Islam Beliefs and teachings

• The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam

  • Belief in Allah (God)
  • Belief in Malaikah (angels)
  • Belief in holy books
  • Belief in Risalah (prophethood)
  • Belief in Akhirah (the afterlife)
  • Belief in Al-Qadr (God's predestination)
• The five roots of religion (Usul ad-Din) in Shi'a Islam


  • Oneness of God (Tawhid)
  • Justice of God (Adalah)
  • Prophethood (Nubuwwah)
  • Leadership (Imamate)
  • Resurrection (Qayamat)
• Oneness of God (Tawhid)


  There is one God who has no equals; he is a divine unity. He cannot be compared to anyone or anything. He is perfect and unique and he possesses infinite power and knowledge. He is immortal (he was never born) and has no partner or children. He alone should be worshipped.
• Justice of God (Adl or Adalah)


  God is perfect justice, fairness and wisdom. He does not wrong anyone and he will not tolerate wrongdoing. He cannot abuse his power by performing acts that go against his own nature to be just and fair. Humans must be responsible for their own actions, good or bad.
• Prophethood (Nubuwwah)


  God has appointed prophets and messengers to guide human beings, showing them how to live in peace and submission to God. According to some Islamic sources, God sent 124,000 prophets; some of these bought God's divine scriptures with them. Muhammad was the Seal of the Prophets, meaning that he brought the final, perfect and unchanging message from God.
• Leadership (Imamate)


  Most Muslims believe that Muhammad was the last prophet, who brought the final scripture (the Qur'an) to humanity. Shi'as believe that, after his death, God appointed 12 infallible Imams to guide the Muslim community, leading them on the path set by the Prophet Muhammad. These Imams are part of what Shi'as call Ahl al-Bayt (the Family of the House). In other words, they are part of Prophet Muhammad's extended household. Of these 12, 11 have been killed. They believe that the 12th (or hidden) Imam is still alive, but is in hiding (occultation), waiting to reappear and rule on earth with justice. They sometimes refer to him as the Mahdi.
• Resurrection (Qayamat)


  The belief that, on the Day of Judgement, there will be a resurrection, when all human beings will be physically raised to life to be judged by God. He will reward the good and punish the evil.
• The single most important belief in Islam is Tawhid, the oneness and unity of God. There is one God (Allah) who is the universal God of all humanity.
• Tawhid


  Oneness in reference to God. The basic Muslim belief in the oneness of God.
• Attributes of God


  • Immanent (always close by)
  • Transcendent (beyond all things, not limited by the rules of nature)
  • Omniscient (has all knowledge, nothing can be hidden from him)
  • Beneficent (always kind, he loves us)
  • Merciful (always fair, he forgives us if we are sorry)
  • Judge (on the last day, God will be our judge)
  • Creator (God is the beginning, he is the cause of all that exists)
• In Shi'a Islam there is an emphasis on Adalat, the Justice of God. This is one of the five roots of religion (Usul ad-Din).
• The Qur'an teaches that it was God 'Who created the heavens and the earth' and that 'He has power over all things.'
• Al-Fatihah


  The first surah (chapter) in the Qur'an. It means 'the opening', and many Muslims learn to recite it from memory in their daily prayers.
• Muslims believe that God is not to be confused with any living creature; he is beyond all things and cannot be pictured as a physical being. God is outside our human understanding, but for Muslims he lies at the very centre of everything they think and do.
• The 99 names of God

  The Qur'an and the Hadith have many different 'names' for God, not as a person, but using words that describe his qualities and attributes. They use names like: King, Protector, Wise, Eternal, Light, etc. These are known as the 99 beautiful names of God.
• Islam is a monotheistic faith; it teaches that there is only one God. There are no other divine beings and it is a sin to compare God to other 'false' gods. Muslims reject the Christian belief that Jesus is the Son of God.
• Transcendent


  Beyond all things
• Beneficent


  Always loving
• Merciful


  Kind and forgiving
• Judge


  Decision-making, fair
• Creator


  Maker, designer
• God


  One, eternal and absolute God
• Islam is a monotheistic faith; it teaches that there is only one God
• Muslims reject the Christian belief that Jesus is the Son of God
• The passage 'He begetteth not, nor is he begotten' (Qur'an 112:3) makes it clear that God has no children and he is not the child of anyone
• Beget


  To bring a child into existence, or to create offspring
• Surah


  A chapter from the Qur'an
• There is only one God (monotheism). Belief in many gods (polytheism) is false
• God is personal, but he is not a person. God cannot be pictured in human form
• God is perfect and unchanging. There is no greater being. Nothing compares to God; he is incomparable
• He is the creator, everything else is part of his creation
• 'nor is He begotten' means he was not born
• 'He begetteth not' means that he has no children
• This challenges the Christian belief that Jesus is the 'Son of God'
• He is 'eternal', without beginning or end
• Islam teaches that, God does not communicate directly with humans, but instead he uses special beings (humans and angels) to carry his message to us
• Muslims believe that, because all humans have a duty to serve God, he must have shown us what his will is
• Since God is just, it makes sense to believe that he must have shown us the right path to follow
• Revelation


  The idea that God has made known his special truth to humans
• Islam teaches that the prophets received God's divinely inspired message, instructing humans how to live