What do Muslims believe about angels and predestination?
The belief in angels (Malaikah) and their roles, and the belief in predestination (Al-Qadr) and its relationship to human free will.
A focused answer on the Muslim beliefs in angels (Malaikah) and predestination (Al-Qadr) for OCR GCSE Religious Studies (J625), covering the roles of Jibril, Mika'il and Izra'il, and how Al-Qadr relates to human free will, with sources of wisdom and authority.
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What this dot point is asking
OCR 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 God's control fits with human responsibility. The topic feeds the evaluation question on whether predestination removes blame for human actions, so you need the content, the tension, and the sources.
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.
Try this
Q1. What is the role of the recording angels? [Knowledge recall]
- Cue. The Kiraman Katibin record each person's good and bad deeds, which will be used on the Day of Judgement.
Q2. Explain how Muslims hold predestination and free will together. [Short explanation]
- Cue. Allah, being omniscient, knows and has decreed all that happens (Al-Qadr), but his foreknowledge does not force human choices; people freely decide their actions and are responsible for them, so they are still judged.
Exam-style practice questions
Practice questions written in the style of OCR exam questions on this dot point, with worked answer explainers. The year tag is the paper they imitate, not the source.
OCR J625 20191 marksName the angel who revealed the Qur'an to Muhammad.Show worked answer →
This is the 1-mark recall question. The answer is Jibril (Gabriel). One correct name scores the mark. Jibril is the angel of revelation, who brought Allah's messages to the prophets, including the Qur'an to Muhammad. Knowing the key angels and their roles by name is the easiest route to these opening marks.
OCR J625 20216 marksExplain Muslim beliefs about predestination (Al-Qadr). Refer to sources of wisdom and authority in your answer.Show worked answer →
This is the 6-mark extended AO1 question. Explain that Al-Qadr is the belief that Allah, who is omniscient, knows and has decreed everything that will happen; nothing occurs outside his will and knowledge. Develop the key tension: Muslims also believe humans have free will and are responsible for their choices, and will be judged on them, so Al-Qadr is not fatalism. Anchor in sources: the Qur'an's teaching that "with Him are the keys of the unseen" (Surah 6:59) and that Allah has recorded all things, alongside verses making humans accountable. The top band rewards developed points with accurate sources.
OCR J625 202315 marks"If Allah has decided everything in advance, humans cannot be blamed for their actions." Discuss this statement. In your answer you should: refer to religious teachings and sources of wisdom and authority; give reasoned arguments to support this statement; give reasoned arguments to support a different point of view; reach a justified conclusion.Show worked answer →
This is the 15-mark AO2 evaluation question. Argue both sides. Arguments for the statement: if Al-Qadr means Allah has decreed everything, it can seem unfair to blame or punish people for what was already decided; some draw a fatalist conclusion. Arguments against: mainstream Islam holds that Allah's foreknowledge does not remove human free will; people genuinely choose and so are responsible and judged on the Day of Judgement; Al-Qadr is about Allah's knowledge and ultimate control, not the removal of choice. Use specialist terms (Al-Qadr, free will, omniscient, Yawm ad-Din). A justified conclusion weighs how predestination and free will are held together in Islam, concluding that humans remain accountable.
Related dot points
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