TEP - Islamic beliefs

Tawhid

The belief in the Oneness of God in Islam.

Quote about Tawhid

"He is God the One, God the eternal. He begot no one nor was He begotten. No one is comparable to Him"

Allah

The Arabic word for God.

Quote about Jesus

"Allah is far above having a son"

Sin of Shirk

worshipping something other than God

Qualities of God in Surah 112

-There is only one God

-God has no beginning and no end

-God has no children

-There is nothing like God

Shahadah

The declaration of faith in Islam stating 'There is no God but Allah and Muhammad is his messenger.'

Shirk

The sin of attributing God-like qualities to any other being or thing.

Supremacy of God's will

The belief that nothing happens unless God allows it, and that God's will is supreme.

quote about supremacy of God's will

"Only what God has decreed will happen to us."

Inshallah

A phrase meaning 'God willing,' often used by Muslims after promising to do something.

Free Will

The belief that humans do not have free will, as everything is under God's control.

Misfortunes

The belief that misfortunes can only happen with God's permission.

Sunni Islam

A branch of Islam that believes the Qur'an and Sunnah guide Muslims and elected Abu Bakr as their leader (Caliph)

Sunnah

The example that Muhammad set for Muslims about how to live

Caliph

successor to Muhammad as political and religious leader of the Muslims

Shi'a Islam

A branch of Islam that believes Muhammad named Ali as his successor (Imamate) and only accepts sayings passed to Ali.

Six articles of Faith in Sunni Islam

Oneness, Predestination, Angels, Holy Books, The Day of Judgment.

Five Roots of Shi'a Islam

Oneness, Imamate, Resurrection, Justice, Prophethood.

Imamate

The belief in the 12 Imams as leaders of Islam in Shi'a Islam.

Resurrection

The belief that after death, individuals will be resurrected and judged by God.

Justice

The belief that God is just and wise, holding humans accountable for their actions.

Prophethood

The belief in the prophets in both Sunni and Shi'a Islam.

Allahu Akbar

A phrase meaning 'God is the greatest' that Muslims hear and say daily.

Names of God

There are 99 names of God in the Qur'an that help Muslims understand God's nature.

99 names

In Islam, God is known by "99 most beautiful" names; each name attests to a different divine quality of God. The number 99 seems unfinished. It shows that there is no end to God's qualities.

Significance of 99 names

They help Muslims to gain some understanding of the 'unknowable' nature of God.

How the 99 names affect relationships with God

They allow Muslims to get closer to God and develop a meaningful relationship with him.

role of the 99 names in the Muslim community

This brings the community together and allows Muslims to talk about God and their shared beliefs in a meaningful way.

Importance of learning the names

Muslims believe God wants them to know these characteristics.

Quotes about God's name

-"The most excellent Names belong to God: use them to call on Him."

-"There are 99 names of Allah: he who commits them to memory will get into paradise."

Subha beads

Prayer beads are used for reciting the 99 names of God.

Immanent

The quality of God being within all things and close to his people.

Quote about God being immanent

"He is with you wherever you are." (Qur'an 57:4)

Transcendent

The quality of God being beyond all things.

Omnipotent

The quality of God being all-powerful, the creator, sustainer, and owner of all things.

Quote about God being omnipotent

"This is God, your Lord, there is no God but Him, the Creator of all things, so worship Him; He is in charge of everything. He takes in all vision. He is the All Subtle, the All aware." (Qur'an 6:102-103)

Quote about God being just

"Whoever does good does it for himself and whoever does bad does it against himself: your Lord is never unjust to His creatures." (Qur'an 41:46)

Beneficent

The quality of God as the source of all goodness, viewing life and the Earth as gifts.

Merciful

The quality of God understanding suffering, caring for people, and forgiving if they are truly sorry.

Justice and Fairness

He treats people fairly and justly, and requires Muslims to do the same.

