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Islam is built on a foundation of core beliefs that every Muslim holds. However, Sunni and Shi'a Muslims organise these beliefs slightly differently. This lesson explores the Six Articles of Faith (Sunni) and the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din (Shi'a), which together define what it means to be a Muslim.
Sunni Muslims, who make up approximately 85-90% of the world's Muslim population, follow the Six Articles of Faith (Iman). These are the fundamental beliefs that every Sunni Muslim must hold:
| Article | Belief | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tawhid | Belief in the oneness of Allah | Allah is one, unique, and has no partners or equals |
| 2. Malaikah | Belief in angels | Angels are beings created by Allah from light to carry out his commands |
| 3. Kutub | Belief in the holy books | The Qur'an is the final and perfect revelation; previous books include the Torah, Psalms, and Gospel |
| 4. Rusul | Belief in the prophets | Allah sent prophets to guide humanity; Muhammad (PBUH) is the final prophet |
| 5. Al-Qadr | Belief in predestination | Allah knows and has determined everything that will happen |
| 6. Akhirah | Belief in the Day of Judgement and the afterlife | All people will be judged by Allah and sent to paradise (Jannah) or hell (Jahannam) |
Exam Tip: Make sure you can list all six articles and explain each one briefly. Questions often ask you to explain the significance of one or more articles for Muslim life.
Shi'a Muslims, who make up approximately 10-15% of the world's Muslim population, follow the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din (Foundations of Faith):
| Root | Belief | Explanation |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Tawhid | Oneness of Allah | Same as Sunni belief — Allah is one and has no partners |
| 2. Adalat | Divine justice | Allah is always just and fair; he will never wrong anyone |
| 3. Nubuwwah | Prophethood | Allah has sent prophets to guide humanity; Muhammad (PBUH) is the final prophet |
| 4. Imamah | Leadership | After Muhammad, the rightful leaders of the Muslim community are the Imams descended from Ali (Muhammad's cousin and son-in-law) |
| 5. Mi'ad | Day of Judgement | All people will be resurrected and judged by Allah |
Key Term: Imamah is the key difference between Sunni and Shi'a Islam. Shi'a Muslims believe that Ali and his descendants were the divinely appointed leaders of the Muslim community, while Sunni Muslims believe leadership should be decided by consensus.
| Aspect | Sunni | Shi'a |
|---|---|---|
| Core beliefs | Six Articles of Faith | Five Roots of Usul ad-Din |
| Leadership after Muhammad | Caliphs chosen by consensus | Imams descended from Ali |
| Religious authority | Qur'an, Hadith, scholarly consensus | Qur'an, Hadith, Imams' teachings |
| Percentage of Muslims | ~85-90% | ~10-15% |
| Additional practices | — | Ten Obligatory Acts |
The split between Sunni and Shi'a Islam began after the death of the Prophet Muhammad in 632 CE:
graph TD
A["Death of Prophet Muhammad (632 CE)"] --> B["Who should lead?"]
B --> C["Sunni: Abu Bakr chosen by consensus"]
B --> D["Shi'a: Ali should lead as family of Muhammad"]
C --> E["Caliphate tradition"]
D --> F["Imamate tradition"]
E --> G["~85-90% of Muslims today"]
F --> H["~10-15% of Muslims today"]
In addition to the Five Roots, Shi'a Muslims follow the Ten Obligatory Acts, which include practices similar to the Five Pillars plus additional obligations:
Both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims share core beliefs in the oneness of Allah, prophethood, the holy books, angels, and the Day of Judgement. Their main difference lies in the question of leadership after Muhammad — Sunni Muslims follow the caliphate tradition, while Shi'a Muslims follow the imamate tradition. Understanding these similarities and differences is essential for the GCSE exam.