( 1.1/1.2) Six beliefs of Islam /the Five roots of Usul ad-Din

Question 1

Where are the six beliefs of Islam found?

Answer 1

Kitab al-iman

Question 2

What are the six beliefs of Islam (Sunni)

Answer 2

Tawhid

Malaikah

Authority of kutub (holy books)

Nubuwwah and Risalah - belief in the prophets

Belief in the Day of Judgment

Al-Qadr - belief in predestination

Question 3

which one of the six beliefs of Islam do Shi’as disagree with?

Answer 3

Al-Qadr - belief in predestination

Question 4

What are the five roots of ‘Usul ad-Din?`

Answer 4

Tawhid

‘Adl - justice and fairness

Nubuwwah

Imamah-successors to Muhammed

Mi’ad - the day of judgement and resurrection

Question 5

What is the purpose of the six beliefs of Islam?

Answer 5

• unite all Sunni Muslims as they share them in common and help Sunni Muslims all over the world feel part of the ummah
• help Sunni Muslims understand their religion better
• support Sunni Muslims in directing how they should live,as the Six Beliefs will impact on their actions and behaviour

Question 6

How are the Six beliefs of Islam understood and expressed in Sunni Muslim communities today?

Answer 6

• Muslims think about the belief in Tawhid every day.It is stated in the Shahadah and forms part of their prayers, which happen 5 times a day
• Muslims turn to holy books, especially the Qur’an, for advice on what they should believe about issues such as the nature of Allah and resurrection
• Muslims try to follow the example of the Prophet Muhammad in the way they live
• Muslims try to be aware of every action they perform in their lives. They are constantly aware that their behaviour will determine their afterlife and they consider whether their actions are what Allah would wish them to do

Question 7

What is tawhid?

Answer 7

declares that there’s only one God- Allah

this makes Islam a monotheistic religion

Question 8

What do Muslims think being Muslims is about?

Answer 8

carrying out Allah’s will, to submit or surrender themselves to him

Question 9

What is Malaikah?

Answer 9

Acceptance of the existence of angels who are obedient to Allah’s commands - they have no free will

angels are believed to be created from light and have no physical bodies, although they do have the ability to take on human form

through them, messages are given to prophets, these messages were preached

Question 10

Explain the authority of Kutub?

Answer 10

• Qur’an believed to be the final perfect message received from Allah by Prophet Muhammed
• Islam is centred around these teachings

Question 11

What other holy books do Muslims recognise?

Answer 11

Sahifah (the scrolls of Abraham and the scrolls of Moses)

The Tawrat (Torah)

Zabur (psalms)

Injil (the Gospel)

Question 12

What is Nubuwwah and Rislah?

Answer 12

belief in the prophets

include : Adam, Ibrahim, Isma’il, Musa, Dawud, Isa and Muhammad

Nubuwwah - prophethood

Rislah - the communication channel between Allah and humans

Question 13

What is the belief in the Day of Judgement?

Answer 13

• belief in the afterlife and after death they will have to account for their actions

Question 14

What is the belief in al-Qadr?

Answer 14

belief in predestination - Allah knows everything

Although humans are free to make choices, Allah anticipates and knows everything that will happen

Allah doesn’t influence deciences

Question 15

Explain beliefs in -‘ Adl

Answer 15

Shia Muslims believe that :

• Allah commands human beings to do good things and avoid bad things
• accept that Allah acts in a just and fair way at all times to ensure equality
• believe that there is good and bad in everything

Question 16

Explain beliefs in -Nubuwwah

Answer 16

• Allah appointed messengers and prophets to teach his message to humanity
• Muhammad was the final messenger

Question 17

Explain beliefs in Imamah

• imam is a religious leader or teacher

Answer 17

• 12 imams chosen by Allah to continue to teach his message correctly, guide humanity and be a source of authority
• only 1 imam at a time.
• imams murdered before the next imam took their place
• Muhammad was the last imam, he is still alive and hidden by Allah and one day he will appear and end tyranny and oppression

Question 18

Explain beliefs in Mi’ad

Answer 18

• the day of judgment and resurrection

- one day every human that ever lived will be judged on how they acted on earth

Question 19

Why are the Five roots important for Shi’a communities?

Answer 19

• they unite all Shi’a Muslims as an ummah and forms the basis of the religion
• they are the foundations of Islam- helps to support the faith by establishing key beliefs
• Help Shi’a Muslims to understand their religion by identifying those beliefs that teach what they should accept and how they should behave
• allow them to live as Allah intended

Question 20

How do Sunni and Shi’a beliefs about the Fie roots of Usul ad-din differ?

Answer 20

• Sunni Muslims don’t place the same emphasis on justice like Shi’a Muslims
• Sunni don’t place the same emphasis on the authority of the imams
• Sunnis believe imams are as important as a source of authority, but not specifically appointed by Allah as is the Shi’a understanding
• Shi’as do not accet the belief of predestination