The nature of God in Islam — CIE IGCSE Religious Studies Revision Notes

What you'll learn

This revision guide covers the Islamic understanding of God (Allah), focusing on the key beliefs that underpin Muslim theology. You will explore the concept of Tawhid (the oneness of God), Allah's attributes as described in the Qur'an, and how Muslims express their understanding of God through the 99 Names. This content is essential for CIE IGCSE Religious Studies Paper 1, particularly questions on Islamic beliefs and practices.

Key terms and definitions

Tawhid — The fundamental Islamic belief in the absolute oneness and uniqueness of Allah; the most important principle in Islam.

Shirk — The sin of associating partners with Allah or ascribing divine attributes to anyone or anything other than God; considered the greatest sin in Islam.

Transcendence — The belief that Allah is beyond and outside His creation, unlimited by time, space or physical form.

Immanence — The belief that Allah is close to His creation and involved in the world, hearing prayers and responding to human actions.

Merciful (Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim) — Two of Allah's most frequently mentioned attributes, emphasizing His compassion and mercy toward all creation.

Omnipotent — The attribute of Allah being all-powerful, able to do anything that is consistent with His nature.

Omniscient — The attribute of Allah being all-knowing, with complete knowledge of past, present, and future.

The 99 Names (Asma ul-Husna) — The beautiful names of Allah found in the Qur'an and Hadith that describe His attributes and help Muslims understand His nature.

Core concepts

Tawhid: The oneness of Allah

Tawhid is the cornerstone of Islamic theology and forms the first part of the Shahadah (declaration of faith): "There is no god but Allah." This principle has several dimensions:

Unity and uniqueness

Allah is one, indivisible, and has no equal or partner
He was not born and does not give birth (Surah 112:3)
Nothing in creation resembles Him
Muslims reject the concept of the Trinity as shirk

Implications for Muslim life

All worship must be directed to Allah alone
Muslims must not pray to saints, prophets, or any intermediaries
Images of Allah are forbidden as they might lead to idolatry
Tawhid affects daily prayers, which begin with "Allahu Akbar" (God is the greatest)

Evidence from the Qur'an

The Qur'an repeatedly emphasizes Tawhid:

Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas): "Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; He begetteth not, nor is He begotten; And there is none like unto Him"
Surah 2:255 (Ayat al-Kursi): Describes Allah's supreme sovereignty and power

The transcendence of Allah

Muslims believe Allah is completely separate from and independent of His creation.

Key characteristics of transcendence

Allah is not part of the physical universe
He is not limited by time or space
He does not have human form or physical attributes
He is eternal, with no beginning or end
Allah cannot be fully comprehended by human minds

Qur'anic support

"Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives all vision" (Surah 6:103)
"There is nothing whatever like unto Him" (Surah 42:11)

Practical implications

Muslims do not create images or representations of Allah
Anthropomorphic descriptions in the Qur'an (e.g., "hand of Allah") are understood metaphorically
Prayer emphasizes Allah's greatness and human humility
Mosques contain no statues or pictures of divine beings

The immanence of Allah

Despite His transcendence, Allah is also immanent — close to His creation and actively involved in the world.

Evidence of immanence

Allah hears and answers prayers (du'a)
"We are nearer to him than his jugular vein" (Surah 50:16)
Allah knows every thought and action of every person
He guides those who seek guidance
Allah's mercy and compassion are constantly active

Balance between transcendence and immanence

Muslims maintain both concepts simultaneously:

Allah is beyond creation yet closer than anything else
He is utterly different from creation yet aware of every detail
This balance prevents both the error of making Allah too distant (deism) and too human-like (anthropomorphism)

The attributes of Allah

The Qur'an describes Allah through numerous attributes that help Muslims understand His nature.

