Articles of Faith

Belief in Tawheed (Oneness of

Allah)
1
Belief in the Oneness of Allah is the first article of faith and the main
principle of Islam. It means that Allah is One and Only. He is the Only
Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is Ever-Living without a
beginning or an end (the first and the last). He is Independent while
others are dependent on Him for their existence and survival. He is the
source and support of all life. He is the only one worthy of worship. He
is Omnipotent, Omnipresent, Omniscient, Eternal and Absolute, the Law
Giver, the One who single-handedly administers the whole universe asits
Sovereign Lord. He knows everything; the hidden and the manifest
(apparent). He is not bound by space and time; He is everywhere and has
knowledge of the past, present and future. Surah Ikhlaas proclaims
Tawheed in the mostcomprehensive way: "Say He is Allah, the One and
Only. Allah, the Eternal. He does not beget nor is Hebegotten, and there
is none like Him" (112:1-4). Surah Ikhlaas is also called one-third of the
Qur'an which means that one-third of the subject matter of the Qur'an revolves
around Tawheed.

A
person becomes a Muslim just by believing and uttering the expression:
"There is no god but Allah and Muhammad (pbuh) is the Messenger
of Allah". The first part of this message occurs repeatedly in the Qur'an
inslightly different shades. For example the Verse of Throne begins as:
"there is no God but He..." (2:255).

He is entirely free from all forms of human weaknesses and needs such as
hunger, thirst and the need to rest orsleep etc. "...no slumber can seize
Him nor sleep..." (2:255). He is above the grip of space and time, "He
isthe First and Last, the evident and the hidden..." (57:3).
There are three Aspects of Tawheed

1. Oneness of Lordship (tawheed ar-rububiyyah),

2. Oneness in Worship (tawheed al-uluhiyyah),
3. Oneness of Names and Attributes (Tawheed al-Asmaa' wa
al-Sifaat)

.
Articles of Faith
2 Thismeans that Allah is unique and alone in all these three aspects and
none is like him. This division isbased on proofs from the Qur'an and
Sunnah.

1. The Oneness of Lordship (Tawheed

ar-Rububiyyah)

The Oneness of Allah's Lordship is the belief that Allah alone has created
the universe, that He alone is its Provider and Sustainer, and that He has
complete ownership and power over His creation. In other words, Allah isone
and unique in regard to His actions, such that no creature shares His power in
creating and managing the universe.

This is proved by Allah's statement in Surah Al-Fatiha, it says, “All

praises and thanks be to Allah, the Lord ofthe Worlds [mankind, jinn
and all that exists]". The word used for Lord in the Qur'an is Rabb.
Rabb means theOne and Only Lord for all the universe, its Creator, Owner,
Organizer, Provider, Master, Planner, Sustainer, Cherisher and Giver of
security. .

2. The Oneness in worship (Tawheed

al-Uluhiyyah)

This means having a firm conviction that only Allah is the true God worthy
of worship. In Arabic the term 'ibadah' (worship) is associated with
obedience, subservience and submission. It has been defined by some
scholars as "complete love accompanied by complete submission”.

Thus worship in all its forms cannot be dedicated to anyone else besides
Allah. It is important to point out that the concept of worship is
all-embracing. Worship includes the five pillars of Islam and covers all the
good things and deeds which please Allah. Therefore, things like
supplication, reliance, obedience, subservience and submission would be
covered by this definition. All these things should be done solely for the
sake of Allah. Evidence of this type of Tawheed is in Allah's statement
“And I (Allah) did not create the jinns and men except that they
should worship Me (alone)”. (Surah An-Nahl 16: Verse 36)
Oneness of Allah's names and attributes
(Tawheed al-Sifaat)

The Oneness of Allah's Names and Attributes is the belief that Allah
alone possesses perfect names and attributes. Allah's beautiful names
indicate that His might is perfect, His knowledge is perfect unlimited, His
mercyis perfect, His justice is perfect, His wisdom is perfect, and all of
His attributes are pure, holy, and flawless.
Furthermore, none of His creatures can share in His attributes of perfection.

"There is nothing like Him; and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer".

(Al-Shura 42:11)
We should address Allah by the names and attributes which He used to
describe Himself in the Qur'an and the attributes which the Prophet (peace
be upon him) used to proclaim.
In short Allah is characterized by all the attributes of perfection, is above all
defects and deficiencies and He isunique in his names and attributes. .

Influence of Tawheed on believers

This belief produces in a believer the highest degree of self-respect

and self-esteem. The believer knows that Allah alone is the Possessor of
all power, and that none besides Him can benefit or harm a person, or
provide for his needs, or give and take away life or wield authority or
influence. This conviction makes him indifferent to, and independent and
fearless of, all powers other than those of God. He never bows his head in
homage to any of God's creatures, nor does he stretch out his hand before
anyone else.
This belief also generates in man a sense of modesty and humbleness. He
never becomes proud, haughty or arrogant. The boisterous pride of power,
wealth and worth can have no room in his heart, because he knows that
whatever he possesses has been given to him by God, and that God can take
away just as Hecan give. This belief makes man virtuous and upright as
he has the conviction that Allah is watching him. He has perfect faith in
God Who is above all need, is related to none and is absolutely just. This
belief creates inhim the consciousness that, unless he lives rightly and acts
justly, he cannot succeed.
The believer never becomes hopeless. He has a firm faith in God Who is
Master of all the treasures of theearth and the heavens, Whose grace and
bounty have no limit and Whose powers are infinite. This faith imparts to his
heart extraordinary consolation, fills it with satisfaction and keeps it filled
with hope.
This belief produces in man a very strong degree of determination,
patient perseverance and trust inGod. When he makes up his mind and
devotes his resources to fulfilling the Divine Commands in order to secure
God's pleasure, he is sure that he has the support and backing of the Lord of
the universe.
Articles of Faith

Shirk
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3
Shirk means to share, to make a partner. In Islamic terminology, shirk means
ascribing a partner or rival to Allahin Lordship, worship or in His
attributes. A rival is a peer or counterpart. Hence Allah forbids setting
up rivals withHim and he condemns those who take them (rivals) as gods
instead of or besides Allah in many verses of the Qur'an. Allah says
"Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that
He Alone has the right to be worshipped)"[al-Baqarah 2:22]

Shirk is the opposite of Oneness (tawheed). The Quran calls people to

accept the Oneness of Allah and severelyprohibits people from associating
partners with His personality or attributes. .
The Quran states that shirk is a big sin and oppression that God Almighty will
never forgive associating partners with him and that He will forgive the
sins except shirk of the people He wishes. "Surely Allah forgives not
that apartner should be set up with Him, and forgives all besides that
to whom He pleases." (Quran 4:48)

Shirk is a sin and oppression not only because it is the transgression of the
rights of Allah and that it includes slander and insult but also because it is a
great insult and transgression of the rights of the universe and all of
thecreatures.

Categories of Shirk

1. Greater shirk (Shirk-al-Akbar/ Shirk -al-Jali ) Open

and apparent Lesser shirk (Shirk-
al-Asghar) Hidden (Shirk-al-Khafi )

Greater shirk

Greater shirk is of Three forms:

Shirk in Lordship (Shirk fi Rubūbīyah)

This category of shirk refers to either the belief that others share Allah's
Lordship over creation as His equalor near equal, or to the belief that
there exists no Lord over creation at all. This is shirk in Rubūbīyah
(Lordship). .

Shirk in worship (Shirk fil-'Ibadah) This form

of shirk occurs when any act of worship is
directed to someone else besides Allah as prostrating, giving
sacrifices, praying, asking forgiveness etc. Itrepresents the most
obvious form of idolatry, against which the prophets were specifically
sent by Allah, calling the masses of mankind to give it up.
Shirk fi al-Sifaat (Shirk in attributes)

Shirk in this category includes both the common pagan practice of

giving Allah the attributes of His creation as
well as the act of giving created beings Allah's names and attributes.
It takes many forms. Themost important are: to deny any names or
attributes of God, or to give to God other names and attributes, which
are not authorized by Shari'ah.
.

Making similarity between names and attributes of God and those of His
creatures, is committing an act ofShirk,
because there is no similarity between the creator and what he created.
When one describes God and attributes to Him some human qualities
like eating, drinking, marriage, having kids, being jealous ofother,
being injustice, this is considered another form of Shirk.

Lesser shirk/Hidden shirk (shirk khafi),

.-..
Articles of Faith
4 Hidden shirk that is ostentation (hypocrisy). That is, instead of
praying and worshipping only for the sake ofAllah, to pray and worship
so that other people will see him and appreciate him. Worshipping like
that is a kind of associating partners with Allah. Our Prophet defined it
as hidden shirk.

A believer must avoid all kinds of shirk; whether hidden or visible, whether
open or covered. The real oneness can only be obtained like that. All
kinds of shirk are rejected severely in the Quran; the real belief
ofoneness is preached to humanity.

Belief in Angels
Belief in the existence of angels is an article of Islamic faith.
"The Messenger believes in what hasbeen revealed to him from
his Lord, as do the men of faith. Each one (of them) believes in
Allah, His angels, His books, and His apostles". 2:285.

Angels have been created from light and are not visible to ordinary
mortals. They have wings, sometimes in pairs of two, three or four.
They are neither male nor female. They neither need sleepnor do
they eat, drink or get marriage as humans do.
.
Angels do not have free will. They perform their duties according to
the will of Allah. Allah describes their entire submission to Him in the
following words: "They never disobey Allah's command anddo as
they are commanded."(16:50)

They belong to the category of the unseen unless they appear in

human form. Allah has appointedmany of His Angels for the
management of this Universe.
.

