What you'll learn
This revision guide covers the fundamental beliefs and teachings in Islam required for WJEC GCSE Religious Education. You'll explore the core doctrines that define Muslim faith, including the oneness of Allah, the role of prophets, sacred texts, angels, predestination and the afterlife. These concepts form the foundation of Islamic theology and are essential for answering exam questions on Muslim beliefs.
Key terms and definitions
Tawhid — the fundamental Islamic belief in the absolute oneness and unity of Allah; there is no god but Allah and He has no partners or equals
Shirk — the sin of idolatry or associating partners with Allah; considered the gravest sin in Islam as it contradicts Tawhid
Prophethood (Risalah) — the belief that Allah communicates with humanity through prophets who receive and deliver divine messages
Akhirah — life after death; the belief in resurrection, judgement and eternal existence in either paradise or hell
Qur'an — the holy book of Islam revealed to Prophet Muhammad through Angel Jibril; Muslims believe it contains the exact word of Allah
Hadith — collections of sayings, actions and approvals of Prophet Muhammad; the second source of authority in Islam after the Qur'an
Al-Qadr — predestination or divine will; the belief that Allah knows and controls everything that happens, though humans have free will in their choices
Malaikah — angels; spiritual beings created from light who serve Allah and carry out His commands without question
Core concepts
The Six Articles of Faith (Sunni Islam)
The Six Articles of Faith (Iman) represent the core beliefs that all Sunni Muslims must accept. These are:
- Belief in Allah (Tawhid) — absolute monotheism and Allah's oneness
- Belief in Angels (Malaikah) — spiritual beings who serve Allah
- Belief in Holy Books — divine revelations including the Qur'an
- Belief in Prophets (Risalah) — messengers sent by Allah to guide humanity
- Belief in the Day of Judgement (Akhirah) — accountability and life after death
- Belief in Predestination (Al-Qadr) — Allah's knowledge and control of all events
Shi'a Muslims hold similar core beliefs but often refer to the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din, which include Tawhid, Adalah (divine justice), Nubuwwah (prophethood), Imamah (spiritual leadership through successors of Muhammad) and Mi'ad (resurrection and judgement).
The Nature of Allah
Tawhid is the most important concept in Islam. Muslims believe Allah is:
- One and indivisible — "He is Allah, the One, Allah the Eternal" (Surah 112:1-2)
- Transcendent — beyond human understanding and unlike anything in creation
- Immanent — close to humans: "We are closer to him than his jugular vein" (Surah 50:16)
- Creator and Sustainer — responsible for bringing everything into existence and maintaining it
The 99 Names of Allah describe His attributes and help Muslims understand His nature:
- Ar-Rahman (The Most Compassionate)
- Ar-Rahim (The Most Merciful)
- Al-Malik (The King)
- Al-Adl (The Just)
- Al-Ghafur (The Forgiving)
Muslims reject the concept of the Trinity as shirk because it appears to divide Allah's nature. This creates theological differences with Christianity, though Muslims respect Jesus (Isa) as a prophet.
Angels (Malaikah)
Angels are created from light and have no free will — they exist only to serve Allah. Key angels include:
Angel Jibril (Gabriel)
- Revealed the Qur'an to Prophet Muhammad
- Brought messages to other prophets including Ibrahim and Isa
- Considered the chief messenger angel
Angel Mika'il (Michael)
- Responsible for providing nourishment and sustaining life
- Controls natural phenomena like rain and wind
Angel Izra'il (Azrael)
- The Angel of Death who takes souls at the appointed time
Angel Israfil
- Will blow the trumpet on the Day of Judgement to signal resurrection
Recording Angels (Kiraman Katibin)
- Two angels assigned to each person to record all deeds
- One records good actions, the other records sins
- These records determine judgement in the afterlife
Belief in angels reinforces that Allah is always aware of human actions and that humans will be held accountable.
Prophethood (Risalah)
Muslims believe Allah sent prophets throughout history to guide humanity. All prophets taught Tawhid and submission to Allah's will.
