1: Faith
There are two main branches of Islam - Sunni and Shi'a. Sunni is the largest branch of Islam. Shi'a is the second largest branch. Sunni and Shi'a Muslims agree on the basic principles of Islam, such as believing in one God and the importance of the prophets. They also share the same holy book - the Qur'an.
The reason there has been a split into different branches is due to differences in belief about who was the rightful successor to the Prophet Muhammad as leader of the Muslim community after his death.
Shi'a Islam
Shi'a is the second largest branch of Islam and is divided into three further branches, including Twelver Shi'a - the largest group. Many Shi'a Muslims believe that Muhammad chose Ali as his successor and they do not accept the authority of the first three Sunni caliphs. In Shi'a Islam an imam is not simply a person in charge of a mosque and its congregation, but someone who has the authority to decide the meaning of the Qur'an and which laws Shi'a Muslims should follow.
2: Key beliefs in Islam.
Beliefs
Sunni and Shi'a Muslims both believe in the oneness of Allah and follow the teachings of the Qur'an and Sunnah. Sunni and Shi'a Muslims also agree on the importance of the prophets.
Each branch of Islam has some central beliefs. Sunni Muslims follow the six articles of faith and Shi'a Muslims follow the five roots of Usul ad-Din.
The six articles of faith - Sunni Islam
Tawhid is having absolute faith in the oneness of God. Allah is simply the Arabic word for God and is not the name of any other being. Nothing can be likened to him and it is important to note that Allah has no plural in Arabic.
Angels (malaikah) are important because God's greatness means that he cannot communicate directly with humans. He therefore passed messages (Risalah) to his prophets via the angels, who were his first creation.
The holy books should be respected, especially the Qur'an, which is a direct revelation from God – it is God's word.
The prophets (nubuwwah) should be respected, especially Muhammad, known as the Seal of the Prophets (the last prophet). It is important to note that Muslims accept Isa (known by the name Jesus in Christianity) as a prophet. There are 25 prophets named in the Qur'an.
Sunni Muslims believe in the Day of Judgement and the afterlife (Akhirah). All Muslims will be judged by God and sent to either Paradise or Hell.
Al-Qadr means that everything in the universe is following a divine masterplan. This shows the importance of God's will, as Allah knows or decides everything that will happen. In all things the master-planning is God's (Qur'an 13:42).
What is the importance of the six articles of faith?
Knowing that there is only one God, Sunni Muslims believe that people should live following his rules. The holy books help with this as they give guidance on how Muslims can live their lives on the right path. The prophets are sent by God to teach humans how to live as Allah wished and to teach how to obey his laws.
A lot of Sunni Muslims believe that the angels record the deeds of humans on Earth, which encourages Muslims to do good if they want to have a place in Paradise.
The belief in the Day of Judgement means believing that this life is a test and Allah determines everything, even human free will. However, humans are still responsible and held accountable for their actions.
The five roots of Usul ad-Din - Shi'a Islam
The theology of the twelve imams of Shi'a Islam contains the five key principles known as Usul ad-Din:
Tawhid - the belief that God is one, almighty and unique.
Divine justice (Adalat) - God will judge everyone on the Day of Judgement.
The prophets (nubuwwah) - who should be respected, especially Muhammad.
Authority of the imams (imamate) - these twelve imams were chosen by God to lead Islam after Muhammad.
Day of Resurrection (Al-Ma'ad) - Muslims will be resurrected and judged by God.
What is the importance of the five roots of Usul ad-Din?
Shi'a Muslims believe that the prophets provide guidance on the past and the Qur'an. They agree that if there is only one God then Muslims should follow his rules.
Shi'a Muslims believe that Allah is always right and just and sometimes may act in ways that are beyond our understanding. Muslims believe they face judgement in the afterlife. Therefore, they need to follow the right path in their lives in order to pass any test that God sets for them.
They believe that leaders such as imams protect the religion and guide Muslims along the right path.
Similarities between Sunni Islam and Shi'a Islam
Although they are split, Sunni and Shi'a Muslims share many of the same beliefs:
Allah is the one God.
They regard the Holy Qur'an as the word of Allah.
They acknowledge the same prophets.
They believe that angels passed on messages to the prophets.
They believe there will be a Day of Judgement.
3: Key beliefs in Islam.
The nature of God
And your Allah is One Allah. There is no god but He, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Qur'an 2:163
Muslims believe that Allah:
is the one true God - all worship and praise is directed towards him
should be treated with respect as he is the supreme being
is the creator, designer and sustainer of the world
The word Tawhid is used to describe the oneness of Allah, which is the fundamental belief of Islam. It means believing in Allah, believing that he is the one and only God. It helps Muslims to think of Allah as the centre point of life.
