Hello to you. I do hope you're well. Welcome to this GCSE religious studies video. I'm Ben Ward and today we are revising the Islamic beliefs and teachings. We'll be talking through every topic so you can feel confident about securing 24 out of 24 and getting a grade nine in this section of the exam. So let's get started with a look at the AQA specification which sets out all the beliefs and teachings that we need to know and we'll be talking through all of them in today's video starting with the six articles of faith and the five roots of usel aden. So we'll be asking why are they important and we'll be looking at key similarities and differences between them. We'll then be looking at tawed, the oneness of God, the nature of God, angels, life after death, predestination, prophethood, holy books, and then finally the imam. Now remember in the exam you will be answering five questions about Islamic beliefs and teachings totaling 24 marks. So there are five things that you need to do in order to prepare. Number one is make sure you know the key words for every belief. You then need to make sure you know two bullet point facts for every belief. And we'll be talking through lots of bullet points for each one in today's video. So do not worry. You also need to know two influences of every belief because question three in this section will always ask you to explain two influences and that means the impact that the belief has in terms of the actions it leads to and how it makes the Muslim feel. You need to know a key quote for every belief because question four will always ask you to refer to scripture as part of your explanation. And then finally, you need to know evaluation points for every belief because question five, which is worth 12 marks, will always ask you to evaluate the statement. So my advice here is to make sure you know about the importance of each belief in terms of the significance it has, the relevance it has for Muslims today and how the other beliefs depend on it. So if I just give you an example, AQA sometimes ask these comparison questions where they will give you a belief and ask you to evaluate whether it's the most important. So the example here is that angels are the most important belief. And of course question five will always ask you to evaluate the statement for 12 marks. So you need to explain two arguments to agree with the statement then explain two arguments to disagree before reaching a justified conclusion. So what kind of thing could you include? Well my first degree argument could be that they are the most important belief because they record your deeds for the day of judgment. So they are very important for life after death. I could then make a secondderee argument based on the fact that it was angel Gibbrel who revealed the Quran to prophet Muhammad. So I could say angel Gibbrel is very important because without that angel the Quran would not exist. However, in terms of my disagree arguments, I could say that another belief is more important than angels. For example, tawed the oneness of God because it was God who created the angels. And then I could also as my second disagree argument say that another belief is just as important. For example, holy books because we could say, well, angel Gibbrel revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad many years ago on the night of power. And so for Muslims today, holy books is actually more important because without the Quran, they wouldn't know what um angel Gibbrel revealed to Muhammad all those years ago. And then of course at the end of your 12 marker you need to reach your justified conclusion. So you then need to make a judgment as to whether you agree or disagree with the statement and explain your reason why. So yes in terms of preparing for the exam make sure you are preparing evaluation points for every belief in anticipation of a 12 mark question on that topic. And as I say, the best way to do that is to think about their importance in terms of their significance, their relevance for Muslims today and how the other beliefs depend on that belief. Okay. So let's start by taking a look at the six articles of faith for Sunny Muslims. So the six articles set out the six key beliefs that sunny Muslims have and they are belief in tawed, the oneness of God, angels, prophethood, holy books, predestination, and life after death. And we'll be talking through all of them in lots of detail in today's video. For now, let's just talk about the importance of having these six articles of faith. So you could say that they are important because they provide the foundation of faith. They set out those six main beliefs. We could say they're important because they give a clear set of beliefs. It is very clear, isn't it, what those six beliefs are. We could say that that then unites Sunny Muslims in a set of beliefs. It helps them to actually understand their faith and then it supports them to live a good Islamic life. So they are some of the reasons why it's important to have those six articles of faith. Let's now compare the six articles with the five roots which set out the five main beliefs in the Shia denomination of Islam. And they are tawed, prophethood, life after death, justice, and then finally the imam. So as you can see there are some key similarities here. We've got tawed prophethood and life after death that are featured in both the six articles and the five roots. But you will then notice that the bottom two are not shared by um both are they? And the key difference is the imama. So we're going to talk about that at the end of today's video. But just for now in terms of the key difference between the six articles and the five roots, I would always be focused on the imama. And the imama is all about imams. So whereas sunny Muslims believe that an imam should be elected based on community appointment, Shia Muslims actually believe in divine appointment. They believe that imams are spiritual descendants of prophet Muhammad and that they are infallible in their authority. So that is going to be the key difference that we talk about. And as I say, we're going to talk about that a lot more towards the end of today's video. But we're going to start with a similarity. We're going to start with tawied, the oneness of God. So let's just start by actually defining it. As we know, it is one of the six articles of faith and one of the five roots of usul adin. And it means the oneness and unity of God. And of course this then shows us why Islam is a monotheistic religion because Muslims believe in one God. Our key quote here is from surah 112 which says he is God the one God the eternal. So to help us to understand this belief a bit more I thought we could have a look at surah 112 and talk about what this surah teaches Muslims about God. So the first line I've picked out is that he is God the one. And of course that teaches Muslims that there is only one