Key prophets include:
- Adam — the first prophet and first human
- Ibrahim (Abraham) — challenged idolatry and rebuilt the Ka'bah
- Musa (Moses) — received the Torah and led the Israelites
- Dawud (David) — received the Psalms (Zabur)
- Isa (Jesus) — born of a virgin, performed miracles, received the Gospel (Injil)
- Muhammad — the "Seal of the Prophets," final messenger who received the Qur'an
Prophet Muhammad holds special significance:
- Received revelations over 23 years (610-632 CE)
- His life example (Sunnah) guides Muslim practice
- Known as "al-Amin" (the trustworthy)
- Muslims send blessings upon him: "Peace be upon him" (PBUH)
Muslims believe previous scriptures were corrupted over time, making the Qur'an the final, preserved revelation. Muhammad is not worshipped but deeply respected as the perfect example of Islamic living.
Holy Books
Muslims believe Allah revealed guidance through various books:
The Qur'an
- Final and complete revelation to Muhammad
- 114 chapters (Surahs) arranged roughly by length
- Written in Arabic; translations are interpretations, not the Qur'an itself
- Believed to be unchanged and perfectly preserved
- Memorised entirely by hafiz (Qur'an memorisers) worldwide
- Contains guidance on belief, worship, morality and law
Previous Scriptures
- Sahifah — scrolls revealed to Ibrahim
- Tawrat — Torah revealed to Musa
- Zabur — Psalms revealed to Dawud
- Injil — Gospel revealed to Isa
Muslims believe these earlier books contained Allah's message but were lost or corrupted. The Qur'an confirms and corrects earlier revelations.
The Hadith
- Collections of Muhammad's sayings and actions
- Compiled by scholars like Bukhari and Muslim
- Graded by authenticity (sahih = authentic, da'if = weak)
- Provide practical guidance on applying Qur'anic principles
- Second source of Islamic law after the Qur'an
Predestination and Free Will (Al-Qadr)
Al-Qadr creates theological tension between divine sovereignty and human responsibility:
Allah's knowledge and power:
- Allah knows everything that will happen
- Nothing occurs without Allah's permission
- "No calamity befalls except by Allah's permission" (Surah 64:11)
Human free will:
- Humans can choose between right and wrong
- People are accountable for their choices on Judgement Day
- "Whoever wills may believe and whoever wills may reject" (Surah 18:29)
Muslims reconcile these by understanding that Allah knows what choices people will make, but humans still freely make those decisions. This belief encourages both trust in Allah's plan (tawakkul) and personal responsibility.
Life After Death (Akhirah)
Belief in Akhirah profoundly influences Muslim behaviour and ethics.
Death and the Grave (Barzakh)
- The soul enters an intermediate state after death
- Angels Munkar and Nakir question the deceased about their faith
- The righteous experience peace; the wicked experience torment
The Day of Judgement (Yawm ad-Din)
- Angel Israfil blows the trumpet signalling resurrection
- All humans are physically resurrected and gathered
- Each person receives their book of deeds (right hand = paradise, left hand = hell)
- Allah judges with perfect justice
Paradise (Jannah)
- Eternal reward for believers who lived righteously
- Described with beautiful gardens, rivers, and spiritual peace
- Physical and spiritual pleasures
- Greatest reward is closeness to Allah
Hell (Jahannam)
- Punishment for disbelievers and grave sinners
- Described with fire and suffering
- Some Muslims believe hell may not be eternal for all
- Serves as deterrent from sin and injustice
This belief motivates Muslims to live morally, perform good deeds, avoid sin and submit to Allah's will throughout their lives.
Worked examples
Example 1: AO1 Question (5 marks)
Question: Explain two ways belief in Tawhid influences Muslims today.
Model Answer:
One way belief in Tawhid influences Muslims is through their worship practices. Because Muslims believe Allah is the one and only God with no partners, they direct all worship exclusively to Him. This is demonstrated in the Shahadah, the declaration "There is no god but Allah," which Muslims recite during prayer five times daily. They refuse to use intermediaries or pray to saints, ensuring worship goes only to Allah. (3 marks)
Another way Tawhid influences Muslims is by preventing shirk in everyday life. Muslims avoid anything that might associate partners with Allah, such as wearing lucky charms or believing objects have supernatural power. This shapes their worldview to attribute all power and control to Allah alone, affecting decisions about superstition, fortune-telling and idolatry. (2 marks)
Examiner note: This answer develops two distinct influences with specific examples and explanations. For full marks, ensure each influence is clearly explained with religious reasoning.