Here are some of the duties performed by angels:

They are sent to protect men, to administer Allah's punishments, to
carry His messages and to perform various other functions. They
also praise, glorify, and pray to Allah. They record the deedsand
statements of humans throughout their life and send blessings upon
humans who are praisingAllah and behaving righteously.
.
The Angels are also called messengers in the Holy Book as they
conveyed the Divine messages tothe Prophets including the last messenger
Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him)

Angels also performed duties in the human form; they appeared before
Hazrat Ibrahim to give him theglad tidings of a son. Hazrat Loot was
also warned about impending doom of his town. Hazrat Maryam was
also blessed with the news of a Holy son by an angel Gabriel.
Hazrat Zakriya also hadthe same experience of visiting of an angel.
Angels also helped believers at Badr which led to ultimate victory of
Muslims. They also descend to earth on Lailatul-Qadr (The Night of
Power) by leave of Allah to carry out commands and shower His bounties on
Believers.

They have no knowledge except that what Allah has taught them.
They prostrated before Adam when Allah commanded them to do so.

Angels are the guardians of Hell-fire. They will welcome in Heaven

all those who obey Allah's commands and will throw the wrong doers
into Hell. The name of the angel in charge of Paradise is Rizwan while
Malik is in charge of Hell.
There are many Angels like Kiram-an-katibeen i.e. angels on our
shoulders having records of our good and bad deeds. They are many in
numbers. The Qur'an says: "But verily, over you (are appointed
angels) to protect you- kind and honorable, writing down (your
deeds)". (82:10-11)

There are also Munkar and Nakeer, they go to the graves of the
newly dead to ask them questions. Four Arch Angels

□ Hazrat Jibreel (Gabriel): This is the highest of all the

angels. One of Jibreel's primary responsibilities was
transferring the Words of Allah to the Prophets of Allah. Jibreel is
also known as the Holy Spirit in Islam, as he carried the inspiration to
Prophet Mohammad (Peace be upon him) andseveral other Prophets of
Allah (May Allah be pleased with them all).
Hazrat Izrael, the angel of death. He is responsible for
taking our souls upon death. Say: "TheAngel of Death, put
in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls: then shall you be
broughtback to your Lord." (32:11)

.-..
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Hazrat Mikaeel (Michael): Responsible for directing the rain

and clouds according to the will of Allah.

Hazrat Israfeel, who will blow the trumpet at the time of the
end of the world, i.e. on the Day of Judgment. With his second
blow everyone will rise again for the Day of Judgment. .Muslims are
required to believe in the angels in Islam. One who denies the angels
does not have true faith. "And whosoever disbelieves in Allah, His
Angels, His Books, His Messengers, and the Last Day, then indeed he has
gone astray." (4:136)

Significance of Belief in Angels

Belief in angels is one of the articles of faith in Islam. One who does not
belief in angels cannot be considered as believer as it is mentioned in the
Quran to have strong faith in angels.
Belief in angels helps to recognize Allah's Power and Majesty. The
angels with their capacities and enormous sizes are among Allah's
creation which proves His Majesty.
It strengthens our in the Mercy and kindness of Allah as He takes care of
mankind. He appoints angels to protect them, record their deeds and
other tasks.
It creates a sense of gratitude in believers as Allah has granted them
superiority over the angels bygiving them knowledge and free will. .

Angels are the medium of communication between Allah and His

prophets. It strengthens our beliefin revelations and revealed books.

It also teaches that Allah the Almighty manages the affairs of the
universe through angels. It strengthens our belief in Allah.

Belief in Prophets

1. Belief in prophets is one of the articles of faith in Islam. Prophets were

sent by Allah for the guidance of human
beings as they cannot be fully guided, understand God, the hereafter, or
the purpose of life. Accordingly, God communicated to mankind by
selecting prophets who would deliver His message to the rest of
humanity. To convey the purpose of existence to humans, God sent clear
and practical instructions through prophets.
2. Muslims believe that a prophet was selected for every nation at some
point in its history as Allah says, “Andfor
every nation there is a messenger" (Younus 10:47) All the prophets
were chosen by Allah and were human beings. They were guided by
the angel Jibril. Every Prophet spoke the language of his people. Some
of the prophets were given the scriptures and the Books. Among the books
considered to

be revealed, the four mentioned by name in the Quran are the Tawrat (Torah)
revealed to Musa (Moses), theZabur

revealed to Dawud (David), the Injil (Gospel) revealed to Isa (Jesus), and
the Quran revealed to Muhammad (peace be upon him).

3. Muslims believe there were about 124,000 prophets in all, first was Hazrat
Adam and the last is Prophet Muhammad (Peace be upon him). 25 prophets
are mentioned in the Quran. At the beginning of the line is Hazrat Adam,
who was also the first human being. Allah bestowed prophethood on him and
gave him guidance for himself and his descendants. The Quran mentions
Hazart Nuh, who brought a message of warning to his people. They refused
to listen and were destroyed by the flood. The next major prophet whose
history is narrated in the Quran is Hazrat Ibrahim. From Hazrat Ibrahim
came a long line of prophets through his two sons- Hazrat Ismail and Hazrat
Ishaq. From Hazrat Ishaq a number of prophets came which include
Hazrat Yaqoob, Hazrat Yusuf, Hazrat Musa, Hazrat Daud, Hazrat
Sulaiman,Hazrat Yahya and Hazrat Isa. Hazrat Ismail was the ancestor of
the Arabs and Prophet Muhammad (peace beupon all of them). .
4. Each prophet conveyed the consistent divine message of worshiping
one God and living a morally upright life.
However, the message of these prophets was lost, abandoned, or
changed over time, and only parts of the original message remained
intact. God sent Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him) as the final
prophet to allof humanity in the 7th century C.E. to restore the divine
message of all prophets. Hazrat Muhammad (peace be upon him), did
not bring a new message, but conveyed the same message as previous
prophets. In the chapter of the Qur'an titled "The Prophets" (Al-Anbiyā')
it states: We did not send any messenger before

you except that We revealed to him that, "There is no deity except

Me, so worship Me." (Qur'an 21:25).
5. Muslims are obligated to believe in and honor all the prophets, and to
testify that prophethood has been
completed with the coming of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him).
Articles of Faith

Seal of Prophets (Khātam-

Un-Nabiyyin)
6 1. Khātam- Un-Nabiyyin or Seal of the Prophets is a title used by the
Qur'an to designate Prophet Muhammad(Peace
be upon him). It means that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the last in a
series of prophets .He was chosen by Allah to deliver His message to
mankind. The Quran says, “Muhammad is not the father of any man
among you, but he is the messenger of Allah and the Seal of the
Prophets; And Allah is ever Aware of all things.” - (33:40).

2. Muslims believe that Muhammad (Peace be upon him) received the final
revelation from God, in the form ofthe
Qur'an. The Quran says, "Today I have perfected your religion for
you and completed my favours upon you" 3. His message is
perfect and universal, .
4. God has protected his message from change and corruption.
5. He is for all humankind.

6. So Muhammad (Peace be upon him) and his message sum up every

preceding prophet and their message.
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the perfect example of human conduct.
7. From Anas bin Malik, (Allah be pleased with him) Allah's messenger
Muhammad(Peace be upon him) said:

8.
"Verily, 'risalat' and ‘nubuwwat' are terminated, so there shall be
neither a 'rasool' nor a ‘nabi' after me'. (Tirmidhi) • “From Hazrat Aisha
(Allah be pleased with her): The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said I
am the last Prophet and my mosque is the last mosque among the
mosques of all the prophets”. (Al-Hadith)
9. “From Abu Huraira, (Allah be pleased with him): Allah's
messenger(Peace be upon him) said:
"Certainly my example and the example of prophets earlier than me is
like the example of a palace most elegant and most beautiful constructed
by a person except (that he left in it) a blank space for a brick in one ofits
corners and that made the people (who were) going around it wonder (at
its marvelousness) and exclaimed(in perplexion): "Why not is this brick
inlaid in here!" The Prophet (SAW) said, “I am that (corner's last)
brick and I am the last of the prophets". Sahih Bukhari & Sahih
Muslim
10. Muhammad (Peace be upon him) is the final prophet. It is ordained by
the Quran, acknowledged by the
Sunnah and agreed upon by the Ummah. .

The Purpose for Sending Prophets/

Significance of Belief in
Messengers of Allah

We can identify the following main reasons for sending prophets:

1. Guiding humanity from the worship of created beings to the worship
of their Creator, from being in a state of
servitude to the creation to the freedom of worshipping their Lord.
2. Clarifying to humanity the purpose of creation: worshipping God
and obeying His commands, as well as clarifying that this life is a test for
each individual, a test of which its results will decide the type of life one will
lead after death; a life of eternal misery or eternal bliss. There is no other
definite way to find the true purposeof creation.
3. Showing humanity the right path that will lead them to Paradise and
to salvation from Hellfire.
4. Establishing proof against humanity by sending prophets, so people
will not have an excuse when they will be
questioned on the Day of Judgment. They will not be able to claim ignorance
to the purpose of their creation and life after death.
5. Uncovering the unseen 'world' which exists beyond the normal senses
and the physical universe, such as the
knowledge of God, existence of angels, and the reality of the Day of
Judgment.
6. Providing human beings practical examples to lead moral, righteous,
purpose-driven lives free of doubts and
confusion. Innately, human beings admire fellow human beings, so the best
examples of righteousness for humans to imitate are those of God's
prophets.
7. Purifying the soul from materialism, sin, and heedlessness.
8. Conveying to humanity the teachings of God, which is for their
own benefit in this life and in the Hereafter.

Belief in Revealed Books

Human beings are the servants of Allah and need guidance to carry
out their various duties and responsibilities. This guidance is
mentioned in Books revealed to various Prophets. So for this
guidanceMuslims are required to believe in the Books. Allah says in
the Holy Book:

"Those who believe in the revelation sent down to you

(Muhammad) and in what was sent beforeyou..." [2:4]
.-..
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There were several revealed books but only four out of them are famous"

1. The Holy Quran, revealed to the Holy Prophet (pbuh).

2. Injil or the Gospels was revealed to Isa. The Christians
failed to act upon it; they distorted it and introduced the doctrine
(policy) of trinity and redemption through crucifixion; although Isa
clearly told his followers that Allah was his and their Lord. According
to the Quran Injil confirms the Torah.
3. Zubur or Psalms, revealed to David (Dawud A.s).
4. Torah was revealed to Moses for the guidance of Bani Israel. It
contained Allah's command, warningand mercy. The original book
was changed. Its followers distorted the words of Allah. Allah says,
"theychange the words from their (right) places and forget a good
part of the message that was sent.”(5:13)

The Qur'an also mentions the Suhuf of Ibrahim.

