Angels International College

Middle Years Programme

Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

Belief in Allah (One God)

The doctrine of God is the foundation of the religion of Islam and is central to the teachings of the Holy Qur’an. God is
the Supreme Being who exists independently of everything else. He is the sole Creator of the Universe, the Maker of the
Heaven and Earth. According to Islam, no event occurs in this Universe without God’s knowledge and implicit consent.
He is the ultimate source of every action and happening, animate or inanimate. God created not only the galaxies and
stars, but also the life-form on this earth and elsewhere. He is the Nourisher and Sustainer of all creation; He is their Lord.
Belief in God, the Creator and the Master of the Universe, is common to all religion. But the Islamic name ‘Allah’, in
Arabic, applies only to One God and to no one else. Islam advocates belief in the absolute Unity of God in its entire purity
as its very foundation. Oneness of God means that He is the God of all people: past, present and future.
The Holy Qur’an gives the important message that Allah is One. He is Independent. He does not need any support.
Everything depends on Him. He has no father and has no son or daughter. There is none like unto Him. (Holy Quran
Chapter 112, verses 2-5)
Islam stresses the need to have firm belief in various attributes of Allah, the Creator and the Controller of the Universe.
He is the Lord of all the worlds. He is the Gracious, the Merciful. He is the Master of the Day of judgement. (1: 1-4)
For human beings, He is a very personal God. He listens to their supplications and prayers (2:187). He provides for all
their needs (42:20). He overlooks their shortcomings and forgives their excesses (39:54). He is there whenever they need
Him, in distress or prosperity (13:27). He deals with His creation with mercy, love and compassion (3:31).
He cannot be seen with physical eyes but reveals Himself to man through His Prophets and through the working of His
attributes. Allah is eternal and infinite. He lives today as He lived before and will continue to live hereafter. He speaks to
people as He spoke in the past. All His attributes are Ever Lasting.
Muslims believe that there is one God, Allah, and that this oneness is central to their spirituality.
The most important belief about Allah (God) in Islam is the concept of Tawhid, which means ‘oneness’. Tawhid begins
with the idea that there is one God (monotheism), and teaches that oneness is central to the nature of Allah. So
according to Muslims, Allah:
 has no partners
 is omniscient (knows all things)
 is omnipotent (can do anything, is all-powerful)
 is the one God of all time and all humankind
The most famous ayah (part of a Suarh, like a verse) of the Qur’an (the Divine Book revealed to the Prophet Muhammad)
to express this idea is in Surah 112:
 Say: He is Allah, the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; None is born of Him, nor is He born; And there is none
like Him.
The belief in Tawhid forms the central part the Shahadah; the declaration of faith which is the first of the five pillars of
Islam (the duties that all Muslims have to perform as their religious practice):
I bear witness that there is no god but God and that Muhammad is the Messenger of God.
The 99 names of Allah; the ‘Most Beautiful Names’
Many different names are used to describe Allah in the Qur’an and the Hadith (a collection of authenticated reports of
what Prophet Muhammad said, did or approved). These are sometimes referred to as ‘the 99 names of Allah’, although
more than this number of names can be found.
Abu Huraira reported the Prophet Muhammad as saying:
There are 99 names of Allah; he who commits them to memory would get into paradise.
Prayer carpet with the 99 names of Allah
Allah cannot be described by any or all of these names but they help Muslims to think about Allah’s unknowable nature.
Many Muslims recite the names as one of the forms of dhikr (remembrance) to develop their awareness of Allah. Some
Muslims use prayer beads (subha) to help them remember as they recite.
Some examples of the 99 names:
 Al-Rahman, the All-beneficent (the Compassionate)
 Al-Rahim, the Most Merciful
 Al-Aziz, the Almighty (the Victorious)
 Al-Hakam, the Judge
Bible Verses About The Trinity
The Trinity Explained

What exactly do we mean when we speak of the Trinity? Let's start with the negative and work toward the positive.

A. What we don't mean

First of all, Christians don't believe in three Gods. That's a heresy called Tritheism. Second, we don't believe that the
Father, Son, and the Holy Spirit are three "forms" of God—like, steam, water and ice. That's the heresy called Modalism.
Third, we don't believe that the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are "parts" or "pieces" or God. That would imply that Jesus is
1/3rd God, the Father is 1/3rd God, and the Holy Spirit is 1/3rd God.

B. Where do we find the Trinity doctrine in the Bible?

I would answer that the Trinity is taught in both the Old and the New Testaments. It is taught by implication in the Old
and by direct statement in the New.

For instance, the Bible contains numerous clear statements regarding the unity of God: Deuteronomy 6:4 tells us that "the
Lord is one." 1 Corinthians 8:4 adds that "there is no God but one." 1 Timothy 2:5 explicitly says "there is one God." All
Christians heartily affirm this truth.

However, the Bible also contains clear statements regarding diversity within that unity. For instance, in the very first verse
of the Bible we are told that "In the beginning God." The Hebrew word for God is Elohim, which is actually a plural form
of the word el. It's a word that in other contexts is sometimes translated as "gods," referring to heathen deities. Later in the
same chapter we have one of the most striking statements of diversity-in-unity:

Then God said, ‘‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of
the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man
in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. Genesis 1:26-27
 Notice the shift in pronouns. "Let us … in our image … So God created man in his own image. … he created him." From
us and our to he. Why the shift? Commentators speak of a literary form called the plural of majesty or the "editorial we."
This much is certainly true. If Genesis 1 does not explicitly teach diversity-in-unity within the Godhead, it certainly leaves
room for it to be developed later in the Bible.

Isaiah 48:16 seems to explicitly refer to all three Persons of the Trinity (with my additions in parentheses): "And now the
Sovereign LORD (the Father) has sent me (the Son), with his Spirit (the Holy Spirit)." I'm not suggesting that Isaiah fully
understood the Trinity or that the Jewish readers would have understood what it meant, but I do think that in the light of
the New Testament, we can say that this seems to be a clear statement of the Trinity in the Old Testament.

Consider further this line of evidence. All Three Persons are called God in different places in the Bible.
 Father — Galatians 1:1
 Son — John 20:28
 Spirit — Acts 5:3-4

Tawheed can be explained by dividing it into three categories as follows.

1) Tawheed ar-Ruboobiyyah

This means to single out Allah for His lordship. Allah is the sole creator, provider and sustainer in charge of all the affairs
of the creation.

2) Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah

Also known as Tawheed al-Ibaadah. This means that all worship is directed solely for Allah. It includes prayer, trust,
slaughtering etc. All acts of obedience and worship are a means of getting closer to Allah so all acts must done for His
sake.

3) Tawheed al-Asmaa' was-sifaat

This is where we affirm Allah's names and attributes as Allah affirmed for Himself in the the Qur’an, and those affirmed by
the Prophet Muhammad :saw:. These names and attributes are taken without likening any of them to the creation. We just
accept them as they are without asking what, how, why etc.
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I
Exodus 20:1-17 CEB
 Exodus 20:1-17 CEB

 1Then God spoke all these words: 2I am the LORD your God who brought you out of Egypt, out of the house of
slavery. 3You must have no other gods before me. 4Do not make an idol for yourself—no form whatsoever—of
anything in the sky above or on the earth below or in the waters under the earth. 5Do not bow down to them or
worship them, because I, the LORD your God, am a passionate God. I punish children for their parents’ sins even
to the third and fourth generations of those who hate me. 6But I am loyal and gracious to the thousandth
generation of those who love me and keep my commandments. 7Do not use the LORD your God’s name as if it
were of no significance; the LORD won’t forgive anyone who uses his name that way. 8Remember the Sabbath
day and treat it as holy. 9Six days you may work and do all your tasks, 10but the seventh day is a Sabbath to
the LORD your God. Do not do any work on it—not you, your sons or daughters, your male or female servants,
your animals, or the immigrant who is living with you. 11Because the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the
sea, and everything that is in them in six days, but rested on the seventh day. That is why the LORD blessed the
Sabbath day and made it holy.
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

Verses including the word With Allah (Shirk)

Yet there are men who take (for worship) others besides Allah, as equal (with Allah.: They love them as they
should love Allah.But those of Faith are overflowing in their love for Allah.If only the unrighteous could see, behold,
they would see the penalty: that to Allah belongs all power, and Allah will strongly enforce the penalty. (Surah Al-
Baqara, 165)