Al-Kiram and Al-Katibun

record every good and bad thoughts and actions of humans while sitting on their shoulders into the Book of Deeds

Quotes about angels

-"Praise be to Allah, Creator of the heavens and earth, who made angels messengers with two, three, four [pairs of] wings." (Qur'an 35:1)

-"Whoever is an enemy to Allah and His angels and His messengers and Gabriel and Michael - then indeed, Allah is an enemy to the disbelievers." (Qur'an 2:98)

-"Each person has angels before him and behind, watching over him by God's command." (Qur'an 2:215)

-For each one are successive [angels] before and behind him who protect him by the decree of Allah. (Qur'an 13:11)

Quote about Al-Kiram and Al-Katibun

"There are two scribes, one each sitting on the right and the left, recording everything." (Qur'an 50:17)

Angels (Malaikah)

The belief in angels in Islam is called Malaikah.

Free will for angels

Muslims believe that angels have no free will so they cannot displease Allah. They are pure and sinless

Jibril

Also called Gabriel. He is an archangel and is a trusted messenger of God.

Jibril's Role

Jibril gave Mohammed revelations from God. All the revelations combined made the Qu'ran, the Muslims' most important holy book.

Mika'il

The angel of mercy. God assigned Mika'il to reward the righteous for the good during their lives. He is also responsible for sustaining life on Earth by sending rain, thunder and lightning

How angels nourish humans

-Jibril brought the spiritual nourishment of God's words in the Qur'an.

-Mika'il brings physical nourishment for the earth and human life through the rain.

Israfil

Will blow a trumpet to announce the day of judgement.

Guardian Angels

Look after us from conception until our death.

Azrael

Angel of Death. after Israfil has blown his trumpet, Azrael and his helpers take people's souls to Allah.

Quote about Azrael

"The angel of death will take you who has been entrusted with you. Then to your Lord you will be returned." (Qur'an 32:11)

Beliefs about Angels

Angels are part of the unseen world, created from light, receive God's word and pass them to the prophets, are pure and sinless, do not have free will, and live to please and worship God.

Quote about Book Of Deeds

-"Every action, great or small, is recorded." (Qur'an 54:53)

-"And the record [of deeds] will be placed [open], and you will see the criminals fearful of that within it, and they will say, "Oh, woe to us! What is this book that leaves nothing small or great except that it has enumerated it?" And they will find what they did present [before them]. And your Lord does injustice to no one." (Qur'an 18:49)

Quote about Judgement

"The one whose good deeds are heavy on the scales will have a pleasing life, but the one whose good deeds are light will have the Bottomless Pit as his home... - a blazing fire." (Qur'an 101:6-11)

Predestination (Al-Qadr)

The idea that God predetermines everything that will happen in the universe.

Quote about predestination

Predestination — "Only what God has decreed will happen to us." (Qur'an 9:51)

Quote about free will

"God does not change the condition of a people unless they change what is in themselves" (Qur'an 13:11)

Quote about Book of Decrees

"Only what God has decreed will happen to us" (Qur'an 9:51).

Book of Decrees

God has everything written down that determines everything that is going to happen in the universe.

Effect of the Predestination

Sunnis find this idea reassuring because it means that if a bad thing happens, it must be part of God's plan.

Shi'a beliefs on Predestination

Shi'as believe that God knows what will happen, but this doesn't mean that he decides it or pre-determines it.

Sunni beliefs on predestination

Sunnis believe that God has predetermined everything that will happen in the universe, including human decisions.

Prophethood (Risalah)

Belief in prophets is known as Risalah, the method of communication between God and humans.

Prophet Adam

First man on earth and the first prophet of Islam, created out of clay and breathed life into him.

Prophets of Islam

Adam, Ibrahim, Moses, David, Jesus, and Muhammad

Quote about prophets

"Every community is sent a messenger, and when their messenger comes, they will be judged justly; they will not be wronged." (Quran 10:47)

Iblis (the Devil)

Refused to bow to Adam and was thrown out of paradise, vowing to tempt humans to sin.

Eve (Hawwa)

God created Eve for Adam, and they lived in the garden of Eden.