Books were also revealed to other messengers, who were sent at
different times among differentnations having different languages.
Their teachings were in the language they spoke and they were for
the guidance of that particular community. The teachings contained
were, the Uniqueness and Oneness of Allah, the concept ofreward
and punishment for one's deeds in the life after death.
All the heavenly books were from Allah and whatever Allah said in
them is to be believed in. However due to changes and alternations,
their originality and purity has been brought into question. The
preservation of the Holy Scriptures was the duty of their respective
followers. The basic purpose of these books was the acknowledgment
of the Oneness of Allah. These books made it clear to the people that
they should believe in the prophets of their times. If anyone failed to do
so, their faith in Allah would not merit any rewards. These books also
testified that all the Prophets were truthful and they should not
differentiate among them.
.
Each Prophet (Peace be upon him), after all, was sent by Allah with
guidance, and the primary message of each was the same. These books
also reformed the wrong beliefs of people concerning Allah's
Essence, His Messengers, books, and the life after death and acts
of worship. Instead of preserving the scriptures in their memories and
on tablets, they distorted them. The outcome is that these scriptures
cannot be relied upon to be the same as when they were sent down.
Since Islam is based on the Quran, and the Qur'an is Allah's last book,
Allah took the responsibility of preserving whatever is contained in it.
The following holy verse testifies this, "We have sent downthe
Quran Our self and We Our self will guard it..." (15:9)
It is the living miracle of the Quran that no one ever produced even a
verse like that of the Quran. The Qur'an, unlike the other divine
books which were meant for a particular community, is a guidebook
for all communities for all times to come. The Qur'an is a universal book,
sent to the entire mankind for all

ages.

Significance of belief in Revealed

books

For Muslims, it is an essential part of Islamic creed to believe in all the

revealed books of Allah. The revealed books are the revelations that Allah
sent to humanity throughout history, by way of His messengers. The books
contain guidance and law that was sent to various peoples across different
times in history.
Muslims accept previous revelations were genuine in their time.
However over the course of time the revelations were corrupted by being
changed by man, or partially or completely lost. Subsequent revelations
would supersede or supplement previous ones so mankind could continue
to be guided. Muslims only use theQur'an for guidance today. The Qur'an
affirms what is accurate in the previous revealed books and corrects
what has been corrupted. Belief in revealed Books is a corner-stone of our
Iman. Allah Almighty has raised the importance of revealed Books so
significantly that if any Muslim does not believe in them, he will be out
of the circle of Islam. And furthermore their importance can also be
experienced from the verses of the Holy Quran. In short, there should be firm
belief in the revealed Books and Sahifas on the part of Muslims.
What Makes the Qur'an Different?

1. The Qur'an, the revealed book sent to Prophet Muhammad (peace be

upon him) over 1400 years ago, hasnever
been altered or lost. Its entire message remains intact.
2. During the Prophet Muhammad's lifetime it was memorized by
hundreds of his companions in addition to being

.
Articles of Faith
8 written down by scribes as it was being revealed. Throughout the centuries
and up to today, millions ofMuslims have committed the Qur'an to memory,
with special status being afforded to someone who memorizes the entire
Qur'an.

3. Allah has promised in the Qur'an that He will preserve the book
from corruption: "We have, without doubt,sent
down the Message; and We will assuredly Guard it (from
corruption).” (Qurʼan, 15:9)

4. Not only has the Qur'an been preserved in its original state since the
time of revelation, but it is also considered the greatest miracle given
to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Because the Prophet was
unlettered he did not read or write and did not have experience with or
knowledge of the previous revealedbooks the revelation of the Qur'an
through him is considered miraculous.
5. The Qur'an is the last revelation sent to all of mankind, and it abrogates the
previous books that were sent before.
"This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for those
conscious of Allah.”(Qur'an, 2:2)

Belief in the Life after Death

Belief in life after death is the 5th article of faith. It means that we must
believe with certainty in all that Allah and His Messenger taught us about the
life after death. This includes the following the trial of the grave, the
punishment and reward in the grave, resurrection, the gathering of mankind
for accountability, the judgement, theScale of deeds, intercession, the path,
Paradise, Hell, and all that Allah prepared in these two abodes for their
dwellers. The Holy Quran says: "Then (again), surely, you will be
resurrected on the Day of Resurrection." (23:16)

The Holy Prophet (PBUH) says: "To believe in Allah, His Angels, His
Books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and to believe
in Divine Preordainment, both the good and bad of it. (Muslim)

It is mentioned in the Quran. "Every soul shall have a taste of death.” –

(3:185)

Death:
When a man's grave is closed, Qiyamat-e-Sughra or Lesser Judgement
begins.
Angels known as Munkar Nakir visit the dead and ask them about their
religion, prophet and his Qibla. Behindman is the barrier of death and in
front of him the Barzakh, the partition. Thus, a man lies in a state of
Barzakhuntil the Day of Judgement. .

Resurrection & the Day of Judgment:

Knowledge of the time of the Hour of Judgement is with Allah alone. At the
first blast of the trumpet (Sur), Earthwill be split asunder, mountains will be
like carded wool, stars will be dim, stars will fall, sun and moon will be
joined together and oceans will boil over. Everything will destroy.

"When the earth is shaken to her utmost convulsion, And the earth
throws up her burdens" (Surah Zilzaal)At blowing

of second trumpet, all will stand in a new world and will await
judgment.

The Book of Deeds will be laid bare.

"Then shall anyone who has done an atom's weight of good see it! And
anyone who has done an atom 'sweight of evil
shall see it." (Surah Zizaal)

Those who have incurred Allah's displeasure will be given their records
from their left side or from behind. There will
be no injustice.

Prophets will be witnesses against their respective people.

Tongues, hands, feet etc. will bear witness against their owners.

No ransom or compensation will be accepted. No excuses will be accepted.

There will be no intercession except by Allah's leave.

Parents, children, spouses and relatives will be of no help.

The decision that whether one should be sent to Jannat or Jahannam rests with Allah alone.

Jannat (Heaven)

Life in the hereafter will be on a totally different plane.

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In Jannat, there will only be spiritual pleasures. Jannat

wil independent of time or place. Pleasant meadows,

fountains, springs, fragrance, cool breezes, shades,

rivers of milk, wine and honey, pleasantdrinks, Allah's

good will. Ashab-ul-Jannat (Companions of Heaven)

will abide in Jannat forever. There will be no death.

People will have all that they desire. Compiled by Sir

Companionship of Hurs.

Delightful wine without intoxication, headache, evil thoughts etc.

Those nearest to Allah will drink from the Salsabil,Tasnim and the Kausar.

Jahannam (Hell)

Disgrace and torture for Disbelievers in the Nar (Fire).

Unbelievers, rejecters of the Truth, polytheists, and hypocrites will be

the Ashab-un-Nar (Companions of theFire).

Names of Hell: Jahim, Hawiyah, Laza etc.

Jahannam has seven gates, each for a special class of sinners.

Hypocrites will be in the lowest depth of the Fire. Dwellers of Hell will
wish to get out but that will never be. The

sinners shall die nor live.

Their penalty will not be lightened.

There will be no help or ransom in
Hell.

"When it (the Fire) sees them from a place far off, they will hear its fury
and its raging sigh." (25:12).There will be layers of fire above and below.

They will wear garments of fire.

Boiling water will be poured on their heads, they will drink boiling water.

They will drink corruption from the washing of wounds.

They will eat of the accursed tree of Zuqqum that grows in the heart of Hell.
They

will eat the thorny plant Dari.

Significance of Belief the Day of

Judgement

1. Belief in the Hereafter is vital component of Islamic faith. True

believers will strive for a better life in the next
world.

2. They will lead their life according to the teachings of Islam. They will
shun vices and perform their duties
towards Allah and fellow beings.
3. The life in this world is a trial, an examination period, during which
believers prepare themselves, either for
reward or punishment, for the next life which is everlasting.
4. Belief in the life after death-the Day of Judgment makes the people
pious, disciplined and caring for others. 5. If the whole society develops
such a faith, it will be source of great comfort and prosperity on earth.
6. In the absence of this belief, there will be no deterrence to evil, sin,
crime, transgression and injustice in thisworld. 7. An unshaken faith in
the Hereafter enables a believer to bear sufferings in this world and to remain
steadfast.
.
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Articles of Faith

Belief in Predestination and Decree (Taqdeer / Destiny)

10

Belief in the Divine Decree (order )is mentioned in the Imaan-e-Mufassal

which says: "I believe in Allah, in Hisangels, in His books, in His
prophets, in the Last Day and in the fact that everything, good or bad, is
decided by Allah Almighty and in the life after death."

This means that everything, good or bad, is decided by Allah, is an article of

faith and without this our faith is not complete.

Belief in al-Qadar is based on four things

Knowledge: i.e., that Allah knows what had been, what will be, what has
never been, and how it could be if it was. Healso knows what his creation
will do, by virtue of His eternal knowledge, including their choices that will take
place.

Writing: Faith in predestination means the Most High Allah has decreed all
things; whatever happens in the world whether it is concerning the conditions
and operations of things, good and evil, obedience and disobedience, faithand
infidelity (unfaithful), sickness and health, wealth and poverty, life and death
is contained in the written tablet of the decrees of Allah which is called the
Loh-e-Mahfooz.

