GCSE R.S Islamic Beliefs and Teachings

Specification Contents: The Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam, The Five Roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi'a Islam, Key Similarities and Differences between Sunni and Shi'a Beliefs, Tawhid, The Nature of God, Angels, Predestination, Akhirah, Risalah, Holy Books, Imamate in Shi'a Islam

What are the Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam?

1. Belief in Allah as the One and Only God

2. Belief in Angels

3. Belief in Holy Books

4. Belief in the Prophets

5. Belief in the Day of Judgement

6. Belief in Predestination

Belief in Allah as the One and Only God

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “He is Allah, One”.

Analysis: Shows Tawhid, the belief that Allah is absolutely one and has no partners, equals or rivals. This means Muslims must worship Allah alone and reject shirk, the association of anything with Allah.

Evaluation: Tawhid is the central belief of Islam because it affects how Muslims understand Allah and how they worship Him. It is shared by both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims, making it a key belief that unites Muslims.

Belief in Angels - their nature and role

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “Whoever is an enemy to… His angels… Jibril and Mika'il, then verily, Allah is an enemy to the[m]”.

Analysis: Shows that angels are an important part of Islamic belief and are created by Allah to carry out His commands. Jibril and Mika'il are specifically named, demonstrating that angels have different roles within Allah's creation.

Evaluation: Belief in angels reminds Muslims that Allah's will is constantly being carried out and encourages them to obey Allah, knowing that the unseen world is part of His creation. Belief in angels is one of the Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam.

Belief in Holy Books

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “believe in Allah … and the Book which He sent down upon … and the Scripture which He sent down before”.

Analysis: Shows that Muslims believe Allah has revealed holy books to guide humanity, including the Tawrat, Zabur, Injeel and Qur'an. Muslims believe the Qur'an is the final revelation from Allah.

Evaluation: Belief in holy books demonstrates that Allah has provided humanity with guidance about how to live. The Qur'an is especially significant because Muslims believe it is Allah's final and authoritative revelation, Allah’s true and direct word.

Belief in the Prophets

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “messengers [are] bringers of good news and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah”.

Analysis: Shows that Allah sends prophets and messengers to communicate His guidance to humanity. They act as both “bringers of good news” for those who follow Allah and “warners” about the consequences of rejecting His guidance.

Evaluation: This demonstrates Allah's justice and mercy, because humanity is given guidance before being held accountable. Muslims therefore look to the prophets as examples of how to live according to Allah's will.

Belief in the Day of Judgement

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “That Day, the people will depart… to be shown their deeds”.

Analysis: Shows the Islamic belief in Yawm al-Qiyamah, the Day of Judgement, when everyone will be held accountable for their actions. The phrase “shown their deeds” suggests that people's actions will be revealed and judged by Allah.

Evaluation: Belief in judgement encourages Muslims to live morally and obey Allah, knowing that their actions have eternal consequences. It also reassures Muslims that Allah will ultimately provide perfect justice, even when justice does not appear to happen in this life.

Belief in Predestination

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “no disaster strikes… except that it is in a register before We bring it into being”.

Analysis: Shows belief in predestination (al-Qadr), meaning Allah has complete knowledge and control over what happens. The idea that events are recorded “before We bring it into being” demonstrates Allah's knowledge of future events.

Evaluation: Belief in predestination can give Muslims trust and acceptance, because they believe Allah knows what is ultimately best. However, Muslims are still responsible for their choices, which is important because they will be judged for their actions.

What are the Five Roots of ‘Usul ad-Din’ in Shi’a Islam?

1. Belief in Oneness and Unity of God (Al-Tawhid)

2. Belief in Divine Justice (Al-Adl)

3. Belief in Prophethood (Al-Nubuwah)

4. Belief in Imams (Al-Imamah)

5. Belief in the Day of Resurrection (Al-Ma’ad)

Belief in the Day of Resurrection (Al-Ma’ad)

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “every soul will taste death” and “then indeed… you will be resurrected”.

Analysis: Shows that death is not the end of existence, because Allah will resurrect humanity. Muslims believe that after resurrection, people will face judgement and receive the consequences of their actions.

Evaluation: This belief gives Muslims hope that death will lead to an eternal existence and that Allah will ultimately bring justice. It also encourages Muslims to prepare for the Akhirah by following Allah's guidance in this life.

