Belief in Tawhid (Oneness of Allah)

Q4 a) Outline the Muslim teaching about the belief in the oneness of God (Tawhid). [10]
Q4 a) Muslims believe that God alone is Lord, that He alone should be worshipped, and that His
names and attributes are unique to Him. Outline Muslim beliefs in the oneness of God. [10]
MARKSCHEME:
 A fundamental teaching of Islam
 Three aspects:

i. Oneness in Lordship (+references)

ii. Oneness in worship (+references)
iii. Oneness in names/attributes (+reference – Surah Hashar etc.)
 Existence of Allah/ Signs of Allah

 Could mention shirk and its punishment

Belief in the Oneness of Allah is one of the Fundamentals of our faith. As it is stated in hadith-e-Jibrael,
when he asked the Prophet “What is Iman (faith)?”, The Holy Prophet replied, “it is to believe in Allah,
His books, His messengers, His Angels, The Last Day, and that you believe in Divine Decree whether
good or bad.”
Belief in the oneness of Allah is the fundamental teaching of Islam. It is the foundation of faith and
Termed Tawhid. Allah is the one and the only God. He is the Creator; the sustainer of the heaven, the
earth, and everything therein, "Allah is the creator of all things and he is the guardian and disposer of
all affairs. To him belong the keys of heaven and the earth." No one has a share in his ownership or
authority. He is eternal; Ever-living without a beginning or an end, He is the first and the last." He is the
first and last, the evident, and immanent. "He is independent while others are dependent on him for
their survival. He sustains everyone and everything, all creations stand in need of Allah and totally rely
on him, and Allah is the source and constant support of all forms of life. His life is perfect; He is free of all
wants and needs. He is not in need of rest or sleep," No slumber can seize him nor sleep." He is
Omniscient; His knowledge is perfect, He knows everything, the hidden and the manifest.
The Tawheed of Lordship (Rububiyyah):
The word ‘Lord’ in itself refers to a relationship of dominance and control, Allah’s Lordship over His
creation means that He alone is their Creator, Master, and Regulator of their affairs, the One who
bestows life and death and; the One who gives and deprive(REMOVE) and has power. In other words,
this Tawheed of Lordship means attesting that Allah is the absolute executor of actions in the universe:
through creation, organization, administration, enforcement of the change, increase, decrease,
provision of life and death, and other actions in which none is associated with Allah, Glorious and
Mighty is He.“…His verily is all creation and commandment. Blessed be Allah, the Lord of the Worlds.”
(Noble Quran 7:54) “…Then praise be to Allah, Lord of the heavens and Lord of the earth, the Lord of
the Worlds.” (Noble Quran 45:36)
The Tawheed of Worship (Uluhiyyah):
Since Allah is the creator, He is the only one worthy of worship. It is men's primary duty to worship none
but Allah. Allah says, "O you people! Worship your Guardian-Lord who created you and those who
came before you may have the chance to learn righteousness." Again he says, “I have only created jinn
 and men that they may serve me." None has the right to be worshipped but Allah. We must only pray
invoke and ask him for help from the unseen. We swear by his name. We offer sacrifice, give charity,
fast, and perform pilgrimage for Allah. Allah says," You do we worship and Your aid we seek." Tawheed
of worship is categorized into three types LOVE: The obligations of the sincere dedication of love to
Allah, the Exalted and Glorious. This means that the servant should not take anything or anybody as an
object of love of more importance than or even equal to, Allah. INWARD WORSHIP: The obligation of
devoting supplication, reliance, hope, and fear to Allah alone in matters upon which only He has power.
Allah Says: “…And invoke not besides Allah, any that will neither profit you, nor hurt you, but if you
did so, you shall certainly be one of the Zaalimun (polytheists) and (wrong-doers).” OUTWARD
WORSHIP: The obligation of dedicating all physical forms of worship purely and solely to Allah, such as
prayer, prostration, fasting, animal sacrifice, and pilgrimage; as well as all verbal forms, such as vows,
seeking forgiveness, dedicating alms, and the like.
The Tawheed of Names and Attributes (Asmaa Wa Sifaat):
In general, this means the firm conviction that Allah, the Glorious and Mighty, is characterized by all the
attributes of perfection, HE is above all defects and deficiencies, and that He alone is distinguished from
the rest of creation by these characteristics.NO resemblances OF ALLAH’S ATTRIBUTES TO THAT OF
HUMANS like sitting (istiwa), begets or begotten, hearing, seeing, etc. Surah hash describes some of the
attributes of Allah; they are He is Aalim: all-knowing. He knows the hidden and the manifest; the secret
and the open. Rehman and Raheem: The most compassionate, the most merciful. Malik: the sovereign
who has absolute authority, who gives commands, and receives obedience. Quddus: the holy, and the
pure, free from all stain or evil Salaam: the source of peace and perfection.
SIGNS OF ALLAH:
We cannot see Allah, but the existence of Allah is confirmed when we ponder over the universe that
such an organized and well-coordinated world could not have gone into existence on its own. There is a
humorous arrangement in the universe. The sun, the moon, the night, and the day follow fixed
schedules. Everything is created in a given proportion with perfect organization." Verily all things have
been created in proper measure."
SHIRK: Shirk literally means partnership or sharing or associating but in the terminology of Islam, it
refers to assigning partners with Allah. Which is the opposite of Tawhid? Which is the biggest
unforgivable sin? Shirk is divided into three main categories. Shirk in the existence of Allah is the first
category: To associate partner in the oneness of Allah, to think that there is more than one creator, or
declare that he is father or son to anyone, Allah says," Neither he begets nor he is, begotten." Shirk in
attributes is the second category of shirk: To ascribe any one of the unique qualities and attributes of
Allah to any other being. To claim or believe that any other being possesses the same knowledge, divine
power, will, or determination of Allah, or he can create, or make someone die or perish or give, or
benefit or harm. Shirk in worship is the third category of shirk. To associate partners in worship with
Allah. Allah is the creator, the sustainer, and the provider, he is alone worthy of worship, Allah says,
"Your Lord has decreed that you worship none but him," again he says, "And your Allah is one Allah;
there is no god but he, the most gracious, the most merciful." Praying, invoking, or asking for help from
unseen, swearing, offering sacrifice, charity, slaughtering in the name of other than Allah is shirk.

