fundamental islamic beliefs

• 'Aqidah' refers to the belief system that Muslims hold about Allah, His attributes, angels, prophets, books, and Day of Judgement.
• Fundamental beliefs of faith in Islam:

  • Belief in God
  • Belief in the Angels
  • Belief in God’s revealed Books
  • Belief in the Prophethood
  • Belief in the Day of Judgment
• Belief in God:

  • Muslims believe in one unique God with no partner
  • God has the most magnificent names and attributes
  • No one shares His divinity or attributes
  • God is the Almighty, Creator, Sovereign, and Sustainer of everything
  • His knowledge encompasses all things
  • God is the Most Gracious, Most Merciful, and Most Beneficent
  • God is far removed from injustice and tyranny
  • God is not a trinity
  • Allah means God in Arabic
  • God is far removed from imperfection and never becomes weary or sleeps
• Belief in the Angels:

  • Angels act as messengers between Allah and His creatures
  • Angels are born out of heavenly light
  • Angels carry out Allah's orders throughout the universe
  • Angels do not disobey Allah's orders
  • Names and duties of angels include Jibrail, Meakail, Izraeel, Israfeel, Kiramun-Katibeen, Munkar Nakeer
  • Angels record good and bad deeds, question people in their graves, and send blessings on the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
• Belief in God’s revealed Books:

  • Divine teachings are contained in the Books of Allah
  • Man's duty is to learn, remember, and spread the guidance in the Books
  • Faith in Divine Books implies following and obeying their teachings
  • Famous divine books include Taurat, Zabur, Injeel, and the Holy Quran
  • Sahifas were revealed on other prophets
  • Obligatory for Muslims to have faith in all revealed books
• Belief in the Prophethood:

  • Allah conveys His message through messengers
  • Prophets form a link between humans and the heavens
  • Divine messages are conveyed through messengers
  • Allah only sent men as prophets
  • Last prophet is Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH)
  • Every Muslim must believe in the Prophethood of all prophets without discrimination
• Belief in the Day of Judgment:

  • The belief in the hereafter is a fundamental Islamic belief
  • After death, the spirit remains intact until Allah revives it for reward or punishment
  • Virtuous people will be granted paradise, evil people will be put in hell
  • The belief in the hereafter is emphasized in the Holy Quran
  • Without faith in the hereafter, society may fall into selflessness and self-indulgence
• Allah's artistry disposes of all things
• Man is considered the masterpiece of Allah
• The entire universe, including the earth and sky, is evidence of the existence of Allah
• Faith in Allah is part of human nature
• The earth and ourselves contain signs for those with assured faith
• The creator of the universe is only Allah
• If there were other Gods besides Allah, there would be confusion in both the heavens and the earth
• Shirk in Islam is the sin of practicing idolatry or polytheism
• Shirk is the deification or worship of anyone or anything other than Allah
• Shirk is the vice opposed to the virtue of Tawhid (monotheism)
• Shirk is an unforgivable crime if it remains unpardonable before death
• Types of Shirk:

  • Shirk in the entity of Allah (Shirk bil-Zat)
  • Shirk in the characteristics of Allah (Shirk bil-Siffat)
  • Shirk in the demands of the characteristics (Shirk with the Taqa-Zai-Siffat)
• Prophets of Allah possess qualities such as being human, holders of trust, preachers of Allah, innocent, worthy of obedience, trustworthy, performing miracles, and receiving revelation (Wahi)
• Angels are messengers between Allah and His creatures
• Angels are born out of heavenly light and carry out Allah's orders
• Famous angels include Hazrat Jibrail, Hazrat Meakail, Hazrat Izraeel, Hazrat Israfeel, Kiramun-Katibeen, and Munkar Nakeer
• Divine Books are sources of guidance for present and future generations
• Belief in Divine Books implies following and obeying the teachings contained in them
• There are many divine books, with four famous ones being Taurat
• Divine books include:

  • Taurat revealed on Hazrat Musa (A.S.)
  • Zabur revealed on Hazrat Daud (A.S.)
  • Injeel revealed on Hazrat Isa (A.S.)
  • The Holy Quran revealed on Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W)
• Sahifas were revealed on Hazrat Adam (A.S.) and Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S.) and other prophets
• Muslims must have faith in all revealed books and follow the laws laid down by the Holy Quran
• Belief in one, unique, incomparable God, with no son or partner, and that none has the right to be worshipped but Him alone
• God is described in the Quran as the One to whom creatures turn for their needs, not begetting nor begotten, and incomparable
• God alone is the Almighty, Creator, Sovereign, and Sustainer of everything in the universe
• God is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, All-Knowing, and His will is above all creatures
• Islam rejects the concept of God resting, wrestling, being envious, or incarnate in any human being
• The Arabic word Allah means God, used by Arabic speakers, and occurs in the Quran about 2700 times
• Effects of belief in the oneness of Allah on human life:

  • Self-respect
  • Humility
  • Broad view of life
  • Courage and determination
  • Optimism and contentment
  • Piety
  • Trust in Allah
  • Peace of mind
• Characteristics of Prophethood of Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH):

  • Universality
  • Cancellation of previous Shariats
  • Conclusion of Prophethood
  • Preservation of the Holy Quran
  • Preservation of the Sunnah
  • Vast scope and application
  • Culmination of Prophethood
• Main characteristics of the Holy Quran:

  • Revealed by Allah to Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
  • Superior to all other books in the universe
  • Revealed through Angel Jibrail (A.S)
  • Contains guidance for all aspects of life
  • Preserved in its original form for over fourteen hundred years
  • Quranic teachings are practical and feasible
  • Quran is the culmination of divine revelation and the final religious system
• Characteristics of the Holy Quran:

  • The holy Quran was revealed on the 27th of Ramadan on the last Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings Be Upon Him)
  • The holy Quran is permanent and impossible to be amended
  • The holy Quran is exclusive for the whole humanity
  • The holy Quran is a unique and matchless book
  • The holy Quran is a truthful book
  • The holy Quran is a comprehensive book
• Teachings of the Holy Quran on the subject of life in the world hereafter:

  • The worldly life of man is followed by the life of the world hereafter
  • The consequences of all actions do not arise completely in this temporary life
  • The entire system of the universe has a fixed age after which it will be replaced
  • Man will be granted a new physical life in the world hereafter and will be accountable for all actions
  • The doubts of non-believers regarding the world hereafter have been addressed in the Holy Quran