Essential attributes (Sifat al-dhatiyya)

These are inherent to Allah's nature:

Eternal existence: Allah has always existed and will always exist
Self-sufficiency: Allah depends on nothing but everything depends on Him
Oneness: Allah is indivisible and unique

Active attributes (Sifat al-fi'liyya)

These describe Allah's relationship with creation:

Omnipotence (Al-Qadir)

Allah has unlimited power
He created the universe by simply saying "Be" (kun)
Nothing can prevent Allah's will from being accomplished
"Allah has power over all things" (Surah 2:20)

Omniscience (Al-Alim)

Allah knows everything that has happened, is happening, and will happen
He knows the unseen (al-Ghaib)
Allah is aware of every atom in the universe
"With Him are the keys of the Unseen; none knows them but He" (Surah 6:59)

Omnipresence

Allah is present everywhere through His knowledge and power
"Whithersoever ye turn, there is the presence of Allah" (Surah 2:115)

Justice (Al-Adl)

Allah is perfectly fair and will judge all people justly
Everyone will be held accountable for their actions on the Day of Judgment
No one will be wronged in the divine court

Mercy (Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim)

Every Surah except one begins with "In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful"
Allah's mercy encompasses all things
He forgives those who sincerely repent
"My mercy extends to all things" (Surah 7:156)

The 99 Names of Allah (Asma ul-Husna)

Muslims believe Allah has 99 special names mentioned in the Qur'an and Hadith that describe His attributes.

Purpose of the 99 Names

Help Muslims understand Allah's nature
Provide focus for meditation and prayer
Encourage Muslims to develop good qualities
Often recited using prayer beads (subha/misbaha)

Examples of the 99 Names

Names emphasizing power and sovereignty:

Al-Malik (The King)
Al-Aziz (The Almighty)
Al-Jabbar (The Compeller)
Al-Khaliq (The Creator)

Names emphasizing mercy and compassion:

Ar-Rahman (The Most Compassionate)
Ar-Rahim (The Most Merciful)
Al-Ghaffar (The Forgiving)
Al-Wadud (The Loving)

Names emphasizing knowledge:

Al-Alim (The All-Knowing)
Al-Hakim (The Wise)
Al-Khabir (The Aware)

Use in Muslim worship

Recited during dhikr (remembrance of Allah)
Used in personal prayers and requests
Some Muslims memorize all 99 names
Hadith states: "Allah has ninety-nine names, one hundred less one. He who memorizes them all will enter Paradise" (Sahih Bukhari)

Allah as judge

Muslims believe Allah will judge all people on the Day of Judgment (Yawm al-Din).

Characteristics of Allah's judgment

Perfectly fair and just
Based on complete knowledge of all actions and intentions
No intercession without Allah's permission
Each person's deeds recorded in a book
The scales (mizan) will weigh good and bad deeds

Implications for Muslim life

Accountability encourages moral behavior
Knowledge of judgment day motivates worship and good deeds
Allah's mercy means forgiveness is possible through repentance
Balance between hope (in Allah's mercy) and fear (of His judgment)

Worked examples

Example 1: Part (a) question (1 mark)

Question: What is meant by Tawhid?

Model answer: The oneness/unity of Allah. ✓

Examiner guidance: One-mark questions require a brief, accurate definition. You do not need to elaborate or provide examples. Key terms must be spelled correctly.

Example 2: Part (b) question (2 marks)

Question: Give two of the 99 Names of Allah and explain what each reveals about His nature.

Model answer: Ar-Rahman (The Most Compassionate) shows that Allah is merciful to all His creation. ✓

Al-Alim (The All-Knowing) reveals that Allah has complete knowledge of everything in the universe. ✓

Examiner guidance: For two-mark questions, you need two distinct points. Name the attribute clearly and explain what it means. Generic statements like "Allah is powerful" without naming a specific attribute may not receive full marks.

Example 3: Part (c) question (4 marks)

Question: Explain the difference between the transcendence and immanence of Allah.

Model answer:

Transcendence means Allah is completely separate from His creation and beyond human understanding. ✓ The Qur'an states "there is nothing like unto Him" which shows He cannot be compared to anything in creation. ✓

Immanence means Allah is close to His creation and involved in the world. ✓ The Qur'an says He is "nearer to him than his jugular vein" showing Allah is constantly aware of each person and hears their prayers. ✓

Examiner guidance: Four-mark "explain" questions require detailed understanding. Define both terms clearly, provide Qur'anic evidence, and show how these concepts work together in Islamic belief. Aim for approximately four developed points.