Say: "O People of the Book! come to common terms as between us and you: That we worship none but Allah.that
we associate no partners with him; that we erect not, from among ourselves, Lords and patrons other than Allah."
If then they turn back, say ye: "Bear witness that we (at least) are Muslims (bowing to Allah.s Will). (Surah Al-
Imran, 64)

Soon shall We cast terror into the hearts of the Unbelievers, for that they joined companions with Allah, for which
He had sent no authority: their abode will be the Fire: And evil is the home of the wrong-doers! (Surah Al-Imran,
151)

Serve Allah, and join not any partners with Him; and do good- to parents, kinsfolk, orphans, those in need,
neighbours who are near, neighbours who are strangers, the companion by your side, the wayfarer (ye meet), and
what your right hands possess: For Allah loveth not the arrogant, the vainglorious;- (Surah An-Nisa’ , 36)

Allah forgiveth not that partners should be set up with Him; but He forgiveth anything else, to whom He pleaseth;
to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin Most heinous indeed. (Surah An-Nisa’ , 48)

Allah forgiveth not (The sin of) joining other gods with Him; but He forgiveth whom He pleaseth other sins than
this: one who joins other gods with Allah, Hath strayed far, far away (from the right). (Surah An-Nisa’ , 116)

They do blaspheme who say: "(Allah) is Christ the son of Mary." But said Christ: "O Children of Israel! worship
Allah, my Lord and your Lord." Whoever joins other gods with Allah,- Allah will forbid him the garden, and the Fire
will be his abode.There will for the wrong-doers be no one to help. (Surah Al-Ma’ ida, 72)

Say: "What thing is most weighty in evidence?" Say: "(Allah) is witness between me and you; This Qur'an hath
been revealed to me by inspiration, that I may warn you and all whom it reaches.Can ye possibly bear witness that
besides Allah there is another Allah." Say: "Nay! I cannot bear witness!" Say: "But in truth He is the one Allah, and
I truly am innocent of (your blasphemy of) joining others with Him." (Surah Al-An‘ am, 19)

"Nay,- On Him would ye call, and if it be His will, He would remove (the distress) which occasioned your call upon
Him, and ye would forget (the false gods) which ye join with Him!" (Surah Al-An‘ am, 41)

Say "It is Allah that delivereth you from these and all (other) distresses: and yet ye worship false gods!" (Surah
Al-An‘ am, 64)

When he saw the sun rising in splendour, he said: "This is my Lord; this is the greatest (of all)." But when the sun
set, he said: "O my people! I am indeed free from your (guilt) of giving partners to Allah. (Surah Al-An‘ am, 78)

"How should I fear (the beings) ye associate with Allah, when ye fear not to give partners to Allah without any
warrant having been given to you? Which of (us) two parties hath more right to security? (tell me) if ye know.
(Surah Al-An‘ am, 81)

This is the guidance of Allah.He giveth that guidance to whom He pleaseth, of His worshippers.If they were to join
other gods with Him, all that they did would be vain for them. (Surah Al-An‘ am, 88)

And most of them believe not in Allah without associating (other as partners) with Him! (Surah Yusuf, 106)
 Those to whom We have given the Book rejoice at what hath been revealed unto thee: but there are among the
clans those who reject a part thereof.Say: "I am commanded to worship Allah, and not to join partners with
Him.Unto Him do I call, and unto Him is my return." (Surah Ar-Ra‘ d, 36)

(Inevitable) cometh (to pass) the Command of Allah.seek ye not then to hasten it: Glory to Him, and far is He
above having the partners they ascribe unto Him! (Surah An-Nahl, 1)

He doth send down His angels with inspiration of His Command, to such of His servants as He pleaseth, (saying):
"Warn (Man) that there is no god but I: so do your duty unto Me." (Surah An-Nahl, 2)

He has created the heavens and the earth for just ends: Far is He above having the partners they ascribe to Him!
(Surah An-Nahl, 3)

Yet, when He removes the distress from you, behold! some of you turn to other gods to join with their Lord-
(Surah An-Nahl, 54)

His authority is over those only, who take him as patron and who join partners with Allah. (Surah An-Nahl, 100)

Those who join not (in worship) partners with their Lord; (Surah Al-Muminun, 59)

He knows what is hidden and what is open: too high is He for the partners they attribute to Him! (Surah Al-
Muminun, 92)

Say: Praise be to Allah, and Peace on his servants whom He has chosen (for his Message). (Who) is better?- Allah
or the false gods they associate (with Him)? (Surah An-Naml, 59)

That Day ((Allah)) will call to them, and say "Where are my 'partners'?- whom ye imagined (to be such)?" (Surah
Al-Qasas, 62)

The Day that He will call on them, He will say: "Where are my 'partners'? whom ye imagined (to be such)?"
(Surah Al-Qasas, 74)

Now, if they embark on a boat, they call on Allah, making their devotion sincerely (and exclusively) to Him; but
when He has delivered them safely to (dry) land, behold, they give a share (of their worship to others)!- (Surah
Al-‘ Ankabut, 65)

No intercessor will they have among their "Partners" and they will (themselves) reject their "Partners". (Surah Ar-
Rum, 13)

Behold, Luqman said to his son by way of instruction: "O my son! join not in worship (others) with Allah. for false
worship is indeed the highest wrong-doing." (Surah Luqman, 13)

And We have enjoined on man (to be good) to his parents: in travail upon travail did his mother bear him, and in
years twain was his weaning: (hear the command), "Show gratitude to Me and to thy parents: to Me is (thy final)
Goal. (Surah Luqman, 14)

(31:12) We17 bestowed wisdom upon Luqman, (enjoining): “Give thanks to Allah.”18 Whoso gives thanks to Allah,
does so to his own good. And whoso disbelieves (let him know that) Allah is All-Sufficient, Immensely
Praiseworthy.19
17. After presenting a rational argument to refute shirk, the Arabs are being told that this rational point of view is not
being presented before them for the first time, but the wise and learned people before them also have been saying the
same thing, including their own famous sage, Luqman. Therefore, they cannot refute the Prophet’s (peace be upon him)
message, saying, “If shirk was an irrational creed, why didn’t it strike so to somebody else before?”
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I
Concept of ‘shirk’ in Islam with reference to Surah
Al-Luqman.Luqman was well known as a wise and learned man in Arabia. He has been mentioned in the poetry of the
pre- Islamic poets like Imraul-Qais, Labid, Aasha, Tarafa and others. Some educated Arabs also possessed a collection of
the wise sayings of Luqman. According to traditions, three years before the Hijrah the very first person of Al-Madinah to
be influenced by the Prophet (peace be upon him) was Suwaid bin Samit. He went to Makkah for Hajj. There the Prophet
(peace be upon him) was as usual preaching Islam to the pilgrims coming from different places, at their residences. When
Suwaid heard his speech, he submitted, “I have also gotten a thing similar to what you preach,” When the Prophet (peace
be upon him) asked what it was, he said, “The roll of Luqman.” Then on the Prophet’s (peace be upon him) insisting, he
read out a portion of it, whereupon the Prophet (peace be upon him) said, “This discourse is fine, but that which I have is
better still.” Then he recited the Quran to him, and Suwaid admitted that that was certainly better than the wisdom of
Luqman. According to the historians, this person, Suwaid bin Samit, was known by the title of kamil (perfect) in Al-
Madinah on account of his ability, bravery, nobility and poetry. But after his meeting with the Prophet (peace be upon
him), when he returned to Al-Madinah. He was killed in the battle of Buath, which was fought some time afterwards. His
tribesmen were of the opinion that he had become a Muslim after his meeting with the Prophet (peace be upon him).

