Aqeedah means the firm beliefs that a Muslim holds in the heart, and its foundation is Tawheed, the belief in the oneness of Allah. Tawheed ar-Rububiyyah refers to the oneness of Allah in His Lordship, that is, He alone is the Creator, Sustainer, and Master of everything in the universe. The opposite of Tawheed is Shirk, which means associating partners with Allah in His being, His attributes, or His worship, and it is the greatest sin in Islam. The clearest declaration of Allah’s oneness is found in Surah Al-Ikhlas, which states it in just four short verses.
The structure of faith rests on six articles, known as Arkan al-Iman. These are belief in Allah, His angels, His divine books, His Messengers, the Last Day, and Qadr, which means divine decree or destiny, that is, everything happens by the knowledge and will of Allah. In the famous Hadith of Jibreel, the angel came in the form of a man and questioned the Prophet (PBUH). Three levels of the religion were mentioned there: Islam, Iman, and Ihsan. Islam covers the outward acts of worship, Iman the inner belief, and Ihsan worshipping Allah as though one sees Him. The opposite of sincere belief is Nifaq, or hypocrisy, which means showing faith outwardly while hiding disbelief in the heart.
Angels are honoured creatures made from light, while the jinn were created from smokeless fire. Each angel has a duty. Jibreel (AS) brought revelation to the Prophets of Allah. Israfil (AS) will blow the Trumpet, known as the Sur, on the Day of Judgment. Mikail (AS) is entrusted with matters such as rain and sustenance. Two noble angels, called Kiraman Katibin, write down a person’s deeds.
Allah guided humanity through Prophets and divine books. Risalat refers to Prophethood, the mission of delivering Allah’s message to people. Among the divine books, the Zabur was revealed to Prophet Dawud (AS), the Tawrat was revealed to Prophet Musa (AS), and the Quran is the final divine book revealed by Allah. The belief that Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is the last Prophet is called Khatm-e-Nubuwwat, the finality of Prophethood. The five Prophets known as Ulul Azm, the Prophets of strong resolve, are Nuh (AS), Ibrahim (AS), Musa (AS), Isa (AS), and Muhammad (PBUH).
Belief in the Last Day includes belief in life after death. Barzakh is the barrier or stage between death and the Day of Resurrection, where the soul remains until that day. On the Day of Judgment, the Mizan, a just scale, will weigh every person’s deeds, and nobody will be wronged. Every person will then cross the Sirat, the bridge stretched over Hell, and the believers will pass safely by the mercy of Allah.