Q4 a) Belief in the oneness of God (tawhid) is a fundamental aspect of faith. State how tawhid benefits Muslims in
their everyday life. [10]
MARKSCHEME:
 A brief explanation of tawhid
 State benefits of tawhid:
 makes a person humble and modest instead of proud and arrogant
  individual freedom and dignity
 gives believers confidence and a sense of self-respect
 never bows his head to Allah’s creations and doesn’t stretch out his hand before others
 not jealous of others’ position, wealth, or status
 the an attitude of peace and contentment
 purges jealousy, envy, and greed and keeps away temptations of haram ways to earn success
 person becomes virtuous and obedient to God
 stimulates unity and brotherhood as believer realizes that God’s sympathy is for His entire creation
 gives believer courage, as Allah is the giver or taker of life
 Conclusion: contains a lot of benefits and is the fundamental belief in being a Muslim

FOCUS: detailing of the benefits of Tawhid in

everyday lives of Muslims.

Belief in the oneness of God is the essence of Islam. It is the basic principle of Islam and one of the articles of faith of
Allah says: "O you who believe in Allah, his messenger, and the scripture that he sent to his apostle and the
scripture that he sent to those before him. And who denies Allah, His Angels, His books, His apostle and the day of
judgment has gone far, far astray."
Allah is only one lord, The only deity who is worthy of devotion and worship. He is unique in his name and
attributes. Allah is the creator, The supreme planner, The organizer, The sustainer, and the dispenser of life and
death. He is the ever-living, The self-subsisting internal has no beginning or end. He is neither a father nor he is a son.
Allah says:" Say: He is Allah, the one and only. Allah, the internal, The absolute. He begets not nor is He begotten.
And there is none like unto him."
There are numerous benefits to believing in Tawheed in the daily life of a Muslim. Belief in Tawheed makes a person
obedient to Allah, Making him pious. They become aware that salvation in this world and the hereafter can only be
achieved by piety and righteous deeds. So, a Muslim submits himself to Allah wholeheartedly. It makes a man
virtuous, upright, and obedient to Allah. Allah says in the Quran: “It is Allah who is one lord and your Lord; then
worship him." A person realizes that all mankind is the creation of Allah and he becomes loving and synthetic to all.
Because of Tawheed, a Muslim looks upon everything in the universe as belonging to Allah, alone. Muslims know
that Allah is the possessor of all power and that none besides him can benefit or harm him, or provide for his needs.
Therefore, he never bows his head in homage to any of God's creatures, nor does he stretch his hand before anyone
else. Allah says:" O people! adorn your guardian lord who created you and those who came before you so that you
may the chance to learn righteousness." It encourages the equality of mankind.
Tawheed produces self-esteem and self-respect in a man. It develops confidence. Along with this, it generates a
sense of modesty and haughty or arrogant because he knows that whatever he possesses has been given to him by
God and that God can take away whatever he wishes. Prophet said:" Modesty brings nothing but good." Moreover,
it makes a man brave and courageous, for the trust's in Allah a belief's nothing can happen unless Allah will's it. A
believer is not affected by anyone's position, wealth, or status.
Tawheed encourages peace and makes a person contended. It purges the mind of jealousy, envy, and greed. It
refrains people from adopting unfair means of achieving success. As Muslims understand that distribution has been
done by Allah. As Allah knows what is best for us. This, in turn, reduces the crime rate in society, resulting in a
peaceful community.
Tawheed enables Muslims to establish a direct link with Allah. A Muslim, is thus, saved from worshipping any false
gods. It enables believers to believe the other articles of faith and act upon the pillars of Islam.
Thus, Tawheed brings immense benefits to the believers. It is the basis of the religion, making it greatly significant in
Islam.
Q4 a)Associating partners (shirk) is opposed to believing in the oneness of God (tawhid) and can be divided into
three main categories. Write about each category. [10]
MARKSCHEME:
 Define and explain shirk (giving examples etc.)
Well-developed answers will reference verses from Quran
 Three categories:
1. Shirk in Lordship and existence of God (+references)
2. Shirk in worship (+references)
3. Shirk in attributes of God (+references)
 Can write about Shirk-e-Asghar (concealed polytheism) and Shirk-e-Akbar (open polytheism)
 Punishment of Shirk (+ references)
 All three Shirks should not be committed

