What do Muslims believe about angels and predestination?
The Muslim beliefs in angels (Malaikah) and their roles, and in predestination (Al-Qadr) and how it relates to human free will.
An Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies (C120) Component 3 answer on angels and predestination, covering the angels Malaikah and their roles, Al-Qadr (divine decree), and how predestination relates to human free will and responsibility, with the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
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What this dot point is asking
Eduqas wants you to explain the Muslim beliefs in angels (Malaikah) and their roles, and in predestination (Al-Qadr) and how it relates to human free will. These are two of the six beliefs of Sunni Islam, and Al-Qadr in particular raises the hard question of how Allah's control fits with human responsibility. The topic feeds the 15-mark evaluation question on whether predestination removes blame for human actions, so you need the content, the tension, and the sources of wisdom and authority Eduqas rewards.
Angels (Malaikah)
Angels matter because they link Allah to the world: they brought the revelation that Muslims live by, sustain creation, and keep the record on which judgement is based. They are not worshipped (that would be shirk); they are honoured servants of the one God.
Predestination (Al-Qadr)
The hard question is how Al-Qadr fits with human responsibility. Mainstream Islam answers that Al-Qadr is not fatalism: Allah's foreknowledge of what people will choose does not force their choices. Humans genuinely decide their own actions and so are morally responsible, which is why there is a Day of Judgement at all. (Shia Islam and some Sunni schools express the balance slightly differently, but all reject the idea that people are mere puppets.) So a Muslim trusts Allah's plan while still striving to do good and avoid evil.
Holding the two together
For the exam, the key point is the balance: Al-Qadr means Allah is in ultimate control and knows all, but humans still freely choose and are accountable. A Muslim does not use predestination as an excuse ("it was decided, so I am not to blame"), because that contradicts the Qur'an's insistence on judgement and reward. This balance is exactly what the evaluation question tests.
Common and divergent views
The common view is that angels are real servants of Allah and that Allah, being omniscient, has decreed all things (Al-Qadr). All Muslims reject the idea that this makes people powerless puppets. The divergence is in emphasis: Sunni schools and Shia Islam express the balance of decree and free will slightly differently, with Shia Islam's stress on Adl (Allah's justice) underlining that Allah never wrongs anyone. For the exam, present angels and Al-Qadr as agreed beliefs and the precise balance of decree and free will as the debated point.
Try this
Q1. Name two angels and their roles in Islam. [a-style recall]
- Cue. Any two of: Jibril (brought revelation, including the Qur'an), Mika'il (provides for creation, such as rain and food), Izra'il (the angel of death), the recording angels (record each person's deeds).
Q2. Explain how Muslims hold predestination and free will together. [b-style short explanation]
- Cue. Al-Qadr means Allah, being omniscient, knows and has decreed all that happens, but his foreknowledge does not force human choices; people still freely choose and are responsible, which is why they are judged on the Day of Judgement.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of WJEC Eduqas exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
Eduqas C120 2019 (style)2 marks[a] What is meant by Al-Qadr?Show worked answer →
This is the 2-mark (a) AO1 definition question. Define the term precisely: Al-Qadr is the Islamic belief in predestination, that Allah knows and has decreed everything that happens. A short developed phrase secures both marks, for example "predestination: the belief that Allah, who is omniscient, knows and has decreed all that occurs, while humans remain responsible for their choices". A single word risks only one mark.
Eduqas C120 2021 (style)8 marks[c] Explain Muslim beliefs about angels. Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 8-mark (c) extended AO1 question, and referring to sources is required for the top band. Explain that angels (Malaikah) are beings created by Allah from light who have no free will and always obey him, acting as his messengers. Develop the roles of key angels: Jibril (who brought revelation, including the Qur'an, to the prophets), Mika'il (who provides for creation, such as rain and food), Izra'il (the angel of death), and the recording angels (Kiraman Katibin) who record each person's deeds for judgement. Anchor in sources: Jibril bringing the Qur'an to Muhammad (Surah 96), and the recording angels in the Qur'an. The top band rewards developed points with accurate sources.
Eduqas C120 2023 (style)15 marks[d] "If Allah has decided everything in advance, humans cannot be blamed for their actions." Evaluate this statement. In your answer you should refer to religious beliefs and teachings, give reasoned arguments to support this statement, give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view, and reach a justified conclusion.Show worked answer →
This is the 15-mark (d) AO2 evaluation question, where SPaG is assessed, so write in continuous prose with specialist terms. Arguments to support: if Al-Qadr means Allah has decreed everything, it can seem unfair to blame people for actions already decided; a strict, fatalist reading suggests humans are simply carrying out what Allah willed. Arguments for a different view: mainstream Islam rejects fatalism, holding that Allah's foreknowledge does not remove human free will; people genuinely choose their actions, so they are responsible and will be judged on Yawm ad-Din, and the Qur'an's stress on accountability shows Al-Qadr is about Allah's knowledge and control, not the removal of choice. Use specialist terms (Al-Qadr, free will, omniscient, Yawm ad-Din). A justified conclusion weighs whether predestination removes blame or whether predestination and free will are held together.
Related dot points
- The belief in Tawhid (the oneness of God), the nature and characteristics of Allah, the sin of shirk, and why Tawhid is central to Islam.
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- Risalah (prophethood), the role of key prophets (Adam, Ibrahim, Muhammad), the holy books (Kutub), and the supreme authority of the Qur'an alongside the Sunnah and Hadith.
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- Akhirah (life after death): this life as a test, the Day of Judgement (Yawm ad-Din), the resurrection, Paradise (Jannah) and Hell (Jahannam), and the impact of these beliefs.
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Sources & how we know this
- Eduqas GCSE Religious Studies specification (C120, from 2016) — WJEC Eduqas (2016)