God. And that of course reflects the fact that Islam is a monotheistic religion. The next line is that he is God the eternal. So of course eternal means that God has always existed and he will always exist. So a very important belief there about the nature of God. Our next verse is that he begot no one nor was he begotten. So that means that God was not born and that he does not have a son or indeed a daughter. Now this reflects the fact that God is eternal. So he wasn't created. No one gave birth to him. And also that he is unchangeable. So again reinforcing the oneness of God. And then finally nobody is comparable to him. This is really important because it emphasizes the fact that God is transcendent and that he is greater than all things. And of course that is why idolatry sherk is such a great sin in Islam because you should never be comparing God to anything or anyone. So why is belief in the oneness of God important for Muslims? Well, this belief is absolutely fundamental to the Islamic religion, isn't it? We could say in terms of its importance that it is foundational for all other beliefs. So it underpins all of the Islamic principles and then also all of the Islamic practices as well. Its importance is demonstrated by the fact it is contained in the shahada which is that there is no god but god and Muhammad is his messenger. So we can say you know that is that central declaration of faith and it starts with the confirmation that there is no God but God. So that really illustrates how important this belief is. And we could say then in terms of what it does in your life, it helps you develop a complete focus on God because you are completely focused on the one God who is the creator and controller of everything. So yes, as you can see, a very important belief for Muslims that we can say is foundational for all of the other beliefs. In terms then of the influence that it has, what is the impact of this belief in terms of the actions it leads to and the feelings it leads to as well. We could say, well, obviously it influences you to worship God and to also follow his rules. It would influence you to avoid idolatry because of course you should only be focused on worshiping the one God. And then also another impact is to say the shahada because you want to have that daily regular reminder that there is no God but God. So that is our first Islamic belief, the oneness of God, reflecting the fact that Islam is a monotheistic religion. Let's talk a little bit more about God now, shall we? and we're going to look at the nature of God, which just means what do Muslims believe God is like? And for each of the attributes we look at, we're going to explain what it means. I'm going to give you a key quote. And then we'll also talk about the influence of that belief as well. So, let's just talk through the key words to start us off. Beneficence means doing good. It refers to God's love and generosity towards humans. And another key word you might use there is omni benevolence. that God is loving and caring. Our next key word is fairness. The belief that God treats all humans equally and remember justice was one of the five roots for Shia Muslims. Imminence is the belief that God is close to humanity. And a great quote we're going to look at is that he is closer to you than your jugular vein. Emphasizing as well our dependence on him. Transcendence refers to the fact that God is beyond space and time. And again, that's why no one is comparable to God because he is completely beyond and outside what we with our little human minds can comprehend or fully understand. Mercy refers to the fact that God is forgiving. Omnipotent is the belief that God is all powerful and omniscience is the belief that God is all knowing. So let's talk through three of these attributes now. And as I say, we're going to have a look at what the attribute means. We've got a key quote from the Quran to support it and then we'll ask how does that then influence Muslims today in anticipation of a potential question Bri on this topic. So let's start with merciful and this is the belief that God is forgiving. Our key quote from the Quran is that God is the Lord of mercy. And in terms of how that would then influence you as a Muslim, we could say you then seek forgiveness because you believe it is possible as God is merciful and you'd also feel comforted because again you believe that God is the Lord of mercy. So he will be forgiving of you and your sins. Our next attribute is omnipotence which means that God is all powerful. Remember he is the creator and controller of everything. Our key quote for this attribute is again from the Quran. It is that all power belongs to God. So how would this influence you as a Muslim? Well, of course, you would worship God because you believe he is worthy of worship. And also you might pray for help during difficult times because you believe God has the power to do something about it and actually help you with whatever you're going through because he is all powerful and all power belongs to him. Our final attribute then is omniscience. And this of course means that God is all knowing. Our key quote from the Quran is that God is all knowing and all aware. And the influence of this is to follow God's rules because of course he will then know and reward you for that on the day of judgment. But also you'd follow his rules because he's all knowing. So he knows what is best for you. And so if he's given you a rule, then you need to follow it because God knows what you need to do in order to live a good life. Another influence is to avoid sin because again, God is going to know about it. And so then on the day of judgment, you could be condemned to hell, which of course you want to avoid. So you're going to avoid committing sins because God will know about them. Two more really important beliefs about the nature of God then in Islam are imminence and transcendence. So this is really interesting actually because Muslims believe that God is both imminent which means he is involved within the world and at the same time he is transcendent which means completely above and beyond the world and indeed the universe. So let's start by talking about imminence. And it's really important in terms of spelling that you spell it with an A. Yeah. Don't get confused with the word imminence which means immediate. So if you do something imminently, it means you're doing it immediately. Whereas imminence with an A is about closeness and involvement. So imminence means that God is involved within the world today. And Muslims believe that God is close to humanity and that he cares for humanity. He is vital for our continued human existence. He has created you. He sustains you and he will then be the one that decides when your life ends. So that really illustrates, doesn't it, our dependence on him. And that is seen in the quote here from the Quran that he is closer to you