Islam: Beliefs and teachings overview - Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A

This unit, Islam: Beliefs and teachings, is one of the four sections in the in depth study of Islam on Paper 1 of Edexcel GCSE Religious Studies A (1RA0). It sets out the foundations of Muslim belief about Allah, the prophets, the unseen world and the afterlife.

What the unit covers

The unit moves from the foundations of faith to beliefs about Allah, revelation, angels, predestination and the afterlife.

• The Six Beliefs and Five Roots: the foundations of Sunni Islam (Six Beliefs) and Shi'a Islam (Five Roots of Usul ad-Din), including Tawhid, Adl and Imamah.
• The nature of Allah: Tawhid (oneness), omnipotence, beneficence, mercy and justice, and transcendence and immanence.
• Risalah and the holy books: prophethood and the roles of the prophets, and the Qur'an, Tawrat, Zabur, Injil and Sahifah.
• Angels and predestination: Malaikah (Jibril, Izra'il, Mika'il), and al-Qadr, free will and the Day of Judgement.
• Akhirah: the Day of Judgement, resurrection, paradise (Jannah) and hell (Jahannam).

How it is assessed

This is one section of Paper 1, the in depth study of one religion, worth 102 marks and 50 percent of the GCSE. Each topic uses the (a) to (d) pattern: Outline three (3 marks), Explain two (4 marks), Explain two and refer to a source of wisdom and authority (5 marks), and Evaluate a statement (12 marks plus 3 for spelling, punctuation and grammar).

How to study it

Learn precise definitions (Tawhid, Risalah, Akhirah, al-Qadr) and one short Surah for each belief, since part (c) always requires a source. Note the divergent Sunni and Shi'a understandings (the Six Beliefs and Five Roots, the place of the imams, the stress on Allah's justice) for the higher tariff questions, and rehearse the 12 mark Evaluate structure.

For the official specification

Pearson publishes the full specification (1RA0), past papers and mark schemes at qualifications.pearson.com. Always revise from the current specification and Edexcel past papers.