Shirk literally means a partnership, sharing, or association but in the terminology of Islam it means assigning partners
to Allah, or sharing the divine attributes with someone besides Allah and believing that the source of power, harm,
and blessings comes from an existence besides Allah. It is the opposite of tawhid i.e., the oneness of Allah, which is
the fundamental teaching of Islam and is the foundation of our faith. When we do shirk and reject Tawhid, we also
reject the fact that God is the most supreme, the first and the last, absolute, perfect, independent, and the most
knowledgeable, etc. Allah says “Allah is the creator of all things and he is the guardian and disposer of all affairs. To
him belongs the keys of the heavens and the earth”. However, the one who commits shirk rejects this verse of the
Quran. “Whoever joins other Gods with Allah. Allah will forbid him the garden and the fire will be his abode. There
will be for the wrong-doers no one of help”. Therefore, shirk is the biggest unforgivable sin in Islam.
1- SHIRK IN RUBOOBEEYAH:
This category of Shirk refers to either the belief that others share Allah's Lordship over creation as His equal or near
equal, or to the belief that there exists no Lord over creation at all Beliefs which fall under this sub-category are ones
in which a main God or Supreme Being over creation is recognized, however, His dominion is shared by other lesser
gods, spirits, mortals, heavenly bodies or earthly objects. Within Hinduism, the Supreme Being Brahman is conceived
as all-pervading(powerful), unchangeable and eternal, the Absolute, in which all things have their origin and end.
While the god Brahma is the personified (incarnated)creator of the universe who forms a trinity with the preserver
god, Vishnu, and the destroyer god, Shiva. Thus, Shirk in Ruboobeeyah is expressed in Hinduism by the delegation of
God's creative, destructive, and preservative powers to other gods. Christian belief states that the one God reveals
himself in the three persons of Father, Son (Jesus Christ), and Holy Spirit. Consequently, Shirk in Ruboobeeyah occurs
in the Christian belief that Jesus and the Holy Spirit are God's partners in all of His dominion, in their belief that Jesus
alone pronounces judgment on the world, and in their belief that Christians are helped and guided by the Holy Spirit.
Among some Muslim people, Shirk in Ruboobeeyah is manifested in their belief that the souls of saints and other
righteous humans can affect the affairs of this world, even after their deaths. Their souls, it is believed, can fulfill
one's needs, remove calamities, and aid whoever calls on them. Therefore, grave worshippers assign to human souls
the divine ability to cause events in this life that in fact, only Allah can cause.
2- SHIRK IN AL-ASMAA WAS-SIFAAT:
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.
(A) SHIRK BY HUMANIZATION
In this aspect of Shirk in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat, Allah is given the form and qualities of human beings and animals. For
example, Hindus and Buddhists worship countless idols in the likeness of Asian men and consider them
manifestations(appearances) of God in creation. Modern-day Christian belief that Prophet Jesus was God incarnate;
that the Creator became His creation, is another good example of this type of Shirk. There have been many so-called
great Christian painters like Michaelangelo (d. 1565), who painted pictures of God
(B) SHIRK BY DEIFICATION(praise)
 This form of Shirk in al-Asmaa was-Sifaat relates to cases where created beings or things are given or claim Allah's
names or His attributes. For example, it was the practice of the ancient Arabs to worship idols whose names were
derived from the names of Allah. Their main three idols were: al-Laat taken from Allah's name al-Elaah, al-'Uzza taken
from al-'Azeez, and al-Manaat taken from al-Mannan. During the Prophet Muhammad's era, there was also a false
prophet in a region of Arabia called Yamamah, who took the name Rahmaan which only belongs to Allah.
3- SHIRK IN AL-'EBAADAH:
In this category of Shirk, acts of worship are directed to other than God and the reward for worship is sought from
the creation instead of the Creator. As in the case of the previous categories, Shirk in al-'Ebadaah has two main
aspects.
(A) ASH-SHIRK AL-AKBAR (MAJOR SHIRK):
Greater Shirk condemns the person who practices it to Hell-Fire and to live therein eternally. Shirk is
Shirk ud-Du'aa (The Shirk of Invocation).
This type of shirk implies invoking, supplicating or praying to others besides Allah Almighty, such as to supplicate to a
dead person in his grave, etc. This form of shirk is widely common in parts of Asia and among some Sufis.
Shirk ut-Taa'ah (The Shirk of Obedience)
This type of major shirk implies obeying any authority or law other than the Sharee'ah (obeying the commands of
other than Allah). If you obey any law other than Allah it is considered to be Shirk at-Taa'ah, such as if a State makes
it illegal to support the Mujahideen or wear the Hijab. Allah Almighty says: "They (Jews and Christians) took their
rabbis and their monks to be their lords besides Allah (by obeying them in things which they made legal or
illegal)..." (Tawbah 9:31)devoting an act of worship to other than Allah, such as;
Shirk ul-Mahabbah (Shirk of Love)
This type of shirk involves loving those who Allah hates (i.e. the kuffaar) or hating those who Allah loves (i.e. the
believers). Allah Almighty says: "And of mankind are some who take (for worship) others besides Allah as rivals (to
Allah). They love them as they love Allah. But those who believe, love Allah more (than anything else)..." (Baqarah,
2:165)
(B): SHIRK AL ASGHAR: (lesser shirk)
Lesser Shirk, which does not constitute apostasy, but defects the Tawheed, and is conducive to greater Shirk. It is of
two kinds:
1) The first kind: Obvious Shirk which constitutes UTTERANCES and ACTIONS. As for the UTTERANCES, such as
swearing by other than Allah; the Messenger of Allah (salallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "He who swears by other
than Allah, commits Kufr, or Shirk. "As for ACTIONS, such as wearing a ring or a thread for the purpose of warding
off evil, or wearing any other items for fear of bad eye, or otherwise, if the person who wears them believes that
such things are the means of warding off evil or bringing relief. In that case, wearing them is considered as lesser
Shirk, because Allah does not make things as means of protection. But if he believes that these things themselves
ward-off evil, then such belief constitutes a major Shirk because he depends on other than Allah.2) The second kind:
The hidden Shirk pertains to intentions and wills such as acting hypocritically and fame – that is, to do a thing which
usually is done as a means for seeking nearness to Allah, but does it only so that people commend him for it; such as
performing Salat in a perfect manner, or giving charitable gift to be praised, or raising his voice with the Dhikr
(remembrance of Allah) or reciting Qur'an for people to hear him and praise him. When an act of worship is done in
Riya (doing an act of worship in order to make people see it or hear it), it would be nullified. Allah, the Exalted, says:
"So let him who hope to meet his Rabb do good deeds without ascribing a partner to Allah in worshipping his
Rabb." [Surah al-Kahf (18): 110]The Prophet (salallahu alaihe wa-sallam) said: "The thing I fear most that you may
commit is the lesser Shirk." They asked: 'O Messenger of Allah, what is the lesser Shirk?' He replied: "Riyaa.”
 Belief in Angels
Q4 a) Outline the main teachings of Muslims’ belief in Angels. [10]
Q4 a) what are Muslim beliefs about angels? [10]
MARKSCHEME:
 Intro [Iman-e-Mufassil]
 Description
 Specific Angels
 Conclusion
FOCUS: Detailing of Muslim beliefs in
Angels
INTRO:
It is an article of faith. Iman-e-Mufassil says: "“it is to believe in Allah, His books, His messengers, His
Angels, The Last Day, and that you believe in Divine Decree whether good or bad.” This means that
believing in Angels & necessary for Muslims otherwise their faith will be incomplete. The Holy Quran
states: "It is righteousness to believe in Allah, His Angels, the Last day and His Books, and His
Prophets.” which means believing in Angels is an act of piety.
DESCRIPTION:
Angels are special creation of Allah, made of light (Nur). They are invisible and a link between man and
God. They don't have any physical relationship with Allah, condemning the belief that Angels are
daughters of Allah. As Holy Quran says: "He (Allah) is neither a father nor a son" (Surah Ikhlas). They
have wings as said in the Holy Quran "Praise be to Allah, The Creator of Heaven and the Earth, who
made Angels that have wings, two, three, four ... " A tradition of Holy Prophet says Angel Jibraeel has
600 wings. Their appearance is larger in size than Humans e.g., Prophet saw Angel Jibreel covering the
entire horizon when he came out of the Cave of Hira.
Angels are genderless; they do not have any physical requirements like food or water. Some of them are
entrusted with specific functions and have been bestowed with necessary qualities to carry out those
duties. They don't have a free will; hence, they are sinless. They are solely created to worship Allah,
Praise Him, and Glorify Him and prostrate before him. Allah says: "Those who are dear to your Lord
disdain not to do Him worship: They celebrate his praises and bow before Him." Angels protect
believers, " But verily over you (are appointed Angels) to protect you." (82:10)
Angels have longer lives than humans; however, they will die before the end of time. They all prostrated
to Adam which shows humans are more superior.
Duties of Angels
(Duties of Angels with the Prophets)
They strengthen the hearts of believers in the Battle of Badr, "When you sought help from your Lord.
He responded: I will assist you with a thousand angels." Angels act as the Messengers of Allah, but do
not descend without his permission, "Therein come down the Angels and the Spirit (Jibraeel) by Allah's
permission on every errand." An Angel was sent to Hz. Zakariya and to Maryam to give them tidings of a
son. An Angel also appeared before Hz. Ibrahim to give him tidings of a son. Angel Jibraeel appeared
before Prophet to purity his heart at the age of four. Then, before Miraj, Jibraeel purified Prophet's
heart.
Everyday Duties
Angels play a significant role in the everyday lives of human beings e.g. according to Muslim belief they
breathe life into the fetus a few months after conception with the permission of God; an angel then
writes the answer to four questions in this human being’s book of deeds: Will it be male or female? Will
this person be happy or sad? How long will his/her life be and will the person perform good or bad deed
Angels are also responsible for guarding people throughout their lives s. other angels visit human beings
to witness the prayer and listen to recited verses of the Qur’an. They pray for the forgiveness of
believers.