Historically, Luqman is a disputed personage. In the dark centuries of ignorance there was no compiled history. The only
source of information were the traditions that were being handed down since centuries. According to these, some people
thought that Luqman belonged to the people of Aad and was a king of Yaman. Relying on these traditions, Maulana
Sayyid Suleman Nadvi has expressed the opinion in the Ard al-Qaran that Luqman was a descendent of the believers who
remained safe with the Prophet Hud (peace be upon him) after the destruction of the people of Aad by a divine torment,
and he was one of the kings of Yaman when it was ruled by the Aad. But other traditions which have been reported from
some learned companions and their immediate followers do not support this view. Ibn Abbas says Luqman was a negro
slave, and the same is the opinion of Abu Hurairah, Mujahid, Ikrimah and Khalid ar-Rabi. According to Jabir bin
Abdullah Ansari, he belonged to Nirbah. Said bin al- Musayyib says that he was an Egyptian negro. These three sayings
closely resemble one another. The Arabs generally called the black people negroes (Habashis) in those days, and Nirbah is
the country south of Egypt and north of Sudan. Therefore, calling the same person an Egyptian and a Nubian and a negro,
in spite of the difference in words. is one and the same thing. Then the elucidations made by Suhayli in Raud al-Unuf nd
Masudi in Muruj adh-Dhahab also throw some light on the question as to how the wisdom of this Sudanese slave spread
in Arabia. They both agree that this person, though originally a Nubian, was an inhabitant of Madyan and Aylah (modern,
Aqabah). That is why he spoke Arabic and his wisdom spread in Arabia. Besides, Suhayli also elucidates that Luqman the
Sage and Luqman bin Aad were two different persons, and it is not correct to regard them as one and the same man.

Another thing may also be made clear here. The Arabic manuscript from the Library of Paris, which the orientalist
Derenbourg has published under the title Amthal Luqman Hakim (Fables De Luqman Le Sage) is a fabricated thing which
has nothing to do with the Roll of Luqman. These fables were compiled by somebody in the 13th century A.D. Its Arabic
is poor, and a perusal shows that it is, in fact, a translation of some other book in a different language, which the author or
translator has himself ascribed to Luqman the Sage. The orientalists make such researches with a special object in view.
They bang out such forged and fake things in order to prove that the narratives of the Quran are unhistorical legends and
therefore unreliable. Anyone who reads B. Helle’s article on Luqman in the Encyclopedia of Islam will not fail to
understand the real motive of these people.
18. That is, “The very first demand of the wisdom and knowledge, insight and sagacity, granted by Allah was that man
should have adopted the attitude of gratefulness and obedience before his Lord, and not of ingratitude and thanklessness.
And this gratefulness should not have merely been lip-service but expressed and translated in thought and word and deed.
One should have the conviction in the depths of his heart and mind that whatever he has gotten, has been given by God.
One’s tongue should always be acknowledging the favors of God; and also practically, one should be trying to prove by
carrying out His commands, by avoiding sins, by striving to achieve His good-will, by conveying His blessings and favors
to His servants and by fighting those who have rebelled against Him that he is really a grateful servant of his God.”

19. That is, “The one who is ungrateful and unbelieving, his unbelief is harmful to his own self. Allah does not lose
anything. He is Independent and does not stand in need of anyone's gratitude. The gratitude of someone does not add
anything to His Godhead, nor does anyone’s ingratitude and disbelief change the reality that whatever the servants have
gotten, has been granted by Him. He is self- Praiseworthy whether someone praises Him or not. Every particle in the
universe bears testimony to His Perfection and Beauty, His Creativity and Providence, and every creature is paying
homage to His glory perpetually.”

َ ‫ظ ۡل ٌم‬
‫عظِ ۡي ٌم‬ ُ ‫اّٰللِؕ ا َِّن الش ِۡركَ لَـ‬ َّ َ‫َوا ِۡذ قَا َل لُ ۡقمٰ نُ ِِل ۡبن ِٖه َوه َُو يَ ِعظُهٗ يٰ بُن‬
‫ى َِل ت ُ ۡش ِر ۡك بِ ه‬
(31:13) And call to mind when Luqman said to his son while exhorting him: “My son, do not associate others with
Allah in His Divinity.20 Surely, associating others with Allah in His Divinity is a mighty wrong.”21
20. This particular admonition from the wisdom of Luqman has been cited here for two reasons: (1) He gave this
admonition to his son, and obviously, no one can be insincere to his own children. A person may deceive others, may
behave hypocritically towards them, but no one, not even a most depraved person, will try to deceive and defraud his own
children. Therefore, Luqman’s admonishing his son thus is a clear proof of the fact that in his sight shirk was indeed the
most heinous sin, and for that very reason he first admonished his dear son to refrain from this iniquity. (2) The second
reason for this narration is that many parents from among the disbelievers of Makkah were compelling their children to
turn away from the message of Tauhid being preached by the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and remain
steadfast on the creed of shirk, as is being stated in the following verses. Therefore, those foolish people are being told, as
if to say, The well-known sage of your own land had wished his children well by admonishing them to avoid shirk, now
you should judge it for yourself whether you are wishing your children well or ill when you compel them to follow the
same creed of shirk.”

21. Zulm means to deprive someone of his right and to act unjustly. Shirk is a grave iniquity because man sets up such
beings as equals with his Creator and Provider and Benefactor as have no share whatever in creating him, nor in providing
for him, nor in bestowing the blessings on him, which he is enjoying in the world. There could be no greater injustice than
this. The Creator’s right on man is that he should worship Him alone, but he worships others and so deprives Him of His
right. Then, in whatever he does in connection with the worship of others than Allah, he exploits many things, from his
own mind and body to the earth and heavens, whereas, all these things have been created by Allah, the One. And man has
no right to use any of them in the worship of any other than Allah. Then, the right of man’s own self on him is that he
should not debase and involve it in punishment. But when he worships others than his Creator, he debases his self as well
as makes it deserving of the punishment. Thus, the entire life of a mushrik becomes zulm in every aspect and at all times
and his every breath becomes an expression of injustice and iniquity.
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

What is an Acrostic Poem?

An acrostic poem is a type of poetry where the first, last or other letters in a line spell out a particular word or phrase. The
most common and simple form of an acrostic poem is where the first letters of each line spell out the word or phrase.
Example – An acrostic poem using the beginning of lines

A less common and slightly more difficult type of an acrostic poem is where the last letter of each line spells out the word
or phrase.
Example - An acrostic poem using the end of lines

Finally, the more difficult type is where letters in the middle of the acrostic spell out the word or phrase.
Example - An acrostic poem using the middle of the lines
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

Belief in Revealed Books (Kutub)

It is a matter of Islamic belief that God, in His mercy, has sent prophet after prophet to lead people forth from darkness to
light. The belief in all of God’s revealed books forms an integral part of Islamic faith.
These divine books commanded justice in everything and exhorted invited men to repent.
The Quran describes Torah as Furqan (the Discriminator between right and wrong). It says “We gave Moses and Aaron
the Discriminator, and gave them a light (Dhia) and a Reminder for the righteous (21:48). Furqan means that ideological
standard which enables man to distinguish between Truth and falsehood. Dhia means divine guidance, which leads a man
out of the darkness of the wrong path and puts him in the light of the straight path. In this way God has arranged for the
guidance of man through His messenger.
But it is possible for God’s guide book to provide guidance in the real sense only when a man is anxious about his fate in
the Hereafter. This anxiety makes him so serious that he attaches more importance to Truth and righteousness than to any
other thing.
The Books Mentioned in the Quran
Of the holy books, four find mention in the Quran: the Sahifa, scrolls given to Abraham; the Tawrat, the revelations made
to Moses; the Zabur, the psalms given to David; the Injil, the teachings given to Jesus. It is a belief of a Muslim that each
of these (as well every other Books sent by God to His Prophets) was originally a complete revelation. However, for a
variety of reasons, most of these revealed books sent by God could not be preserved. For instance, the Quran mentions the
scriptures given to Abraham (87:14-19). as Sahifa, but these are no longer in existence and were lost completely. Others
were changed in various ways by human intervention.
Thus these previous scriptures are no longer in their original form. They could best be described as edited versions of
divine revelations, which have been altered from time to time by editors and commentators. So we can say that those
ancient scriptures, which still exist today, have not been preserved from human interpolations. They have been tampered
with at will by their adherents, who have retained the portions they wanted to and deleted the portions they disliked.
Therefore, these scriptures have lost their veracity.
The Quran, the last of the divine books, is the only revealed scripture which has been preserved from human interpolation.
The Quran enshrines these teachings, which were basically the same as were to be found in previous revealed scriptures.
But these scriptures are no longer preserved in their original state. The Quran has been preserved in its original state;
therefore, it is an eternal guidebook which will never lose its relevance.
A. The Towrah
The term Towrah is simply the Arabic equivalent for the Hebrew Torah, and normally understood as ‘The Law’ given by
God to the Prophet Moses. The Quran gives abundant testimony to the Towrah, and it is mentioned more than any other
revealed book. Sometimes it is simply called ‘The Law’.

