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Islam Beliefs
infoWhy this? Studying Islamic beliefs enables us to understand how Tawhid, revelation, prophethood, and the afterlife shape Muslim understandings of guidance and responsibility. Exploring shared beliefs and Sunni and Shi’a differences develops religious literacy, while questions about predestination and free will sharpen our reasoning about human choice.
scheduleWhy now? Earlier ethical units have introduced Muslim perspectives; we now place these within a systematic understanding of Islamic belief. This provides the foundation for explaining worship and religious duties in Islam Practices and for interpreting Muslim responses to human rights and social justice.
neurologyYou need to know
- Islam is a monotheistic religion, which means Muslims believe there is only one God, called Allah in Arabic.
- Tawhid is the belief in the oneness and unity of Allah, and it means Allah has no partners, equals or divisions.
- Shirk is the sin of associating partners with Allah, and Muslims regard it as a serious rejection of Tawhid.
- Muslims believe Allah is omnipotent, beneficent, merciful, just, transcendent and immanent.
- Sunni Muslims usually express their core beliefs through the Six Articles of Faith: Tawhid, angels, holy books, prophets, the Day of Judgement and predestination.
- Twelver Shi’a Muslims usually express their core beliefs through the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din: Tawhid, divine justice, prophethood, Imamate and resurrection.
- Risalah is the belief that Allah communicates guidance to humanity through prophets and holy books.
- Muslims believe Adam was the first prophet and the first human being, created by Allah and given responsibility as a khalifah on Earth.
- Muslims believe Ibrahim showed complete submission to Allah and is an important example of faith, obedience and rejection of idolatry.
- Muslims believe Muhammad is the final prophet, often called the Seal of the Prophets, meaning no prophet will come after him.
- Muslims believe the Qur’an is the final revelation from Allah, revealed to Muhammad through the angel Jibril.
- Muslims believe earlier holy books include the Tawrat given to Musa, the Zabur given to Dawud, the Injil given to Isa and the Scrolls of Ibrahim.
- Angels are spiritual beings created by Allah who carry out Allah’s commands and communicate with humans when Allah wills.
- Jibril is the angel of revelation who delivered Allah’s message to prophets, including the Qur’an to Muhammad.
- Mika’il is the angel associated with mercy and with providing nourishment and support for life on Earth.
- Akhirah is belief in life after death, including resurrection, judgement by Allah, and the eternal destinations of Paradise and Hell.
- Muslims believe that on the Day of Judgement each person will be judged by Allah according to their faith, intentions and actions.
- Predestination, or al-Qadr, is the belief that Allah has knowledge and control over all things, while Muslims are still responsible for their choices.
rocket_launchYou must be able to
- Explain Islamic beliefs using accurate Tier 3 vocabulary such as Tawhid, Risalah, Akhirah, prophethood, Imamate and al-Qadr.
- Compare Sunni and Shi’a beliefs by identifying shared beliefs and explaining key differences, especially the Six Articles of Faith and the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din.
- Analyse how belief in Tawhid influences Muslim worship, moral choices and rejection of shirk.
- Explain the significance of key prophets, including Adam, Ibrahim and Muhammad, by linking their lives to Muslim beliefs about guidance and submission to Allah.
- Use Qur’anic quotations or recognised Islamic teachings to support explanations of Muslim beliefs, making the link between the evidence and the point clear.
- Evaluate different Muslim beliefs about predestination and free will, giving reasoned arguments on both sides before reaching a justified conclusion.
- Construct GCSE-style explanation answers using a clear point, developed explanation, relevant evidence and a link back to the question.
- Construct GCSE-style evaluation answers by presenting contrasting viewpoints, developing reasons, using evidence and giving a justified personal judgement.