Example 4: Part (d) question (6 marks)

Question: "Belief in the oneness of Allah (Tawhid) is the most important belief in Islam." Discuss this statement. Give your own opinion and show you have thought about different points of view. You must refer to Islam in your answer.

Model answer:

Many Muslims would agree that Tawhid is the most important belief because it is the first part of the Shahadah, which every Muslim must declare. ✓ Without believing in the oneness of Allah, a person cannot truly be Muslim, whereas other beliefs come after this foundation. ✓ Tawhid affects every aspect of Muslim life, from prayer to moral decisions, because all actions must be done for Allah alone. ✓

However, some might argue that belief in prophethood is equally important because Muslims need the Qur'an and Muhammad's example to know how to worship Allah correctly. ✓ Others might say akhirah (belief in life after death) is crucial because it motivates Muslims to follow Islamic teachings. ✓

In my opinion, while all Islamic beliefs are interconnected, Tawhid is most fundamental because the whole religion is built on worshipping one God. The sin of shirk (associating partners with Allah) is considered unforgivable precisely because it violates Tawhid. ✓

Examiner guidance: Six-mark evaluation questions require balanced discussion. Present arguments supporting the statement (3 marks), counter-arguments (2 marks), and a justified personal conclusion (1 mark). Use religious terminology accurately and reference Islamic teachings. Quality of argument matters more than quantity of points.

Common mistakes and how to avoid them

Confusing Tawhid with other concepts: Tawhid specifically means the oneness of Allah, not just "belief in God" or "monotheism." Be precise with definitions and spell Arabic terms correctly.
Treating transcendence and immanence as contradictory: Students often present these as opposing beliefs rather than complementary aspects of Allah's nature. Remember that Muslims hold both beliefs simultaneously — Allah is both beyond creation and close to it.
Providing Christian or general theistic answers: IGCSE questions specifically ask about Islamic beliefs. Avoid references to the Trinity, Jesus as God, or concepts from other religions unless the question explicitly asks for comparison.
Listing names without explanation: Simply writing "Ar-Rahman, Ar-Rahim, Al-Malik" without explaining what these reveal about Allah's nature will not earn marks in explanation questions. Always connect the name to its meaning and significance.
Failing to use Qur'anic evidence: Higher-mark questions reward specific references to Qur'anic teachings. Learn key Surah numbers and quotations such as Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas) and Surah 2:255 (Ayat al-Kursi).
Writing evaluation answers without personal opinion: Part (d) questions explicitly require "your own opinion." Presenting only arguments from different perspectives without stating and justifying your conclusion will limit your marks.

Exam technique for "The nature of God in Islam"

Command words matter: "State" (1 mark) requires only a brief answer. "Explain" (4 marks) needs developed points with reasoning or evidence. "Discuss" or "evaluate" (6 marks) requires balanced arguments and a personal conclusion.
Use Islamic terminology accurately: Examiners expect specific vocabulary such as Tawhid, shirk, transcendence, immanence, and Arabic names of Allah. Generic terms like "God" should be replaced with "Allah" in Islam questions. Correct spelling demonstrates knowledge.
Structure longer answers clearly: For 4-mark questions, write two substantial paragraphs or four clear points. For 6-mark questions, use three paragraphs: arguments for the statement, arguments against, and your reasoned conclusion. This structure ensures balance and coverage.
Reference the Qur'an and Hadith: Specific quotations significantly strengthen your answers. You don't need word-perfect quotes — paraphrasing with a Surah reference is acceptable. Key passages to memorize include Surah 112 (on Tawhid), Surah 2:255 (Ayat al-Kursi on Allah's attributes), and Surah 6:103 (on transcendence).

Quick revision summary

Allah is one (Tawhid), the most fundamental Islamic belief expressed in the Shahadah. Muslims believe Allah is transcendent — completely beyond creation, with no physical form — yet also immanent, close to humanity and hearing prayers. Allah possesses perfect attributes including omnipotence, omniscience, justice, and mercy. The 99 Names help Muslims understand these attributes. Shirk (associating partners with Allah) is the greatest sin. Allah will judge all people fairly on the Day of Judgment. These beliefs shape every aspect of Muslim worship and daily life.