Belief in Allah
The first article of faith: what a Muslim believes about who Allah is and the qualities that belong to Him alone.
The first thing every Muslim believes is about Allah Himself. Allah is one: one in who He is, one in His qualities, and one in what He does. He has no partner, and nothing is like Him.
What we believe about Allah
- No one made Allah. He has always been there, and He will always be there; He has no beginning and no end.
- All of Allah's names and good qualities have always belonged to Him and always will.
- Allah made everything else that exists. One day He will make everything die, and then bring it all back to life on the Day of Judgment.
- Allah gives food and everything needed to every living thing.
- Allah does not need anyone or anything. But everyone and everything needs Him.
- Allah is one of a kind. He has no mother or father, no wife, and no son or daughter.
- Allah does not have a body. He never eats, drinks, or sleeps.
- Allah is alive, but not with a shape like people or animals have.
- Allah sees everything, but not with eyes like ours. He hears everything, but not with ears like ours. He speaks, but not with a mouth like ours.
- Allah can do anything He wants. Everything that happens, happens because He allows it, and no one can stop what He decides.
- Allah knows everything, even what is hidden in someone's heart, or buried deep under the ground.
- Allah gives life and causes death. He can make someone sick, and He can cure them.
- Allah can give someone honor, and He can take it away.
- Everything Allah does is wise, even on the times we cannot see why.
- Allah is the King above every king, and He watches over and takes care of everyone.
- Allah has every good quality there is, and He has no fault or weakness at all.
- Only Allah deserves to be worshipped and loved above everything else.
The first article of faith is belief in Allah Himself: Allah is one in His being, His qualities, and His actions, and He has no partner.
| Aspect | What is believed |
|---|---|
| Existence | Allah exists by Himself; no one created Him. He has always existed and will always exist. He is the First and the Last, the Most Obvious and the Most Hidden. |
| His names and qualities | All His names and qualities are eternal and belong to Him forever. |
| Creation and resurrection | Everything other than Allah is created by Him. He is the One who will cause everything to die and then bring it back to life on the Day of Judgment. |
| Provision | Allah provides for the whole of creation. He needs no one, while everyone needs Him. |
| Uniqueness | Allah is unique; nothing is like Him. He has no parents, no wife, and no son or daughter. |
| Freedom from bodily needs | He is free from a body or any bodily need: eating, drinking, or sleeping. |
| Life, sight, hearing, speech | He is alive, but not in a shape like ours. He sees, hears, and speaks, but not by means of eyes, ears, or a mouth like ours. |
| Power and will | He has power over everything and does whatever He wills; everything happens by His will, and nothing can stop what He decides. |
| Knowledge | He knows everything, whether hidden in a heart or buried under the earth. |
| Life and death, honour | He gives life and causes death, makes people sick and cures them, gives honour and can take it away. |
| Wisdom | Everything He does carries wisdom, even where it is not understood. |
| Sovereignty and care | He is the King of all kings and the Guardian of everyone. |
| Perfection | He possesses every excellent quality and is free of every fault and weakness. |
| Worship | He alone deserves worship and devotion. |
The first uṣūl of belief is tawḥīd: Allah is one (wāḥid) in His Being (dhāt), His attributes (ṣifāt), and His actions (afʿāl); He has no partner (sharīk) in any of these.
| Category | What is affirmed |
|---|---|
| Qiyām bi-nafsihi (self-subsistence) | Allah exists by Himself; nothing brought Him into being. |
| Azaliyyah and abadiyyah (eternity, past and future) | He has always existed and will always exist, without beginning or end: al-Awwal, al-Ākhir, aẓ-Ẓāhir, al-Bāṭin. |
| Qidam of the names and attributes | All His names and attributes are eternal, belonging to His essence forever, not acquired. |
| Khāliqiyyah and iʿādah (creation and re-creation) | Everything besides Allah is His creation. He alone brings about the death of all creation and its resurrection on the Day of Judgment. |
| Razzāqiyyah (provision) | He provides for the whole of creation; He is free of need (ghanī ʿan al-ʿālamīn) while all creation is dependent (muḥtāj) on Him. |
| Tanzīh (transcendence) | He is unique, lā mithla lahu, with no parent, spouse, or offspring, and no body or bodily need (eating, drinking, sleeping). |
| Ḥayāt, baṣar, samʿ, kalām (life, sight, hearing, speech) | He is living, seeing, hearing and speaking, but not through a shape, eyes, ears, or a mouth resembling those of creation, these are affirmed of Him without resemblance (bilā kayf). |
| Qudrah and irādah (power and will) | He has power over all things and does as He wills; nothing occurs but by His will, and nothing can avert what He decrees. |
| ʿIlm (knowledge) | His knowledge encompasses all things, hidden in a heart or beneath the earth alike. |
| Iḥyāʾ, imātah, ʿizz, dhull (life, death, honour, abasement) | He gives life and causes death, brings illness and cures it, grants honour and withdraws it. |
| Ḥikmah (wisdom) | Every one of His acts carries wisdom, whether or not it is grasped by created intellect. |
| Mulk and kifāyah (sovereignty and guardianship) | He is King over every king and Guardian (Ḥāfiẓ) of every creature. |
| Kamāl and tanzīh ʿan an-naqāʾiṣ (perfection, freedom from defect) | Every attribute of perfection belongs to Him, and every defect and weakness is negated of Him. |
| Ulūhiyyah (exclusive right to worship) | He alone is deserving of worship (ʿibādah) and devotion. |
Terms on this page
Related
- Belief in the angels What a Muslim believes about the angels, their nature, and the four angels of the highest rank.
- Belief in destiny (Qadr) The sixth article of faith: that Allah has written all that happens, while people still choose and are answerable for their own actions.
- What faith means, and the words that carry it What iman is, its two parts, who a believer is, and the declarations of faith said with the tongue.
- Belief in the prophets, and the life of the Prophet ﷺ What a Muslim believes about the prophets and their miracles, and a brief account of the life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ.