Islam: Beliefs And Teachings

Question 1

Tawhid

Answer 1

One god

Question 2

Supremacy

Answer 2

The idea that God’s will is above all things. Things will only happen if god wants them to.

Question 3

Sunni

Answer 3

The caliph should be elected.
Only the Qur’an and the Sunnah have authority to provide religious guidance.
Abu bakr, Muhammad’s advisor, was the rightful leader after Muhammad died.
The six articles of faith.

Question 4

Shi’a

Answer 4

The imam should be a descendant of Muhammad and chosen by god.
The Qur’an, Sunnah AND the Imam have the authority to provide religious guidance.
Ali, Muhammad’s cousin and son-in-law, was the rightful leader when Muhammad died.
The five roots of Usul ad-din

Question 5

What beliefs do Sunni and Shi’a share?

Answer 5

Believe in the same god.
Follow the teachings in the Qu’ran.
Follow the teachings in the Sunnah.
Acknowledge the importance of prophets

Question 6

The six articles of faith

Answer 6

(Sunni)

1. Tawhid
2. Angels
3. Holy books
4. prophets
5. The day of judgement
6. The supremacy of God’s will

Question 7

The five roots of Usul ad-din

Answer 7

(Shi’a)

1. Tawhid
2. Prophethood
3. Justice of god (adalat)
4. The Imamate
5. Resurrection

Question 8

How many names are there for god?

Answer 8

99

Question 9

Qualities of god

Answer 9

Transcendent
Immanent
Beneficent
Fair and just
Merciful
Omnipotent

Question 10

What are angels?

Answer 10

Spiritual beings created by god from light
Pure and sinless
Constantly serve and praise god
Able to take on human form to give messages
No free will - only do what god says

Question 11

Roles of angels

Answer 11

Messengers
Take care of people
Record everything a person does
Take people’s souls to god

Question 12

Who is the angel Jibril?

Answer 12

The angel of revelation.
Purified Muhammad’s heart when he was a child so that later he could receive God’s revelation.
Recited the Qur’an to Muhammad and continued to pass on God’s messages to Muhammad to guide him through the rest of his life.
Therefore played an important role in communicating the final version of Islam to humanity.

Question 13

Who is the angel Mika’il?

Answer 13

Angel of mercy.
Responsible for sending rain,thunder and lightning to Earth.
Brings nourishment to Earth and helps to provide food for humans by sending rain to the ground.
Believed to reward people who do good deeds.

Question 14

What does predestination mean?

Answer 14

The idea that God knows/determines everything that will happen in the universe

Question 15

What do Sunni Muslims believe in relation to predestination?

Answer 15

God has already determined everything that will happen in the universe.
God has written everything in a ‘book of decrees’
God created people so they must act according to his will.
God’s will is so powerful that he can make anything he wants happen.
Humans don’t have freedom to change their destiny or the overall plan god has set for them but they do have some choice of how they behave

Question 16

What do shi’a Muslims believe in relation to predestination?

Answer 16

God knows everything that’s is going to happen.
As god is the creator of time, he is outside it and not bound to it. This means god can see past, present and future.
God knows what choices people will make but they still have free will to change their own future

Question 17

What is Akhirah?

Answer 17

Everlasting life after death

Question 18

What is their word for heaven/hell?

Answer 18

Jannah/ jahannam

Question 19

How does belief in life after death influence Muslims?

Answer 19

Encourages them to take responsibility for their actions and to live in a way that pleases god

Question 20

What is the first of three stages after death?

Answer 20

Barzakh - means barrier
The state of waiting until the day of judgement. People are unable to come back across the barrier to right wrongs or warn people.
While waiting god sends 2 angels to question them about their faith.
Depending on how they respond they will either see the rewards or the punishments that they will have to endure after judgement day.

Question 21

What is the second stage after death?

Answer 21

The day of judgement.
Everyone will be given their own book of deeds which is a record of everything they’ve done in their lives.
If they are given the book in their right hand they will go to heaven and if in the left they will go to hell.

Question 22

What is the third and final stage after death?

Answer 22

Heaven and hell.

Question 23

Importance of belief in Akhirah

Answer 23

Take responsibility for actions
Motivates Muslims to follow teaching and dedicate life to god.
Give hope to those who suffer - something better to look forward to.
Accept unjust situations because god will provide justice in the after life.

Question 24

What is prophethood?

Answer 24

When someone is made a prophet: a messenger of God’s word

Question 25

What is Risalah?

Answer 25

Belief in the prophets and their importance as messengers of god

Question 26

Who was the first prophet?

Answer 26

Adam (the first human)

Question 27

What do Muslims believe about prophets?

Answer 27

Prophethood is a gift from god to understand his message. When people have forgotten,misunderstood or changed God’s message, god has sent prophets to call people back to the right path. There have been around 124,000 prophets, who have been sent t every nation on Earth. Muhammad was the last and most important prophet.

Question 28

Why are prophets important?

Answer 28

Good role models. Help people understand how to follow God’s teachings. They convey gods words and set a good example for how to live a life in obedience to god

Question 29

What does the Qur’an teach about Adam’s beginnings?

Answer 29

God created him, gave him knowledge, told angels to respect him, iblis(Satan) refused to bow down so god threw him out of paradise, god created Hawwa (eve), god told them to eat anything but the forbidden fruit, iblis deceived them into eating the forbidden fruit, god expelled them from the garden and their actions bought sin to the world, god forgave Adam after he accepted his mistake, god made Adam a prophet.

Question 30

Why is Adam important?

Answer 30

God gave him knowledge and understanding. God taught him how to live a good life in obedience to god and Adam passed in his knowledge to the rest of the human race through his descendants

Question 31

Why is Ibrahim a good role model?

Answer 31

Good role model because he always had faith in god and showed obedience to god at a time when many people worshiped a variety of God’s and idols

Question 32

Why is Ibrahim important?

Answer 32

Fulfilled all tests and commands given to him by god. Showed great faith in god. Good role model. Muhammad was one of his descendants through his son, Ishmael. He proclaimed belief in only one god when many people worshipped different gods and idols

Question 33

Why is Muhammad the most important prophet?

Answer 33

God’s messenger. Received Qur’an from god. Remembered for Helping to fully establish the religion by conquering Makkah and for having travelled to heaven where he was in the presence of god.