than your jugular vein. Really illustrating his closeness to us and our dependence on him for our lives. Our other key term here then is transcendence. And as I say, transcendence means that God is outside of the universe. So he is actually beyond space and time. God is the creator and controller of everything. He is beyond our human understanding. Which is why as we saw in surah 112, no one is comparable to him. So these two key terms obviously seem to contradict, but they actually go together in terms of the Islamic understanding of God. Muslims believe that God is both imminent and transcendent. And our key quote here for transcendence is from the Quran that no vision can take him in, but he takes in all vision. So hopefully that all makes sense. Muslims believe that God is both imminent, which means involved within the world, and that he cares for humanity, but he is also transcendent, which means he is completely outside and beyond the world and indeed the entire universe. Okay, so let's talk about angels now, shall we? And our key bullet points about angels are in terms of our key word, they are spiritual beings created from elements of light. They gave God's messages to the prophets and they watch over humans today. So, we're going to talk about two angels. Um, in today's video, we're going to talk about angel Gibbrel who revealed the Quran to Prophet Muhammad and Angel Miky who is described as the angel of mercy and seen as a friend to humanity. A key quote for this topic is from the Quran that each person has angels watching over him. So let's actually talk through our key bullet points, shall we? And find out a bit more about angels and what they do. So as I mentioned, angels are spiritual beings created from elements of light. They were created before humans and they constantly praise God and carry out his commands. Now they have lots of important roles. For example, they've delivered important messages to prophets such as Prophet Muhammad. They watch over humanity and they record each person's actions for the day of judgment. So a lot of the other beliefs and teachings are related to and connected back to belief in angels. For example, holy books when it comes to the Quran being revealed through angel Gibbrel and then life after death because on the day of judgment it is all of the deeds that the angels have recorded that God will judge you based on. Um and a great quote to talk about the important roles they do is from the Quran which teaches that they exalt him referring to God night and day and do not slacken. So they don't have free will but they are fully focused on carrying out and completing God's important tasks. Um so let's talk about two very important angels starting with angel Gibbrel who is important because uh he revealed the Quran to prophet Muhammad starting on the night of power in 610 CE. So angel Gibbrel appeared to Muhammad whilst he was meditating in a cave on Mount Ha just outside Mecca where he had gone to get away from all of the sinful practices that were taking place in the city. Now um according to tradition, angel Gibbrel commanded Muhammad to read, although some translations say commanded him to recite. But what this tells us is that the revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad was a miracle because Muhammad was illiterate, which means he couldn't read or write. And yet he was then able to receive the revelation of the Quran and then share that message starting the Islamic religion. So this is really important because angel Gibbrel's revelation of the Quran to Prophet Muhammad is seen as a miracle and of course it is absolutely foundational for the beginning of the religion because without angel Gibbrel we know that the Quran would therefore not exist. And of course the fact that it has come from angel Gibbrel shows that it is divine in origin and therefore the Quran contains the infallible and inherent word of God. Now really important that the revelation of the Quran started on the night of power in 610 CE uh when prophet Muhammad was 40 and then it continued over 23 years and as I say this is then going to be really important when we talk about holy books and the Quran because the Quran is seen as the direct word of God. It is infallible and inherent because it was revealed via angel Gibbrel. Um and that is why it is preserved in the original Arabic language. It was revealed in to safeguard and protect God's original revelation. So as you can see angel Gibbrel very important um because he revealed the Quran to prophet Muhammad. Let's have a look at a second angel. We'll look at Angel Mikyle now who is known as the angel of mercy and a friend to humanity. So Angel Miky was assigned by God to reward people for their good deeds. Uh Angel Miky also asks God to forgive people's sins. And finally another really important role is bringing nourishment by sending rain to earth. So you can see there that again angel Macau is very important during this lifetime because of course um sending rain means that we can then have food um and so we can survive but then also for the next lifetime as well when God is going to be judging you on the day of judgment. It is Macall who will then reward you for your good deeds but also putting a good word for you with God. So this leads us to the influence doesn't it? What is the influence? What impact is this belief going to have on you in terms of how you live your life? Well, of course, you're going to do good deeds because angels are watching over you and they will be recording them. The Quran says that each person has angels watching over him. So, of course, you're going to be very conscious about the things that you're doing and the choices that you're making. So, you're going to do good deeds so that they can be recorded and you can then go to heaven. That of course would also mean that you avoid sin because again you've got angels watching over you. So no matter where you go, everything you do is going to be recorded and ultimately reported back to God on the day of judgment. So you would be avoiding sin. Another influence is you would believe the Quran is infallible because it's been revealed to prophet Muhammad by angel Gibbro. So it is divine in its origin and it therefore has absolute authority. So the fact that the Quran has been revealed to Muhammad by angel Gibbrel means you will believe as a Muslim the Quran is infallible. There has been this miraculous revelation of the direct word of God. And then a final influence is that you would feel hopeful uh for forgiveness because of course Muslims believe angel Miky will ask God to forgive people of their sins. So that could give you hope that no matter what you've done, you can still be forgiven on the day of judgment because as we say, Angel Mau will be putting in a good word for you. So that is our next belief. It is angels. And hopefully that's been helpful. My advice would be to make sure you know the role that angels play. Know those two examples of particular angels who are very important. And then also of course remember the influence the impact this belief has in terms of the actions it leads to and how a Muslim would feel. Let's have a look now at life after death. Because of course angels are recording your deeds so that on the day of judgment God can make an informed and fair decision in terms of what will happen to you after death. So let's start with our key words. We've got the day of judgment. the day when God will decide about in individual, excuse me, deeds and um either reward you or punish you. Heaven referred to as paradise. It's God's reward after death for those who have been faithful to him and who have repented of their sins. And then finally, hell, a very big contrast, is a place of great suffering after death for those who have rejected the Quran's teachings and have led a wicked life. So, as you can see, we're going to be talking through this table. We will start with the day of judgment and then we'll look at heaven and hell. For each one, I'm going to give you a key quote from the Quran that you can use as your evidence in a question four or question five answer. We'll then be explaining the belief and of course looking at the influence of it. So, let's start with the day of judgment, shall we? And our key quote from the Quran is that on that day you will be exposed and none of your secrets will remain hidden. So of course referring there to the fact that the angels are recording your deeds and also referring to the fact that God is omnisient meaning all knowing. So what will happen on the day of judgment? Well another important angel here angel Israel will blow the trumpet to announce the day of judgment. All bodies will be resurrected and each person will then be judged by God based on their earthly lives. And it's believed that will happen on the plane of Arafat. Now remember, Muslims believe that God is a fair and just judge with justice being one of the five roots. And so he is going to be fair in the decision that he makes. And so you will receive the correct consequences for your earthly conduct in terms of good people will go to heaven and then unrepentant sinners will be condemned to hell. So what is the influence of this belief in terms of what impact does it have on the actions you perform and how you feel? Well, I've said of course you're going to do good deeds because of course God will then reward you for them on the day of judgment. you would avoid sin because God is going to know everything sin that you've done and because he is a fair judge that means unrepentant sinners will be condemned to hell. You could also say an influence is to pray for forgiveness. You are hopeful that God will be merciful to you on the day of judgment. So you would pray to him for forgiveness. In terms of heaven then our um desired destination shall we say our key quotes from the Quran are that it is the garden promise to the pious and the pious and the good religious people who have followed the teachings and worshiped God and it's also described in the Quran as a blessed reward and again that is reflecting isn't it what happens on the day of judgment that you are going to be rewarded for living a good Islamic life so what is our explanation of heaven well it is seen as a reward for those who have performed good deeds, had faith in God, and repented for their sins. So, they are breedings I'd say you need to do according to Islamic teachings in order to go to heaven. You need to perform the good deeds that are taught in the Quran. You need to have faith in God. And of course, that links to tawed, the oneness of God, uh the idea there is no God but God. So, you cannot be involved in idolatry, for example. And then finally, you need to repent for your sins. So again that links to God being merciful and the importance of asking for forgiveness. Um so heaven is described as a blessed reward where you will have eternal happiness. It is described as a beautiful garden and Muslims believe that there are seven levels. So it is a place of everlasting and everinccreasing happiness. So what is the influence of this belief? Well, of course, it is going to encourage you to do good deeds because you want to be rewarded with eternal life in heaven. You are going to follow God's rules because again, you want to be rewarded with eternal life in heaven. And those rules are sort of the blueprint and the guide for getting there, aren't they? Because by following them, you're showing that you want to be a good person and that you have got obedience to God. You would also feel hopeful that death is not the end and that you can then go on to have eternal happiness and that might be very comforting as well. Especially if you're going through a difficult time or if you are grieving the loss of a loved one, this could be very comforting that they are now in heaven and you can rejoin them after your death as well. In terms of hell then um our final key belief about life after death. Our quotes from the Quran are that it is for the hypocrites and disbelievers. So they are the two groups of people who are actually going to be condemned to hell. And in terms of what it's actually like, the Quran is very descriptive. We're told that garments of fire will be tailored for those who disbelieve. So what do we know about hell? Well, hell is a place of punishment for evildoers after death. And as I mentioned, the Quran says that it is hypocrites. So people that say one thing and do another as well as disbelievers who will be punished in hell. And I think again that links to the importance of tawed, the oneness of God that you need to believe in one God in order to then go to heaven. The punishment includes garments of fire, scolding water that will be poured on you and then iron crooks used to restrain you if you try and escape. So, of course, if we think about the influence of that, it's very much going to be avoiding sin, isn't it? Because you do not want to end up um in in this place of pain and uh torture. You're going to try and avoid that if you can. So, you would avoid sin because you know that would send you there. And you'd also feel fearful, wouldn't you? You know, if you believe this place does exist and there is even the slightest possibility you could end up there, there is then going to be a feeling of fear. So going to have quite a powerful influence on you in terms of deterring you from sin and then living a godfearing life. So they are our key beliefs about life after death in Islam. And remember, whenever we're talking about life after death, we're thinking about the day of judgment when you will be resurrected and judged. And then whether you either go to heaven, a blessed reward, or to hell, a place of punishment. Let's have a look now at predestination. And predestination is one of the six articles of faith in Sunny Islam. And it's a very interesting belief. It's the idea that everything that happens has been decided already by God. So this of course reaffirms his omnipotence and also the fact that he is the creator and controller of everything. But it does raise some really interesting philosophical questions about humans and whether we have free will because of course Muslims do believe that humans have free will. meaning we have control over our actions and so we'll be held accountable for them by God. Because of course the whole idea of a day of judgment is that you are being held to account for the decisions you've made during your lifetime. But of course this raises some really interesting questions because if God has already predestined everything, what are we actually being judged on? Because we actually didn't decide anything we've done or have we? So let's talk about this a bit more. Predestination alcadra is the belief that God has predestined everything that happens in our lives. So that means that everything that happens is part of God's plan for us and the universe. And as I mentioned that reflects God's omnipotence, the idea that he is all powerful and also his omniscience that he is all knowing. And our key quote here is that only what God has decreed will happen to us. So that teaches Muslims that everything that happens is part of God's plan for us. So Muslims should put their trust in God and put their faith in his plan for their lives. And we can say that is a really positive thing because it provides you with hope and reassurance during difficult times. There's another great quote from the Quran that God will not burden a soul with more than it can bear. So even when you're going through a really difficult time, you can feel comforted and reassured by the fact that God has a plan for you. And so there is a purpose behind whatever you're going through. So you would trust in God and you would have hope for the future because you believe that anything that's happened is part of God's plan for you. So it can absolutely be very comforting and reassuring. However, it can also raise lots of questions because as I mentioned, Muslims believe we have free will, which is why there's a day of judgment when you're going to be held to account. And so, we've got to reconcile, which means bring together these two beliefs. On the one hand, believing that God because he's all powerful has predestined everything. And then on the other, the belief that we have free will. And so, we choose our um choices basically. So let's talk about this because as I've put here, predestination raises questions about human free will. And the key question is this. If God has predestined everything, do human beings really have the free will to make their own choices? So if God has predecided, he's predestined what's going to happen in your life, does that not then compromise our ability to make choices and decisions for ourselves? Um, now lots of different philosophers have had a lot to say about this, not only in Islam, but also in Christianity. I think one interesting argument is to focus on God's transcendence to so to say that actually we can reconcile predestination with free will because God is transcendent. Remember he is outside of space and time and that's very important because it means he is not determining your future but he can see everything at the same time. So the way I think about this as if someone was stood at the top of a mountain and they were looking down and they can see the entire path up the mountain. They can see the beginning. They can see the whole journey in the middle and they can then see the end. And this is how I think it helps to see God that he can see the past, he can see the present and he can see the future all at the same time. And so he knows what you have done. He knows what you're doing and he knows what you will do. And that is because he is transcendent. He is outside of space and time. And that is why predestination doesn't compromise free will. So we really emphasize God's transcendence here. And we could say that that understanding of God as transcendent can help reconcile predestination with free will because he is outside of time. So he sees all of time at the same time. if that makes sense. Again, reflecting God. Um, another way of reconciling or responding to this problem is to say that we can't ever fully understand God. Remember what we were saying before about the fact that our finite human minds can't quite comprehend or understand God and God's greatness. And so, we have to believe in God as a matter of faith and we have to trust in his plan for us. Um, so what is the importance of predestination then? Why is this one of the sixth articles? Why is this an important belief for Muslims? Well, it emphasizes God's omnipotence and his sovereignity. The idea that he's all powerful and that he's the creator and controller of everything. We can say it reminds you to trust in God and have faith in his plan. It's known as divine decree. So, the idea that only what God has decreed will happen to us. That God will not burden the soul with more than it can bear. So whatever is going on in your life is part of God's greater plan for you. So you should trust in that plan and have hope for the future. And that leads me to the third bullet point that it gives hope and comfort during those difficult times. Um a really interesting link to um paper two here to theme B is on the topic of euthanasia. There's a great quote we use that nobody may die except by permission of God at an appointed time. And that shows you, doesn't it, that predestination includes when you will die. And that is why euthanasia is seen as wrong by Muslims. So a really interesting paper two link there. Again, reflecting the fact that absolutely everything is part of God's plan for you and that he has predestined everything that happens in your life. So what is the impact of that in terms of a question brie on influences? You could say it means that you put your faith in God because he has a plan for you and there is a purpose behind everything that happens to you. We could say that you follow Islamic teachings because that is part of God's plan and the path that he wants you to be following. You would have hope for the future because nothing is going to happen um except what God wants to happen. And so you're going to have hope that he has got a good plan for you in the future. And then finally to feel comforted. when you're going through a difficult time, you would remind yourself, God will not burden a soul with more than it can bear. So although I might not understand it now, I've got to trust it is part of God's greater plan for me and my life. So that is predestination and why it is important. But yeah, very interested to hear your thoughts. Actually, let me know in the comments in terms of how we can reconcile or whether we can reconcile belief