Articles of Faith in Islam – Basic 1 Islamic Studies Lesson Note (First Term)

What are the Articles of Faith?

Articles of Faith (Arkan al-Iman) are the basic beliefs that every Muslim must have. There are six: belief in Allah, the Angels, the Books, the Prophets, the Day of Judgment and Divine Decree (Qadr). Together they are the foundation of Islam. They guide Muslim lives, bring peace and unite all Muslims as one Ummah.

In Arabic, they are called: أركان الإيمان (Arkan al-Iman)

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

• state the six Articles of Faith in order;
• name four angels and say what each one does;
• name the four main holy books and the Prophets who received them;
• name the five greatest Prophets (Ulul-Azm);
• explain why the Articles of Faith are important to Muslims.

What are the six Articles of Faith?

1. Belief in Allah (God)

Arabic: الإيمان بالله

What this means

• We believe Allah exists.
• Allah is One (no partners).
• Allah created everything.
• Allah has no beginning and no end.
• We worship only Allah.

Important points

• Allah is the Creator.
• Allah is the Most Powerful.
• Allah is the Most Merciful.
• Allah sees and knows everything.
• Nothing is like Allah.

2. Belief in the Angels (Malaikah)

Arabic: الإيمان بالملائكة

What this means

• We believe in angels.
• Angels are created from light.
• They obey Allah completely.
• They never sin.
• They do Allah’s commands.

Some angels and their tasks

• Jibril (AS): brings revelation from Allah.
• Mikail (AS): in charge of rain and provision.
• Israfil (AS): will blow the trumpet on Judgment Day.
• Azrail (AS): Angel of Death.
• Kiraman Katibin: recording angels (write our deeds).

3. Belief in the Books of Allah

Arabic: الإيمان بالكتب

What this means

• We believe Allah sent holy books.
• These books guide people.
• They teach us right from wrong.

The main books

• Tawrat: revealed to Prophet Musa (Moses) AS.
• Zabur: revealed to Prophet Dawud (David) AS.
• Injil: revealed to Prophet Isa (Jesus) AS.
• Qur’an: revealed to Prophet Muhammad (SAW). This is the last and final book.

Why the Qur’an is special

• It has not been changed.
• It is protected by Allah.
• It is for all people.
• It is the last revelation.

4. Belief in the Prophets (Rusul)

Arabic: الإيمان بالرسل

What this means

• We believe in all Prophets of Allah.
• Allah sent Prophets to every nation.
• They taught people about Allah.
• They showed the right way.

The five greatest Prophets (Ulul-Azm)

1. Nuh (Noah) AS
2. Ibrahim (Abraham) AS
3. Musa (Moses) AS
4. Isa (Jesus) AS
5. Muhammad (SAW): the last and final Prophet

Other Prophets

• Adam (AS): first human and Prophet
• Yusuf (AS): Prophet in Egypt
• Dawud (AS): king and Prophet
• Sulaiman (AS): wise king and Prophet
• And many more (Allah sent 124,000 Prophets)

5. Belief in the Day of Judgment (Qiyamah)

Arabic: الإيمان باليوم الآخر

What this means

• We believe there is a Last Day.
• This world will end.
• Everyone will die.
• Then everyone will be raised again.
• Allah will judge everyone.

What will happen

• All people will stand before Allah.
• Good deeds and bad deeds will be weighed.
• Good people will go to Jannah (Paradise).
• Bad people will go to Jahannam (Hell).

Important points

• Only Allah knows when this day will come.
• We should always be ready.
• We should do good deeds.
• We should avoid sins.

6. Belief in Divine Decree (Qadr)

Arabic: الإيمان بالقدر

What this means

• We believe Allah has knowledge of everything.
• Everything happens by Allah’s will.
• Good and bad are from Allah.
• We have free choice to obey or disobey.

What we believe

• Allah knows the past, present and future.
• Allah has written everything in Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz (The Preserved Tablet).
• Allah creates everything.
• We are responsible for our choices.

Example

• Allah knows if it will rain tomorrow.
• We should still carry an umbrella if it might rain.
• We do our part and trust Allah’s plan.

What are the meanings of important words?

Why are the Articles of Faith important?

1. They complete our faith

• Without believing in all six, our faith is incomplete.
• They are the foundation of Islam.

2. They guide our lives

• Knowing Allah exists makes us worship Him.
• Knowing about Judgment Day makes us do good.
• Knowing about Qadr makes us patient.

3. They bring peace

• Trusting Allah’s plan brings peace.
• Knowing Allah is Just gives us hope.
• Believing in Paradise motivates us.

4. They unite Muslims

• All Muslims believe the same six articles.
• It connects us as one Ummah.

5. They protect us from wrong beliefs

• They keep us on the right path.
• They prevent us from disbelief.

How is each article useful to Muslims?

How can we remember the six Articles of Faith?

A simple way

Use the first letter of each article:

• Allah: God
• Angels: Malaikah
• Books: Kutub
• Prophets: Rusul
• Judgment Day: Qiyamah
• Divine Decree: Qadr

Or use the Arabic: أركان الإيمان الستة (The Six Pillars of Faith)

Recite together

I believe in:

1. Allah
2. His Angels
3. His Books
4. His Prophets
5. The Last Day
6. Divine Decree

Evaluation

Choose the correct answer.

1. How many Articles of Faith are there?
   • a) 5
   • b) 6
   • c) 7
2. The angel who brings revelation is _____.
   • a) Jibril (AS)
   • b) Mikail (AS)
   • c) Israfil (AS)
3. The last holy book is the _____.
   • a) Tawrat
   • b) Injil
   • c) Qur’an
4. The last Prophet is _____.
   • a) Isa (AS)
   • b) Muhammad (SAW)
   • c) Musa (AS)
5. Belief in _____ makes us patient when bad things happen.
   • a) Books
   • b) Angels
   • c) Qadr

Assignment

1. Memorise all six Articles of Faith in order.
2. Tell your parents the six articles.
3. Draw pictures representing each article (e.g., Qur’an for Books, Ka’bah for Allah).
4. Write: “I believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Prophets, the Last Day, and Qadr.”