‘We have revealed the Torah having guidance and light. By it, the prophets who surrendered themselves to God judged
the Jews, and so did the rabbis and the divines, by what they were required to guard of God’s books, and to what they are
witnesses. ‘Have no fear of people: fear Me, and do not take a small price for My revelations. Unbelievers are those who
do not judge in accordance with God’s revelations.
‘(In the Torah) we decreed for them a life for a life, an eye for an eye, a nose for a nose, an ear for an ear, a tooth for a
tooth, and for wounds punishment. But if a man charitably forbears from retaliation, his remission shall atone for him.
Transgressors are those that do not judge in accordance with God’s revelations.’ (5:44-46).
From this quotation it can be seen that the Quran calling the Towrah a book of ‘guidance and light’ testifies that God had
revealed it as the Law for the Jews.
Sometimes in the Quran, the name Towrah refers not only to the books of the Prophet Moses, but to the entire Hebrew
scripture of the Jews, especially in the verses, which mention the Towrah and Injil together. ‘He has revealed unto you
(Muhammad) the scripture with truth, confirming that which was (revealed) before it, even as He revealed the Torah and
the Injil.’ (3:3).
When the Quran uses the expression ‘People of the Book’, it always means all the three communities: the Jews, the
Christians, and the Muslims: ‘You People of the Book! Why dispute you about Abraham, when the law (Towrah) and the
Injil were not revealed till after him? Have you no understanding?’ (3:65).
According to the Quran, the Towrah, the book that God revealed to Moses for the guidance of the Children of Isreal (Bani
Israil), did in fact contain guidance and God’s commands, admonition and a clear explanation of many things of the
world, and of God’s mercy. There are many verses regarding the granting of a book to Moses in which the Towrah is
mentioned although not by name. The tablets (alwah) are also mentioned and they mean the same scripture:

‘And We ordained for him in the Tablets in all the matters, admonition and explanation of all things, (and said): ‘Take and
hold these with firmness and enjoin thy people to hold fast by the best of the percepts…’ (7:145).
But when Moses went back to his people with the Law inscribed on the Tablets (7:150) they had meanwhile turned away
from God and the Truth and he became very angry. He prayed for them and they repented. ‘When the anger of Moses was
appeased, he took up the tablets: in the writing thereon was Guidance and Mercy for such that fear their Lord’ (7:154).
The Towrah, as originally revealed to Moses, must have been in the Hebrew language. But there is no copy of the original
Book given to Moses extant today. As a matter of fact, during their long turbulent history, the Jews repeatedly lost their
revealed books. According to the Quran, they also failed to maintain the standards prescribed by their scriptures. They
made it ‘into (separate) sheets for show’ and concealed much of its content. Therefore differences have arisen among
them, as they have distorted and changed God’s word and its meaning. The Old Testament is considered by today’s Jews
as the Book revealed by God. But it cannot simply be equated with the Towrah mentioned in the Quran. The reason for
this is that the Old Testament contains also the Zabur, the book of guidance given to the Prophet David. The Zabur is
mentioned in the Quran as a revelation separate from the Towrah.
b. The Zabur
The term Zabur is the Arabic equivalent of the Hebrew word ‘zimr’, which is usually translated into English as ‘psalm’. It
was the book of revelation given to the Prophet David or Daud. In the Hebrew and Christian scriptures it is a part of the
Old Testament. David was a prophet, but he was also a great ruler and singer of the divinely inspired hymns praising God
and His creation, which form the Zabur.
In the Quran, the Zabur is mentioned by name only three times:

‘…And to David We gave the Psalms.’ (4:163)

‘And it is your Lord that knows best all beings that are in the heavens and on earth: We did bestow on some prophets
more (and other) gifts than on others: and We gave David (the gift of) the Psalms.’ (17:55)
‘Before this We wrote in the Psalms, after the Message (given to Moses): My servants, the righteous, shall inherit the
earth.’ (21:105)
Thus the Quran, and also the traditions, very clearly confirms the Muslim belief in four heavenly books. The Quran
mentions no other such heavenly books, though it mentions many prophets, some of them by name, and attributes many
divine revelations to them.
David, to whom God revealed the Zabur, was gifted with great eloquence and a beautiful voice. All gifts were given to the
prophets according to the needs of the world and the times in which they lived. The Psalms were intended to be sung for
the worship of God and the celebration of God’s greatness.
The Psalms are still extant and have been incorporated into the Bible. However, their present form may possibly be
different from the original. Nonetheless, to a great extent, the Psalms retain their original state.
c. The Injil
The Injil is the revelation given to prophet Isa. The term Injil is derived from a Greek word, which, when translated into
English means ‘gospel’ and it occurs twelve times in the Quran.
In Muslim belief Isa or Jesus, the son of Mary, is considered to be the prophet immediately preceding the Prophet of
Islam. His birth was miraculous and by the grace of God he was endowed with a life-giving spirit. Both he and his pious
mother, Mary, are mentioned in the Quran many times.

‘We sent after them Jesus, the son of Mary, and bestowed on him the Gospel; and We ordained in the hearts of those who
followed him compassion and mercy.’ (57:27)
This particular verse of the Quran very clearly states that the Prophet Jesus was given the real Injil, which stressed the
compassion and mercy of God. Most of the time, whenever mentioned in the Quran, Injil is coupled with the Towrah or
the law given to Moses. But there is always emphasis on the continuity of revelation and its culmination with the final
revelation that is the Quran.

‘It is He Who sent down to you (step by step), the truth, the Book (the Quran), confirming what went before it: and He sent
down the Towrah (of Moses) and the Injil (of Jesus),’ (3:3)
‘And God will teach him the Book and Wisdom, the Towrah and the Gospel.’ (3:48)
The Injil mentioned in the Quran is not exactly what the Christians today consider their scripture, the Gospel of the Bible.
The Injil in fact was the book revealed to the Prophet Isa himself and it is that book, which is mentioned in the Quran. The
Gospel of the Christians is a compilation made one hundred years after the prophethood of Isa and was written down in
Greek. Besides the Gospels attributed to the four apostles (John, Luke, Mark, and Matthew), it contains letters of Paul and
Peter to the early Christian communities, as well as other written material. That is why the Quran and the traditions often
refer to the corruption of the original scriptures. All heavenly books were sent by God for the guidance of mankind and to
enable their adherents to judge all issues according to the divine laws as set forth in these Books.
d. The Quran
The Quran, the Book of God, enshrines teachings, which were basically the same as were to be found in previously
revealed scriptures. But these ancient scriptures are no longer preserved in their original state. Later additions and
deletions have rendered them unreliable, whereas the Quran, preserved in its original state, is totally reliable.
The Quran has 114 chapters. Its contents in a nutshell are: belief in one God, and considering oneself answerable to Him;
firm belief that the guidance sent by God through the Prophet Muhammad is the truth and that man’s eternal salvation
rests thereon.
The position of the Quran is not just that it is one of the many revealed scriptures but that it is the only authentic divine
Book. All the other Books, due to human additions and deletions, have been rendered historically unreliable. When a
believer in the previous revealed scripture turns to the Quran, it does not mean that he is rejecting his own belief, but
rather amounts to his having re-discovered his own faith in an authentic form.
The Quran is a sacred book sent by the Lord of all creation. It is a book for all human beings, because it has been sent by
that Divine Being who is the God of all of us.
The Quran is no new heavenly scripture. It is only an authentic edition of the previous heavenly scriptures. In this respect,
the Quran is a book for all human beings, of all nations. It is the expression of God’s mercy for one and for all. It is a
complete message sent by God for every one of us. The Quran is a light of guidance for all the world just as the sun is the
source of light and heat for all the world.
According to the Quran, Islam means submission. The religion of Islam is so named because it is based on obedience to
God. A true believer in Islam is one who subordinates his thinking to God, who follows God’s dictates in all aspects of his
life.
Islam is the religion of the entire universe, for the entire universe and all its parts are functioning in accordance with the
law laid down by God.
Such behaviour is also desired of man. Man should also lead his life as God’s obedient servant just as the rest of the
universe is fully subservient to God. The only difference is that the universe has submitted to God compulsorily, while
man is required to submit to the will of God by his own choice.
When man adopts Islam, first of all it is his thinking which is affected by Islam, then his desires, his feelings, his interests,
his relations, his love and his hatred. All are coloured by his obedience to God’s will.
When man, in his daily life comes under God’s command, his behaviour with people and his dealings are all moulded by
the demands of Islam. From inside to outside he becomes a person devoted to God.
Man, as the Quran tells us, is God’s servant. Indeed, the only proper way for man to live in this world is to live as the
servant of God. Islam, in fact, is another name for this life of servitude to God. Where the Islamic life is devoted to the
service of God, the un-Islamic life unashamedly flouts the will of God. Islam teaches man to lead an obedient life and
surrender himself completely to the will of God. It is people who do so who will share God’s blessings in the next world.
This is the essence of the teachings of the Quran.
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