SPECIFIC ANGELS:
There are also some specific angels with special duties: Angel Jibraeel, who is an arch angel, bought
revelations to the Prophets including Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). He appeared with the Angel of
Mountains after the incident of Taif. He along with other Angels descends down at the Night of Power.
Angel Israfeel will blow the trumpet on the Day of Judgement, and then again, he will blow it when
people will be resurrected.Angel Izraeel is the Angel of Death, who takes away life.Angel Mikael
provides provision to people and is responsible for rainfall Kiram-il-Kattibin Each person has been
assigned two recording angels; apart from the four angels constantly guarding and recordin. Allay says:
"Verily over writing you are appointed angels to protect you, kind and honourable, writing down your
deeds." (82.10) Munkar and Nakir question the dead in grave, the Prophet said. "When a faithful
believer is made to sit in his grave then the angels come down to him and he testifies none has the
right to be worshipped but Allah and Muhammad is Allah's Apostle."
CONCLUSION:
Allah says in the Holy Quran that the enemies of Angels are the enemies of Allah: "Whoever is the
enemy of Allah and His Angels and His Prophets and Jibraeel and Mikael; then Indeed Allah is the
enemy of disbelievers." Hence, belief in Angels is an integral part of faith which holds immense benefits
in the everyday lives of Muslims.
Q (b) Explain the importance of belief in Angels. (4)
Belief in angels is an important form of belief that it enables us to understand our superiority over
angels. Despite their perfection in obeying and worshiping Allah, we have been given superiority. Thus,
noticing their inability to love makes us learn the worth of worshiping Allah with feelings.
Since they are created to perform certain duties, belief in angels reminds us about various important
aspects of belief. One such task, the senior angel performed, was to bring Allah's message to
Prophets. This strengthens our belief in Allah, Divine revelations and apostleship of Allah chosen men.
Moreover, the duty of angel of rain and provision makes us thankful to Allah for sustenance. The duty of
Kiraman Katibeen makes us conscious about the performance of our deeds. Recalling the angel of death
produces fear of the last day in our heart and also reminds us about our mortality.
Similarly, the duty of Angel Israfil develops the spirit of responsibility in us, reminding us that we will be
accountable of our deeds before Allah. Thus, belief in angels plays an essential role in our spiritual
grooming and in strengthening our faith to be pious and righteous.
 Belief in Divine Books
Q4 a) Write a descriptive account of the Muslim belief in revealed books. [10]

Q4 a) Name the revealed books mentioned in the Qur’an, giving the names of the messengers they
were revealed to and the message they contained. [10]

MARKSCHEME:

 Introduction
 Details about four revealed books
 Characteristics/superiority of Quran over other scriptures.
FOCUS: Description about the Divine books.
Link to Muslim beliefs.

INTRODUCTION:

The belief in divine books is an important article of faith. Iman-e-mufassil states:" I believe in Allah and
his books….". This means that believing in books is an imperative article of faith. Muslim's faith would
be incomplete without it "It is righteousness to believe in Allah, and the last day and his angels, and his
books and prophets." This means to believe in books is an act of piety.

