AQA · GCSE · Religious Studies
Course version: 8062 · Version from Sept 2018
The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of Usul ad-Din in…
Full specification wording
Beliefs and teachings: The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam, including key similarities and differences.
Sunni and Shi'a Islam share a foundational belief in one God and prophethood, yet they structure their core theology differently.
Checked against the AQA 8062 specification (opens in a new tab) on .
- Point 2 of 13
- 4 key terms
Study notes
From the checked teaching notes for this specification point.
The idea
Sunni and Shi'a Islam share a foundational belief in one God and prophethood, yet they structure their core theology differently. Sunni Muslims follow the Six Articles of Faith: Tawhid (oneness of God), angels, holy books, prophets, the Day of Judgement, and supremacy of God's will (Al-Qadr). In contrast, Shi'a Muslims adhere to the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din: Tawhid, Adalat (divine justice), prophethood, Imamate (leadership), and Resurrection. A key similarity is the absolute centrality of Tawhid and prophethood in both traditions. However, a major difference is the Shi'a inclusion of Imamate—the belief in divinely appointed leaders after Muhammad—and Adalat, which emphasises God's perfect justice and human free will over predestination.
What earns the marks
- List the Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam: Tawhid, angels, holy books, prophets, Day of Judgement, and Al-Qadr.
- List the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi'a Islam: Tawhid, Adalat, prophethood, Imamate, and Resurrection.
- Identify Tawhid and prophethood as fundamental similarities shared by both Sunni and Shi'a traditions.
- Explain the Shi'a concept of Imamate as a key difference, highlighting the belief in divinely appointed, infallible leaders succeeding Muhammad.
- Contrast the Sunni emphasis on Al-Qadr (predestination) with the Shi'a focus on Adalat (divine justice) and human free will.
Common mistakes and how to put them right
Confusing the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din with the Five Pillars of Islam.
Put it right: Explicitly state that the Five Roots are core theological beliefs in Shi'a Islam, whereas the Five Pillars are obligatory practices.
Stating that Sunni Muslims do not believe in divine justice.
Put it right: Clarify that while Sunnis believe God is just, Adalat is specifically categorised as a distinct, foundational Root in Shi'a theology.
Claiming Shi'a Muslims do not believe in angels or holy books.
Put it right: Explain that Shi'as do believe in these, but they are encompassed within the broader roots rather than listed as separate foundational roots.
Exam tips
- Create a comparative table during revision to clearly separate the Six Articles and the Five Roots, ensuring you do not mix them up in an exam.
- When asked for differences, focus heavily on the concept of Imamate, as this is the most distinct theological divergence between the two traditions.
- Use the exact Arabic terms (like Adalat and Al-Qadr) alongside their English translations to secure higher marks for specialist vocabulary.
Try the lesson
The start of the Beliefs and teachings: The six articles of faith in Sunni Islam and five roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi’a Islam, including key similarities and differences. lesson, made from checked teaching notes for this specification point.
Have a go first
Which of the following is a core belief explicitly listed in both the Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam and the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi'a Islam?
Listen
Sunni and Shi'a Islam share a foundational belief in one God and prophethood, yet they structure their core theology differently. Sunni Muslims follow the Six Articles of Faith: Tawhid (oneness of God), angels, holy books, prophets, the Day of Judgement, and supremacy of God's will (Al-Qadr). In contrast, Shi'a Muslims adhere to the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din: Tawhid, Adalat (divine justice), prophethood, Imamate (leadership), and Resurrection. A key similarity is the absolute centrality of Tawhid and prophethood in both traditions. However, a major difference is the Shi'a inclusion of Imamate—the belief in divinely appointed leaders after Muhammad—and Adalat, which emphasises God's perfect justice and human free will over predestination. A strong answer earns marks for these points. List the Six Articles of Faith in Sunni Islam: Tawhid, angels, holy books, prophets, Day of Judgement, and Al-Qadr. List the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din in Shi'a Islam: Tawhid, Adalat, prophethood, Imamate, and Resurrection. Identify Tawhid and prophethood as fundamental similarities shared by both Sunni and Shi'a traditions. Explain the Shi'a concept of Imamate as a key difference, highlighting the belief in divinely appointed, infallible leaders succeeding Muhammad. A common slip: Confusing the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din with the Five Pillars of Islam. Instead, explicitly state that the Five Roots are core theological beliefs in Shi'a Islam, whereas the Five Pillars are obligatory practices. Exam tip: Create a comparative table during revision to clearly separate the Six Articles and the Five Roots, ensuring you do not mix them up in an exam.
Key words
Say what each word means before you turn the card.
Sunni Theology
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Shi'a Theology
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Divine Justice vs Predestination
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Religious Leadership (Imamate)
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See every definition
- Sunni Theology
- Structures core beliefs around the Six Articles of Faith: Tawhid, angels, holy books, prophets, the Day of Judgement, and supremacy of God's will (Al-Qadr).
- Shi'a Theology
- Structures core beliefs around the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din: Tawhid, Adalat, prophethood, Imamate, and Resurrection.
- Divine Justice vs Predestination
- Contrasts the Shi'a focus on Adalat, emphasising God's perfect justice and human free will, with the Sunni emphasis on Al-Qadr, predestination.
- Religious Leadership (Imamate)
- A key Shi'a difference, being belief in divinely appointed leaders after Muhammad, succeeding him as infallible leaders.
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