Belief in Angels
Reality of Angels
In common folklore, angels are thought of as good forces of nature,
hologram images, or illusions. Western iconography sometimes depicts
angels as fat cherubic babies or handsome young men or women with a
halo surrounding their head. In Islamic doctrine, they are real created
beings who will eventually suffer death, but are generally hidden from
our senses.
They are not divine or semi-divine, and they are not God’s associates
running different districts of the universe. Also, they are not objects to
be worshipped or prayed to, as they do not deliver our prayers to
God. They all submit to God and carry out His commands.
In the Islamic worldview, there are no fallen angels: they are not divided
into ‘good’ and ‘evil’ angels. Human beings do not become angels after
death. Satan is not a fallen angel, but is one of the jinn, a creation of
God parallel to human beings and angels.
Angels were created from light before human beings were created, and
thus their graphic or symbolic representation in Islamic art is
rare. Nevertheless, they are generally beautiful beings with wings as described in Muslim scripture.
Angels form different cosmic hierarchies and orders in the sense that they are of different size, status, and merit.
The greatest of them is Gabriel. The Prophet of Islam actually saw him in his original form. Also, the attendants of
God’s Throne are among the greatest angels. They love the believers and beseech God to forgive them their sins. They
carry the Throne of God, about whom the Prophet Muhammad, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, said:
"I have been given permission to speak about one of the angels of God who carry the Throne. The distance between
his ear-lobes and his shoulders is equivalent to a seven-hundred-year journey." (Abu Daud)
They do not eat or drink. The angels do not get bored or tired of worshipping God:
"They celebrate His praises night and day, nor do they ever slacken." (Quran 21:20)
The Number of Angels
How many angels there are? Only God knows. The Much-Frequented House is a sacred heavenly sanctuary above the
Kaaba, the black cube in the city of Mecca. Every day seventy thousand angels visit it and leave, never returning to it
again, followed by another group.[1]
The Names of Angels
Muslims believe in specific angels mentioned in the Islamic sources
like Jibreel (Gabriel), Mika'eel (Michael), Israfeel, Malik - the guard over Hell, and others. Of these, only Gabriel and
Michael are mentioned in the Bible.
Angelic Abilities
The angels possess great powers given to them by God. They can take on different forms. The Muslim scripture
describes how at the moment of Jesus’ conception, God sent Gabriel to Mary in the form of a man:
"…Then We sent to her Our angel, and he appeared before her as a man in all respects." (Quran 19:17)
Angels also visited Abraham in human form. Similarly, angels came to Lot to deliver him from danger in the form of
handsome, young men. Gabriel used to visit Prophet Muhammad in different forms. Sometimes, he would appear in the
form of one of his handsome disciples, and sometimes in the form of a desert Bedouin.
Angels have the ability to take human forms in some circumstances involving common people.
Gabriel is God’s heavenly messenger to mankind. He would convey the revelation from God to His human
messengers. God says:
"Say: whoever is an enemy to Gabriel - for he brings down the (revelation) to your heart by God’s will..." (Quran 2:97)
Tasks of the Angels
Some angels are put in charge of executing God’s law in the physical world. Michael is responsible for rain, directing it
wherever God wishes. He has helpers who assist him by the command of his Lord; they direct the winds and clouds, as
God wills. Another is responsible for blowing the Horn, which will be blown by Israafeel at the onset of the Day of
Judgment. Others are responsible for taking souls out of the bodies at the time of death: the Angel of Death and his
assistants. God says:
"Say: the Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls, then shall you be brought back to your
Lord." (Quran 32:11)
Then there are guardian angels responsible for protecting the believer throughout his life, at home or traveling, asleep or
awake.
Others are responsible for recording the deeds of man, good and bad. These are known as the "honorable scribes."
Two angels, Munkar and Nakeer, are responsible for testing people in the grave.
Among them are keepers of Paradise and the nineteen ‘guards’ of Hell whose leader is named ‘Malik.’
There are also angels responsible for breathing the soul into the fetus and writing down its provisions, life-span, actions,
and whether it will be wretched or happy.
Some angels are roamers, traveling around the world in search of gatherings where God is remembered. There are also
angels constituting God’s heavenly army, standing in rows, they never get tired or sit down, and others who bow or
prostrate, and never raise their heads, always worshipping God.
As we learn from above, the angels are a grandiose creation of God, varying in numbers, roles, and abilities. God is in no
need of these creatures, but having knowledge and belief in them adds to the awe that one feels towards God, in that He is
able to create as He wishes, for indeed the magnificence of His creation is a proof of the magnificence of the Creator.
The Major Angels and their Duties
How many groups are angels divided into? What are their duties?
Only Allah knows the number of angels. There is no clear information about the number of angels in the Qur’an and
hadiths. However, it is possible for us to say that they are far more than we can count based upon hadiths. Moreover,
according to the news given by the prophet Muhammad (PBUH); an angel comes to the earth with a drop of rain and its
turn does not come again. We can range the famous angels and their duties as follows;
Gabriel (PBUH): The Archangel (A.S)
Gabriel (A.S) is one of the four greatest angels. He is appointed to convey revelations to the prophets by Allah. In three
places of the Qur’an, His name is Jibril. Besides, He is mentioned in verses as the spirit, rasulun karim, ruh al-Amin and
ruh al-qudus”. In addition to these, in one of the hadiths, he is called “an-namus”.
The Angel of Soor (The Trumpet): Hz. Israfel (A.S)
The angel that will blow the trumpet is called Israfel. His name is mentioned among the four great angels in the hadiths.
Israfel will blow two times, in the first one, the Doomsday will occur and in the second blowing, the resurrection will
occur. Because of this duty of him, He is called the angel of Soor (the Trumpet). When the prophet Muhammad (PBUH)
was asked about the nature of the trumpet, he answered: “A horn that is blown” (Ahmad b. Hanbal, II, 196).
The prophet Muhammad (PBUH) said that “Israfel is awaiting the order of blowing while He grasps the trumpet”. (Tabari
Jami-ul Bayan, VII, 211; Ibn Kathir, Tafsiru’l-Qur’an-il Azim, Egypt, n.d. II, 276)
The Angel of Death: Hz. Azrael (A.S)
His duty is to grasp the souls of people whose death times have come. He is called as “Malak-ul Mawt”, that is, the angel
of death.
Say: "The Angel of Death, put in charge of you, will (duly) take your souls: then shall ye be brought back to your
Lord." (Surah as-Sajda)
The Angel that controls the events in this realm: Hz. Mikail (A.S) (Michael)
He is one of the greatest angels of four and He is responsible for the pouring of rain, the blowing of the wind, natural
events such as the ordering of seasons and the management of supplications of the created beings. He is only mentioned in
one place of the Qur’an. Hz. Mikail is the angel that manages the divine work of arts that are planted on the field of earth
with the power of Allah and His order.
Kiraman Katibin
It is the names of the angels who are attendant on the right and left of humans. The angel on the right is responsible for
recording the good deeds and manners; the angel on the left is responsible for recording the bad deeds and manners. “The
angels who are also called Hafaza will attend as witnesses of the deeds of humans in the Day of Judgment during
reckoning.
Muqarrabun
The angels who are known asIlliyyun and Karubbiyyun are responsible for glorifying Allah, are very close to Him and
have an exalted place before Allah.
“Those who sustain the Throne (of Allah) and those around it sing Glory and Praise to their Lord; believe in Him;
and implore forgiveness for those who believe.” (Surah Ghafir, 7)
Munkar - Nakir Angels:
They are the angels that question man after he dies in the grave. The words of “Munkar” and “Nakir” means unknown,
unrecognized and unaccustomed. They are called by this way because they come to the dead in a way that he/she has not
seen before. These two angels question the dead by questions as follows and treat them according to the answers that they
receive: Who is your lord? Who is your prophet? What is your book?
There are more angels than mentioned here. In hadiths, there are angels who inspires man the right and truth, descend on
the earth when the Qur’an is recited, who are spiritual herders of animals on earth, who manage clouds, make the sound of
thunder and so on…
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