BELIEF ABOUT 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 guidance
Muslims 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 were sent before you…" [2:4]Belief in revealed
books is one of the articles of Iman-e-Mufassil, and it forms an integral part of the faith. Allah sent
Prophets one after another, and with some of the prophets, he sent down scriptures and Sahifas
(Booklets). All of the revealed books were free from the instinct of doubt at the time when they were
revealed for the first time But later on, slowly and gradually those books were changed except Quran
Allah did not hold himself accountable for the distortion of revealed books, for instance: Torah, Zabur,
Gospel [Injeel], etc. other than the Quran As Allah says in the Quran: "This (Quran) is the scripture or
book where off there is no doubt, and it is guidance for those who fear Allah.”

DETAILS ABOUT FOUR BOOKS:

These four prominent books are The Torah, The Zabur, The Injeel, and The Quran. Below is given their
pithy description and their appearances in the Quran: (i) “Torah” is an Arabic word that means “The
law”. It was revealed on Hazrat Musa (A.S) and in the Quran; it is mentioned as “Furqan” which means
discriminator of right from wrong. Allah mentions it in the following style: "We gave Musa (A.S) and
Aaron (A.S) the discriminator (Furqan) and gave them light and reminder for the Books” (21:48) (ii)
Secondly “Zabur”, it is an Arabic word which is derived from “Zimr” that means psalm (The holy poems
or song). And it was revealed on Hazrat David (Dawood) (A.S). Allah also declares the revelation of the
psalm (Zabur) in the Quran, as; “To David (Dawood), we gave psalm (Zabur)”(iii) “Injeel”: It is derived
from the Greek language, and is translated in English as “Gospel”, the word “Gospel” literally means
“the teaching of Jesus Christ”. And it was revealed on Hazrat Isa (A.S). Allah mentions it in many places
in the Quran. As: "We sent after them Jesus, the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel” (iv)
The Quran: the word “Qur’an” is derived from an Arabic word “Quraa” which stands for “to read or
recite” or “something which is continuously recited". It is the leader and chief of all revealed Books, and
It was revealed also on “Syed-ul-Anbiya” which means the leader and chief of all the Prophets.
Moreover, after the revelation of the Quran, no more revelations were made, and after Prophet
Muhammad (S.A.W), no prophet was sent. Viewed from an Islamic angle, "the Quran is the seal of
revelations” and “Prophet Mohammad (S.A.W) is the seal of Prophets”. (v) Revealed Sahifas: Many
Sahifas were revealed on different Prophets. Having created Hazrat Adam (A.S), Allah did not talk to him
directly but that process took place in the form of Sahifas. Sahifas were booklets that Allah used to
reveal on His Prophets so that they may guide themselves and their people. The Sahifas are so infinite in
number that it is difficult rather impossible to know their exact number. In addition, the said Sahifas
were revealed on Hazrat Adam (A.S), Hazrat Ibrahim (A.S), Hazrat Sheesh (A.S), Hazrat Idrees (A.S),
and many others.

These books were sent in the language of their people, so they could comprehend the message of God.
"We did not send any apostle but with the language of his people so that he might explain it to them
clearly."

QURAN OVERALL SCRIPTURES:

The holy Quran is the last divine book that was revealed to the prophet(PBUH) from 610 to 632 AD. It is
a complete code of life in religious, economic, social, political, military, and judicial. It contains the same
teaching which was shown in previous scriptures but they are for the entire mankind. For all times to
come. All the previous books were in regional languages which became dead later but the Quran is in a
living language. "We have sent it down as an Arabic Quran in order that you may learn wisdom." The
Quran is in under Allah's protection and he will always protect it from change "surely, we have revealed
this reminder and no doubt, we will protect it from corruption." The Quran sums up the message of all
prior books. It contains the Final and perfect message" This day, I have perfected your religion for you,
completed My favor upon you, and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."

CONCLUSION:

Believing in revealed books is very important in life as it completes our faith. It makes us feel grateful to
Allah for his guidance. It is a message that all have the same faith and that Allah is the only God.

Q (b) Explain the importance of Muslims belief in Allah's revealed books. (4)
 Holy books act as connectors between man and his Lord. By reading the incidents of those
former nations who disobeyed Allah & had to suffer from His wrath, one gets aware and warned
and thus abstains from all acts of evil and starts working to please Allah according to their
teachings.
 Books of Allah provide us knowledge of the past and guidance for our future and present.
 The revealed books despite of being a source of knowledge were also a mean to attain guidance
on several matters of life as it contained also the advisory words of our Lord on many obstacles
of life.
 Moreover the belief in revealed books Lead to the concept of belief in Prophets as it is the
Prophets on whom these books were revealed. Negating this would automatically negate the
concept of belief in Prophets.
 Thus books help us live perfectly according to the will of Allah and strengthen our belief in other
articles.
 Belief in Prophets
Q4 a) Belief in all the prophets is one of the articles of faith in Islam. Write about this Muslim belief in
detail. [10]

Q4 a) Give an account of Muslim belief in prophets and the messages they preached. [10]

Q4 a) Prophets played a central part in conveying God’s message to humanity. Write an account of
Muslim belief in prophets. [10]

MARKSCHEME:

 Intro{Iman-e-mufassil}/4th article of faith

 {belief in all prophets}
 {characteristics of each prophet}
 Miracles of the Prophets
 Teachings of the Prophets
 {prophet and respective divine scripture}
 {difference between Rasul and Nabi}
 {features of prophet/seal of prophethood}
INTRO:

It is the 4th article of faith. Iman-e-mufassil says "I believe in Allah and his prophets…” This means
believing in prophets is necessary for Muslims otherwise their faith will be incomplete. The holy Quran
says "It is righteousness to believe in Allah, his angels, the last day and his books, his prophets." This
means believing in prophets is an act of piety.