Will: i.e., that what Allah wills happens and what He does not will does not
happen. There is no movement in the heavens or on earth but happens by His
will. This does not mean that He forces things to happen the way they
happenin the area of human beings' voluntary actions. It means that He
knew what they will choose, wrote it and now lets it happen.

Creation and formation: i.e., that Allah is the Creator of all things,
including the actions of His servants. They do their actions in a real sense, and
Allah is the Creator of them and of their actions.

According to this belief, a person's action is not caused by what is written in

the preserved tablet, but rather the action is written in the tablet because God
already knows all occurrences without the restrictions of time. On the other
hand, the causal relationships are also part of Qadar, since human acts affect
what's stated in the Preserved Tablet ("al-lawhal-mahfooz"). The phrase
reflects a Muslim doctrine that Allah has measured out the span of every
person's life, their lot of good or ill fortune, and the fruits of their efforts.

Hazrat Ali (RA) narrated that one day the Messenger of Allah was sitting with a
wooden stick in his hand with which hewas
scratching the ground. He raised his head and said, "There is none of you,
but has his place assigned either in theFire or in Paradise." They (the
Companions) inquired, "O Allah's Messenger! Why should we carry on
doing good deeds, shall we depend (upon Qadar) and give up work?"
Muhammad (Peace be upon him) said: “No, carry on doing good deeds,
for everyone will find it easy (to do) such deeds that will lead him towards
that for which he has been created." (Sahih Muslim)

Stages of Taqdeer (fate) There are five stages where

Qadar is determined and prescribed/sent to creation:

1. The Decree of Allah that is written in the Guarded Tablet (Loh e Mahfooz)
before the creation of the universe.

This destiny written in the preserved tablet is never changed and

encompasses everything that willbe.
2. Allah made a divine decree after the creation of Adam. Allah took
out all of the progeny of Adam (i.e. all ofthe humans from the beginning of
time until the end of time), and asked them "Am I not your Lord?" and all
ofthe humans responded "We testify that You are our Lord!" Then Allah
decreed to them who shall go to paradise and who shall go to hell.
3. The Life-time decree. This occurs when a person is in the womb of
their mother, specifically 120 days after
conception. Allah sends an angel to put a soul into the person, and the
angel writes down the decree that Allah has made; their life-span, their
actions, their sustenance (how much they will earn throughout their lifetime)
and whether they will be a dweller of paradise or a dweller of hell.
4. The yearly decree. This is during the Night of Decree where Allah
sends down his decrees from heaven to earth,
in it he destines the actions (deeds, sustenance, births, deaths, etc.) of creation
for the

next year. The word Qadar should not be confused with Qadr; Qadar is
destiny, Qadr is that which has been destined, i.e. decree, thus the translation
- Night of Decree.
5. The Daily Decree. Allah decrees the daily actions of his creation.

In the light of the above the following may be derived:

Our supplications do change destiny and are of much avail.

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Good deeds are a source of an increase in one's sustenance, and can avert calamities. Sins
result in a decrease in one's sustenance, and invite calamities.

Significance of Predestination
11
Belief in divine decree strengthens one's belief in God. A person realizes
that God alone controls everything, sohe trusts and relies on Him. Even
though a person tries his best, at the same time he relies on God for the final
outcome. His hard work or intelligence does not make him arrogant, for
God is the source of all that comes his way. Finally, a person attains
peace of mind in the realization that God is the Wise and His Actions are
dictated by wisdom. Things don't happen without a purpose. If something
reached him, he realizes it could never have escaped him. If something
misses him, he realizes it was never meant to be. A man achieves an inner
peace, inwardly at rest with this realization. It doesn't make you grieve about
anything because you don't say things like "if I did such and such then such
and such would have happened", so don't worry too much about the future
because you believe that everythingis already written. What you do worry
about is your deeds in doing good.

The Prophet (peace be upon him) said to ibn Abbas: "if the whole nation
were to gather together to benefit youthey would only benefit you with that
which Allah had already written you and if the whole nation were to gatherto
harm you they could only harm you with that which Allah had already
written to harm you. The pen has beenlifted and the ink has dried."
(Al-Tirmizi)

Jihad
Jihad has the literal meaning of exerting our best and greatest effort to
achieve something. It is not the equivalentof war, for which the Arabic
word is qitaal. Jihad has a much wider connotation and embraces every kind
of striving in Allah's cause. A mujahid is one who is sincerely devoted to
his or her cause; who uses all physical, intellectual, and spiritual
resources to serve it; who confront any power that stands in its way; and,
when necessary, dies for this cause. Jihad in the way of Allah is our struggle
to win Allah's good pleasure, to establish His religion's supremacy, and to
make His Word prevail.

(1) In the opinion of Islamic scholars, the highest category of ‘jihad' is

to fight against one's own self. (Jihad bin Nafs). They call it
‘Jihad-e-Akbar', the greatest Jihad. Some verses of the Quran and a
few traditions of the Prophet (S.A.W) also support the same view. For
example, Allah (S.W.T) says in the Quran:

“And those who strive in Our (cause) – We will certainly guide them to
Our Paths".
The Muslim army was returning to Madina after they had defeated the enemy
in a battle, when the Messenger ofGod said to them: "We are returning
from the lesser jihad to the greater one." When the Companions asked
whatthe greater jihad was, he explained that it was fighting with the
carnal self.

Utilizing all physical, spiritual and intellectual abilities in the fulfillment of

every obligation and in the performance of every good deed is also Jihad.
A companion came to Prophet (SAW) and expressed his desire to
participate in jihad. The Prophet (SAW) askedhim whether his parents
were alive. He replied in the affirmative. The Prophet (SAW) advised
him to serve his parents and he should consider it a ‘jihad' on his part.
So also, on one occasion, Prophet (SAW) said, "the biggest jihad is
to pronounce a word of truth and justice to a ruler who is tyrant".
The Prophet (SAW) alsoon another occasion exclaimed that jihad was
going to continue till the Dooms Day.
(2) Jihad bil ‘Ilm (struggle with the weapon of knowledge.) Ignorance
is the root cause of all wrong and mischief in the world and it is very
essential to fight against it. If a person is gifted with knowledge, awareness
and intellect, he is obliged to share it with others. The Quran clearly
elaborates: "Invite (all) to the way of your Lord with wisdom and
beautiful preaching. And argue with them in ways that are best".
Spreading the messageof Allah is 'jihad'.

(3) ‘Jihad bil Mal' is also one of the categories of jihad. Allah (SWT)
has bestowed upon man so much wealthand riches. Its main objective is to
spend it, in accordance with the will of Allah. It is the best use and the most
proper way to invest money for the sake of upholding the Truth. This fact
has been explained in the Quran with these words:

(4)
"And as for those who hoard gold and silver and do not tend to
spend it for the noble cause of Allah,warn them with a grievous
penalty".

Fighting in the battlefield against the enemy of Allah, it is commonly

known as 'jihad' and the Quran calls it qitaal. In this kind of jihad, a
servant of Allah resolves to fight against the enemy of his Master till the end
of his life, and
.
Articles of Faith
12 he desires wholeheartedly to drop the last blood of his body, proving his
utmost love, true faith and sincere friendship with Allah (SWT). Allah
(SWT) has ordered Muslims to maintain military power and strength. Healso
forbade us to call those 'dead' who laid their lives in upholding the Truth.
Allah (SWT) has informed us in the Quran that they are being sustained in
the nearness of Allah and are enjoying a life full of joy. Allah SWT, out
of His mercy, gave them a word of promise for the highest reward and the
most blissful life.

Jihad becomes obligatory when not only the ideology and beliefs of
Muslims, are threatened but also when theirhome, lives, property, and
everything else is at stake. The Muslims are commanded to fight against
those who fight against them in these words.

"Fight in the cause of Allah those who fight against you but do not
transgress limits, for Allah loves not transgressors." (Al-Baqarah: 190)

Rules of Jihad

Islam lays down a set of conduct for the warfare:

1. The Muslims shall not be the first to initiate fighting.
2. Women, children, old people and sick are not to be harmed.
3. Fruit bearing trees will not be cut down. Animals shall not be killed.

4. Churches, temples and other worship places are not to be demolished.

5. Non-combatants are not to be killed.

6. Treaties shall be respected and fulfilled.

7. The captives should be treated kindly.

8. The corpses will not be mutilated or disfigured.

9. The booty shall not be stolen.
10. Ambassadors will not be killed or maltreated.

11. No unjustifiable aggression shall be made on weaker nation. (Islam

Beliefs and practices)

Questions /Answers & Marking

Schemes Jihad

Q1. (a) Write a description of the Muslim teachings about jihad. [10]
[Nov.13]
Candidates may well start their answer by giving the meaning of the
word jihad and go on to say that in religious terminology it means to
strive or exert oneself in the way of God. They could identify the four
different kinds of jihad and go on to differentiate between jihad and
qital. Good answers are likely to discuss the conditions under which
jihad becomes obligatory and also the rules of jihad may be given in
well developed answers. All valid responses must be credited.

(b) Why is greater jihad considered the more important? [4]

An evaluative response to why jihad of the self (jihad bil nafs) is
considered most important needs to be given here. Responses could say
that it is most important because it is the struggle to resist temptation to evil
and toovercome one's own weaknesses and failings on a daily basis which
many a time is harder to do. All valid answers must be credited.

Q2.(a) Write an account of:

(i) The Prophet's teachings about armed warfare (jihad).
(ii) Under what circumstances is jihad thought to be compulsory?
[10] [May 14]
The Prophet laid down a set of rules about conduct during armed
warfare (jihad). In answering the first part of the question candidates need
to show sound knowledge of what these rules are e.g. Muslims shall not be
the first to initiate fighting; women, children, old people are not to be
harmed; fruit bearing trees are not to be cut down; places of worship of any
faith are not to be destroyed; captives should be treated kindly; corpses of the
enemy should not be mutilated; treaties should be respected and ambassadors
should not be mistreated or killed etc. Forthe second part of the question the
candidates have to write about the conditions under which jihad becomes
compulsory like it is obligatory when not only the beliefs of Muslims are
threatened but their lives, homes and property etc. are at stake; whenever a
Muslim state is attacked it becomes the religious duty of every Muslim of
that state to fight against the invaders. These and other points that are relevant to
the answer could be made.