Key Similarities and Differences between the Sunni Six Articles of Faith and Shi’a Five Roots of ‘Usud ad-Din’

Similarities:

• Both believe in Tawhid – the absolute oneness of Allah.

• Both believe in prophethood, including Muhammad as Allah's final prophet.

• Both believe in life after death/resurrection and judgement.

• Both believe in divine revelation and the importance of the Qur'an.

Differences:

• Sunni Islam: Six Articles of Faith include Allah, angels, holy books, prophets, Day of Judgement and predestination.

• Shi'a Islam: Five Roots include Tawhid, Divine Justice, Prophethood, Imamate and Day of Resurrection.

• The major difference is Imamate: Shi'a Muslims believe divinely appointed Imams have an important spiritual and religious authority.

• Sunni Islam includes predestination as one of its Six Articles, whereas Shi'a Islam emphasises Divine Justice (Al-Adl).

Evaulation: Despite differences in how beliefs are organised, Sunni and Shi'a Muslims share fundamental beliefs such as Tawhid, prophethood and the afterlife, so there is significant unity between the two branches of Islam.

In which Surah from the Qur’an is Tawhid mentioned?

Qur’an Surah 112

The Nature of God - omnipotence

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “His throne extends over the heavens and the earth”.

Analysis: Shows Allah's omnipotence, meaning He has unlimited power and authority over His creation. His throne extending over the “heavens and the earth” emphasises the vast extent of His power.

Evaluation:Belief in Allah's omnipotence encourages Muslims to trust and submit to Him, because nothing is beyond His power. It also reinforces Tawhid because Allah alone possesses ultimate power over creation.

The Nature of God - beneficence

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “the Most Merciful… created man”.

Analysis: Shows Allah's beneficence, meaning His goodness and generosity towards humanity. Creation itself can be understood as an act of Allah's goodness, because He has given humans the gift of life.

Evaluation: This encourages Muslims to show gratitude towards Allah for His blessings and to respond by worshipping Him and following His guidance. It also reinforces the belief that Allah cares for His creation.

The Nature of God - mercy

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that Allah’s “mercy encompasses all things”.

Analysis: Shows that Allah's mercy is universal and unlimited, demonstrating His compassion towards all of creation. This is reflected in Islamic teachings about Allah's willingness to forgive those who genuinely repent.

Evaluation: Belief in Allah's mercy gives Muslims hope of forgiveness, encouraging them to repent after committing sins rather than believing they are beyond redemption. However, Allah's mercy does not mean Muslims can deliberately sin without consequences, as Allah is also perfectly just.

The Nature of God - justice

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “Allah does not do injustice even as much as an atom’s weight”.

Analysis: Shows that Allah is perfectly just and will never treat anyone unfairly. Even the smallest action is significant, demonstrating that everyone will be judged fairly for their behaviour.

Evaluation: Belief in Allah's justice gives Muslims confidence that good and evil will ultimately receive fair consequences, particularly on the Day of Judgement. This also encourages Muslims to act justly themselves because they are accountable to a perfectly just God.

God’s relationship with the world: immanence

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “[Allah is] closer to man than his jugular vein.”

Analysis: Shows Allah's immanence, meaning He is close to and involved with His creation. The comparison to the jugular vein emphasises how close Allah is to humanity and how fully aware He is of people's thoughts and actions.

Evaluation: This can give Muslims comfort and reassurance, because Allah is always aware of their needs and actions. It encourages Muslims to turn to Allah through dua and prayer, knowing that He is close to them.

God’s relationship with the world: transcendence

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “nor is there to Him any equivalent”.

Analysis: Shows Allah's transcendence, meaning He is beyond and greater than His creation. Nothing can be compared or equated with Allah, reinforcing His unique and incomparable nature.

Evaluation: This reinforces Tawhid because Muslims are reminded that nothing in creation is equal to Allah. It prevents Muslims from worshipping created things or giving them the status that belongs only to Allah.

Angels - Jibril

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “Jibril… brought it down upon your heart”.

Analysis: Shows Jibril's role as the angel who brought Allah's revelation to Muhammad. Jibril therefore played a crucial role in communicating the Qur'an to Muhammad, making him particularly significant to Muslims.

