P1-QUR-12 Major themes of the Qur'an Paper 1, Question 1 · compulsory
Sura 6.75–79 — Ibrahim and the search for the true Lord
The passage presents Ibrahim using the setting of star, moon and sun to expose the weakness of worshipping creation. The sequence ends not in doubt but in a public declaration of tawhid and committed orientation towards the Creator.
Compulsory Question 1 Allah's Messengers 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
- A1.12 Passage 12: Sura 6.75–79 Allah's Messengers
Learn the material
Learning objectives
Key vocabulary
- malakut
- The dominion, power or deep order of the heavens and earth.
- yaqin
- Certainty.
- afala
- To set or disappear.
- hanif
- One who turns away from shirk towards pure monotheism.
- fitr
- To originate or bring into being.
- shirk
- Associating partners with 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 Guidance to certainty?
Check your answers
- Allah's Messengers.
- 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 shows Ibrahim the dominion “so that he might have certainty”.
The lesson
The prescribed passage
وَكَذَٰلِكَ نُرِيٓ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ مَلَكُوتَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلِيَكُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡمُوقِنِينَ فَلَمَّا جَنَّ عَلَيۡهِ ٱلَّيۡلُ رَءَا كَوۡكَبٗاۖ قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّيۖ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَآ أُحِبُّ ٱلۡأٓفِلِينَ فَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلۡقَمَرَ بَازِغٗا قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّيۖ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَ قَالَ لَئِن لَّمۡ يَهۡدِنِي رَبِّي لَأَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡقَوۡمِ ٱلضَّآلِّينَ فَلَمَّا رَءَا ٱلشَّمۡسَ بَازِغَةٗ قَالَ هَٰذَا رَبِّي هَٰذَآ أَكۡبَرُۖ فَلَمَّآ أَفَلَتۡ قَالَ يَٰقَوۡمِ إِنِّي بَرِيٓءٞ مِّمَّا تُشۡرِكُونَ إِنِّي وَجَّهۡتُ وَجۡهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ حَنِيفٗاۖ وَمَآ أَنَا۠ مِنَ ٱلۡمُشۡرِكِينَ
75. So also did We show Abraham the power and the laws of the heavens and the earth, so that he might have certainty. 76. When the night covered him over, he saw a star: He said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when it set, he said: ‘I do not love things that set.’ 77. When he saw the moon rising in splendour, he said: ‘This is my Lord.’ But when the moon set, he said: ‘Unless my Lord guides me, I will surely be among those who go astray.’ 78. When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: ‘This is my Lord; this is the greatest.’ But when the sun set, he said: ‘O my people! I am indeed free from your giving partners to Allah.’ 79. ‘For me, I have set my face firmly and truly towards Him who created the heavens and the earth, and never shall I give partners to Allah.’
Sura 6.75–79 · translation: Yusuf Ali (1934)
Place it before you analyse it
Group: Allah's Messengers · Revelation: Makkan. The examination rewards themes and importance, not a long account of the sura’s background.
Working through the passage
Allah shows Ibrahim the dominion
Certainty is grounded in Allah’s guidance and thoughtful attention to creation.
The star sets
A lord worthy of worship cannot be absent, controlled by a cycle or lost from view.
Moon and sun repeat the test
Increasing size and brightness do not solve the problem of created dependence; both still set.
Public rejection of shirk
Ibrahim addresses his people and disowns their partnerships, turning reasoning into prophetic witness.
Facing the Originator
The final declaration gives the positive conclusion: devotion belongs to the One who originated the heavens and earth.
Theme map
| Theme | Words or image | What it teaches |
|---|---|---|
| Guidance to certainty | Allah shows Ibrahim the dominion “so that he might have certainty” | Reasoned reflection operates within divine guidance. |
| Created change and dependence | star, moon and sun all set | What changes and disappears cannot be the eternal Lord. |
| Rejection of celestial worship | “I am free from what you associate” | Ibrahim rejects the objects his people treated as divine. |
| Allah as Originator | the One “who created the heavens and the earth” | The Creator is distinguished from every heavenly sign. |
| Hanif devotion | “I have set my face firmly and truly” | Tawhid is a committed orientation, not only an argument. |
| Prophetic witness | Ibrahim speaks to his people | A messenger explains and challenges false worship. |
Do not translate instead of identifying themes
A top answer says, for example, “The passage teaches Guidance to certainty, shown by Allah shows Ibrahim the dominion “so that he might have certainty”.” It does not simply rewrite the full English translation.
Context and chronology
Sura al-An‘am is a Makkan defence of tawhid. Ibrahim’s argument speaks into a setting where heavenly bodies could be treated as divine.
