers are subtle | Thoughts and influences are examined before being acted on | self-awareness and remembrance interrupt temptation. |
| Human beings can whisper | Peer pressure and manipulative media are recognised as moral influences | people choose company and information carefully. |
Connections with other topics
| Topic | Connection |
|---|---|
| Sura 1 | The Qur’an opens with a prayer for guidance and closes with a prayer for protection. |
| Articles of Faith: angels and jinn | The sura distinguishes created unseen beings from Allah. |
| Hadith on speaking good | Human speech can protect community or become a source of harmful suggestion. |
Use comparison to sharpen a theme, not to drift into a different essay.
Common misconceptions
Students often think Every unwanted thought is a sin.
In fact The sura distinguishes suggestion from chosen action; responsibility concerns what a person accepts and does.
Students often think Jinn have independent power against Allah.
In fact They are created beings; protection is sought from Allah as sovereign.
Students often think Seeking refuge replaces practical action.
In fact Prayer supports alertness, wise choices and avoidance of harmful situations.
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: isti‘adha, Rabb, Malik, ilah, waswasa, khannas.
- 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 Lord, King and God
Mechanism: A Muslim turns to Him directly rather than magical objects; therefore protection remains within tawhid.
Whispers are subtle
Mechanism: Thoughts and influences are examined before being acted on; therefore self-awareness and remembrance interrupt temptation.
Human beings can whisper
Mechanism: Peer pressure and manipulative media are recognised as moral influences; therefore people choose company and information carefully.
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
Allah as Lord: he nurtures and protects human beings, shown by “Lord of mankind”. Allah as King: final authority belongs to Him, shown by “King of mankind”. Allah as the only God: protection is an act of worship directed to Him alone, shown by “God of mankind”. Spiritual and psychological temptation: evil can influence subtly rather than compel openly, shown by the whisperer enters human breasts.
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 99 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 1.
- 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 114 — this lesson
- Sura 99
- Sura 1
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 114
Allah as Lord: he nurtures and protects human beings, shown by “Lord of mankind”. Allah as King: final authority belongs to Him, shown by “King of mankind”. Allah as the only God: protection is an act of worship directed to Him alone, shown by “God of mankind”. Spiritual and psychological temptation: evil can influence subtly rather than compel openly, shown by the whisperer enters human breasts. Human and unseen sources: danger may come through unseen temptation or human pressure, shown by “among jinn and among mankind”.
Part (a) — Sura 99
Resurrection and cosmic transformation: The Last Day overturns the ordinary world. Allah’s command over creation: Creation obeys and can become evidence. Witness and disclosure: Hidden deeds are brought into the open. Individual accountability: Each person confronts moral responsibility.
Part (b) — importance today
Allah is Lord, King and God. A Muslim turns to Him directly rather than magical objects; therefore protection remains within tawhid.
Whispers are subtle. Thoughts and influences are examined before being acted on; therefore self-awareness and remembrance interrupt temptation.
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 Lord, King and God of all people.
- Humans seek protection directly from Him.
- Temptation often works through hidden suggestion.
- Harmful influence may come from jinn or people.
- The sura supports responsibility, remembrance and careful choices.
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 99.
- 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.