Belief in Prophets
On their own, human beings 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. Muslims believe that a
prophet was selected for every nation at some point in its history. These prophets Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Moses,
Jesus, and Muhammad, peace be upon them all. Muslims believe there were about 124,000 prophets in all, of whom only
25 are mentioned by name in the Quran, the holy book of Islam.

Each Prophet Conveyed the Same Message

The religion that God established for all mankind is Islam, which means to submit or surrender. Islam is not limited to the
revelation that was sent to the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, but was also the message of previous prophets.
Therefore, the Qurʾān teaches that previous religions, such as Christianity and Judaism, in their authentic and original
forms were based on the Oneness of God.
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 Muhammad, peace be upon him, as the final prophet to all of humanity in the 7th century C.E. to restore
the divine message of all prophets. Muhammad did not bring a new message, but conveyed the same message as previous
prophets. In the chapter of the Qurʾān 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.” (Qurʾān 21:25). In this same
chapter, we also find God describing all prophets as belonging to the same religion Indeed this, your religion, is one
religion, and I am your Lord, so worship Me (Qurʾān 21:92).
Abraham, Noah, Moses, Jesus, Muhammad and all other prophets are considered to be one family. The Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon him said: “I am the nearest of all the people to Jesus, the son of Mary both in this world and
the hereafter. The prophets are paternal brothers; their mothers are different, but their religion is one.” (Bukhari) This
spiritual connection of brotherhood between prophets is due to the fact that all prophets delivered the same message, but
at different times to different people. Muslim scholars have stated that the above quoted tradition, prophets are described
as having different mothers because their laws and practices were different. However, they are paternal brothers because
their creed was the same. In other words, prophets may have had different laws concerning prayer, marriage, charity, and
purification, but their beliefs concerning God, the hereafter, scripture, and morals were the same.
Islam, Judaism and Christianity share the core concept that God sent prophets to guide their fellow people. However,
Islam also differs from these two faiths on important aspects related to prophethood. For instance, Islam teaches that all
prophets of God were of high moral character and did not succumb to the sins their people committed. For example, the
Qurʾān exonerates Aaron even though the Old Testament depicts him as someone who worshipped the golden calf.
Additionally, Islam strongly rejects deification of prophets, so Jesus is revered as a prophet of God, but not God or the son
of God. At the same time, Islam recognizes that prophets were capable of human errors of judgment, but these unintended
mistakes did not diminish their superior integrity.
Muslims honor all prophets
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.
“Say, ‘We believe in God and in what was sent down to us and what was sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob,
and the Tribes, and what was given to Moses, Jesus, and all the prophets by their Lord. We make no distinction between
any of them, and we devote ourselves to Him.’” (Quran, 2:136)
Allah conveys His message to humanity through messengers. They form a link between the humans and the heavens,
in the sense that Allah has chosen them to deliver His message to humanity. Divine messages were not conveyed to
mankind except through the messengers. It is the system of communication between the Creator and the created. Allah
does not send the angels to every single individual, nor does He ‘open the skies’ so people can climb up to receive the
message. His way of communication is through human messengers who receive the message through the angels. Allah
only sent men as prophets and messengers. No angels were sent with a message to mankind. He, the Exalted, says:
‘And they say, “Why was there not sent down to him an angel? But if We had sent down an
angel, the matter would have been decided; then they would not be reprieved. And if We had
made him [i.e. the Messenger] an angel, We would have made him [appear as] a man, and We
would have covered them with that in which they cover themselves.’ (6:8-9)
What Does the Belief in the Messengers Entail?
Faith in messengers is to firmly believe Allah chose morally upright men to bear His message and pass it on to
humanity. Blessed were those who followed them, wretched were those who refused to obey. They faithfully delivered
the message, without hiding, altering, or corrupting it. Rejecting a messenger is rejecting the One who sent
him. Disobeying a messenger is disobeying the One who commanded to obey him.
Disbelieving in one messenger is like disbelieving in all the messengers. In the following verse, Allah, the Exalted,
says that the people of Noah disbelieved in all the messengers, even though they were commanded only to follow Noah:
‘The people of Noah disbelieved in the messengers.’ (Quran 26:105)
More specifically, belief in messengers means:
(1) Allah sent to every nation a prophet from amongst them, to call them to worship Allah alone and to shun false gods.
“And ask (O Muhammad) those of Our messengers whom We sent before you: ‘Did We ever
appoint gods to be worshipped besides the Most Merciful (that is Allah)?’” (Quran 43:45)
They did not add or omit anything from the Divine Message.
“Are the messengers charged with anything but to convey clearly the Message?” (Quran 16:35)
(2) Belief in those have been specifically mentioned, such as Muhammad, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Noah, peace be
upon them all. We hold a general belief in those not mentioned by name as Allah says:
“And indeed, We have sent messengers before you (O Muhammad); of some of them We have
related to you their story. And of some We have not related to you their story” (Quran 40:78)
We believe the final messenger was our Prophet Muhammad and there is no prophet or messenger after him as Allah
has said in the Quran:
“Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but he is the Messenger of Allah and the last
of the prophets. And Allah is Ever All-Aware of everything.” (Quran 33:40)
The Prophet stated categorically:
“There will be no prophet after me.” (Saheeh Al-Bukhari, Saheeh Muslim)
Previous prophets were sent with laws and commandments specific to that people in that time. Prophet Muhammad,
may the mercy and blessings of Allah be upon him, however was sent with a message applicable for all time, people and
places; thus, there is no need for more prophets to come. Another important reason is that some nations were sent more
than one prophet due to the changes they introduced into the religion. Since God has promised that the teachings of
Prophet Muhammad will never undergo change and will always be preserved in the original language in their primary
sources – the Quran and Sunnah, there is no need for another prophet. In the cases of earlier prophets, scriptures were lost
or their message became corrupted to the point that truth was hardly distinguishable from falsehood. The message of
Prophet Muhammad is clear and preserved till the end of times.
(3) Belief in the sound reports that have been narrated from the messengers. For instance, the teachings of Prophet
Muhammad – the Sunnah - are preserved in the books of hadeeth.
(4) Following the laws of the messenger who has been sent to us, the final prophet Muhammad, who was sent to all of
humanity. Allah says:
“But no, by your Lord, they can have no Faith, until they make you (O Muhammad) judge in all
disputes between them, and find in themselves no resistance against your decisions, and accept
(them) with full submission” (Quran 4:65)
The Purpose
What’s the purpose of sending messengers?
(1) Taking people from worship of other created beings to the worship of the Creator, from servitude of creation to the
freedom of worshipping their Lord.
(2) Clarifying to people the purpose of their creation: worshipping and serving Allah, their Creator. There is no other
definite way to find the true purpose of creation.
(3) Establishing proof against humanity by sending messengers, so people will not have an excuse when they will be
questioned on the Day of Judgment. They won’t be able to say they did not know what they were to do in life.
(4) Uncovering the some of the ‘unseen world’ beyond the normal senses and the physical universe, like knowledge of
Allah, the existence of angels, the reality of the Day of Judgment.
(5) Providing human beings practical examples to lead moral, righteous, purpose-driven lives free of doubts and
confusion.
(6) Purifying the soul from materialism, sin, and heedlessness.
The Message
The single most important message of all prophets and messengers to their people was to worship Allah alone and
none else, to submit to Allah’s will. All of them - Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Ishmael, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Jesus,
Muhammad, and those we do not even know - invited people to worship Allah and shun false gods.
Moses declared:
“Hear, O Israel The Lord our God is one Lord.” (Deuteronomy 6:4)
It was repeated 1500 years later by Jesus when he said:
“The first of all the commandments is, ‘Hear, O Israel; the Lord our God is one Lord.’” (Mark 12:29)
Finally, the call of Muhammad some 600 years later reverberated across the hills of Mecca:
“And your God is One God: there is no god but He.” (2:163)
The Quran states this fact clearly:
“And We did not send any messenger before you (O Muhammad) but We revealed to him
(saying): ‘none has the right to be worshipped but I, so worship Me.’” (21:25)
The laws they brought differed, each suitable for its own time and people:
“To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way”(Quran 5:48)
But the central, basic message was Allah’s oneness, tawheed, and worship. It was Islam; Islam in its broad, general
sense of submission to Allah.
“Surely, religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.” (Quran 3:19)
The Message Bearers
Allah chose the best among men to deliver His message. Prophethood is not earned or acquired like higher
education. Allah chooses whom He pleases for this purpose.
They were best in morals and fit mentally and physically, protected by Allah from falling into major sins. They did
not err or commit mistakes in delivering the message. They were many prophets and messengers sent to all mankind, to
all nations and races, to all corners of the world. Some prophets were superior to others, some messengers excelled over
the rest. The best among them were Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad.
Some went to extremes in regards to the prophets. Some were rejected, and accused of being sorcerers, madmen and
liars. Others were turned into gods by their followers by attributing to them powers only befitting for Allah or they were
regarded as God’s son like what happened to Jesus.
In truth, they were fully human with no divine attributes or power. They were Allah’s worshipping slaves. They ate,
drank, slept, and lived normal human lives. They did not have the power to make anyone accept their message or to
forgive sins. Their knowledge of future was limited to what Allah revealed to them. They had no part in running the
affairs of the universe.
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

