Articles of Faith The word faith is synonym of the Arabic word Iman.

To have strong belief or trust in someone or something is known as Faith. The fundamental (basic) beliefs, which serve as the foundation of a religion, are called articles of faith. All the messengers of Allah tried their best to transfer these beliefs to their followers. The Holy Prophet (pbuh) too began propagating his message by focusing attentions on these beliefs. These beliefs are related in Iman-e-Mufasil in these words: "I believe in Allah, 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 Allah, the Almighty Allah, and in the life after death". These articles of Faith are as under: 1 Belief in the Oneness and Unity of Allah or Tauheed.

2. Belief in the Angels. 3. Belief in Revealed Books. 4. Belief in the Prophets.

5. Belief in the Last Day of Judgment. 6. 7. Belief in Life after Death. Belief in Predestination. TAUHEED Tauheed or the belief in the Oneness of Allah is the first and the main principle of Islam. It means that Allah is the Only Creator and Sustainer of the universe. He is Ever-Living without a beginning or an end (the first and the last). He is Independent while others are dependent on Him for their existence and survival. He is the source and support of all life. He is the only one worthy of worship. Allah is Omnipotent (having unlimited authority or power). He knows everything; the hidden and the manifest (obvious, apparent). He is not bound by space and time; He is everywhere and has knowledge of the past, present and future. Surah Ikhlaas proclaims this in the most comprehensive way: '' Say He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal. He does not beget nor is He begotten, and there is none like Him'' (112:1-4). Surah Ikhlaas is also called one-third of the Qur'an which means that one-third of the subject matter of the Qur'an revolves around Tauheed. A person becomes a

Muslim just by believing and uttering the expression: '' There is no god but Allah and Mohammad (pbuh) is the Messenger of Allah''. The first part of this message occurs repeatedly in the Qur'an in slightly different shades. For example the Verse of Throne begins as: ''there is no God but He...'' (2:255). The first Surah of the Qur'an begins as: ''Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the worlds" (1:1). According to the leading scholars of Islam, there are three kinds of Tauheed: Tauhid-ar-Rabubiya (Oneness of Lordship of Allah) Tauhid-al-Auluhiya (Oneness in the Worship of Allah) Tauhid-al-Asma-wa-Sifat (Oneness of the names and qualities of Allah) Tauhid-ar-Rabubiya refers to the belief that Allah is Self-Existent; He is the Creator and the Sustainer of the universe. Allah is the Creator of all things and He is the Guardian over all things (39:62). Allah is Omnipotent, the Law Giver and the Judge. The verse of the Throne says: .who is there who can intercede in His presence except as He permits (2:255). It also to the belief that He is entirely immune to all forms of human weaknesses and needs such as hunger, thirst and the need to rest or sleep etc. no slumber ca seize Him nor sleep (2:255). He is above the grip of space and time, He is the First and Last, the evident and the hidden (57:3). Tauhid-al-Auluhiya refers to the belief that since Allah is the creator, He is the only one worthy of worship. All supplication, beseeching (Pleading) and imploring (begging) are due only to Allah. So we as Muslims, must observe all the religious practices such as prayers, Hajj, fast and giving alms to the poor etc. for His sake only. I created Jinn and mankind only to worship me (51:56). You alone we worship and Your aid we seek (1:4). Tauhid-al-Asma-wa-Sifat refers to the belief that Allah is matchless not only in His Essence but also in His names and Attributes. This belief includes that we must not name or qualify Allah except with what He and His Messenger have named or qualified Him. None can be named or qualified with the names or qualifications of Allah, for example Karim, Raheem, Rehman etc. And there is none like unto Him (112:5). We must believe in all the qualities of Allah which He has stated in His Book or mentioned through His Messenger without changing, twisting or ignoring their meaning. The acknowledgement of Tauheed is the fundamental belief in Islam and is the basis of salvation (rescue). The basic message of all the prophets was the same i.e. there

is no god but Allah. All the previous scriptures preached the Unity of Allah but due to alterations made in their text over the passage of time, the doctrine (set of guidelines) of Tauheed was changed. Finally when the need arose for final and universal guidance, Allah sent His last Messenger with the Quran to set the people on the straight path and correct their beliefs. We cannot see Allah but His existence is confirmed when we ponder over the universe, that such an organized and well coordinated world could not have come into existence on its own; just like a letter cannot be written without an author. who created the seven heavens, one above the other. You will not see any flaw in what the Lord of mercy creates. Look again! Can you see any flaw? Look again! And again! Your sight will turn back to you, weak and defeated. (67:3-4). SHIRK: The Arabic word shirk means to share. In religious sense it means associating partners with Allah. There is an Arabic proverb, things become known through their opposites. In the light of this saying, it is necessary to understand the nature of Shirk for the better knowledge of the oneness of Allah. The avoidance of Shirk is the fundamental teaching of the Quran, because Shirk is nothing but the reverse side of Tauheed. Given the fact that the proclamation of Tauheed is the first pillar of Islam and Tauheed itself is the first principle of Islam, one begins o understand why Shirk is so strongly criticized and why. According to the Holy Quran it is the only unforgiveable sin: indeed Allah forgives not that a partner should be associated with Him, but less than that, He forgives whomsoever He wills. (4:48) The acknowledgement of the Unity of Allah is bound in human nature, since humans were created with the knowledge that there is no god but Allah. The prophets were sent as a reminder of what was already in their original nature. Hence to associate others with Allah is to go against the most basic instincts of the human species. It is, so to speak, to go against human nature.