Day of Judgement

The day when angels record actions of humans in the book of deeds.

Angels' Role

Angels escort people to heaven and hell.

Quotes from Qur'an

"The most excellent Names belong to God: use them to call on Him." (Qur'an 7:180)

Adam

the first man on Earth and the first prophet of Islam.

Quote about the creation of Adam

"He first created man from clay ... Then He moulded him; He breathed from His Spirit into him; He gave you hearing, sight, and minds." (Qur'an 32:7-9)

Quote about Adam

"He taught Adam all the names [of things], then He showed them to the angels and said, 'Tell me the names of these if you truly [think you can].' They said, 'May You be glorified! We know only of what You have taught us. You are the All Knowing and All wise.'" (Qur'an 2:31-32)

Quote about the Day of Judgement

"The earth will shine with the light of its Lord, the record of deeds will be laid open, the prophets and the witnesses will be brought forward—and judgement will be passed on all with fairness. None will be wronged." (Qur'an 39:69)

Quote about hell

-"Those who reject faith . . . they will be companions of the fire, dwelling therein forever." (Qur'an 3:116)

-"They will dwell amid scorching wind and scalding water in the shadow of black smoke, neither cool nor refreshing." (Qur'an 56:42-44)

Quote about heaven

-"gardens of happiness." (Qur'an 22:23)

-"Those who believe, do good deeds, keep up the prayer, and pay the prescribed alms will have their reward with their Lord." (Qur'an 2:277)

-"On couches of well-woven cloth they will sit facing each other; everlasting youths will go round among them with glasses, flagons, and cups of a pure drink that causes no headache or intoxication; [there will be] any fruit they choose; the meat of any bird they like; and beautiful-eyed maidens like hidden pearls: a reward for what they used to do. (Qur'an 56:15-24)

Prophet Ibrahim

-he fulfilled all the tests and commands given to him by God, and so was promised to be the father of all nations.

-he is role model because of his obedience to God, his kindness and compassion, and his refusal to worship idols.

Quote about time of death

"Nor can a soul die except by Allah's leave. The term being fixed as by writing." (Qur'an 3:145)

The Ka'aba

Small building in the middle of the mosque in Mecca, original built by Adam but was destroyed by the flood at the time of Noah.

Ishmael

Son of Ibrahim, whose life was saved by God swapping him with a lamb.

Hajj

-The annual pilgrimage to Makkah (Mecca) that every Muslim should try to make at least once in their life.

-Pilgrimage that returns Muslims to Ibrahim's perfect faith.

Festival of Id-ul-Adha

Muslims slaughter an animal to remember Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son.

Zamzam

Water that remembers the story of Ibrahim's wife Hagar, who searched for water for her and Ishmael.

Ibrahim's link to Muhammad

Muhammad was one of his descendants.

Ibrahim's declaration

He declared his belief in one God (Allah) and determined to stop idol worship.

Ibrahim's miracle

A miracle occurred when he was burned alive, and he walked out completely unscathed.

Story of Ibrahim

- Destroyed the idols in the temple to prove that they are not real

- used his son as a sacrifice to God

Id-ul-Adha

a Muslim festival that celebrates the prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son for God

Mina

Site of pilgrimage during Hajj; where pilgrims take part in the stoning of pillar where they throw stones the same way that Ibrahim threw stones at the devil that tempted him to disobey God.

Muhammad

Known as the last and greatest prophet.

Muhammad's early life

Born in Mecca, was an orphan and married a wealthy widow, Khadija at the age of 25.

Quote about Mohammed

"Muhammad is not the father of any one of you men; he is God's messenger and the seal of the prophets." (Qur'an 33:40)

Hijrah

the journey of Muhammad and his followers to Madinah in 622, which became year 1 of the official calendar of Islam

Angel Jibril

Appeared to Muhammad with a message from God.

Muhammad's preaching

He challenged the people of Mecca to give up cheating, gambling, drinking, and idol worship.

The Night Journey

Muhammad was taken to Jerusalem and ascended into heaven to speak to God and past prophets.