BELIEF IN ALL PROPHETS:

According to Islam, God created humans for a noble purpose: to worship Him and lead a virtuous life
based on His teachings and guidance. In order to convey the purpose of their existence to humans, God
sent clear and practical instructions through His prophets. The chain of prophets started with Adam
and ended with Muhammad. There will be no prophet after him. According to some traditions,124000
prophets were sent to mankind,25 of whom are mentioned in the Quran. Muslims believe in all
prophets i.e., they believe in Jesus, Moses, Jacob, Abraham, Solomon, and every prophet that
appeared in every part of the world, as they bought the same message of Islam. Allah says "we believe
in Allah and the revelations given to us and to Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob, and the tribes and that
given to mosses and Jesus and that given to all prophets from their lord, we make no difference
between one and another of them."

CHARACTERISTICS OF PROPHET:

Prophets were normal human beings with wives and children. They possessed qualities of piousness,
good conduct, honesty, and being sinless. A prophet was sent to every nation and every people. Allah
says "And for every nation, there is a messenger". Every prophet spoke the language of his people "we
send an apostle except in the language of his own people. In order to make things clear to them".
Prophets were chosen to reveal and impart the message of God to the masses. Prophethood is a divine
gift and cannot be acquired: "such is Allah's bounty, he grants it to whomsoever he wills." Prophets
don't say anything of their own; they deliver the message of Allah without any corruption. Allah says,
"Your companion is neither astray nor being misled. Nor does he says of his own desire. It is no less
than inspiration sent down to him." Obedience of the prophet is mandatory on his followers; they must
obey the prophet and follow his teachings: "We send not an apostle but to be obeyed in accordance
with the will of Allah."

Miracles of the Prophets: Prophets were supported by miracles to prove that he is not an impostor.
Those miracles are granted by the power and permission of God and are usually in the field in which his
people excel which are recognized as superior , can be illustrated by quoting the major miracles of the
three prophets of the major world religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. Moses' contemporaries
were excellent in magic. So, his major miracle was to defeat the best magicians of Egypt of his days.
Jesus' contemporaries were recognized as skillful physicians. Therefore, his miracles were to raise the
dead and cure incurable diseases. The Arabs, the contemporaries of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH),
were known for their eloquence and magnificent poetry. So, Muhammad's major miracle was the
Quran, the equivalent of which the whole legion (mass) of the Arab poets and orators could not produce
despite the repeated challenge from the Quran itself. Muhammad's miracle has something special about
it was that all previous miracles were limited by time and place, i.e., they were shown to specific people
at a specific time. Not so, the miracle of Muhammad - the Quran; it is a universal and everlasting
miracle.

Teachings of Prophets: The message of all prophets are same, they all preached Islam and invited
people to Tawheed i.e., Oneness of Allah. Allah is one and only without a partner. He's the creator of the
heavens and the earth. He is the cherisher and sustainer with incomparable attributes. Hence, shirk i.e.
associating partners with Allah is an unforgivable sin. Allah says" It is he who has sent his apostle with
guidance and the religion of truth that he may proclaim it over all religion". They give glad tidings to
those who abide by the commandments of all-mighty and warned the astray of the hereafter: "O
Prophet! We have sent you as a witness and a bringer of good tidings and a warner".

PROPHET AND RESPECTIVE DIVINE SCRIPTURE: Some of the prophets were given respective divine
scriptures/books. Zabur was revealed to Hz. Daud, Torait was revealed upon Hz. Musa, Injeel was
revealed Hz. Isa, Quran was revealed to Hz. Muhammad(PBUH) 5) Suhuf was given to some
prophets(e.g., Hz. Ibrahim)

RASUL AND NABI: Prophets are categorized as (1)Rasul and (2)Nabi. Rasul was a prophet who was
given a new divine book or Shariat whereas Nabi was a prophet who preached and followed the
Shariat of a previous prophet. For example, Hz. Musa was a Rasul as he was given a new divine scripture
(torait), whereas his brother Hz. Haroon was Nabi as he preached the Shariat of Hz. Musa.

FEATURES OF PROPHET/SEAL OF PROPHETHOOD: The Prophet Muhammad is the last prophet of Allah
and there will be no prophet after him. Although he bought the same message as the previous prophets
(i.e. tawhid, Day of judgment, morality), his message was meant for the entire mankind till the last day
hence, his prophethood is universal as it was not limited to one nation or time. Prophet said: "I have
been sent as a mercy for the whole mankind. "He is the apex of humanity as he possesses the best
moral characteristics. Quran says; "Indeed you have in the apostle of Allah, a beautiful pattern of
conduct." He was blessed with the holy Quran which is the universal scripture and seal of divine books.
It is internal and will never be corrupted, unlike previous scriptures:" Surely, we have revealed this
reminder and no doubt we will protect from corruption." Therefore, the prophet (PBUH) concludes the
prophethood and summarized as well as builds upon the message of all previous prophets and so he is
the seal of prophets. "Muhammad is not the father of any of your men but he is the messenger of
Allah and Seal of prophets." So, Allah's final prophet is Muhammad and through him, Allah completed
the religion of Islam as Quran states: "This day I have perfected your religion for you, completed my
favor upon you and have chosen for you Islam as your religion."

CONCLUSION:

Believing in a prophet is an integral article of faith that makes a person feel grateful to Allah, for the
communication he has mentioned with humans through their own follow beings i.e., prophets.

