Topic I1 — The Six Articles of Faith (Sunni) & Five Roots of Usul ad-Din (Shi'a)
The foundation of Islamic belief is structured around core articles of faith, though these differ slightly between the two largest branches of Islam, Sunni and Shi'a. For Sunni Muslims, faith is built upon the Six Articles of Faith (Iman). The first is belief in Allah (Tawhid), the absolute oneness of God. The second is belief in the angels (Mala'ikah), beings created from light who carry out God's commands without question. The third is belief in the holy books (Kutub), including the Qur'an, Torah, Psalms, and Gospel, though Muslims believe the Qur'an is the final, uncorrupted revelation. The fourth is belief in the prophets (Nubuwwah), from Adam through to Muhammad, the final and seal of the prophets. The fifth is belief in the Day of Judgement (Akhirah), when all souls will be resurrected and judged. The sixth is belief in predestination (Al-Qadr), the divine decree that God has knowledge of and control over all things.
For Shi'a Muslims, particularly the Ithna Ashari (Twelvers), the framework is known as the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din. These are Tawhid (oneness of God), Adalat (divine justice — God is just in all actions and does not command evil), Nubuwwah (prophethood), Imamate (divine guidance through the Imams, descendants of the Prophet Muhammad through his daughter Fatima and son-in-law Ali), and Mi'ad (resurrection). The concept of Imamate is the key theological divider; Shi'as believe the Imam is the rightful spiritual and temporal successor to Muhammad, possessing both knowledge and infallibility. Sunnis reject this, believing leadership should be elected from the community — a disagreement that arose over the succession after Muhammad's death in 632 CE.
Topic I2 — Tawhid: The Oneness of God
Tawhid is the defining and non-negotiable doctrine of Islam, encapsulating the absolute oneness, uniqueness, and singularity of Allah. The concept is so central that the gravest sin in Islam is shirk, which is the association of any partners with God or the division of God's nature. This strict monotheism is beautifully and concisely expressed in Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas), which serves as the primary proof-text for Tawhid: "Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah is Eternal and Absolute. None is born of Him, nor is He born. And there is none like unto Him." This surah establishes four critical points: God's absolute unity, his eternal self-sufficiency, that he is unbegotten and does not beget, and that there is nothing comparable to him.
Allah is also described in the Qur'an through the 99 Beautiful Names (Asma ul-Husna) — attributes that describe his character and nature. Key attributes include: Ar-Rahman (The Most Merciful), Al-Qadir (The All-Powerful), Al-'Alim (The All-Knowing), and Al-'Adl (The Just). In Shi'a Islam, the concept of Adalat (justice) is particularly emphasised, asserting that God is inherently just and does not decree evil. God is also described as both immanent and transcendent. He is transcendent in that he is above and beyond all creation, unlike anything in the universe. Yet he is also immanent, described in Surah 50:16 as being "closer to him than his jugular vein," meaning he is aware of every thought and action. The contrast between Islamic Tawhid and the Christian doctrine of the Trinity is a frequent exam question — Muslims view the Trinity as a form of shirk.
Essential quote: Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas) is the most important passage for questions on the nature of God in Islam. Memorise its meaning and explain how its four statements each address a potential misunderstanding of divine oneness.
Topic I3 — Angels (Mala'ikah)
In Islamic theology, angels (Mala'ikah) are beings created by God from light (nur) to serve as his messengers and agents. Unlike humans, angels possess no free will; they are incapable of disobeying God and exist solely to worship him and carry out his commands. The most important angel in Islam is Jibril (Gabriel), who revealed the Qur'an to the Prophet Muhammad over approximately 23 years, beginning with the command "Iqra!" (Recite!) in the cave of Hira. Mika'il (Michael) is responsible for natural phenomena such as rain and the provision of food. Izra'il (Azrael), the Angel of Death, takes the souls of the deceased. Israfil will blow the trumpet to signal the Day of Judgement.