Muslim interpreters discuss whether Ibrahim is voicing a staged argument to his people or narrating a process of reflection. For examination purposes, the clear endpoint and themes matter more than claiming certainty about the debated detail.
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
- Ibrahim is a prophet and model of hanif monotheism.
- His people are addressed as practising shirk, particularly through created heavenly objects.
- Allah guides Ibrahim and shows him the dominion of creation.
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.
لَآ أُحِبُّ ٱلۡأٓفِلِينَ
I do not love things that set.
Concise evidence that dependent created bodies cannot be Lord.
إِنِّي وَجَّهۡتُ وَجۡهِيَ لِلَّذِي فَطَرَ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ
I have set my face towards the One who originated the heavens and earth.
Evidence for positive tawhid and committed worship.
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 shows that Islam welcomes reasoning from the signs of creation while insisting that guidance comes from Allah.
- It models respectful but firm rejection of inherited religious error.
- It defines faith as orientation and commitment, not merely winning an intellectual debate.
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Created powers rise and set | A Muslim refuses to make temporary success, leaders or institutions ultimate | loyalty remains morally accountable. |
| Ibrahim seeks guidance | Reason is used with humility rather than self-sufficiency | learning includes prayer and willingness to revise error. |
| He publicly rejects shirk | Belief shapes principled speech and conduct | social pressure does not decide truth. |
Connections with other topics
| Topic | Connection |
|---|---|
| Sura 41.37 | Both use sun and moon to distinguish signs from the Creator. |
| Sura 6.101–103 | Both call Allah the Originator of heavens and earth. |
| Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in Makka | Both prophetic missions challenge inherited shirk with argument and revelation. |
| Hajj | Ibrahim’s legacy of pure worship is remembered in pilgrimage. |
Use comparison to sharpen a theme, not to drift into a different essay.
Common misconceptions
Students often think Ibrahim permanently believed each heavenly body was Allah.
In fact The sequence is presented to demonstrate their inadequacy and reaches explicit tawhid.
Students often think The biggest visible object is closest to being divine.
In fact The sun’s greater size still cannot overcome its setting and dependence.
Students often think Reason alone makes revelation unnecessary.
In fact The passage begins with Allah showing Ibrahim and includes his request for guidance.
What the examiner wants
AO1: what you must know
- Place the passage accurately in Allah's Messengers.
- 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: malakut, yaqin, afala, hanif, fitr, shirk.
- 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.
Created powers rise and set
Mechanism: A Muslim refuses to make temporary success, leaders or institutions ultimate; therefore loyalty remains morally accountable.
Ibrahim seeks guidance
Mechanism: Reason is used with humility rather than self-sufficiency; therefore learning includes prayer and willingness to revise error.
He publicly rejects shirk
Mechanism: Belief shapes principled speech and conduct; therefore social pressure does not decide truth.
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 messengers. 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
Guidance to certainty: reasoned reflection operates within divine guidance, shown by Allah shows Ibrahim the dominion “so that he might have certainty”. Created change and dependence: what changes and disappears cannot be the eternal Lord, shown by star, moon and sun all set. Rejection of celestial worship: ibrahim rejects the objects his people treated as divine, shown by “I am free from what you associate”. Allah as Originator: the Creator is distinguished from every heavenly sign, shown by the One “who created the heavens and the earth”.
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 41.37 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 6.75–79 — this lesson
- Sura 41.37
- 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 6.75–79
Guidance to certainty: reasoned reflection operates within divine guidance, shown by Allah shows Ibrahim the dominion “so that he might have certainty”. Created change and dependence: what changes and disappears cannot be the eternal Lord, shown by star, moon and sun all set. Rejection of celestial worship: ibrahim rejects the objects his people treated as divine, shown by “I am free from what you associate”. Allah as Originator: the Creator is distinguished from every heavenly sign, shown by the One “who created the heavens and the earth”. Hanif devotion: tawhid is a committed orientation, not only an argument, shown by “I have set my face firmly and truly”.
Part (a) — Sura 41.37
Signs in creation: The natural world points beyond itself. Creator–creation distinction: Even the most impressive heavenly bodies are dependent creatures. Rejection of shirk: Created power must not receive worship. Exclusive worship: The proper response to creation is worship of its Creator.
Part (b) — importance today
Created powers rise and set. A Muslim refuses to make temporary success, leaders or institutions ultimate; therefore loyalty remains morally accountable.
Ibrahim seeks guidance. Reason is used with humility rather than self-sufficiency; therefore learning includes prayer and willingness to revise error.
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 guides Ibrahim towards certainty.
- Star, moon and sun are shown to be setting, dependent signs.
- Ibrahim rejects his people’s shirk.
- He turns as a hanif to the Originator of heavens and earth.
- Reasoning, guidance and committed worship work together.
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 41.37.
- 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.