Q (b) Explain importance of Muslims belief in Prophets in their daily living. (4)

 Belief in Prophets is an important article of faith as it connects us with the recognition of

existence and unity of Allah. It is due to the channel of Prophets that we could learn about our
True Lord.
 This belief enhances our knowledge related to the spiritual world. Because of the Prophets we
got to know about the unseen creations of Allah like angels, decree, heaven, hell etc.
 It also enables us to act exactly in accordance of Allah's will, hence it assures our success.
 By this we learn about the right & wrong & are able to differentiate between the good and the
evil.
 It also produces fear of Allah's wrath and punishment in us when we learn about the outcome
of those nations who rejected prophets. By this fear we rather than getting stubborn and arrogant,
devotedly submit ourselves to the will of Allah.
 As Prophets were all humans and role model for us therefore believing them motivates us to
follow their lifestyles which were according to the Divine code of conduct. It also assures that the
will of Allah is absolutely possible to implement and its application is not just for few people.
Q (b) Explain the importance of the 'Seal of prophets'. (4)
The line of Prophets, who were sent by Allah, started from Hazrat Adam (A.S) and ended at Mohammad
(PBUH). Hence, Mohammad (PBUH) completed this line of Allah's messengers.
 For this reason Quran also mentions him as the seal of prophets in following words
 “Mohammad...is the Messenger of Allah & the seal of prophets." (33:40) Al-Alizab.
 A seal is used to close something firmly and marks the ending, this is why our Mohamınad
(PBUH) is the seal who closed the line of prophets firmly and confirmed the ending of
Prophethood.
 Just like the seal signifies the ending or closure, likewise with Prophet Mohammad (PBUH)'s
death the process of revelation has been stopped and the doors of Prophethood have been closed.
 But the departure of Mohammad (PBUH) is unique in a way that unlike others he came for the
whole mankind, his message is free from alteration & corruption & would remain till the end of
this world.
 Thus, the religion has been completed on him and there is no more need of revelations and
Prophets after him.
 Belief in Day of Resurrection and Judgement
Q4 a) what do Muslims believe about the Day of Resurrection and Judgment? [10]
Q4 a) Write in detail about Muslim belief in Life after Death and the Day of Judgment. [10]
MARKSCHEME:

 Intro
 Define the day of judgment
 The sound of the Trumpet(Earth, The mountains, The oceans, The skies)
 The resurrection
 The gathering
 The reckoning
 The Sirat
 Jannah
 Hell
INTRO:
Belief in the day of judgment is one of the six pillars of faith as reported in a prophetic narration, in
which the Angel Jibreel (Gabriel) asked the Prophet Muhammad about the definition of faith, to which
the Prophet replied: "It is that you believe in Allah, His Books, His Messengers, His angles, the Last
Day, and that you believe in predestination, whether good or bad." [Muslim]
As Muslims, we believe that there will be a day when everything will cease to exist except Allah Almighty
that will be the Day of Judgment. It will be the day on which: Everything will end (the end of all life), the
Resurrection of the dead. (All dead will be resurrected, given life again), Gathering of the resurrected.
(Gathered for judgment, Reckoning/Judgment, Reward, and Punishment). Muslims believe that the
present life is a trial in preparation for the next realm of existence. When a Muslim dies, he or she is
washed and wrapped in a clean, white cloth (usually by a family member) and buried after a special
prayer, preferably on the same day. Muslims consider this as a final service that they can do for their
relatives and an opportunity to remember that their existence here on earth is brief. Muslims believe
that after death all the souls are taken to the World of souls i.e. Alam-e-Barzakh which is between the
skies and earth. Muslims also believe that the Day of Judgment will come after the completion of the
minor and major signs of the Day of Judgment. When the idolaters of Makkah denied even the
possibility of life Arrival of Qayamat as the Qur'an reveals, the Day of Judgment is "the Day mankind will
stand before the Lord of all the worlds." It is a fierce day of events never seen before, a day during
which the universe and all of its contents will be destroyed. On that day, everyone will witness and
understand Allah's power. The unbelievers will suffer great fear, terror, and suffering, and all of their
hidden regret, fear, and humiliation will be experienced.
THE SOUND OF THE TRUMPET:
The sounding of the trumpet will be blown by Angel Israfil that will proclaim The Day of Judgment has
finally come, that this world has ended, and that the Hereafter has begun. This unexpected sound,
which is unlike anything ever heard before, will cause people to realize that their time is up, for it
indicates the beginning of infinite fear, terror, and hopelessness for the unbelievers very hard day for
them indeed. Allah says:” For when the Trumpet is blown, that the day will be a difficult day, not easy
for the unbelievers. “
EARTH: Earth Will Be Shaken by Quakes. "On the Day the first blast shudders and the second blast
follows it, hearts that Day will be pounding and eyes will be cast down.”
THE MOUNTAINS: Mountains Will Be Uprooted and Scattered as Dust, "Have We not made the Earth a
resting place and the mountains as stakes?" , Mountains Will Be Scattered like Colored Fluffs of Wool.
The mountains, having become dust and smoke, will be dispersed. This color scheme is described in the
verses:”[On the Day] the mountains [will be] like tufts of colored wool.”
THE OCEANS:The Qur'an reveals that the oceans will be ablaze and boil over on that Day. The Oceans
Will Spill Their Contents. The oceans will rise, as mentioned in the following verse: "When the oceans
flood and overflow."
THE SKIES: The sky, the Moon and the Sun, stars and planets, will all be destroyed, in accordance with
what Allah has revealed: "What you are promised will certainly happen. When the stars are
extinguished, when Heaven is split open."
THE RESURRECTION: Then, Allah will resurrect all the creatures and give them life again. Disbelievers
have doubts about rising from the dead and the hereafter, Allah makes it clear in the Quran: "Say: He
Who made them in the first place will bring them back to life. He has total knowledge of each created
thing."
THE GATHERING: Then Allah will gather all mankind who will stand before their Lord waiting for their
reckoning. The people will be extremely distressed and will face many difficulties and hardships. The sun
will draw near to them. The weather will be extremely hot.
THE RECKONING: Allah will judge people for what they did in this world. A believer will receive his
record of deeds with his right hand. A disbeliever will receive his record of deeds with his left hand,
behind his back. They will say, 'Alas for us! Who has raised us from our resting place? This is what the
Merciful promised us. The Messengers were telling the truth.' From then on, the disbeliever starts to
experience great regret— the greatest of all regrets.
THE SIRAT (a bridge set over hellfire): This is an extended bridge over hellfire which is sharper than a
knife and thinner than a hair. All people must cross over it after they are reckoned. Allah will save the
believers while the disbelievers will fall into hellfire. The first person to cross the Sirat is the chief of the
Prophets, the Prophet (PBUH) accompanied by the believers from his nation.
JANNAH(Paradise): Paradise is the final destination prepared by Allah for His pious believers in the
hereafter. Jannah is a very large and very beautiful place. It has been made by Allah for Muslims. “Truly,
Allah will admit those who believe (in the Oneness of Allah Islamic Monotheism) and do righteous
good deeds, to Gardens underneath which rivers flow (in Paradise), wherein they will be adorned with
bracelets of gold and pearls and their garments therein will be of silk”. *Quran 22: 23+
HELL: Islam teaches that Hell is a real place prepared by God for those who do not believe in Him, rebel
against His laws, and reject His messengers. “Know they not that whoever opposes God and His
Messenger (Muhammad), certainly for him will be the Fire of Hell to abide therein? That is the
extreme disgrace.” (Quran 9:63)
 Belief in Predestination and Decree
Q4 a) what does the statement ‘There is no ability or power except through Allah’ tell you about
Muslim belief in Allah’s predestination and decree? [10]