in predestination with a belief in human free will, which is of course very important for the day of judgment. Our next topic then is prophethood. And prophethood, also called risa, refers to belief in the prophets as messengers sent by God to communicate to people. And our key prophet, the seal of the prophets in Islam is prophet Muhammad. He is the last and the greatest of the prophets. He received the Quran remember via angel Gibbrel and his sun which is his traditions and practices as well as the hadiths which are his sayings are also important sources of authority. Remember, Prophet Muhammad started the Islamic religion and inaugurated all of the practices that are performed by Muslims today. Our key quote for prophethood is that every community is sent a messenger. And that refers to the fact that all the way up until Muhammad, different communities were sent different messengers. Now, many of them were rejected by the people at the time, but God sent them those messengers to preach the message of monotheism. We're going to look at Prophet Ibraim in a moment, for example. And that continued all the way up to Prophet Muhammad who is the seal of the prophets and that's because his message is the complete and final message. It is of course the Quran and so there is no longer a need for prophets because everything you could need to know is revealed by Prophet Muhammad in the Quran which is the infallible and inherent word of God. So let's just talk about prophets in terms of who they are and what they do. And as I've said, they are the messengers of God. And it is their job. They are chosen by God to spread God's word and also to model good behavior. So we'll talk about prophet Ibrahim for example as an exemplar of faith that he sets a good example of how you should be faithful to God. We also know that the Quran described Prophet Muhammad as the perfect man and the excellent model. And that is why his sun referring to the traditions and practices he performed is an important source of authority for Muslims today. In terms of how many prophets there have been, there are 25 prophets named in the Quran, although Muslims believe there have been 124,000 prophets. But don't worry, you don't need to know them all for this exam. Um it is interesting to know that Adam was the first prophet and he is seen as an exemplar of stewardship in terms of the importance of caring for creation. And then it is Muhammad who is the last and the most important prophet who then actually began the Islamic religion. So two key case studies we're going to look at today. And as I say our key quote is that every community is sent a messenger. And then it is Muhammad who is the seal of the prophets who completes the divine revelation because the Quran is the infallible and inherent word of God which is therefore containing everything you need to know. And we'll talk about that a bit more in just a moment when we do talk about holy books. But for now let's actually talk about prophet Ibraim. He is the exemplar of faith. And it is interesting that Judaism, Christianity and Islam are named the Abrahamic faith. And that is because they all trace their origins back to prophet Ibrahim also known of course as Abraham. So what can I tell you about him and why is he an important prophet? Well Ibrahim believed in monotheism. So he believed in one god and he rejected idolatry and that was actually quite rare and unique at the time because he was born into a community which did practice idolatry. And in fact, his own father worked as a crafter of idols. And Ibraim started to challenge that idolatry. He was preaching the message of monotheism. And it wasn't very wellreceived, shall we say. He was actually thrown into a fire by his own father. So that shows us that the community at the time rejected Ibrahim and that message of monotheism. Now he miraculously survived that fire and remained faithful to God despite what had happened to him. And so that was his first test of faith we could say. And then his most important test of faith which is remembered by Muslims every year with Edidel Ada is um when God asked him to sacrifice his own son Ismael. So God as a test of faith asked Ibraham to sacrifice his own son to him and he was prepared to do it. Now when God saw that he had passed the taste test, excuse me, the test, apologies. When God saw that he had passed the test, he then actually sent a ram to be sacrificed instead. And this is a really important story because it shows his faith in God and his obedience to God. And so he is seen as an exemplar of faith because he is showing that obedience and that willingness to follow God's commands. Even if you don't fully understand them and even if you're not 100% sure about them, you have that 100% faith in God and that obedience to him. And so as I say he is seen as an exemplar of faith because he preached monotheism and then he actually put it into practice himself in terms of the faith that he put into God and the obedience he showed to God. And so as I say he is seen as an exemplar which means as a role model of faith. So yeah a very important test not taste. Do excuse me. Um clearly I need some green tea. There we go guys. So here's our first important prophet. The second prophet we're going to talk about today is prophet Muhammad who is known as the seal of the prophets. And if we just have a look at his own background, he was born in Mecca during a time when idolatry was widespread. So again really interesting. He is our second prophet who is um preaching and teaching in a context of idolatry. So, it's really interesting to see that, isn't it? The communities that they were in um and how they challenged the beliefs of the day and they showed that commitment to preaching monotheism. So, again, showing why they are seen as role models because they are preaching monotheism even when it's not popular or even when it might cause trouble for them. He um did not like what was going on in Mecca at the time. So in Mecca at the time there was as we know the idolatry but there was also then other sinful practices taking place. So he would take quite a lot of time out. He would go to a cave on Mount H where he would spend time meditating. And one night on the night of power in 610 CE, the angel Gibbrel appeared to him and revealed the Quran to him. And that revelation continued over 23 years. And as I said before, this is seen as miraculous because Muhammad could not read or write. He was illiterate. And so when angel Gibbrel commanded him to read or other translations say recite, this shows us it is a miracle that he is able to receive the infallible word of God and then preach it to people despite being illiterate. It's not like when he went up to the cave, there was then this library of different books that he was reading. He was receiving, Muslims believe, the direct and infallible word of God. So he has been chosen by God to