Evaluation: Jibril's role demonstrates how Allah communicates His guidance to humanity. This strengthens Muslim belief that the Qur'an comes from Allah rather than being Muhammad's own creation.

Angels - Mika’il

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “Whoever is an enemy to… His angels… Jibril and Mika'il, then verily, Allah is an enemy to the[m]”.

Analysis: Shows Mika'il's importance as one of Allah's angels. Muslims believe Mika'il has a role connected with providing for and caring for creation, demonstrating how Allah's commands are carried out through His angels. Muslims also believe his hairs each have a million faces, which ask for Allah's mercy for humankind in all languages.

Evaluation: Belief in Mika'il reminds Muslims that Allah has created an unseen world in which angels carry out His commands. This reinforces Allah's power and encourages Muslims to recognise that His creation is greater than what humans can see.

Predestination and human freedom and its relationship to the Day of Judgement

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “no disaster strikes… except that it is in a register before We bring it into being” but “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what it is in themselves.”

Analysis: The first quotation supports predestination, because Allah has knowledge of events before they happen. However, the second suggests that humans have freedom and responsibility, because they must take action to change themselves and their circumstances.

Evaluation: Muslims can therefore believe that Allah has ultimate knowledge and control while humans remain responsible for the choices they make. This is important for the Day of Judgement because it allows Allah to judge people fairly according to how they have chosen to act.

Akhirah - human responsibility and accountability

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “Allah will not change the condition of a people until they change what it is in themselves.”

Analysis: Shows that humans have responsibility for their own choices and actions. Muslims are expected to actively change themselves and strive to follow Allah's guidance rather than simply expecting Allah to change their circumstances.

Evaluation: This belief encourages Muslims to take responsibility for their behaviour because their actions contribute to their judgement in the Akhirah. It also prevents predestination from being used as an excuse for sinful behaviour.

Akhirah - heaven

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that in heaven, there will be “rivers of water… milk… wine… and honey”

Analysis: Shows Jannah (heaven) as a place of reward, peace and eternal happiness. The descriptions of abundant and desirable things emphasise the greatness of the reward Allah has prepared for those who are faithful and righteous.

Evaluation: Belief in Jannah gives Muslims hope and motivation to obey Allah, because righteous actions can lead to an eternal reward. It also provides comfort by showing that the difficulties of this life are temporary compared with the happiness of the Akhirah.

Akhirah - hell

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that in hell, there will be “garments of fire… poured over their heads”

Analysis: Shows Jahannam (hell) as a place of severe punishment for those who reject Allah and persist in wrongdoing. The powerful imagery emphasises the seriousness of sin and the consequences of rejecting Allah's guidance.

Evaluation: Belief in hell encourages Muslims to avoid sin and follow Allah's commands, because actions have consequences in the Akhirah. It also reinforces Allah's justice, as wrongdoing will ultimately be punished.

Risalah (prophethood)

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “messengers [are] bringers of good news and warners so that mankind will have no argument against Allah”.

Analysis: Shows the role of prophets and messengers as intermediaries who communicate Allah's guidance to humanity. They are “bringers of good news” to those who follow Allah and “warners” of the consequences of rejecting His guidance. This demonstrates that Allah gives humanity guidance so that people cannot claim they did not know what was expected of them.

Evaluation: Risalah is significant because it shows Allah's justice and mercy: He provides humans with guidance before holding them accountable. Muslims can therefore look to the prophets as examples of how to live according to Allah's will. Muhammad is especially important because Muslims believe he was the final prophet.

Risalah (prophethood) - role and importance of Adam

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says “indeed, Allah chose Adam and Noah and the family of Ibrahim and the family of Imran over the worlds”.

Analysis: Shows that Adam was chosen by Allah, demonstrating his special status within Islam. Muslims believe Adam was the first human and a prophet, meaning he received Allah's guidance and began the human relationship with Allah.

Evaluation: Adam is important because he demonstrates that humanity has always needed Allah's guidance. His story also teaches Muslims about human weakness, repentance and the importance of obeying Allah.

Risalah (prophethood) - role and importance of Ibrahim

SOW/A: In the Quran, it mentions “the Book [of] Abraham. Indeed, he was a man of truth and a prophet”.

