Islam: beliefs and teachings · GCSE Religious Studies

Key beliefs in Sunni and Shi'a Islam

Sunni Muslims hold Six Articles of Faith: belief in Allah, the angels, the holy books, the prophets, the Day of Judgement, and predestination (al-Qadr).
Shi'a Muslims hold the five roots of Usul ad-Din: Tawhid (the oneness of Allah), Adalat (Allah's justice), Nubuwwah (prophethood), Imamah (the leadership of the Imams) and Mi'ad (the Day of Judgement).

Tawhid: Allah is one and unique (Surah 112). Associating anything with Allah (shirk) is the greatest sin.
Allah is immanent (close to and within creation) and transcendent (beyond it), omnipotent, beneficent, merciful and just. Almost every chapter of the Qur'an begins with the Bismillah: 'In the name of Allah, the most gracious, the most merciful'.

Angels are made of light and obey Allah. Jibril (Gabriel) revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad; Mika'il (Michael) brings nourishment.
Prophets include Adam (the first), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), Isa (Jesus) and Muhammad, the final prophet, the 'Seal of the Prophets'.
Holy books include the Qur'an, revealed to Muhammad from 610 CE and believed to be the final, complete word of Allah, as well as the Torah (Tawrat), the Psalms (Zabur), the Gospel (Injil) and the Scrolls of Abraham.

Akhirah: after death, souls wait in barzakh. On the Day of Judgement, everyone will be judged on their deeds and sent to paradise (Jannah) or hell (Jahannam).
Al-Qadr: Allah knows and decides everything, yet humans have free will and are responsible for their actions.
Shi'a Muslims believe Muhammad appointed his cousin and son-in-law Ali as the first Imam. Sunni Muslims believe the community chose Abu Bakr as the first caliph.