Islam beliefs

• Islam began in 610 A.D with the beginning of the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad via Angel Jibril
• The word Islam means submission to God
• There are two billion Muslims globally, around 1 in 4 people, and 4 million in the UK, around 6.5% of the population
• 90% of Muslims are Sunni and 10% are Shia
• In many countries where Islam is the official religion, Sharia law forms the basis of the legal system
• Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam

  • Oneness of God
  • Authority of holy books
  • Belief in angels
  • Belief in prophethood
  • Belief in predestination
  • Belief in the day of judgment and life after death
• Purpose of the Six Articles of Faith

  • They unite all Sunni Muslims by giving a clear and concrete guide to Sunni beliefs
  • They help Sunni Muslims understand and explain their religion
  • They support Sunni Muslims in how they should live their lives by guiding them to follow God's rules and teachings with awareness of being judged
• Five Roots of Faith in Shia Islam

  • Tawheed (Oneness of God)
  • Justice
  • Prophethood
  • Imamate
  • Day of Judgment and Resurrection
• Similarities between Sunni and Shia beliefs

  • Both recognize the importance of Tawheed (Oneness of God)
  • Both share the concepts of prophethood and life after death
  • Both have a big influence on how followers live their lives
• Differences between Sunni and Shia beliefs

  Sunnis believe Imams should be elected based on merit, Shias believe Imams are spiritually descended from the Prophet's family and are divinely appointed and infallible
• Shia Muslims

  Believe that Muhammad's cousin Ali was his rightful successor based on spiritual descendancy from the family of the prophet
• Sunni Muslims

  Believe that Abu Bakr was the right person to succeed Muhammad based on his suitability and expertise as a close confidant of the prophet
• Tawheed

  The Oneness of God, the fundamental belief in Islam that underpins all other principles
• Quran says God is the One, the Eternal, He begot no one nor was He begotten, and no one is comparable to Him
• Quran says God rewards good deeds and knows everything
• Quran says God is with you wherever you are
• God's dualistic relationship with the world

  He is both imminent (involved with and close to the world) and transcendent (beyond and above the world)
• God's 99 Names

  One of which is 'The Lord of Mercy, The Giver of Mercy'
• Quran says only what God has decreed will happen, and believers should put their trust in God
• Quran says all power belongs to God
• Quran says 'There is no God but God', the opening line of the Shahada
• Quran says 'He is closer to you than your jugular vein'
• Tawheed

  • The most fundamental belief in Islam, underpinning all other principles
  • Part of both the six articles and the five roots of Islam
  • Contained in the Shahada, the first of the Five Pillars
• Omnipotence

  The belief that God is all-powerful, the Creator and Controller of everything
• Adala

  The belief that God is just and fair, the Judge who will hold people accountable on the Day of Judgement
• God's mercy

  The belief that God is merciful, forgiving and compassionate
• Knowing God's nature helps Muslims understand Him better and follow His way of life
• Immanence

  The belief that God is close to and involved in the world, closer than the jugular vein
• Transcendence

  The belief that God is above and beyond human understanding, outside of space and time
• Muslims believe life without God would be worse than death, so developing a relationship with God is vital
• Muslims must put their faith in God's plan, even if they don't fully understand it
• Angels

  Spiritual beings created from light, who deliver messages from God to the prophets and watch over humans
• Angels have no free will, they simply obey God's commands
• The Quran mentions angels such as Jibreel (Gabriel) who revealed the Quran to Muhammad
• The Quran says each person has angels before and behind them, watching over them by God's command
• Angel Jibreel (Gabriel)

  Delivered messages including the Quran, which is believed to be the direct word of God
• Angel Mika'eel (Michael)

  Rewards good deeds with eternal life, the angel of mercy and sustenance
• The belief in angels, who record deeds and will judge on the Day of Judgement, influences Muslims to live a good life
• Angel of Mercy

  Rewards those who've lived a good life
• Angels greet those in paradise and punish those in hell