Islamic Belief of Finality of Prophethood

The holy Quran and the holy Prophet's Ahadith (teachings) eloquently prove that prophethood (nabuwwat and risalat)
came to an end with our Prophet Muhammad(SAW). There are decisive verses to that effect. Being the last Prophet in the
chain of prophethood, no one ever shall now succeed him to that status of dignity.
"Muhammad is not the father of any of your men, but (he is) the Messenger of Allah, and the Seal of the Prophets: and
Allah has full knowledge of all things."
(Holy Quran, 33:40)

Interpreters of the Holy Quran

All the interpreters of the Holy Quran agree on the meaning of Khatam-un-Nabieen that our Prophet(SAW) was the last of
all prophets and none shall be exalted to the lofty position of prophethood after him. Here are a few examples:
Imam Hafiz Ibn-e-Katheer:
"This verse is conclusive of the precept that our Prophet(SAW) is the last and that there shall be no Nabi (Prophet) after him.
When there shall be no Nabi to follow him, the ordainment of a Rasool (Messenger) can not arise by logic of anteriority
because the status of a Rasool is more exclusive then that of a Nabi. Every Nabi is not a Rasool, but every Rasool is
a Nabi. There exists a continuous and unbroken chain of citations of Ahadith from a large number of venerable Sahabah
or Companions of the Prophet(Allah be pleased with them), that there shall be no Nabi or Rasool after Muhammad(SAW)".
(Tafseer Ibn-e-Khateer, Vol. 3, P. 453)
Imam Ghazali:
"No doubt the Ummah (all Muslims) has unanimously understood from this word (Khatam-un-Nabieen) and its
circumstantial reference to mean non-existence of a Nabi or Rasool ever after Muhammad(SAW) and that (this word calls
for) no reservation or tacit interpretation in it; hence its dissident is certainly the one who rejects the Ummah's unanimity".
(Al Iqtisad fil Etiqad, P. 123)

Finality of Prophethood and Ahadith

The Prophet(SAW) unequivocally declared that he was the final Prophet. There are a large number of Ahadith to sustain this
article of Islamic faith. Not only that but the Prophet(SAW) was also pleased to bring forth such expositions of this word
(Khatam-un-Nabieen) that all doubts relating to his finality in prophethood stand void and misinterpretations exposed.
Many people having theological distinctions to their credit have stressed upon the unbroken and consecutive nature of
those Ahadith which concern finality of prophethood. Opinions of some of them are quoted below:
Hafiz Ibn-e-Hazam says on page 77 of his Kitab-ul-Fasl:
"All those personages who have dwelt upon the subject of Muhammad'(SAW) prophethood, his miracles and expounded the
holy Quran, have stated that he(SAW) had informed that there would be no prophet after him".
Hafiz Ibne-Khateer writes under the caption, "finality of prophethood":
"And on this (Finality of Prophethood) there have come from Allah's Messenger(SAW) "mutawatir" (absolutely certain and
numerous) Ahadith which have by an unbroken chain of his companions (Allah be pleased with them)".
Allama Syed Mahmood Aloosi writes in Tafseer Roohul-Mani:
"That he (Muhammad(SAW)) was the final prophet, is ordained by the Quran, acknowledged by the Sunnah and agreed
upon by the Ummah; hence a claimant to the contrary will be (determined as) Kaffir (unbeliever) and put to death if he is
persistent".
To conclude therefore finality of prophethood is an article of faith by the Qurans text and Mutawatir Ahadith. Some are
reproduced below:
The Last Brick
The Prophet of God(SAW) affirmed:
"My position in relation to the prophets who came before me can be explained by the following example: A man erected a
building and adorned this edifice with great beauty, but he left an empty niche, in the corner where just one brick was
missing. People looked around the building and marveled at its beauty, but wondered why a brick was missing from that
niche? I am like unto that one missing brick and I am the last in the line of the Prophets."
(Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Manaqib). This Hadith has also been related in Muslim, Tirmizi, and Musnad of Ahmad.
Line of Prophethood Terminated
The Holy Prophet(SAW) observed:
"God has bestowed upon me six favors which the former Prophets did not enjoy: (1) I have been endowed with the gift of
pithy and perfect speech. (2) I was granted victory owing to my awe. (3) The spoils of war were made lawful unto me. (4)
The whole earth has been made the place of worship for me and it has become the means of purification for me also. In
other words in my religion, offering of prayers is not confined to certain specified places of worship. Prayers can be
offered at any place over the earth. And in case water is not available it is lawful for my people to perform ablutions with
earth (Tayammum) and to cleanse themselves with the soil if water for bathing is scarce. (5) I have been sent by Allah to
carry His Divine message to the whole world. (6) And the line of prophets has come to its final end in me."
(Muslim, Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)
Address to Hazrat Ali
The Holy Prophet(SAW) told Hadrat 'Ali:
"You are related to me as Aaron was related to Moses(peace be upon him). But no Apostle will come after me."
(Bukhari and Muslim, Kitab Fada'il as-Sahaba)
Difference With Tribe of Israel
The Holy Prophet(SAW) observed:
"The tribe of Israel was guided by prophets. When a prophet passed away, another prophet succeeded him. But no
prophet will come after me; only caliphs will succeed me."
(Bukhari, Kitab-ul-Manaqib).
Thirty Liars in the Ummah
It is related by Hazrat Thauban(RA) that our Prophet(SAW) said:
"In my Ummah there shall be born thirty liars (dajjals) each of them will claim that he is a prophet but I am the last of the
Prophets; there shall be no prophet after me".
(Abu Dawood and Tirmizi)
No Prophet or Messenger After Me
The Prophet of Allah(SAW) affirmed:
"The chain of Messengers and Prophets has come to an end. There shall be no Messenger nor Prophet after me."
(Tirmidhi, Kitab-ur-Rouya Babu Zahab-un- Nubuwwa, Musnad Ahmad, Marwiyat-Anas bin Malik)
Last Prophet: Last Ummah
Abu Hurairah(RA) said, I heard the Prophet(SAW) saying:
"We are the last (ummah) but will precede all on the Day of Resurrection except that the Book was given to them before
us".
(Bukhari and Muslim)
If There Were To Be A Prophet It Would Have Been Umar(RA)
The Holy Prophet(SAW) said:
"If an Apostle were to succeed me, it would have been 'Umar bin Khattab." (Tirmidhi,Kitab-ul- Manaqib)
I Am Hashir, I am Aaqib, I am Muqaffi
The Holy Prophet(SAW) observed:
"I am Muhammad, I am Ahmad, I am the effacer and infidelity shall be erased through me; I am the assembler. People
shall be assembled on Doomsday after my time. (In other words Doom is my only successor.) And I am the last in the
sense that no prophet shall succeed me."
(Bukhari and Muslim, Kitab-ul-Fada'il, Bab: Asmaun-Nabi; Tirmidhi, Kitab-ul- Adab, Bab: Asma-un-Nabi; Muatta',
Kitab-u-Asma in-Nabi, Al- Mustadrak Hakim, Kitab-ut-Tarikh, Bab: Asma-un-Nabi.)
To Conclude
It stands proved in the above written lines that (1) the Holy Quran, (2) unbroken chain of "Mutawatir" Ahadith, and (3)
Consensus of the Muslim Ummah vouch that the holy Prophet Muhammad(SAW) was the terminator of the entire chain of
venerable prophets with no exception (peace be upon them). Therefore no person after him(SAW) can be called a prophet in
any meaning or sense and nobody can fix for himself a prophetic stance by his guile or guise. Consequently, he who does
so or tries to do so or if anybody believes in the prophethood of that claimant, then such a person is a cast off from the
fold of Islam.
And this finality of the holy Prophet(SAW) is a status which is most dignified, an honor most distinguished and an esteem
most high. It is therefore a grave insult to the holy Prophet(SAW), if somebody is so insolent as to lay a claim to the line of
prophethood.
Moreover, if just for the sake of argument, it is supposed that there is a prophet after our holy Prophet (SAW), then as a
natural corollary it will become incumbent upon all to express allegiance to him and believe in whatever he says or does;
and conversely disbelief in him will be deemed infidelity and Kufr! Otherwise, what else could prophethood signify? Such
supposition in effect amounts to insulting the holy Prophet(SAW) and finding fault with him to the extent that one who
believes in him and his entire religion is deemed an unbeliever (Kaffir) deserving hell for ever. It would mean that even
belief in the holy Prophet Muhammad(SAW) would (Allah forbid) not be adequate to protect him from disbelief (Kufr) and
the Hell.
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I
Belief in the Day of Judgement