receive and then preach the message of the Quran. Now he returned to Mecca after the revelation began and wanted to preach the message of monotheism. But as we said at the time idolatry was widespread, polytheism was common. And so his message was rejected and he was persecuted and that meant he had to flee to Medina where it was safer and where he established the first Islamic community. Um but then of course he wanted to return to Mecca where the Ka was. So he then um returned with the early Muslims to Mecca and there were holy wars um which took place and he ultimately won and so he was able to rededicate the Ka to God and he is then seen as the founder of Islam and also the perfect man. Which is why alongside the Quran which is the infallible word of God, Muslims also see the hadith which is the sayings of prophet Muhammad and the Suna which is the traditions and practices of the prophet as important sources of authority because as they say he is described by the Quran as the perfect man and an excellent model. So again I think you know if we look at the common theme between the two he is standing up for monotheism yet again linking back to the oneness of God. That is the message that is being preached. Um and that is the example being set that you need to be completely focused on God and you need to avoid idolatry and that is the example set by both prophet Ibrahim and then prophet Muhammad. Um, in terms of the influence of them both then, well, of course, the influence is to follow their teachings because you believe that they are messengers of God and they've been chosen by God to communicate to people. And so, you are going to follow their teachings. You are also going to follow their example. As I say, they are seen as exemplars of faith. If you follow the example of Prophet Ibrahim's faith in God and obedience to him also with Prophet Muhammad, as we've said, he inaugurated the Islamic practices. That's why the suner his traditions and practices are so important. So you don't just follow their teachings, you actually follow their example as well. One of those things then is to put your faith in God. I think that's a key takeaway from both of them and the key stories we've looked at there that they both put their faith in God and that then paid off for them that you know we then saw for example Ibrahim surviving the fire and with Muhammad winning the holy wars. So you need to follow their example and put your faith in God. And you also then of course need to avoid the idolatry. They were both um born into communities where idolatry and polytheism was common. They preached against that. They stood strong against that. And that is the example being set to Muslims today. And again we can link that back to and the importance of believing in the oneness of God as we see in surah 112. So hopefully you're now seeing how these different beliefs and teachings do link together and how interconnected they really are. Let's have a look now at holy books because of course holy books are really important for Muslims and the most important is the Quran. It was revealed to prophet Muhammad and is seen as the final revelation of God to humankind which is why prophet Muhammad is the seal of the prophets. So in terms of our key quotes, the Quran says that the Quran is nothing less than a revelation that is sent to him and that it could not have been devised by anyone but God. So again reaffirming that it is divine in origin and infallible in its authority. So let's actually talk about that quote a bit more that the Quran is nothing less than a revelation that is sent to him. Muslims believe that the Quran is the infallible word of God. This is because it is the direct revelation of God to prophet Muhammad through of course angel Gibbrel. Another quote for you is that the Quran is confirmation of previous scriptures and a supreme authority. And when it says confirmation of previous scriptures, it's saying that the Quran is confirming teachings about monotheism in earlier scripture. For example, in the scrolls of Ibrahim or the Torah. So it's important you know that the Quran is the most important holy book for Muslims. It is the most important source of authority in their lives. But there are also earlier holy books in the same way that there are earlier prophets that do have importance. So let's just talk through first of all the Quran and then we will also have a look at the other holy books as well which as I say do have importance because um what they say about monotheism is then confirmed in the Quran. So the Quran is the infallible and inherent word of God. It is the direct word of God. It is um revealed via prophet um to prophet Muhammad sorry via angel Gibbrel and that took place um over 23 years. It is the most important source of authority for Muslims and that is because it is the final revelation of God. It is relevant for all people at all times in their life and it is unchanging and unchangeable and that is why it is preserved in Arabic. Um so that the word of God is not changed and that the meaning is not lost. So let's talk about the Quran in a bit more detail. As we say, it is the infallible word of God revealed to prophet Muhammad by angel Gibbrel beginning on the night of power in 610 CE and that then continued for 23 years. It is the direct revelation from God and therefore it has divine authority and again link that back to angels and the fact that it's revealed via angel Gibbrel to Prophet Muhammad who was illiterate. So we know that it is the direct word of God and therefore has divine authority. In terms of what it contains, there are 114 suras covering every aspect of life. Remember we started by looking at surah 112. Muslims read the Quran and use it for worship in Arabic and that is to preserve the original meaning of God's word and it reflects the fact it is unchangeable. It is then extremely important in their lives as a source of authority and a source of guidance. It forms the basis for Sharia law in Islamic countries and for Muslims all around the world it is their main source of guidance. Um and as we know the Quran says that it is nothing less than a revelation that is sent to him which of course gives Muslims confidence that it is the infallible word of God. Now as I say earlier holy books are also important in Islam because um their teachings about monotheism are confirmed by the Quran. So as I've put here earlier holy books have importance for Muslims because they are connected to important prophets and they are mentioned in the Quran. The Quran confirms earlier revelations but is ultimately more important because it is the only one that is the infallible and inherent word of God. with the early ones um the originals might have been lost or the meaning might have been changed. It is only the Quran preserved in Arabic that is seen as the direct inherent and infallible word of God revealed via angel Gibbrel to