If Allah had so willed, we should not have worshipped aught but Him. … But what is the mission of the messengers but to preach the clear Message? For We assuredly sent amongst every people a messenger.
Qur'an 16:35–36
Confirming that Allah is the only God is the first part of the Shahadah. It is blasphemy to believe in other gods, which means it is the worst sin.
The attributes of Allah
Muslims believe that Allah is:
Transcendent – Allah is above and beyond anything that exists in the world.
Fair and just - Allah judges everyone equally.
Immanent - Allah is close to every human and within all things on Earth.
Omnipotent - Allah is all-powerful.
Beneficent - Allah is all-loving.
Merciful - Allah shows compassion and mercy, and he forgives people.
Muslims believe that Allah is just and created the world in a fair way (Adalat). They also believe that he always behaves in a merciful way.
Allah in the Qur'an
Allah has many different descriptions and it is hard to represent him in a few words, so the Qur'an teaches that Allah has 99 names. Each of the 99 names relates to a particular attribute of Allah, making him easier to understand and relate to.
Al-Hakim (The Wise), Al-Hakam (The Judge) and Al-Rahim (The Most Merciful) are examples of Allah's 99 names in the Qur'an. Subhah beads are used in prayer when Muslims are remembering the 99 names of Allah.
Subhah beads are used in prayer; each bead represents one name of Allah.
Say 'He is Allah, [who is] One.
Qur'an 112:1
4: Key beliefs in Islam.
Angels
Most Muslims believe that angels or malaikah were created before humans with the purpose of following the orders of Allah and communicating with humans.
Angels are immortal, are made of light and have wings. They are pure and cannot sin. They obey and serve Allah at all times.
They praise God:
They exalt him night and day and do not slacken
Qur'an 21:20
Angels can appear in human form and there are some who have specific roles, including guardian angels.
The role of angels
They act as messengers to the prophets.
They take care of people.
They record everything a person does, and this information is used on the Day of Judgement.
Izrail, the Angel of Death, takes people's souls to God when they die.
They welcome Muslims into Paradise and also supervise the pits of Hell.
Angel Jibril
Angel Jibril (known in Christianity as the Angel Gabriel) always brings good news. He is mentioned in both the Qur'an and the Hadith.
He revealed Allah's words (the Qur'an) to Muhammad on the Night of Power so he is known as the Angel of Revelation. He played a vital role in communicating the final version of Islam to humanity.
The Angel Jibril appeared to Maryam, who in Christianity is known as Mary. Jibril told her she was pregnant with Isa (Jesus).
Jibril knows the beauty of Paradise but also how hard it is to get there. He has seen Hell and knows that no one would want to be sent there.
Angel Mika'il
Also known as Michael, the Angel Mika'il is a friend to humanity and known as the giver of rain and food. He is believed to reward people who do good deeds.
He asks Allah to forgive people's sins as he is the Angel of Mercy. Both the Angel Jibril and the Angel Mika'il will be present on the Day of Judgement.
Other angels
There are other angels in Islam, such as Izrail, the Angel of Death, who takes the souls from bodies when people die so they can enter the afterlife.
Israfil is another angel. It is believed that he will blow a trumpet to announce the Day of Judgement.
5: Life after death.
Akhirah is the word Muslims use to refer to life after death. Belief in an afterlife encourages Muslims to take responsibility for their actions. They know God will hold them accountable and reward or punish them accordingly.
Akhirah explains humans' existence on Earth, saying that life is a test from Allah. Importantly, though, Muslims believe that Allah will not test them beyond their limits.
The afterlife
After death, most Muslims believe that the soul will enter Barzakh, a state of waiting, until the Day of Judgement.
When a person dies, their soul is taken by Azra'il, the Angel of Death.
God sends two angels to question the waiting soul.
If the questions are answered correctly, the good soul then sleeps during Barzakh.
If the questions are not answered correctly, the soul is tormented by angels, known as punishment of the grave.
6: Heaven and Hell.
Heaven is described in the Qur'an as a beautiful garden. Jannah is Paradise, where those who have been good go. It is described in the Qur'an as "gardens of pleasure" (Qur'an 31:8).
Muslims believe they get to Paradise by living religiously, asking Allah for forgiveness and showing good actions in their life. These good actions will be rewarded on the Last Day. Therefore, obeying the rules set by Allah is of ultimate importance.