Like Christians, Muslims believe that the present life is only a trial preparation for the next
realm of existence. This life is a test for each individual for the life after death. A day will come
when the whole universe will be destroyed and the dead will be resurrected for judgment by
God. This day will be the beginning of a life that will never end. This day is the Day of
Judgment. On that day, all people will be rewarded by God according to their beliefs and
deeds. Those who die while believing that “There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is
the Messenger (Prophet) of God” and are Muslim will be rewarded on that day and will be
admitted to Paradise forever, as God has said:

And those who believe and do good deeds, they are dwellers of Paradise, they
dwell therein forever. (Quran, 2:82)

But those who die while not believing that “There is no true god but God, and Muhammad is
the Messenger (Prophet) of God” or are not Muslim will lose Paradise forever and will be sent to
Hellfire, as God has said:

And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will not be accepted from him
and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter. (Quran, 3:85)

And as He has said:

Those who have disbelieved and died in disbelief, the earth full of gold would not
be accepted from any of them if it were offered as a ransom. They will have a
painful punishment, and they will have no helpers. (Quran, 3:91)

One may ask, ‘I think Islam is a good religion, but if I were to convert to Islam, my family,
friends, and other people would persecute me and make fun of me. So if I do not convert to Islam,
will I enter Paradise and be saved from Hellfire?’
 The answer is what God has said in the preceding verse, “And whoever seeks a religion other
than Islam, it will not be accepted from him and he will be one of the losers in the Hereafter.”

After having sent the Prophet Muhammad to call people to Islam, God does not accept
adherence to any religion other than Islam. God is our Creator and Sustainer. He created for us
whatever is in the earth. All the blessings and good things we have are from Him. So after all this,
when someone rejects belief in God, His Prophet Muhammad , or His religion of Islam, it is just
that he or she be punished in the Hereafter. Actually, the main purpose of our creation is to
worship God alone and to obey Him, as God has said in the Holy Quran (51:56).

This life we live today is a very short life. The unbelievers on the Day of Judgment will think
that the life they lived on earth was only a day or part of a day, as God has said:

He (God) will say, “How many years did you stay on the earth?” They will say:
“We stayed a day or part of a day....” (Quran, 23:112-113)

And He has said:

Did you then think that We had created you in jest (without any purpose), and
that you would not be returned to Us (in the Hereafter)? So, God is exalted, the
True King. None has the right to be worshipped but Him... (Quran, 23:115-116)

The life in the Hereafter is a very real life. It is not only spiritual, but physical as well. We will
live there with our souls and bodies.

In comparing this world with the Hereafter, the Prophet Muhammad said: {The value of this
world compared to that of the Hereafter is like what your finger brings from the sea when
you put it in and then take it out.}1 The meaning is that, the value of this world compared to that
of the Hereafter is like a few drops of water compared to the sea.
 Angels International College
Middle Years Programme
Islamiyat
Grade: MYP-I

Compare and Contrast

Afterlife Beliefs of Six Prominent World Religions
1. What survives the death of the body?
Christianity: There are straightforwardly dualistic conceptions for Christians (i.e. a non-physical soul that separates from
the body at death), but there are also contrasting views. For instance, many believe that a spiritual body (which may be
three dimensional and physical) is resurrected after death (but that the spiritual body is distinct from our current physical
bodies). Many Christians continue to believe in literal resurrection of our earthly bodies.
Islam: There seems to be general agreement that, according to the Quran, the physical body is resurrected for the Day of
Judgment, although a small minority appears to hold a dualistic view.
Judaism: Most modern Jews do not believe in post-mortem survival in any literal sense. However, orthodox Jews
continue to believe that the physical body will be resurrected by God at the end of time. Some earlier versions of Judaism
held dualistic views.
Mormonism: Mormons believe that we as humans are the embodiment of a material soul. This material soul exists
eternally, to include the period before our birth as an embodied human. After death minimally the material soul will
continue to exist for all who die. However, for most the material soul will be re-embodied, not in the sense that the
material soul will be reincarnated on earth, but it will be given a new body so that the embodied material soul can
continue toward achieving the (God-like) perfection for which it is striving.
Buddhism: Buddhists do not believe in a soul. If one achieves nirvana nothing of that person survives their bodily death.
However, if the person is to be reincarnated there are a couple of different views as to what survives. One of the oldest
Buddhist traditions holds that only karma (or the worth of one’s deeds) survives death and is transmitted to another
physical body. Other traditions hold that sensations, emotions, perceptions and consciousness survive death and are
transferred to another physical body, in the event of reincarnation.
Hinduism: Hindus also believe in reincarnation, and if one is to be reincarnated they believe that the subtle body survives
death (the subtle body is a collection of our senses, actions, mind and intellect) and is transmitted to another physical
body. If one is a Brahmin (a follower of the creator god and the unchanging essence of the universe) and is not to be
reincarnated, then only the essential-self survives death. The essential-self is made of the same thing as Brahma, reunites
with Brahma and so there is in effect no personal survival. If one devotes oneself to another god (e.g. Krishna), and is able
to avoid reincarnation, then one joins with one’s god in a way that preserves some personal identity, although what
actually survives death in this case is a bit unclear (but presumably it is some variation of the subtle body, which allows
for the retention of personal identity).
2. What punishment or reward awaits one in the afterlife?
Christianity: The most generally accepted view is that the resurrected person or the soul is destined for Heaven, a place
of spiritual peace and union with God, or Hell, a place of everlasting torment. Catholics maintain that there is a third
possible destination, Purgatory. Here the deceased is purified by fire for their forgivable sins and made ready to enter
heaven.
Islam: Here there seems little controversy. The righteous are destined for Heaven, a place filled with God’s love and
represented in terms of physical delights. The damned are destined for Hell, a place of boiling fire and torment.
Judaism: According to some schools of thought, only the righteous will be resurrected and taken into Heaven and
rewarded with God’s love. The damned will not be resurrected on this view. However,