MARKSCHEME:

 Introduction of articles of faith and Predestination and Decree

 Defination of Qadaa and Qadar
 Explanation of Qadha through Three stages of Qadaa
 Explanation of Qadar
 How Taqdeer can be altered

Introduction of articles of faith

Belief in predestination and decree is vital for a believer’s faith. This is due to the reason that it
mentioned Iman-e-mufassil "I believe in God, in His angels, in His books, in His messengers, in the Last
Day, and in the fact that everything, good or bad, is decided by God Almighty and in life after death" It
is an important article of faith. Believing it is mandatory and essential to achieving righteousness for the
preservation of faith. The provided statement ‘There is no ability or power except through Allah’
strengthens our belief in predestination i.e. Qadha and Divine decree i.e. Qadar.

Definition of Qadaa and Qadar

The Arabic word for destiny is Qadha and for the decree is Qadar. Qadha is that which has been destined
and Qadar is a destiny that is designed timely. We believe Allah is the absolute controller and regulator
of the universe and everything he created in the universe has a pre-determined course which we call al-
Qadha. This relates to the fate of every individual who has already been destined by Allah, in the three
stages.

First Stage
Firstly, 50,000 years prior to the creation of this world when Allah had recorded everything in Lauh-e-
Mahfooz. It is mentioned in Tirmizi and Abu Dawood that Allah’s Apostle said, “Verily the first thing
Allah created was the pen. He said to it: ‘Write’ It replied: ‘My lord, what should I write?” So, he said
‘Write all that will occur and all that has occurred.’ So, in that hour, everything that would occur until
the day of response was recorded.”

Second Stage
Secondly, after the creation of Hazrat Adam (A.S). When Allah took out all the progeny of Hazrat Adam
(A.S) and asked them ‘Am I not your lord’ and all of the humans responded ‘We testify that you are our
lord”. (7:172)Al-Araf. Then Allah decreed to them that who shall go to paradise and who shall go to hell.
This is due to the supreme knowledge of Allah that he already knew when all those souls would be sent
down and given free will and desires who would testify to him as Lord and who would not.
Thirdly, it is written when a fetus is in his mother’s womb and Allah sends on an angel to put the soul
into a fetus and the angel after putting the soul also writes his destiny Allah has decided; his life span,
gender, sustenance, life partner, death and whether he will be a dweller of paradise or hell.

Third Stage
All these three stages are the times when the Divine destiny has been recorded before its creation. Due
to the recording of the destinies by Allah, we believe that the destiny of every creation is already known
to Allah and all the creations of Allah move along their set proportion. The Quran says, “It is not
permitted to the sun to catch up to the moon, nor can the night outstrip the day: each just swim along
in its own orbit (according to the divine will).”(40:36). But this doesn’t mean that man has no freedom
of will and is bound to move along a set proportion.

Explanation of Qadar
Human beings are the superior creations of Allah (Ashraf-ul-Makhlooqat). This is because they have
been given the knowledge to explore and free will to decide between right and wrong. Using our free
will, it is up to us to obey or disobey Allah; whether we obey or disobey Allah, it is already known to him.
The fact that everything is known to him regarding what we do, what we did, and what we are going to
do doesn’t affect our freedom of will. We can do anything and choose any way using our free will. But
on the basis of our actions, our timely destiny which is a yearly or daily decree is decided. That is called
Qadar which relates to the destiny of one decided on a daily, weekly, and yearly basis.

How Taqdeer can be altered

According to our belief, these timely destinies can only be altered by invocations and the performance
of good or bad deeds. The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) said, “A humble prayer (DUA) can even alter
your destinies.” The change happens in a way that it is possible that Allah sends daily/ yearly decrees
dictating that a person will die this year. However, due to that person’s good deeds, Allah might send
another decree extending that person’s life. We believe the reverse of the two decrees is also known to
Allah alone. The person himself knows nothing of this destiny.

Q (b) Explain importance of belief in Divine's Decree. (4)

 This is the belief in destiny of man decided by Allah on basis of our performed actions. By
knowing that destiny is decided on the basis of our actions we always remain conscious of
deeds & struggle to follow the righteous path. We pray before God and perform good deeds to
have better decisions decided for us in future.
 With this concept in mind, one would never get dependent upon anyone but would always
seek Allah's help & support, thus it breaks all sorts of barriers to man's communication to God.
 It further strengthens belief in the attributes and unique powers of Allah. It makes us firmly
believe that only Allah has the supreme knowledge and knows what is saved in Lauh e
Mahfooz.
 It also makes us to believe that it is only Allah who knows everyone's destinies where as
individuals have no idea about their future unless they see it, thus destroying the trust on false
fortune tellers and other such claimants.
 It also develops patience in us when calamities affect us, rather than getting hopeless we pray to
Allah and hope for the better future.