Good answers may well give quotes from the Qur'an to support their answer.
.

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It should be remembered that the marks are not divided 5x5 between the two
parts but the answer has to be readas a whole and the mark should be given
accordingly.

(b) ‘The Prophet's teachings about armed warfare (jihad) are not
relevant today'. Do you agree? Givereasons for your
answer. [4]

Answers could agree or disagree with the statement. However, whatever

their response the candidates need toback up their point of view with valid
reasons. For example some might agree with the statement saying that
modern weapons of war like bombs don't discriminate between the men,
women or children they kill or the damage they do to the environment.
Some on the other hand could disagree with the statement and say the
teachings of the Prophet regarding armedwarfare are just as relevant today
as they were in the Prophet's time and that we must have respect for
life and the environment and use jihad as a last resort and when engaged in
it make sure that the code of conduct set by the Prophet is followed. All valid
answers must be credited.

Q3. (a) Describe the meaning of the term jihad and say how Muslims
can practice jihad in their everydaylives. [10]
[Oct.15]
Candidates may well give the meaning of the term jihad and go on to
say that in religious terminology it means tostruggle against ones evil
inclinations and to exert in the way of Islam. They can go on to say what the
different kinds of jihad are; jihad of the self (jihad bilnafs), jihad of the
tongue (jihad bil-lisan), jihad by the hand (jihad bil- yad), and jihad by
the sword (jihad bis-saif). They need to go on to say how Muslims
practice jihad in their everyday lives and here the answers could vary
with some writing about how mostly it is jihad bil-nafs, which is practiced
when Muslims fight their own inner selves to keep on the path of
righteousness. Others could mention how Muslims in war-torn countries
are fighting for their faith and a just government.

(b) Why do you think jihad of the self (jihad bil-nafs) is greater than
armed jihad (jihad bis-saif)? [4]

An evaluative response is needed here as to why jihad of the self is

considered the greater jihad and all valid responses should be credited.
Q4. (a) Write an account of the difference in meaning between:
(i) jihad of the self

(iii) jihad of the tongue, and

(iii) jihad of the sword. [10]

[Oct.16]

There are four kinds of jihad fi sabil-illah (struggle in the cause of Allah).
They are:

jihad of the self (jihad bin- nafs); Jihad

of the tongue (jihad bil- lisan):jihad
by the hand (jihad bil-yad) andjihad
by the sword (jihad bis-saif).

The candidates can well begin their answer by defining the term jihad,
which could be said to mean to strive, to struggle, to exert one's energy
or to persevere. The Qur'an it could be further clarified uses the term
jihad in context with the struggle to exert oneself in the way of God.
Having explained the term jihad the candidates need to specifically write
about the difference in meaning of the three kinds of jihad given in the
question and say what itis.
Candidates may well write about the importance of these three kinds of
jihad and that should be read as development in the answer though is not
necessary to get to the higher levels. Candidates could give quotes fromthe
Qur'an or the Prophet's (pbuh) hadiths to support their answer.

(b) In your opinion, what is the importance of following the rules of

armed jihad in modern times? [4]

An evaluative response is being looked for here which bring out Islamic
teachings of mercy, compassion, fair play and justice. Candidates may well
elaborate their answers by stating that if the rules of jihad as taught by
the Prophet (pbuh) were followed the world would today become a safer
place to live in for everyone of God's creationetc. It should be noted here that
the importance of following the rules is to show the benefits of following
them which will bring out the best evaluations.

Answers need to be credited according to the evaluation offered.

Compiled by Sir Bashir Gul

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Articles of Faith
14

Articles of Faith

Q1. (a) Give an account of the Muslim belief in angels and God's
predestination and decree. [10]
(b) Explain the importance to the community of Muslims of
congregational prayers on Fridays and
pilgrimage. [4]
{Spec-9}

(a) L1 for a basic account of one Article of Belief.

L2 for a basic account of both.
L3 and above for increasingly detailed descriptions of both
(b) L1 for purely descriptive accounts.
L2 for some attempt to address the issue of importance.
L3 and above for increasingly detailed discussions of the social dimensions
of these activities.

Answer 4

Belief in angels is one of the Articles of Belief. So all Muslims must believe
in them. Angels are Allah's servants, and they do not have their own wills,
they exist only to serve Allah. They are not like humans because they do
noteat or sleep, and they are made of light. Muslims believe in Hazrat Jibrael
who was the angel who brought the Qur'an to Hazrat Muhammad, and also
brought the news of a son to Hazrat Maryam. There are many other
angels as well. Hazrat Israfil will blow the trumpet at the end of the world,
and Munkir and Nakir will question the Muslims in their graves. There are
also angels on a man's right shoulder and left shoulder to record his good
deeds and his bad deeds. Muslims believe that Allah is powerful over all
things that happen in the world, and nothing happens unless he wills it. All
the things you do are because of Allah's will and power. But not the
bad things, because Muslims believe that Allah only wills the good
things, but men carry out the bad deeds themselves. So Allah will reward
thegood deeds at the last judgement, but he will condemn the bad deeds
and will punish the bad-doers by sendingth em to the fire. The holy
Prophet said, This world is a seed-bed for the world hereafter. He meant
that the actionsthat we perform ourselves will give us reward or
punishment.
Level: 4

This is a well developed answer in both its parts. The belief in angels is
described both in general and specific terms, with a number of individual
beings and their duties named. And predestination is explained in detail,
withthe candidate showing keen awareness of the balance between divine
omnipotence and human responsibility. This is underlined by his quotation
and brief discussion of the Hadith.

Q2. (a) Write about Muslim beliefs in prophets. [10]

{May/June-9}
Some candidate's answers may give evidence of basic knowledge of the
character of prophets. Others might go on to describe the main characteristics
of the prophets e.g. they were all chosen by Allah to deliver his books and
each was sent to a specific community except Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W)
who was sent for all humanity. Good answers will go on to give a full
account of the beliefs, with the names of the prophets and refer to Qur'anic
teachings in support of points made e.g. answers could say that the Qur'an
names many prophets including Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, ‘Isa and
Muhammad. Hazrat Muhammad (S.A.W)was sent as the last prophet, yet
theQur'an says that they should all be respected equally.

(b) Explain how this belief influences the daily living of a Muslim. [4]
The answer may attempt to apply the belief e.g. that Muslims must respect all
prophets, but without evident understanding. Some answers will show that
the candidate has applied the belief with reasonable success, butwithout
clearly showing how it affects conduct. Good candidates will give a fair
explanation of how this belief is worked into daily life and show a
reasonable understanding of its effects and may even support points with
quotations and references from Quran and Hadith.
Q3. What are Muslim beliefs about angels? [10] {May/June-10}
Angels are the servants of God. Some answers could go a bit further and state
that they are made of light and their sole purpose is to worship, obey and
serve God. Better answers will elaborate on the duties of angels, by
perhaps saying that an important aspect in the duties they perform is their
service as messengers e.g. Jibril tookmessages to prophets, including Hazrat
Muhammad (SAW) and he also took God's message to Mary.
Answers could also include a description of the roles of other angels e.g.
they record good and bad deeds; inquire of the dead in the grave; will sound
the trumpet on the last day etc. An excellent answer may even mention some
of these angels performing specific duties by name. .

(b) Why is the belief in resurrection important to Muslims in their daily

living? [4]
Muslims believe in life after death, which is known as the Hereafter,
al-Akhira. If Muslims are obedient to Allah they will be rewarded and if they
go against his teachings they will be punished. This belief guides them to
live their lives righteously. The more able candidates may well mention
the questioning in the grave and the fact thaton the Day of

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Resurrection they will be brought before Allah to be judged and according to

their deeds receive heaven or hell. This world, then is seen by Muslims as a
temporary place where their actions and behaviour will determine what will
become of them in their next life. .

Q4. (a) Write a descriptive account of the Muslim belief in revealed

books. [10] {November-10}
Books contain the revelations given by Allah to his messengers and were
revealed by Jibra'il, could be seen as abasic answer. In addition it could be
added by some candidates that books are the chief way in which humans
know Allah's will for them and that they were meant for different communities.
The good answers will draw attention to the fact that the teachings in all of
them are the same and that unlike other books only the Qur'an is universal in
scope. Strong answers could give additional information by saying thatnone
except the Qur'an has survived in its original form and that Allah has himself
taken the responsibility of safeguarding the Qur'an against any corruption.
Names of books given in the Qur'an like suhuf (Abraham and Moses),
Tawrat (Moses), Zabur (David), Injil (Issa), Qur'an (Harat Hazrat
Muhammad (SAW) could be given in theanswer.

(b) Discuss the importance of Jibra'il in comparison to other angels. [4]

.

Candidates could give a basic answer saying that angels have a

particular job to do which is assigned to them by Allah. Jibra'il is the
arch angel who had the all important duty of bringing the word of Allah to
his chosen messengers.
Good answers will point out that he was sent by Allah to announce the birth
of Hazrat Issa to Hazrat Maryam, to deliver the Qur'an to the Prophet
Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) and also to conduct him on the mi'raj.
Answers couldalso discuss the duties of other angels and compare them
with Jibra'il's and draw conclusions.

Q5. (a) What does the statement 'There is no ability or power

except through Allah' tell you about Muslimbelief in
Allah's predestination and decree? [10] {May/June-11}
Some candidates could say that belief in divine decree and predestination
is mentioned in the Iman-e Mufassal, itis an article of faith without which
a Muslim's faith is incomplete. The above statement strengthens this
belief andin order to secure higher levels candidates must refer to it in
their answer. Good answers will also talk about human responsibility for
what they do. .