Muslims believe there are seven levels of Heaven, although "seven" is interpreted by some Muslims as simply "many". Each Heaven is made of a different material, and a different prophet lives in each Heaven. The first Heaven is made of silver and is where Adam and Eve live. Abraham lives in the seventh Heaven in a place made of divine light.
Hell is described as a place of fire and torment. Jahannam is a place of scorching fire pits and boiling water, a place of physical and spiritual suffering. Vivid descriptions of hell are used in the Qur'an as a way to stop Muslims from participating in sin.
Muslims believe that they will be sent to Hell if they reject the teachings of the Qur'an or take no responsibility for their actions. Either of these would mean that they had failed Allah's test.
Some Muslims believe that even the souls in Hell can eventually be sent to Paradise.
These beliefs give Muslims the motivation to follow the teachings in the Qur'an. They also give hope to those who suffer that there is something better to come in the future.
7: Judgement.
Yawm ad-Din is the Day of Judgement, when Allah will decide how people will spend their afterlife.
Most Muslims believe they have free will to make their own choices. They also believe that they will be judged by God for those choices. They recognise that humans are still responsible for their actions.
When God's purpose for the universe has been fulfilled, the world will be destroyed.
When the world ends, Israfil will sound a trumpet and there will be a resurrection. All the dead bodies will be raised and will gather on the plain of Arafat for the final judgement.
When the bodies are raised from the dead, they will be naked so that nothing can be hidden. They will also be given their own 'book of deeds'. They will take it in turns to read aloud from their book so that nothing can be hidden.
In Islam, everyone, even non-Muslims, will be judged on their good and bad deeds. Muslims believe a set of scales will balance good deeds and bad deeds.
Muslims believe a set of scales will be used at the Day of Judgement balancing good and bad deeds
For one whose scales are heavy with good deeds, He will be in a pleasant life … for one whose scales are light, His refuge will be abyss.
Qur'an 101:6–9
Those who are handed their deeds in their right hand will go to Heaven, and those who are handed them in their left hand will go to Hell.
The idea of a Day of Judgement encourages Muslims to live their lives in a good way. They try to pass the test of life and take responsibility for their actions, whether good or bad.
Muslims can also ask for forgiveness and they recognise that intention is important. For example, if a person carries out an action because they intend the result to be good but the outcome is unexpectedly bad, a good deed will still have been done as the intention was good.
8: Predestination.
Al-Qadr is the Muslim belief that Allah has decided everything that will happen in the world and in people's lives, which is also called predestination. Most Muslims believe that humans cannot choose to do something if Allah has not already chosen that path for them. Some Muslims like this idea and find it reassuring that if a bad thing happens it must be part of God's plan.
Sunni beliefs
Most Sunni Muslims believe that Allah has made it impossible for them to choose anything other than what he has chosen.
Some Sunni Muslims believe that God has already determined everything that will happen in the universe.
Only what God has decreed will happen to us.
Qur'an 9:51
Humans do not have the freedom to change their destiny.
Some Muslims often say Insha'Allah, which means "if Allah wills". This highlights that life has already been planned out by Allah and he has determined how each person will behave.
Shi'a beliefs
Most Shi'a Muslims believe that Allah has ultimate control of the world but that people's lives are down to their own free will.
Shi'a Muslims believe that God knows what will happen, but this doesn't mean that he decides it. They believe that God can see everything that happens - past, present and future.
God knows what choices people will make, but they still have the free will to make these choices for themselves.
God does not change the conditions of a people for the worse unless they change what is in themselves.
Qur'an 13:11
Some Shi'a Muslims believe that the idea of the Day of Judgement contradicts the idea of Al-Qadr. This is because if Muslims are being judged on their actions, this must be because they had the free will to act in a certain way.
Leadership differences between Sunni and Shi'a
There are many differences between Shi'a and Sunni beliefs. However, one important reason for some of the differences is to do with leadership.
Shi'a Muslims respect the leadership of an imam and believe that the Qur'an must be interpreted by their leader. The imam is a figure with special God-given authority who is both a successor and a descendant of Muhammad. He is without sin and is the intermediary between God and humankind. The doctrine of 'nass' teaches that every imam is chosen by the previous imam, which ensures continuity.
Sunni Muslims believe that leadership within the community is not a birth right as it is in Shi'a Islam. There is no set hierarchy in Sunni Islam and the word imam is used to refer to the person responsible for providing religious and spiritual care and leadership for the congregation of a mosque.