Islamic beliefs

quote for Muhammad

‘Muhammad is not the father of one of your men but the messenger of Allah and the seal of the prophet’

quote for adam

‘he created him from dust’

quote for ibrahim

‘who could be a better friend of God’

4 stages of life after death

1. Barzakh - waiting period, peace if good life, torment if bad

2. Questioning - Who is your Lord? What is your religion? who is your prophet?

3. Day of Judgement - Brought before Allah, deeds weighed on Mizan

4. Good = Jannah, Bad = Jahannam

quote for Jannah

‘a reward for what they are used to’

quote for jahannam

‘they will dwell among scorching wind and scalding water in a shadow of black smoke’

6 articles of faith (sunni)

• angels

• holy books

• prophets

• day of judgement

• supremacy of God’s will

• Tawhid

5 roots of shia islam

• Tawhid

• prophethood

• Justice of God (adalat)

• the imamate

• day of ressurection

historical divide between shi’a and sunni

who to succeed Muhammad?

• Sunni - Abu Bakr, Muhammad’s oldest friend (caliph, no divine authority)

• Shi’a = Ali, cousin and son in law

3 key differences between shi’a and sunni

1. Predestination (sunni) vs Free will (shi’a)

2. 6 vs 5 core beliefs

3. Shi’a = Imams are divinely appointed/guided

Quote for angels

‘praise to God, creator of the heavens and earth who made angels messengers with two, three, four wings’

3 archangels + their roles

• Jibril - revealed Qur’an to Muhammad, angel of revelation

• Israfil - will blow trumpet on day of judgement

• Mika’il - angel of mercy, provides sustenance + controls weather

quote for jibril

‘Gabriel - it is he who has brought the qur’an down upon your…heart by permission of Allah’

What are Jinn, who is Iblis

• Angels who have free will and go against Allah = evil

• Iblis is satan ‘so they prostrated, except for Iblis’ (adam)

2 quotes for Tawhid/oneness of God

• Shahada -’there is one God and Muhammad is his prophet’

• ‘he is God the one’

2 quotes for omnipotence

• ‘no one is comparable to him’

• ‘no vision can grasp him, he is above all comprehension’

quote for immanence

‘he is closer than our jugular vein’

3 quotes for supremacy of God’s will

• ‘Allah is the best of planners’ (allows good + bad to happen)

• ‘to Allah belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth’

• ‘Allah will not change the conclusion of a people until they change what is in themselves’

2 quotes for importance of qur’an

• ‘this is the scripture, of which there is no doubt’

• ‘indeed it is a noble qur’an

quote for psalms

‘to David we gave the book (of psalms)’

quote for torah

‘surely we revealed the Torah where in is guidance and light’

what is sunni belief in predestination

• absolute predestination

• Allah has already determined everything that will happen, but humans are still responsible for their choices

• e.g. God creates are genes which decide the strength of our muscles, our choice what to do with our muscles

Shi’a belief in Bada

• balance between free will and divine knowledge

• Bada = Allah can change destiny based on human actions

• Allah knows everything, but does not control human choices

what is the significance of Adam in Islam?

• first man + prophet

• ‘he taught adam all the names’ - all knowledge learnt from him

• brought sin into the world with Hawwa, ate the fruit (but not original sin)

• ‘he accepted his repentance’ - shows all muslims can repent

• built the first ka’ba

significance of Ibrahim

• destroyed all the Idols at the temple (upholds Tawhid)

• ‘Allah took Ibrahim as an intimate friend’

• fire created to burn him alive to punish - burnt chains, he walked free

• example of submission, willing to sacrifice Ishmael

importance of angels

• messengers from God

• encourages righteousness

• provides comfort

• basis of faith