(b) To what extent does this belief affect the daily living of Muslims? [4]
By making Muslims realize that Allah is the most supreme this belief makes
them humble and makes them turn toAllah at all times. Examples from
everyday life could be given by candidates in answer to this part of the
question. All valid answers need to be credited.

Q6. (a) Give a full account of the Muslim belief in prophets. [10]
{November-11}
Prophets were sent from God to all peoples with his message is a basic
belief of all Muslims. The level of marks attained would depend upon the
amount of detail given in the answer. Who were they? Why were they
chosen? Who were they sent for? Details like they were all men, they were
sinless and that they conveyed the same teachings from God could be
given in a basic answer. Additional information like they were sent to
specific communities and that their message was for the guidance of the
people could be included in better answers. It ishowever a comprehensive
answer showing thorough knowledge which could include the number
and names of prophets, the finality of the prophet Hazrat Muhammad
(SAW)and beliefs such as all prophets should be respected equally that will
reach the higher levels. .

(b) Briefly explain why Allah revealed different books from time to time.
[4]
Answers could explain how different books were sent from time to time for
the guidance of humanity telling peoplewhat they should or should not do.
Stronger answers will give the names of the revealed books and discuss how
the message sent was lost or distorted creating a need for a new book and
how the Qur'an is the last in the line ofrevealed scriptures and why it is last. .

Q7. (a) Give an account of the Muslim belief in angels and God's
predestination and decree. [10]
Belief in angels is one of the Articles of Belief. So all Muslims must
believe in them. Angels are Allah's servants, and they do not have their
own wills, they exist only to serve Allah. They are not like humans because
they do noteat or sleep, and they are made of light. Muslims believe in Hazrat
Jibrael who was the angel who brought the Qur'an to Hazrat Muhammad, and
also brought the news of a son to Hazrat Maryam. There are many other
angels as well. Hazrat Israfil will blow the trumpet at the end of the world,
and Munkir and Nakir will question the Muslims in their graves. There are
also angels on a man's right shoulder and left shoulder to record his good
deeds and his bad deeds.
Muslims believe that Allah is powerful over all things that happen in the
world, and nothing happens unless he wills it. All the things you do are
because of Allah's will and power. But not the bad things, because Muslims
believe that Allah only wills the good things, but men carry out the bad
deeds themselves. So Allah will reward thegood deeds at the last

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Articles of Faith
16 judgement, but he will condemn the bad deeds and will punish the
bad-doers by sending them to the fire. The holy Prophet said, This world
is a seed-bed for the world hereafter. He meant that the actionsthat we
perform ourselves will give us reward or punishment.
Level: 4

This is a well-developed answer in both its parts. The belief in angels is

described both in general and specific terms, with a number of individual
beings and their duties named. And predestination is explained in detail,
withthe candidate showing keen awareness of the balance between divine
omnipotence and human responsibility. This is underlined by his quotation
and brief discussion of the Hadith.

(b) Show how observance of the two pillars of fasting and almsgiving
keeps the community together.Answer 4
Muslims are instructed by Allah to fast during the month of Ramadan. Every
Muslim in a town or village fasts during this month, and Muslims all over the
world fast at the same time. This makes each Muslim know he or she

is part of a large community of Muslims, the Ummah. Also, when a

Muslim fasts and goes without food he comesto know the difficulty of
people who have no food.
So this makes him sympathetic to these people and he becomes ready to help
them. When Muslims fast they encourage each other and give each other
support. Muslims must give part of their wealth to the poor. This
helpsthe poor people and stops them from starving. The rich people see that
the poor are their brothers and that Allahwants them to help their brothers.

The holy Prophet said, none of you believes until he loves for his brother
what he loves for himself. Thistells us that

we are not true Muslims until we perform our actions and not just say what
we believe.

Level: 4

This answer contains some very mature points. The candidate has not wasted
time giving descriptions, which have already been asked for in part (a) of the
question, but has got down to explaining significances. And she shows
clearly that she understands the intention behind the two observances,
and has explained them clearly andconcisely.

Q8.(a) Give an account of Muslim belief in the following: (i) angels; and
(ii) prophets. [10] {November-12} The answer should not be marked in two
parts, i.e. 5 marks for angels and 5 marks for prophets. Instead the answer
needs to be read as a whole and detail and development will dictate the level
awarded. A descriptive account of belief in angels could include some of the
following; angels are God's servants and are made of light; their sole purpose
is to obey, serve and worship Allah; their service as messengers; names and
tasks of angels could be given in detailed answers. On prophets things to
look out for are that they were sent from God to all peoples; they brought
messages from Him which contained instructions and teachings; it is believed
that there are 124,000 prophets in all and that they should all be respected
equally; Hazrat Muhammad (SAW)is the seal of the prophets.
Supporting quotations could be given for both parts (i) and (ii) and should
be credited where valid.

(b) Explain the importance of the Day of Judgment in Muslim belief. [4]
This world is seen by Muslims as a temporary abode. Every Muslim believes
in life after death when humankind will be presented in the court of God on
the Day of Judgment to account for their deeds in this world. It is the fearof
this day and its accountability that makes Muslims fearful of doing
wrong and keeps them on the path of righteousness fulfilling the
obligations of the creator and their fellow beings. Candidates need to include
explanation of the importance of the Day of Judgement in their answer and
not just describe the belief

Q9. ‘There is no god but Allah, and Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) is the
Messenger of Allah'. Describe the Muslim
beliefs summarised by the declaration of faith (shahada). [10]
{November-12) Shahada is the first pillar of Islam and a person becomes
a Muslim upon proclaiming it sincerely. This is the testimony or
profession of faith, involving knowledge, commitment and declaration. Here
candidates might say that the first part of the shahada deals with the unity of
Allah. The first statement of tawhid, includes the understanding that Allah is
beyond comprehension. Muslims confess with their hearts that He is creator
of all things, including the universe, the heaven, the earth and everything
in it. Everything is under Allah's control and He is the sustainer and
protector as well as the giver and taker of life. Others might add that only
He is worthy ofworship and Muslims pray to Him only and seek His help in
times of difficulty. He is all powerful, omnipotent and omniscient. The
second part of the shahada confirms the risala of Prophet Hazrat
Muhammad (SAW) that he is the rasul, the messenger of Allah and after
Allah all Muslims must follow the Prophet Muhammad. He is the last
prophet in a long line of prophetic messengers and his message about
the unity of god is the same as that of theprevious prophets and is universal.
And Allah will protect this message from all corruption and change.

(b) Explain how the declaration of faith (shahada) is acted upon through
the remaining four pillars ofIslam. [4]
The pillars of Islam outline the basics of Muslim worship, ibada. The
Qur'an states: 'I (Allah) created...humankind only that they might worship
Me.' (Al-Dhariyat 51.56). The shahada is the first pillar of Islam and a
declaration of faith. For

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Muslims, it is necessary to act upon these words rather than just speak them.
The other four pillars namely; salat, saum, zakat and hajj are the means by
which the shahada is put into action through ibada.
Candidates could briefly write about how the other four pillars show
obedience to Allah and his teachings.

Q10. (a) Outline the Muslim teaching about the belief in the oneness
of God (tawhid). [10][May 13] Candidates could
begin their answer by stating that belief in the oneness of God is the
fundamental teaching of Islam. Without believing in the oneness of God one
cannot be a Muslim. Some candidates may well discuss the three aspects of
tawhid, which are Oneness of the Lordship of God; Oneness in worship of
God; and Oneness of the names and qualities of God. Quotes from the Qur'an
in reference to these three aspects of tawhid could alsobe given.

(b). Why is associating partners with God (shirk) regarded as a great

sin? [4]
Shirk in Islam is regarded as a great sin because it signifies ascribing the
divine attributes of God to others besides Him. It is believing that the
source of power, harm and blessings comes from others besides God and
goes against the most fundamental teaching of Islam, tawhid. There must be
evaluation in the answer, not just astatement.

Q11. (a) Give an account of Muslim belief in prophets and the

messages they preached. [10] [Nov.13] Belief in all the prophets sent
by God is a part of every Muslims faith. Muslims believe that the line of
prophets started from Adam and finished with Prophet Hazrat Muhammad
(SAW)They could also say that Muslims believe in all the prophets that
came before Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SAW)and believe that some
amongst them werenabis and some were rasuls. Answers may also include
that Muslims consider all the prophets to be sinless and not more than human
and also that they were all men of exceptional morals and character. The
answers could include that the Qur'an states that there were many prophets
and a Hadith of the Prophet gives the number at 124,000. Prophets were
endowed with miracles and some were sent with books to guide humanity.
.

The development in the answer could perhaps detail what the miracles of
some of these prophets were and couldalso include the names and
characteristics of some of the prophets and name the books that were
revealed to them as well as write about the belief that each prophet was sent
for a specific community except Prophet HazratMuhammad (SAW) who was
sent for all humanity. Qur'anic teaching about respecting all prophets
equally could also be given in the answer. In answering this question
candidates also need to write how the message of all the prophets has always
been the same, that is, belief in the oneness of God, tawhid, good conduct
and life after death.

(b) How are these prophets and their messages important for
Muslims? [4]
In answer to this question the candidates need to bring out the importance of
all the prophets and the message they brought. They could in their answers
say that the prophets and their message always taught the unity of Godand so
reinforce Muslim belief in tawhid. They all spoke of the need to treat fellow
human beings with kindness and taught their communities the importance
and need for good conduct and that was the primary teaching of the Prophet
Hazrat Muhammad (SAW) as well which makes Muslims realise that Islam is
a continuation of God's earlier message, his completion of that message and
not a new religion etc. All valid responses must be credited.

