Quran: Suratul Ikhlas – SS3 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

Suratul Ikhlas is the 112th chapter of the Quran, a short surah of four verses that teaches the oneness of Allah. It states that Allah is the One and the Eternal, that He begets not and is not begotten, and that nothing is like Him. It teaches monotheism and condemns polytheism and the doctrine of trinity.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. Recite Suratul Ikhlas from its transliteration.
2. State the meaning of each verse of the surah.
3. Name the two attributes of Allah mentioned in the surah.
4. Explain how the surah teaches monotheism and condemns the doctrine of trinity.
5. State the lessons taught by the surah.

What is Suratul Ikhlas?

Suratul Ikhlas is the chapter of the Quran that declares the pure oneness of Allah.

• Number: it is the 112th surah of the Quran.
• Verses: it has four verses.
• Meaning of Ikhlas: sincerity or purity, here purity of belief in Allah alone.
• Other name: it is also called Qul Huwal-lahu Ahad, after its opening words.
• Place of revelation: it is a Makkan surah.

What is the text of Suratul Ikhlas?

The surah has four verses, given below in transliteration and translation.

What does each verse mean?

Each verse states one truth about Allah.

• Verse 1: Allah is One. He has no partner and no equal.
• Verse 2: Allah is As-Samad. All creatures depend on Him, but He needs nothing.
• Verse 3: Allah has no child and no parent. He was not born and He has no offspring.
• Verse 4: Nothing in creation is equal to Allah or resembles Him.

What are the key terms in Suratul Ikhlas?

The key terms are Ahad, As-Samad, monotheism, polytheism and trinity.

• Ahad: the One, the only one, who has no partner.
• As-Samad: the Eternal, the One to whom all creatures turn for their needs, while He needs none.
• Monotheism (Tawhid): belief that there is only one God, Allah.
• Polytheism (Shirk): belief in more than one god, or setting partners with Allah.
• Trinity: the teaching that God is three persons in one. Islam rejects it.

What does Suratul Ikhlas teach?

The surah teaches the oneness, uniqueness and independence of Allah.

1. The surah teaches monotheism and forbids polytheism.
2. It teaches the attributes of Allah: Ahad (the One) and As-Samad (the Eternal).
3. The surah states that everybody depends on Allah but He does not depend on anybody or anything.
4. It teaches the uniqueness of Allah.
5. It condemns the doctrine of trinity.
6. Nobody is equivalent to Allah in any respect and no one resembles Him in any form.

How does the surah teach monotheism and condemn the trinity?

The surah teaches monotheism by stating that Allah is One and has no partner, equal or offspring.

• Verse 1: calls Allah Ahad, so there is no division and no second god.
• Verse 2: says all things depend on Allah, so no other being shares His power.
• Verse 3: denies that Allah has a son or a father, which rejects the claim that He has children.
• Verse 4: denies that anything equals Him, which rejects the idea of three persons in one God.
• Result: a Muslim worships Allah alone and gives no share of worship to any other being.

What is the difference between monotheism and polytheism?

Monotheism is belief in one God only. Polytheism is belief in many gods or in partners with God.

What lessons can a Muslim learn from Suratul Ikhlas?

The surah gives lessons for belief and for daily life.

• Worship Allah alone: prayer, sacrifice and requests are for Him only.
• Depend on Allah: ask Him for help in every need, since He needs nobody.
• Avoid shirk: do not give Allah partners, images or equals.
• Be sincere: do good deeds for the sake of Allah, not to show off.
• Respect Allah’s greatness: do not compare Him with any creature.

What is the virtue of Suratul Ikhlas?

Suratul Ikhlas is highly rated because it sums up the belief in the oneness of Allah.

• Worth one third of the Quran: the Prophet (SAW) is reported to have said it equals one third of the Quran in reward.
• Used in prayer: Muslims often recite it in salah after Suratul Fatiha.
• Easy to memorise: its four short verses make it one of the first surahs a child learns.

Evaluation

1. Recite Suratul Ikhlas from its transliteration.
2. Give the translation of the third verse.
3. What do the words Ahad and As-Samad mean?
4. Explain how the surah shows that Allah does not depend on anybody or anything.
5. State two differences between monotheism and polytheism.

Assignment

Write out Suratul Ikhlas in transliteration with its translation. Then explain, in your own words, any three lessons taught by the surah.