Analysis: Shows Ibrahim as a truthful prophet chosen by Allah to guide people. Ibrahim is particularly important because of his commitment to Tawhid and rejection of false gods.

Evaluation: Muslims can follow Ibrahim's example by remaining faithful to Allah even when facing opposition. His importance is also shown by his connection to important Islamic practices and traditions, including the Hajj.

Risalah (prophethood) - role and importance of Muhammad

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that Muhammad is “the seal of the Prophets”.

Analysis: Shows Muhammad's position as the final prophet sent by Allah, also affirmed in the Shahadah, the statement of belief for Muslims. He completed the line of prophets and delivered Allah's final revelation, the Qur'an, to humanity.

Evaluation: Muhammad is central to Muslim life because Muslims follow both the Qur'an and his Sunnah as guidance for how to live. His status as the final prophet also means Muslims do not accept any prophet after him.

The Holy Qur’an - revelation

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “We revealed to you the Book with truth, confirming the scriptures that came before it, and with final authority over them”.

Analysis: Shows the Muslim belief that the Qur'an is revealed by Allah and is not simply a human work. It also shows that the Qur'an confirms the earlier scriptures and represents the continuation of Allah's guidance to humanity.

Evaluation: Belief in the Qur'an as divine revelation means Muslims regard its teachings as authoritative guidance for belief and behaviour. It gives Muslims confidence that they have access to Allah's final message.

The Holy Qur’an - authority

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “We revealed to you the Book with truth, confirming the scriptures that came before it, and with final authority over them”.

Analysis: The phrase “final authority” shows that Muslims regard the Qur'an as the ultimate and most authoritative revelation from Allah. It therefore provides guidance for belief, morality and behaviour.

Evaluation: The Qur'an's authority means Muslims can use it to determine what Allah commands and what is morally right or wrong. This makes it the foundation of Islamic teachings and a key source of guidance in everyday life.

Name all the Holy Books

• the Quran

• the Tawrat

• the Zabur

• the Injeel

• the Scrolls of Abraham

The Scrolls, Injeel, Tawrat and Zabur

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “in their footsteps, we sent Isa, son of Maryam, confirming that which came before him in the Torah; and We gave him the Gospel, in which was guidance and light”.

Analysis: Shows that Muslims believe Allah revealed holy books to different prophets as guidance for humanity. The Tawrat was given to Musa (Moses), the Zabur to Dawud (David), the Injeel to Isa (Jesus) and the Scrolls to Ibrahim (Abraham). The phrase “confirming that which came before him” shows the continuity of Allah's revelation, while Muslims believe the Qur'an is the final revelation.

Evaluation: Belief in these earlier scriptures demonstrates that Islam sees itself as continuing the same tradition of revelation given to earlier prophets. However, Muslims believe the Qur'an has final authority, so it is the ultimate source of guidance for Muslims rather than the earlier scriptures.

The Imamate in Shi’a Islam: its role and significance

SOW/A: In the Quran, it says that “[Allah] will make upon the earth a successive authority”.

Analysis: Supports the Shi'a belief in Imamate, where the Imams have an important role as religious and spiritual leaders of the Muslim community. The idea of a “successive authority” can be linked to the Shi'a belief that leadership of the Muslim community continued through the Imams, beginning with Ali. Shi'a Muslims believe the Imams provide guidance and interpretation of Islam, helping Muslims understand and follow Allah's will.

Evaluation: The Imamate is particularly significant in Shi'a Islam because Imams are regarded as having special religious authority and are central to Shi'a identity. Sunni Muslims do not accept the Shi'a belief that religious leadership was divinely appointed through Ali and his descendants, instead placing greater emphasis on the wider Muslim community and scholars.

The Mahdi

SOW/A: In a Hadith, the Prophet says that “the Mahdi is from us, the prophetic household. Allah will set right his affairs in a single night”.

Analysis: Shows the belief in the Mahdi, a guided figure from the Prophet Muhammad's family who is expected to appear in the future. The Mahdi is associated particularly with the restoration of justice and righteousness.

Evaluation: Belief in the Mahdi gives Muslims hope that justice will ultimately prevail, particularly when the world appears unjust. The belief is especially significant in Shi'a Islam, where the Mahdi is closely connected to the belief in the Imamate.