Q12. What do Muslims believe about the Day of Resurrection and

Judgment? [10] [May 14]
In answer to this question candidates need to write what Islamic teachings
about the Day of Judgment are. Theycould say that all Muslims believe that
the world as we know it will one day come to an end after which mankind
will be raised again to answer before God.
Development in the answer of how life will end on the appointed day
and everything in this universe will be destroyed could be cited.
Candidates may well say that this day is called qayama and quote
from the Qur'an on events of this day. The blowing of the second
trumpet and of resurrection of all life including humans, jinns, angelsetc.
could be given followed by an account of the final judgment when
humankind will be presented in the court of the almighty to give an account
of their deeds. The virtuous ones will receive their book of records in their
right hand and the sinners in their left hand. The reward and punishment
will be meted out justly in God's court and those who will emerge
successful in this judgment will enter paradise and those who are
condemned will enter hell. Again quotes from the Qur'an can be given
by candidates to support their answer and add detail and development to it.

(b) How does this belief affect the daily living of Muslims? [4]
Candidates need to give their reasons for how they think this belief affects
the everyday lives of Muslims. In the answer they could say that because
they know they will be presented before God and will have to account for
their every deed they will lead their lives in a God conscious manner, they
could say that in order to attain a placein paradise they will shun vices and
live their lives according to Islamic teachings. All valid responses need to be
credited.

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Articles of Faith
18 Q13.(a) Name the revealed books mentioned in the Qur'an, giving
the names of the messengers they wererevealed to and
the message they contained. [10] [Nov.14]
The candidates in their answer could mention: 1.The Zabur (Psalms) revealed
to Dawud (David); 2.The Tawrat revealed to Musa (Moses); 3.The Injil
(Gospel) sent to Isa (Jesus) and 4.The Qur'an revealed to Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh).
Some candidates may well say that the Qur'an also mentions the Suhuf
(scroll) of Ibrahim. All the divine books invited the people to worship one
God, they contained belief in prophethood, the Day of Judgment and
accountability before God on the Last Day. Along with these teachings the
revealed books contained a code ofconduct, a code of morality and justice,
but the books besides the Qur'an were not comprehensive enough to
contain a complete code of life for all times. The Qur'an is the most
comprehensive book sent by God.
Compiled by Sir Bashir Gul
It deals with every aspect of life: social, economic, moral, legal. God says,
'This day I have perfected your religionfor you and completed my favours
upon you and chosen for you Islam as your religion'. (Al Maidah 5:3). Some
candidates could add that none of the revealed books besides the Qur'an are
in their original form today. .

(b) All revealed books were sent by God. What in your opinion makes
the Qur'an unique?[4]
In this part as in other Part (b)s we are looking to find out the candidate's
views, and all valid answers need to be credited. The following is a guidance
as to what may be written by the candidates. It could be said that Qur'an
is different from other revealed books as it is the only book revealed to all
humanity for all times. God Himself has promised to protect its message. It
could be said that the language of the Qur'an is very much alive today and
spoken by millions unlike those of the other revealed books. These and other
valid responses need to be awardedmarks on their own merit.

Q14. (a) Belief in prophets and the revealed books are essential to
Islam. Write an account of these twoarticles of faith. [10]
[Nov.15]
For this answer candidates need to give an account of Muslim belief in
prophets and the revealed books. They could say that prophets were sent as
guidance to humankind and in turn were guided by God Himself. The
prophetic line starts with Adam and ends with Prophet Muhammad
(pbuh). That all prophets preached Islam and invited people to worship
the one God, that they spoke the language of their people, they were all
normal human beings, chosen by God and endowed with miracles and books,
were obedient to God etc., are all points that couldbe raised and developed in
the answer amongst other points. Names of some of the prophets could be
given and linked to the second part of the answer which asks about revealed
books. Their names could be given and candidates could say which book
was revealed to which prophet. They could go on to say that all divine books
invited people to worship God, and contained belief in prophethood, the Day
of Judgement, accountability before God, a code of morality and justice.
Answers could also talk about the finality of the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh)
and the Qur'an being the last universal and most perfect book of guidance
sent by God to humankind for all ages.

(b) The Qur'an describes itself as a confirmation of earlier

revelations. Does the Qur'an differ in anysignificant way from
earlier revealed books? [4]

Here again, an evaluative response is being looked for. Candidates could give
their reasons for how the Qur'an issimilar to other revealed scriptures and
where it differs from them. The language of the Qur'an could be one of
thepoints of difference; that all the earlier books have been corrupted could
also be a point raised by the more able candidates. All valid responses need
to be credited.

Q15. (a)Muslims believe that God alone is Lord, that He alone should be
worshipped and that His namesand attributes are

unique to Him. Outline Muslim beliefs in the oneness of God. [10]

Muslims believe in one God, Allah. This belief in the oneness of God is known as
tawhid. This belief is the core ofIslam and all creation has to recognise the
Creator, which is God, and submit to his will. Tawhid has three aspects:
Oneness of the Lordship of God; Oneness in Worship of God; and Oneness in
the names and qualities of God.
In this answer, candidates need to name these three aspects of Tawhid and
explain them:

Oneness of the Lordship of God: There is only one Lord for the entire
universe that is God. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and Lawgiver and Master
of the universe. He is neither the father nor the son of anyone. The main

statement that every Muslim makes is 'la ilaha illa Allah', 'there is no God
but Allah'. Candidates could give quotesfrom the Qur'an to expand on this
aspect of tawhid.
Oneness in Worship of God: Since God is the Creator, he is the only
one worthy of worship. It is man's primaryduty and obligation to
worship none other than him. Muslims must only pray, invoke, and ask him
for help. 'You alone we worship and You alone we ask help from.' (Ikhlas
112:2-3)

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Oneness in the Names and Qualities of God: The belief includes:

We must not name or qualify God except with what he and his Messenger
have named or qualified him with. None can be named or qualified with the
names or qualifications of God. Muslims must believe in all the qualitiesof
God which he has stated in his Book or mentioned through his Messenger;
Muslims believe in the divine attributes of God; these attributes are only
inherent in God and this belief is integral to Islam. Muslims are unableto describe
God; however, the existence of God can be realised through his
manifestations and through his attributes as told by his messengers.
Again, candidates can quote from the Qur'an to develop the point further.

(b) Why has God repeatedly warned Muslims against committing shirk?
[4] [May/2016]
An evaluative and personal response is needed to answer this question. It
could be said that God has warned Muslims against committing shirk as it
signifies ascribing partners to him or suggesting that another could share his
divine attributes. It has been termed as the most unforgivable of sins for
which one will not be forgiven by God.

Q16. (a) Belief in all the prophets is one of the articles of faith in Islam.
Write about this Muslim belief indetail [10]
[May 17]
Belief in all the prophets sent by God starting from Adam to Prophet
Muhammad (pbuh) is an integral part of every Muslims faith. Muslims
believe that some of these prophets were nabis and others were rasuls.
Answers could say that Muslims believe that all the prophets that came were
men of outstanding moral character, sinless and preached the word of God.
It is believed that there were 124 000 prophets in all, the line ending
with the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). All of these prophets were endowed
with miracles and some were given books to guide mankind. Candidates
could develop their answers by giving the names of some of these prophets
and also the books that were revealed to them. They could write about the
importance of believing in all of them and giving respect to all and writing
about the finality of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) as the seal of prophets.

(b) How is the message brought by these prophets important for

Muslims today? [4]
Compiled

It could be said that the message brought by all the prophets was of belief in
the one God; good conduct and belief in resurrection and the Day of
Judgment. This message is important to Muslims today just as it was
important to Muslims of the past ages and will be to those of the future
because it reiterates tawhid and accountability which if a person bears in
mind will lead to good conduct and prosperity in this world and the next.
Itteaches Muslims tolerance for other revealed faiths and makes them realise
that Islam is a continuation and culmination of the other revealed faiths. The unity
of the message will foster better relations between Muslims andother
believers etc. Not all the points mentioned above need to be written about
and discussed to get to the higherlevel marks.

Q17. Belief in the oneness of God (tawhid) is a fundamental aspect

of faith. State how tawhid benefitsMuslims in
their everyday life. [10]
[May 17] Candidates can begin their answer by stating that God is unique,
that He is the Creator and the Sustainer of heaven, earth and all that is
therein; that He is Eternal and no one can share in His ownership etc. or they
canlaunch straight into the answer by stating the many benefits of belief
in tawhid.
The benefits of tawhid in the life of a Muslim are several. To begin
with, belief in tawhid makes a person virtuous and obedient to God as
they know that success and salvation in this world and the hereafter can only
be achievedby piety and righteous deeds. A Muslim surrenders completely to
the will of God and becomes obedient to Him. It instills in them a sense of
confidence and self-respect as they know that they are dependent on no one
but God so they bow before no one else. The belief also makes them humble
and modest as they know that all they have is from God; it stimulates unity
and brotherhood and broadens the outlook of a believer as they realise that
God's love and sympathy is not confined to any one group of people but to
His entire creation. Tawhid also gives a Muslim courage as they know
that only God is the giver or taker of life so in turn this belief makes
them brave. It also creates an attitude of peace and contentment and
frees one from jealousy and envy and greed. Candidates may well give
benefits other than those given above and if valid should be credited
accordingly.

(b) Give reasons to support the statement that without tawhid there
is no faith.
Here candidates need to give their answer and back it up with reasoning.
Answers could state that belief in the oneness of God is the first article of Islam
and all forms of ibadah revolve around it; because Muslims believe in the one God
they offer salat five times a day to glorify Him and seek His aid; they
fast in the month of Ramadan, give zakat and perform hajj which are all
actions to glorify God, to follow His commands, to please Him and to seek
His mercy. If the belief in tawhid was absent there would be no need to act
upon the Pillars of faith or the teachings of Islam as they are all done to
please the one God. All valid responses need to be credited.
Q18. Associating partners (shirk) is opposed to believing in the
oneness of God (tawhid) and can bedivided into
three main categories. Write about each category. [10] [May 17]
This question is asking the candidates to write about tawhid but from another
perspective.

