Islam: Beliefs and Teachings

Question 1

What are the Six Articles of Faith of the Sunni tradition?

Answer 1

1) tahwid
2) beliefs about angels of Allah
3) beliefs about the books of Allah
4) beliefs about the messengers of Allah
5) Akhirah and the Day of Judgement
6) Predestination

Question 2

What are the five principles of the Shi’a tradition?

Answer 2

1) Al-Tawhid: belief in Oneness and Unity of Allah
2) Al-Adl: belief in Divine Justice
3) Al-Nubuwah: belief in Prophethood
4) Al-Immah: belief in Imams
5) Al-Ma’ad: belief in the Day of Resurrection

Question 3

What is Tahwid?

Answer 3

The oneness of Allah

Question 4

What is Akhirah?

Answer 4

Belief in life after death

Question 5

Why are the Six Articles of Faith and the five principles important to Muslims?

Answer 5

1) they are able to understand all that Allah wants them to know about him
2) they are able to worship Allah by relying on his words sent through the prophets
3) they give Muslims a sense of their own place before Allah and an understanding of life after death

Question 6

What is predestination?

Answer 6

The belief that all events have been willed by Allah

Question 7

What do Shi’a Muslims believe?

Answer 7

1) there is an objective framework of right and wrong
2) Allah is perfect and always acts in a way that is right
3) humans are able to use their reasoning to work out what is the right way to act
4) humans should use their free will to act in the right way
5) at the Day of Judgement Allah will judge people according to this moral framework
6) Allah will send the righteous to heaven and the wicked to hell
7) there is no such thing as predestination - humans have free will, which is why Allah can judge them

Question 8

What is Risalah (prophethood)?

Answer 8

The means of communication between Allah and humans

Question 9

What is a prophet?

Answer 9

A messenger, chosen by Allah to teach, guide and train people to follow him

Question 10

Who was the final prophet?

Answer 10

Muhammad

Question 11

Who was the first prophet?

Answer 11

Adam

Question 12

What was Adam made out of?

Answer 12

Clay, in Allah’s image

Question 13

Who was Ibrahim?

Answer 13

The father of the Arab people and of the prophets

Question 14

How did Allah test Ibrahim’s devotion?

Answer 14

By telling Ibrahim to sacrifice his first-born son, Isma’il

Question 15

Who was Isma’il?

Answer 15

The son of Ibrahim as a blessing from Allah

Question 16

Who built the Kaaba?

Answer 16

Ibrahim and Isma’il

Question 17

What does Musa’s story demonstrate?

Answer 17

Allah’s care over Musa and his power to protect whom he chooses

Question 18

What does the Zabur contain?

Answer 18

Lessons of guidance for the Israelites

Question 19

Who was the Zabur revealed to?

Answer 19

Dawud

Question 20

What is the role of Isa believed to be at the end times?

Answer 20

To bring together true Muslims

Question 21

Why is Muhammad known as the seal of the prophets?

Answer 21

He provided the final revelation of Allah to his people in the form of the Qur’an

Question 22

What does AH mean?

Answer 22

In the year of the Hijrah

Question 23

What did Muhammad remind Muslims about during his farewell speech?

Answer 23

1) live in peace
2) respect each other’s rights
3) remain true to the Qur’an

Question 24

What are angels made from?

Answer 24

Nur (divine light)

Question 25

Name some angels.

Answer 25

1) Jibra’il
2) Izra’il
3) Israfil
4) Mika’il

Question 26

How are the angels different to humans?

Answer 26

1) they are not free beings
2) they exist to carry out the will of Allah
3) they do not have free will
4) they are free from sin
5) they are immortal
6) they do not have physical needs

Question 27

What did Allah create the angels to do?

Answer 27

1) help Muslims
2) communicate with Allah’s human messengers on Earth
3) record all that humans do and say, ready for the Day of Judgement

Question 28

Which group of Muslims taught that humans have no free will at all?

Answer 28

Jabrites

Question 29

What do the Mutazilites teach about predestination?

Answer 29

Human free will means that there could be no predestination

Question 30

Which Muslims today accept the Mutazilites’ teachings?

Answer 30

Shi’a Muslims

Question 31

Who will be the first person to be judged?

Answer 31

Muhammad

Question 32

What leads to a good judgement?

Answer 32

Dying as a Muslim

Question 33

What is the impact of a bad judgement?

Answer 33

Being sent to hell (Jahannnan)

Question 34

What is the period of time between death and the Day of Judgement called?

Answer 34

Barzakh

Question 35

What is martyrdom?

Answer 35

Being killed in the defence of, or struggle for, your faith