Authority in Islam

• The Qur’an (Surah 74:31) tells Muslims that God appointed angels to:

  
  

  • convince the people who follow the teachings of the Qur’an, known as the ‘People of the Book’, that their faith is true
  • increase believers’ faith and get rid of their doubts
• Angels


  • They were created before humans
  • They follow the orders of Allah
  • They communicate messages from Allah to people via the prophets
• Angels constantly praise God: They exalt him night and day and do not slacken. (Surah 21:20)
• Role of angels


  1. Convince people of the truth of their faith

  2. Increase believers' faith and get rid of their doubts
• Angels are:

  • Part of God's creation
  • Made of light and have wings
  • Pure and always obey and serve Allah
  • Have no or very restricted free will
  • Can appear in human form and watch over human beings
  • Record everything a person does, for the Day of Judgement
  • Welcome Muslims into Paradise and supervise the pits of Hell
• Angel Jibril


  The chief link between God and humans, the bringer of good news who passed on the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad. Jibril is also known as the Angel of Revelation, as he played a vital role in communicating the principles of Islam to humanity.
• Jibril revealed Allah's words in the form of the Qur'an to Muhammad on the Night of Power
• Angel Mika'il


  The giver of rain and food, the guardian of places of worship, the rewarder of good deeds, and the asker of Allah's forgiveness
• Jibril and Mika'il will be present on the Day of Judgement
• Angel Izrail


  The Angel of Death, who takes souls from bodies when people die
• Angel Israfil


  Will blow a trumpet to announce the Day of Judgement
• Al-Qadr


  Islamic belief that Allah already knows everything that will ever happen in the universe. It is the belief in predestination.
• Al-Qadr means that Allah knows what people will choose to do, but this does not mean the choices people make are not free choices.
• The Qur'an: 'The Lord has created and balanced all things and has fixed their destinies and guided them (Surah 87:2-3)'
• Free will


  The idea that humans are free to make their own moral choices.
• The belief in free will is essential in Islam because life is a test from Allah, and humans will be judged by Allah based on their decisions.
• On the Day of Judgement, God will have knowledge of the faith and actions of every person, which are recorded in the Book of Life.
• Muslims believe God will reward those who have had faith and done good deeds, and will punish those who have not.
• Muslims use the term ‘insha’Allah’ frequently in conversation to express belief in Al-Qadr.
• Muslims have a duty to read the Qur'an and be constantly mindful of following Allah's will.
• The Qur'an tells of the Prophet Yusuf, who was wrongly imprisoned due to a fellow prisoner being led astray by Shaytan (Satan).
• All Muslims believe that God has given human beings free will, but different Muslims have different beliefs about the limits of free will.
• Mu'tazilites


  • Argued that humans must have total free will as God, who is perfectly wise and good, cannot cause evil, yet evil exists
  • God allows human suffering in order to test people's faith, which is evidence of complete freedom of action
  • Moral actions are either good or evil, and humans should use their reason to work out which is which
  • God must stand by his promise to reward the righteous with Paradise and punish the wicked with Hell
  • The reward or punishment that God gives out can only be just if it is given to creatures who truly have free will
• The Qur'an teaches that God guides and leads astray whoever he wants to (Surah 14:4), but for Mu'tazilite Muslims this does not mean that people are subject to predestination
• Asharites


  • Reject the Mu'tazilites' views about free will
  • Humans have some freedom of action and total freedom of thought, but only God has the power to create actions – humans do not have this power
  • Humans cannot truly understand ideas about freedom and justice, which are the domain of God alone
  • God may send a person to Hell or Heaven even though it seems unfair to human beings. Ultimately, everything God does is fair, but much of it is beyond human understanding
  • God may forgive the sins of the people in Hell
• Asharism is the main theological school of Sunni Islam
• The Mu’tazilites were a group that was most active in the 8th and 10th centuries AD. Their ideas have lasted and have had a particular impact on Shi’a theology. Asharism was founded by the theologian Abu al-Hasan al-Ash'ari early in the 10th century when he broke away from the Mu'tazilite thinkers who had been his teachers and companions. Asharism is the main theological school of Sunni Islam.
• Akhirah


  Everlasting life after death in Islam
• Yawm ad-Din


  The Day of Judgement (yawm means 'day', and din means 'judgement')
• Resurrection (Islam)


  On the last day all humankind will be raised from their graves to face judgement before Allah
• Life as a test for the afterlife

  • Muslims believe that throughout life, they will be faced with challenges to test their faith and actions
  • These tests will come from God, but God does not test people beyond their limits
  • Seeing life as a test encourages Muslims to take responsibility for their actions
  • The idea of life as a test also means that God can make a fair and just judgement of whether people are worthy of punishment or reward
• Surah 2:155: 'We [God] shall surely test your steadfastness with fear and famine, with loss of property, life and produce. Give good news to those who endure with patience.'
• Khalifah


  Successor; inheritor; representative custodian; vice-regent. In the Qur'an, Adam is called the khalifah of God, and Muslims believe that humans are God's khalifahs on Earth - an important concept in the Islamic religion.
• Stewardship


  Taking responsibility for looking after and caring for something on behalf of another person.
• Muslims believe that people will be judged upon how well they have respected and followed the command to care for the world, which is on loan from Allah.
• Akhirah


  Everlasting life after death in Islam
• Muslims regard life on Earth as a test from Allah, to prepare them for eternal life
• Muslims believe that Allah will not test them beyond their limits
• Most Muslims believe that there will come a day when the whole universe will be destroyed. On this day, called the Day of Judgement or the ‘Last Day’, the dead will be resurrected for judgement by God.
• Resurrection (Islam)


  The belief that on the last day all humankind will be raised from their graves to face judgement before Allah