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Articles of Faith
20 1.Shirk in the existence of God would constitute assigning partners
to God or saying that there is more than one Creator or that there are more
gods than one. It could also be committed by declaring God to be the father
or sonof someone. Well-developed answers may well quote Sura 112:3
which says 'He does not beget, nor is He begotten.' This is the most
unforgivable sin and should never be committed as God has said in
several places in the Qur'an e.g. ‘Allah forgives not that partners
should be set up with Him, but He forgives anything else to whomHe
pleases.' (Al- Nisa 4:48) 2. Shirk in the worship of God can be committed
by praying invoking or asking for help from any other than Godand by
offering sacrifice or slaughtering in the name of any other than God. Muslims
should therefore only ask God for the fulfilment of their wishes or needs as
that power lies only with him. Only He should be invoked.
3. Shirk in God's attributes means to ascribe qualities which are unique to
God to some other being. It means to believe that some being other than God
has the power to create, or make something perish or has the same
knowledge as God or the same divine power. Muslims should therefore be
careful to not commit this grave sin. All three kinds of shirk should never be
committed 'Whoever joins other gods with Allah, Allah will forbid him
fromthe garden and fire will be his abode. There will for the wrong-doers
be no one to help.' (Al-Maidah 5:72)
Qb. Does belief in angels make a Muslim's faith stronger? Give reasons
for your answer. [4]
Candidates in response to this question could say that belief in angels
does make a Muslim's faith stronger. By believing in them, even though
they cannot be seen, a Muslim is confirming his/her firm belief in all that the
Qur'ansays about them and what the Prophet (pbuh) has said about them.
Some could say that the revealed faiths prior to Islam also believe in angels
and this belief confirms the Muslim belief that Islam is a continuation and
culmination of the previous faiths revealed by God hence making their faith
even stronger. Yet some others could write that by believing in angels e.g.
Jibra'il being the angel who brought revelations to the Prophet (pbuh)
Muslims are convinced of the Qur'an being sent by God which in turn
makes their faith stronger. All valid points of views should be credited.

Q19. (a) Write an account about the relationship between belief in

God's divine decree and humanresponsibility.
[10] [Oct 17]
The fifth article of Islamic faith is belief in divine decree which means that
everything good or bad, all moments of happiness or sorrow, pleasure or
pain, come from God. Firstly, it could be said that God's fore
knowledge is infallible. God is not indifferent to this world or its people.
He is Wise and Loving, but this should not make us fatalists, throwing up our
hands and saying, 'what's the point of making any effort?' God's fore
knowledge does not compromise human responsibility. God holds us
accountable for what we can do, what is within our capability,but He does
not hold us accountable for things we cannot do. He is Just and, as He
has given us only limited responsibility, judges us accordingly. God
knows what the creatures will do, encompassing everything by His
knowledge. Whoever refuses, this denies God's perfection because the
opposite of knowledge is either ignoranceor forgetfulness. Both are
deficiencies which God is free of.

Second, God has recorded everything that will occur until the Day of
Judgment in the Preserved Tablet (al-Lauhal- Mahfuz). The life spans of all
human beings are written and the amount of their sustenance apportioned.
Third, whatever God wills to happen happens, and whatever God does
not will does not happen. Nothing occursin the heavens or on earth without the
will of God.
.
Fourth, God is the Creator of everything.
"He has created everything, and has ordained for it a measure."
(Quran 25:2)

In Islamic doctrine every human act both in material and spiritual life is
predestined, yet it is incorrect to believe the action of fate is blind, arbitrary,
and relentless. Without denying divine interference in human affairs, human
liberty is kept intact. It does not discount the principle of man's moral
freedom and responsibility. All is known, but freedom is also granted.
Man is not a helpless creature borne along by destiny. Rather, each person is
responsible for his acts. Man is bound to obey the moral law; and he will
receive merited punishment or reward ashe violates or observes that law.
However, if such is so, man must have within his power the ability to break
or keep the law. God would not hold us responsible for something unless
we were capable of doing it:"God does

not burden any human being with more than he is well able to bear".
(Quran 2:286)
The above is a very detailed response to the question asked written for the
guidance of examiners. Candidatesare not expected to write in this much
detail but must cover the points made in the given answer, the mark will
depend on the depth of the answer.

(b) How does this belief in God's divine decree affect the day to day life
of Muslims?
Belief in divine decree strengthens one's belief in God. A person
realises that God alone controls everything, so he trusts and relies on
Him. Even though a person tries his best, at the same time he relies on God
for the final outcome. His hard work or intelligence does not make him
arrogant, for God is the source of all that comes his way. Finally, a person
attains peace of mind in the realisation that God is the Wise and His actions
are dictated bywisdom. Things don't happen without a purpose. If something
reached him, he realises it could never have escaped him. If something
misses him, he realises it was never meant to be. A person achieves an inner
peace, and is inwardly at rest with this realisation.

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Q20.(a) Write in detail about Muslim belief in Life after Death and
the Day of Judgement. [10] [Oct 17] Candidates in this answer need to
write in detail as the question is asking them about Muslim belief in Life
after Death and the Day of Judgement. Responses could include information
such as: Belief in life after death is a fundamental belief of Muslims. It could
be added that a mini judgement takes place in the grave. This belief showsa
direct relation between a person's conduct on earth and the life beyond.
Muslims believe the present world to bea trial and that rewards and
punishments are dependent on how one lived one's life.
Candidates also need to write about the Day of Judgement and here they
could say that at the appointed hour, which is only known to God, this world
will come to an end. Following its end will be the day of resurrection and
inthis universal gathering all will have to give an account of their deeds;
no injustice will be meted out, Paradise andhell will be the final resting
places. It is the detail and development of some or many of the points given
above thatwill earn candidates the mark desired. The points given are
guidance and candidates could mention other elements like the Siraat, etc.
Where necessary, marks should be given even if the points are not mentioned
above, but are relevant.

(b) How does belief in life after death affect the life of a Muslim? [4]
Here candidates need to give an evaluative response saying how in their
opinion belief in life after death affects the life of a Muslim. It is a subjective
response and will vary from one to another. However, one may expect
responses such as: it makes Muslims realise that they have to live in
accordance with the guidance given by God;it makes them realise that they
will be held to account for their actions in this world: this belief makes them
God conscious, etc. A range of responses can be given, but whatever is
written needs to be substantiated. .

Q21.(a) 'There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger.'

Write about the significance of the shahada to a
Muslim. [10] [May 18]
The shahada is the first Pillar of Islam and the declaration of this pledge that
a person makes with God enters him/her into the fold of Islam. The shahada starts
with the belief in the Oneness of God, which is the root of Islam and affirms God's
supremacy and makes a Muslim focussed on following the path set by
Him which can only be done by following the perfect example of the
Prophet (pbuh). The shahada affirms the belief in God and the message
brought by His messenger. The significance of the shahada, it could be
said, is that it is a reminder to Muslims that God is One and our day should
be spent worshipping Him. It reminds Muslims that none is worthy
ofworship but God and that He gave humans a life to obey Him. Muslims
do this by following the guidance of the Qur'an and the Prophet (pbuh).
It could be added that by saying the shahada Muslims become a part
of the umma. By repeating it in our daily prayers, Muslims become
confident and fear no one but God. When Muslims say that Muhammad
(pbuh) is themessenger of God, they acknowledge his right to be respected
and obeyed, and also followed as a model, knowing that he was the best of
creation.

(b) Why is the second Pillar of Islam prayer (salat) so important in a

Muslim's life? [4]

Evaluative responses are being looked for. For example, it could be said
that the five daily prayers signify a believer's submission to God. It could
be said that they serve as physical evidence of the believer's adherence
toIslam. Prayer is considered to be the foremost duty of a Muslim and such
is its importance that it is considered tobe the distinguishing feature between
a Muslim and a non-Muslim. Its chief purpose is to remind Muslims of
Godthroughout the day and to keep believers mindful of God.
Q22.(a) List the Six Articles of Faith and give an account of what any
two of them teach. [10] [May 18]
A straightforward question to which a descriptive response is needed.
Candidates need to list the Six Articles ofFaith namely:
Belief in God; angels; revealed books; prophets; life after death and Day of
Judgment; and divine decree. Fromthe Six Articles of Faith they need to
choose any two and write an account of what belief in them contains. The
following is a brief account of all the Six Articles of Faith is given as
guidance, indicating what could be expectedin answers.
Belief in God means that a Muslim believes in His existence, that He is the Lord,
the Creator and the Sustainer and none share His authority. Only He is entitled
to worship and that He has the most beautiful namesand attributes that He is
unique and no evil or deficiency can be attributed to Him.
☐☐The second belief in angels is about belief in their existence,
as creations of God who have no right to be
worshipped, belief in the names by which they are identified in the Qur'an
and Sunna, and belief in the tasks assigned to them in the Qur'an.

Belief in revealed books is that God sent them to various prophets and that
they contained the words of God.

Muslims also believe that, other than the Qur'an, all previous books are not
in their original form. ☐☐Belief in prophets is that a prophet was sent to
every nation, they were the best of humanity, their role was toconvey
God's message. Respect and obedience to them is due and that Muhammad
(pbuh) is the seal of prophets. The fifth Article believes that this world will
come to an end with the command of God after which humanitywill be
raised again. Humankind will be accountable before God and will be
rewarded or punished depending ontheir deeds.
Belief in divine decree entails that God has foreknowledge which is all
inclusive, everything is recorded andhappens

.
Articles of Faith

by God's will. God's complete knowledge over every matter does not
reduce human responsibility. Both Articles selected by the candidate need to
be covered in detail for a good mark.

(b) What, in your opinion, is the importance of prophets being sent to

humanity? [4]
22

A range of reasons could be given. It could be said that prophets were sent to
guide humanity to the worship of their Creator, they were sent as warners,
to clarify to humans the purpose of creation, to show the righteous
path,providing practical examples, conveying the teachings of God.
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