Additionally, every human being is believed to have two guardian angels known as the Kiraman Katibin (Noble Scribes): one on the right shoulder records good deeds and one on the left records bad deeds. This belief in the constant recording of actions serves as a powerful moral motivator. In exam answers, it is important to note that angels are not worshipped in Islam — worship is due to God alone. The existence of angels reinforces Tawhid because they demonstrate that God works through agents and intermediaries rather than needing to act directly in every situation.
Topic I4 — Prophethood (Risalah) & Holy Books
Risalah refers to the Islamic concept of prophethood and the belief that God communicates his guidance to humanity through human messengers. Muslims believe that God has sent prophets to every nation throughout history, beginning with Adam and including figures such as Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim (Abraham), Musa (Moses), and Isa (Jesus). However, the final and greatest prophet is Muhammad, known as the Seal of the Prophets (Khatam an-Nabiyyin). This means that while previous prophets brought messages for specific times and peoples, Muhammad brought the universal and final revelation for all of humanity until the end of time. There will be no further prophets after him.
Alongside the prophets, God revealed holy books (Kutub). The Qur'an is considered the final, perfect, and unalterable word of God, revealed in Arabic to Muhammad via Jibril. Muslims believe that previous scriptures — the Torah (Tawrat) given to Musa, the Psalms (Zabur) given to Dawud, and the Gospel (Injil) given to Isa — were altered or corrupted over time by human hands. The Qur'an is thus seen as the corrective and superseding text, preserved perfectly since its revelation. The Hadith (sayings and actions of the Prophet) and the Sunnah (his way of life) are also important sources of Islamic guidance, second only to the Qur'an itself.
Topic I5 — Akhirah: Life After Death, Predestination & Free Will
Akhirah, the Islamic belief in the afterlife, is a central doctrine that shapes Muslim ethics and spirituality. This life is considered a test, and the hereafter is the place where the consequences of one's actions are fully realised. After death, the soul enters a state of waiting called Barzakh until the Day of Judgement (Yawm al-Din), when all human beings will be resurrected and judged by God. Every person will face a weighing of their deeds; those whose good deeds outweigh the bad will be granted entry to Jannah (Paradise), a place of eternal pleasure and closeness to God. Those whose bad deeds outweigh the good will be condemned to Jahannam (Hell), understood as a place of punishment and separation from God's mercy.
Closely tied to this is the doctrine of predestination (Al-Qadr). Sunni Muslims believe that God has complete knowledge of all things and has written the destiny of all creation in a preserved tablet (al-Lawh al-Mahfuz). This raises the profound question of free will: if God has preordained all things, how can humans be held accountable? Sunni theology generally teaches that while God has knowledge of what humans will choose, humans still possess free will and are therefore responsible. Shi'a Islam places greater emphasis on God's justice (Adalat), arguing that God does not compel humans to sin and that human free will is real and meaningful. This nuanced balance between divine sovereignty and human responsibility is a sophisticated theological topic frequently tested in exams.
Topic I6 — The Five Pillars (Sunni) & Ten Obligatory Acts (Shi'a)
The Five Pillars of Islam (Arkan al-Islam) are the foundational acts of worship that define a Muslim's faith and submission to God. The first is the Shahadah: "There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is the messenger of Allah." Said with sincere conviction, this declaration is the gateway to becoming a Muslim. The second is Salah, the obligatory prayer performed five times daily (Fajr, Dhuhr, Asr, Maghrib, Isha). Before praying, a Muslim performs Wudu (ritual washing), faces the Qiblah (the Ka'aba in Makkah), and performs a series of physical postures (rak'ahs). The Friday Jummah prayer is a congregational obligation for men. The third pillar is Zakah, the compulsory alms-giving of 2.5% of surplus savings annually to benefit the poor and needy. The fourth is Sawm, fasting during the month of Ramadan — no food, drink, or sexual relations from dawn to sunset. The fifth is Hajj, the annual pilgrimage to Makkah that every able Muslim must perform at least once. Key rites include wearing the white Ihram, performing Tawaf (circling the Ka'aba seven times), standing at Arafat, and throwing pebbles at the pillars in Mina.
Shi'a Islam expands these into the Ten Obligatory Acts, which include the Five Pillars plus: Jihad (struggle in the way of God), Khums (giving one-fifth of surplus wealth), Amr-bil-Ma'roof (enjoining good), Nahy-Anil-Munkar (forbidding evil), and Tawalla and Tabbara (love for the friends of God and dissociation from his enemies).
