What do Muslims believe about God?

What do Muslims believe about God? Steps to Success: • Be able to explain Tawhid and Shirk. • Be able to desribe different names for Allah in Islam. Aim • To know and understand some Muslim beliefs about God. • To analyse the meanings of the names of Allah

1. What do the clues in the envelopes tell us about Muslim beliefs about Allah? 2.You will have 2 mins at each table to have a look at the evidence about Muslim belief in God then put a summary paragraph together as a group.

Evidence: • Muslim’s believe that….

Muslims do not draw pictures to represent Allah. They believe Allah is beyond our comprehension and therefore cannot be represented.

The main belief about God for Muslims is that there is only ONE God. This makes Islam monotheistic. In Arabic this is known as Tawhid. Allah Comes from the Arabic ‘Al’ meaning ‘the’ and ‘llah’ meaning ‘God’.

Mufassal – Faith in detail Source 1 I believe in Allah, in his angels in his revealed books in all of his prophets in the Day of Judgement in that everything – both good and bad – comes from him, and in life after death. Mufassal (Faith in Detail) All Muslims believe that life is open to the scrutiny of Allah, and that each person is accountable to Allah for all their deeds, good and bad. There will be a great Judgement Day when the trials of this life are over, and Allah will decide the eternal destiny of each person. This judgment will be based on a right attitude towards Allah.

Allah Watch the video clip and answer the following: • How did the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) receive the Qur'an? • What does the word ‘Tawhid’ mean? • What is the most important belief for Muslims? • Muslims believe that the Earth is a gift from Allah and we should take care of it. Do you think we are taking care of the planet and all of the life on it? Give examples and explain how Muslims would view what is being doing.

Nature of God - Tawhid • Muslims believe in one unique God who is not born nor gives birth. Muslims refer to the belief that there is one supreme God as Tawhid. There is no other god but God. • Allah has full knowledge of all that is seen and unseen, the world we live in and the world awaiting. This God is immanent, i.e. here with us, close at hand. But this same God is also transcendent, i.e. one who exists apart from and is not subject to the limitations of the created universe. Read pages 14 and 15 from Islam course notes and answer questions 1-5 in full sentences in your jotter.

Recap: • 1. What do Muslims believe about Allah? • 2. What is Tawhid? • 3. What is the greatest crime in Islam?

Say, He is God, One God eternal He does not give birth, nor was He born, And there is none like unto Him Surah 112 God has always been in existence and always will be

Think... How is Tawhid connected to the life of the people of Mecca in 610ce?

Implications of Tawhid in a Muslim’s life. • The importance of the belief in Tawhid for Muslims can be seen in the fact that the worst sin a Muslim can commit is Shirk. • Anyone who commits shirk is no longer considered a Muslim and because it is an unforgivable sin that person will automatically go to Jahannam

Al Quddus (القدوس) The Most Holy Al Mutakabbir (المتكبر) The Majestic Al Muhyi (المحيى) The Giver of Life Al Wali (الولى) The Protecting Friend Al Majid (المجيد) The All Glorious Al Rashid (الرشيد) The Guide to the right path Al Mumit (المميت) The Bringer of Death Al Sami' (السميع) The All Hearing Al Hakim (الحكيم) The Wise Al Akhir (الأخر) The Last Al Salam (السلام) The source of peace

Writings about God. • Read page 16 in course notes and complete the tasks. • In workbook read pages 52 – 55 and complete all tasks • Read the source on page 17 and try all tasks on page 18.

Surah 112 In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful Say:"He is Allah, the One and Only. Allah is Independent of all and all are dependent on Him. Neither has He an offspring nor is He the offspring of anyone. And none is equal with Him in rank."

Homework task: Islamic art and calligraphy

Calligraphy is the most highly regarded and most important element of Islamic art. The Qur’an is written in Arabic; so Arabic script was altered and beautified over many centuries in order that it might be worthy of “divine revelation”.

Why not ordinary pictures? • Muslims believe in Tawhid- the oneness of God. • To draw a picture of Allah is to divide him into the God and the picture, so it is considered immoral and offensive to draw pictures of Allah. • As the years have passed, it has also become disrespectful to draw pictures of Muhammad*.

As a result, calligraphy has become a way of expressing the beauty of Allah’s nature and teachings • The earliest copies of the Qur’an- the Islamic holy book- are written in exquisite calligraphy • In architecture, important sections of the Qur’an are written in calligraphy in mosques as a form of decoration

Objects from different periods and regions vary in the use of calligraphy in their overall design. Here are some creative pieces which really showcase the art of calligraphy.

Prep • Use calligraphy to write out 1 of the 99 names of Allah on a paper plate turning it into a piece of art. • One weeks time.

Let’s see what you can do with this! Turn it into something as beautiful as this! Or this…

What do Muslims believe about God?