Prophet Muhammad. So what are some of those other holy books? We've got the Torah which of course is Jewish scripture and that is all about monotheism for example with those ten commandments. They are the rules that have come from one God. Um and that's part of um what is revealed to Moses who is again another important prophet for Muslims known as Musa. The scrolls of Ibraim and of course we know prophet Ibrahim is very important as an exemplar of faith. The Zabur which is the Psalms and then finally interestingly the angel which is the gospels about Jesus who is known as Isa but not the gospels in the New Testament because of course those gospels in the New Testament talk about Jesus as the son of God. And of course we know from surah 112 in the Quran that he begot no one nor was he begotten. No one is comparable to him. So Esther is an important prophet in Islam but he's not believed to be the son of God. And so Muslims would not believe that the New Testament gospels are the correct and original gospels if that makes sense. Um but as I say this reflects the fact that we have had earlier prophets and we have got earlier holy books that are consistent in their message on monotheism. So that is the key focus again linking it back to the oneness of God. Um but always remember it is then the Quran alone that is the infallible and inherent word of God and that is then the final revelation that contains everything you need to know to live a good Islamic life. So let's talk about question B and the influences of this. Um obviously you would follow the rules in the Quran because you believe it is the infallible and inherent word of God. You would follow its teachings. You would use it as a guide for all areas of your life because again it has absolute authority for you. It is relevant for all people at all times in their lives. It is directly from God. And of course that means you would treat it with respect, wouldn't you? Because you believe it contains the direct word of God. So you would treat it with reverence and respect during acts of worship and also at all times. Let's have a look now, shall we? our final topic which is the immut. Now this links back doesn't it to where we began when we were looking at the similarities and the differences between the six articles and the five roots. And as I pointed out at the start of the video, our key comparison point is going to be on the imama because this is one of the five roots for Shia Muslims. It is not one of the um six articles for sunny Muslims. And this is because the two denominations disagree about how an imam should be appointed. For Sunny Muslims, it is about community appointment whereas in the Shia denomination, it's about divine appointment. So let's start by talking about this Sunny belief in community appointment. Sunny Muslims make up about 90% of the world's Islamic population and they believe that imams should be appointed by the community. So this should be based on their suitability for the role. For example, if you've got great knowledge and good leadership qualities. So this means of course that imams are important in the community because they are educating people and they are leading people but they do not have infallibility. They are human beings who have been elected to the role based on their ability to do it well. Now our key contrast here is then with what Shia Muslims believe because in the Shia denomination and about 10% of the world's Muslims are Shia imams are believed to have a divine appointment and that means that imams are divinely appointed by God. They're not chosen by the community. They have been chosen by God. And that is because they are spiritual descendants of the prophet Muhammad and belong to his family. So really important when I think about this is the difference between a prime minister in the UK and then the royal family. So obviously the prime minister is elected by the country. So people choose them based on who they think is the best person for the role whereas with the royal family you inherit that role because you belong to the family because your parent was um the king or queen before you. Um and so that that's how I remember it in my mind that on the one hand you've got the election on the other hand you've got the divine appointment. So um in the Shia denomination Shia Muslims believe that an imam is infallible in their authority and sinless in their nature. So that is very significant in terms of when we talk about influences because then for a Shia Muslim they are going to accept the teachings without question of an imam because they believe that they're infallible in their authority and sinless in their nature. So their interpretations of scripture are 100% going to be correct because they are infallible. Now that does not mean that all Shia Muslims believe there are lots of infallible people walking around the world because many Muslims uh Shia Muslims excuse me belong to the 12vers branch and this is really important. It is a branch of Shia Muslims who believe that there were 12 divinely ordained imams after Prophet Muhammad who were infallible in their authority and sinless in their nature. Now they believe that the 12th Imam Maddi is actually still alive and has gone into hiding and that he will reemerge towards the end of time and establish justice on the earth. So as I say they many Shia Muslims don't believe that there are lots and lots of infallible imams walking around you know down in Harrow and having a coffee in Edgewear. They instead believe there have been 12 infallible imams and that the 12th is now in hiding somewhere. We don't know where but that they are going to reemerge uh towards the end of time and reestablish justice. So in their place or in their absence um we have ayatollah who are being guided by um the 12th imam and who then give the guidance to the community. So it's ayatollah who are providing that daytoday guidance and leadership for um Shia Muslims who belong to the 12vers branch. So that is an interesting one because of course then the influence of that is that um Shia Muslims have hope for the reappearance of Maddie who will then reestablish justice on the earth. So there is our look. Oh no, before I finish, let me give you a key quote to support that. There is a hadith here that says Islam will continue to prevail through 12 kaliffs. So that's obviously prophet Muhammad talking about what will happen once he has uh passed away on earth. So really interesting to think there about that key difference in terms of an imam. Is it about community appointment or is it about divine appointment instead? So uh that does bring to an end today's video. I really hope that's been helpful. Let me know any questions. Let me know if you've got any other quotes that you think are really helpful for these topics. Um, and I wish you every success with your revision and your exams. Thanks for watching. And bye-bye.