Topic I7 — Jihad: Greater & Lesser Jihad
The concept of Jihad is one of the most misunderstood terms in Islam, often conflated in the media with terrorism. In Islamic theology, Jihad literally means "struggle" or "striving" in the way of God. The Greater Jihad (Jihad al-Nafs) refers to the inner, personal struggle against one's own ego, sinful desires, and the temptations of the world. This spiritual and moral struggle is considered by many scholars to be the more important and perpetual form of Jihad, as it is a daily battle for every Muslim to live a righteous life. The Prophet Muhammad reportedly said after returning from battle: "We have returned from the lesser jihad to the greater jihad."
The Lesser Jihad (Jihad al-Saif) refers to the external struggle, which can include armed conflict. However, Islamic law places strict conditions upon it: it must be declared by a legitimate authority (not an individual), it must be a last resort after all peaceful options have been exhausted, it must be in self-defence or to remove oppression, and it must protect the lives of civilians, women, and children. Terrorism, which deliberately targets innocent civilians, is condemned by the vast majority of Muslim scholars as a gross violation of these conditions. In exam answers, students must distinguish between the noble concept of Jihad and criminal acts of terrorism, showing that Islam has a stringent ethical framework for the use of force.
Topic I8 — Festivals: Id-ul-Adha, Id-ul-Fitr & Ashura
Id-ul-Fitr, the Festival of Breaking the Fast, marks the end of Ramadan. It begins with a special congregational prayer (Salat al-Eid), followed by feasting, giving of gifts, and the payment of Zakah al-Fitr (charity for the poor) to ensure that everyone can participate in the festivities. It is a time of gratitude to God for the strength to complete the fast and a chance to strengthen family and community bonds. Id-ul-Adha, the Festival of Sacrifice, marks the culmination of the Hajj pilgrimage and commemorates Prophet Ibrahim's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail in obedience to God's command. Muslims who are not on Hajj sacrifice an animal (typically a sheep, goat, or cow), distributing the meat among family, friends, and the poor. This act symbolises submission to God's will and care for the less fortunate.
Ashura, the 10th day of Muharram, is observed differently by Sunni and Shi'a Muslims. For Sunnis, it is a recommended day of fasting to commemorate the rescue of Musa (Moses) and the Israelites from Pharaoh. For Shi'as, it is a day of intense mourning for the martyrdom of Imam Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Shi'as may participate in processions, recitations of elegies, and acts of self-reflection. This difference in observance highlights the distinct historical and theological emphases of the two communities and is a favourite topic for exam questions requiring contrast.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both include belief in God, prophets, and resurrection. The key difference is that Shi'a Islam adds Adalat (divine justice) and Imamate (divinely guided leadership through Ali's descendants) instead of the Sunni sixth article of Al-Qadr (predestination). The Imamate is the biggest theological divider between the two traditions.
Tawhid is the absolute oneness and uniqueness of Allah — the foundational doctrine of Islam. It means God has no partners, equals, or associates. The greatest sin in Islam is shirk (associating partners with God). Surah 112 (Al-Ikhlas) is the primary Qur'anic text expressing Tawhid.
Jibril is the most important angel in Islam. He was the means through which the Qur'an was revealed to the Prophet Muhammad over approximately 23 years, beginning in the cave of Hira with the command 'Iqra' (Read/Recite). His role establishes the chain of revelation from God to humanity.
The Greater Jihad (Jihad al-Nafs) is the inner spiritual struggle against one's own ego, desires, and temptations. The Lesser Jihad (Jihad al-Saif) is the external struggle, which can include armed conflict but only under very strict conditions — last resort, declared by legitimate authority, in defence, protecting civilians.
For Sunnis, Ashura is a day of recommended fasting, commemorating the rescue of Musa (Moses) from Pharaoh. For Shi'a Muslims, it is a day of intense mourning marking the martyrdom of Imam Husayn at the Battle of Karbala (680 CE), which is central to Shi'a identity and theology.