Islam beliefs

Question 1

Adalat

Answer 1

The concept of justice in Shi’a Islam

Question 2

Adam

Answer 2

One of the prophets of Allah. The father of humankind. He built the Ka’aba

Question 3

Allah

Answer 3

The Islamic name for God

Question 4

Akhirah

Answer 4

Belief in life after death

Question 5

Tawhid

Answer 5

• Means that Allah is One
• The belief in One God
• Nothing can share his power and he is beyond human understanding

Question 6

Shirk

Answer 6

The sin of worshipping anyone or anything other than Allah

Question 7

Examples of shirk

Answer 7

• Imagining Allah is like a human being or any created thing, thereby making him limited and less impressive than he is
• Thinking we can comprehend what God is like
• Putting your own ambitions on a level with God, to treating them as more important
• Worshipping anything or treating anything higher than Allah

Question 8

Freewill

Answer 8

The ability to act on one’s own discretion, not determined by fate or necessity

Question 9

Predestination

Answer 9

The idea that God knowns or determines everything that will happen in the universe

Question 10

Sunni Islam on predestination

Answer 10

• Some Sunni muslims believe in the idea of predestination (al-qadr) that God has already determined everything that will happen before creation
• God creates all things so they must act according to his will
• He is also all-knowing due to existing outside time, and therefore knows everything that will happen
• This is supported by a Hadith: ‘There is not one amongst you who has not been allotted his seat in paradise or hell’

Question 11

Shi’a Islam on adalat and freewill

Answer 11

• Many Shi’a muslims reject the idea of predestination as Allah is just (adalat), he wants humans to have genuine free choice and this will decide their fate on the Day of Judgement
• They do not believe that each person’s fate is fixed from before creation and humans can change their destiny, although Allah knows what this will be
• ‘Whoever does good does it for himself and whoever does evil does it against himself: your Lord is never unjust to his creatures’ - 41.46 Qur’an

Question 12

Jibril

Answer 12

• The bringer of good news
• He is mentioned in both the Qur’an and the Hadith
• He revealed Allah’s words in the form of the Qur’an to Muhammad on the Night of Power
• Because of this, he is also known as the Angel of Revelation, as he played a vital role in communicating Islam to humanity

Question 13

Azrael

Answer 13

• The Angel of Death, who takes the soils from bodies when people die
• He is said to hold a scroll concerning the fate of the mortals, recording and erasing the names of men at birth and death
• Azrael is one of the four archangels
• He does not act independently, but is only informed by God when time is up to take a soul

Question 14

Mika’il

Answer 14

• A friend to humanity
• He is known as the giver of rain, which waters the land and helps to provide food for people
• He is believed to guard places of worship and reward people’s good deeds
• As the angel of mercy, he asks Allah to forgive people’s sins
• It is believed that both the angel Jibril and the angel Mika’il will be present on the Day of Judgement

Question 15

Israfil

Answer 15

• The angel who will be present on the day of resurrection
• It is believed that Israfil will blow a trumpet to announce the Day of Judgement, sometimes depicted as the angel of music

Question 16

Munkar and Nakir

Answer 16

• The angels responsible for questioning the soul of a person who has died
• After death, the deceased is placed upright in the grave by Munkar and Nakir and asked 3 questions: Who is your lord?, What is your religion?, “What is your faith about this person (Muhammad)?

Question 17

Jannah

Answer 17

• Paradise, a magical and mystical place, where wishes and desires are fulfilled
• No growing ill, old or dying and no pain or worries
• A reward and a gift from Allah
• Requires muslims to have lived religiously and asked for Allah’s forgiveness, good beliefs and actions

Question 18

Jahannam

Answer 18

• Hell, a fire seventy times hotter than any flame on Earth, people wailing in misery
• Boiling water poured over their heads, dragged in chains, black smoke in eyes
• Anyone trying to climb out is pushed back in
• Muslims believe that you are sent to Jahannam if you have lived a wicked life full of evil, reject the teachings of the Qur’an, make excuses and not responsibility; try to blame others for your own sins
• This deters muslims from not living righteously

Question 19

Why is the belief in prohecy (risalah) important?

Answer 19

• Tells muslims how to behave to get to heaven
• Motivates Muslims to develop their faith
• Helps muslims feel close to Allah
• Reassures Muslims that Allah loves them
• Shows Islam is the true religion
• Perhaps proves Allah exists and what he is like
• All prophets brought the same message, showing Allah is unchanging

Question 20

Surah 112

Answer 20

” He is The Supreme, The One. Allah is The Eternal and The Absolute. None is born of Him and He is The Unborn. There is none like unto Him”

Question 21

Risalah

Answer 21

Means prophecy or message

Question 22

The Qur’an and its authority

Answer 22

• The Qur’an is the direct word of Allah
• It is infallible and remains in its original form
• It contains the legal system (shariah law)