Example 2: AO2 Question (15 marks)
Question: "Belief in Al-Qadr means Muslims don't need to try hard in life." Discuss this statement showing that you have considered more than one point of view. (You must refer to religion and belief in your answer.)
Model Answer:
Some people might agree with this statement because belief in predestination could suggest that everything is already decided by Allah. If Muslims believe that Allah has predetermined what will happen to them, they might think their efforts are pointless since the outcome is already fixed. The Qur'an states "No calamity befalls except by Allah's permission," which could be interpreted to mean human actions make no difference to what Allah has already planned.
However, most Muslims would strongly disagree with this statement because Al-Qadr is understood alongside human free will and responsibility. Muslims believe they must make effort and will be judged on their choices and actions on the Day of Judgement. The Qur'an also says "Whoever wills may believe and whoever wills may reject," showing humans have genuine choice. If outcomes were completely fixed regardless of effort, the concept of judgement and accountability would be meaningless.
Furthermore, Muslim teaching emphasises the importance of both effort and trust in Allah (tawakkul). The Prophet Muhammad taught "Trust in Allah but tie your camel," meaning Muslims should take practical action while accepting Allah's ultimate control. Throughout Islamic history, Muslims have been scholars, doctors and scientists who worked extremely hard, showing that belief in Al-Qadr actually motivates effort rather than preventing it.
In conclusion, I believe this statement misunderstands Al-Qadr. While Muslims believe Allah knows and controls all outcomes, they also believe humans have free will to make choices and must strive to do good. The belief encourages Muslims to work hard while accepting whatever result Allah wills, creating a balance between effort and acceptance rather than promoting laziness.
Examiner note: This answer presents multiple viewpoints, uses religious teachings, and reaches a justified conclusion. For 13-15 marks, ensure thorough analysis with well-developed religious arguments.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
Confusing Allah with the Christian God — While both are monotheistic, don't assume identical characteristics. Muslims explicitly reject the Trinity and Jesus as divine. Always refer to Islamic concepts using Islamic terminology (Allah, not "God" alone).
Treating all Muslims identically — The specification covers both Sunni and Shi'a perspectives. Recognise differences, particularly regarding the Five Roots versus Six Articles, and the role of Imams in Shi'a Islam.
Misunderstanding predestination — Don't suggest Al-Qadr removes human responsibility. Always explain the balance between Allah's knowledge/control and human free will. Muslims believe they will be judged on their choices.
Listing without explaining — Simply naming the Six Articles of Faith or 99 Names of Allah gains minimal marks. Always explain what beliefs mean and how they influence Muslim life today.
Ignoring Qur'anic references — High-level answers include specific quotations or references to Surahs. Learn key verses that support beliefs about Tawhid, angels, prophets and Akhirah.
Weak evaluation in AO2 questions — Don't just present two sides then stop. Reach a justified conclusion supported by religious reasoning. Use phrases like "Muslims would argue..." and "From an Islamic perspective..."
Exam technique for "Islam: Beliefs and Teachings"
Command word awareness: "Describe" requires accurate knowledge (AO1). "Explain" requires reasons and impact (AO1 developed). "Discuss" or "Evaluate" requires multiple perspectives and justified conclusions (AO2). Allocate time according to marks available.
Structure answers clearly: For 5-mark questions, write two separate paragraphs covering two distinct points with developed explanation. For 15-mark questions, write 4-5 paragraphs: introduction, argument supporting the statement, arguments against, alternative perspectives, and a justified conclusion.
Use specialist terminology accurately: Include terms like Tawhid, shirk, Akhirah, Al-Qadr, Risalah, Malaikah in your answers. This demonstrates knowledge and understanding, improving AO1 marks.
Make answers relevant to today: The question often asks how beliefs "influence Muslims today." Always explain contemporary impact — worship practices, moral decisions, community behaviour, attitudes to life and death.
Quick revision summary
Islam centres on Tawhid — Allah's absolute oneness. The Six Articles of Faith (Sunni) include belief in Allah, angels, holy books, prophets, the Day of Judgement and predestination. Angels like Jibril serve Allah without free will. Prophets, culminating in Muhammad, delivered Allah's message, preserved in the Qur'an. Al-Qadr balances divine control with human responsibility. Akhirah encompasses death, resurrection, judgement, and eternal life in Jannah or Jahannam, motivating righteous living and submission to Allah's will.