The six articles of faith
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain what the six articles of faith are, their importance and the influence they may have on a Muslim.
Key learning points
- The six articles of faith may also be called the six key beliefs.
- They are a foundation of belief for Sunni Muslims.
- They are based on Surah 4:136 of the Qur'an.
- There are 3 general categories: the oneness of Allah, messages, and the afterlife.
Keywords
Angels - beings of light delivering God’s messages and watching over humans
Akhirah - beliefs about life after death in Islam
Risalah - belief in prophets as Allah’s messengers
Sunni Islam - a branch of Islam
Tawhid - belief in Allah’s oneness and unity
Common misconception
The six articles of faith are only believed by Sunni Muslims.
Most Muslims (both Sunni and Shia) hold beliefs about tawhid, prophecy, holy books, angels, the Day of Judgement and God's power, but they may not ascribe to them as the 'six articles of faith'.
Teacher tip
If students haven't learnt the different narratives around the Ali and Abu Bakr as successors to the Prophet Muhammad following his death before this lesson, teachers may want to cover this for context.
Licence
except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
6 Questions
Q1.Who is considered the final prophet in Islam?
Q2.What is the name of the holy book used in Islam?
Q3.Muslims worship at a ...
Q4.The declaration of faith in Islam is known as the .
Q5.Muslims believe in one God, known as .
Q6.Muhammad was born in the city of .
Assessment exit quiz
6 Questions
Q1.What does the term 'tawhid' mean in Islam?
Q2.Which article of faith is associated with the belief in life after death?
Q3.Which of the following beliefs is not one of the six articles of faith?
Q4.Muslims believe in the concept of as God’s supreme will and control over all events.
Q5.The belief that prophets such as Muhammad were sent by Allah to guide humanity, is called .
Q6.Muslims believe that are beings of light created by Allah to deliver His messages.
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The six articles of faith, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 10 religious education lesson on: The six articles of faith, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs.
The starter quiz will activate and check your pupils' prior knowledge, with versions available both with and without answers in PDF format.
We use learning cycles to break down learning into key concepts or ideas linked to the learning outcome. Each learning cycle features explanations with checks for understanding and practice tasks with feedback. All of this is found in our slide decks, ready for you to download and edit. The practice tasks are also available as printable worksheets and some lessons have additional materials with extra material you might need for teaching the lesson.
The assessment exit quiz will test your pupils' understanding of the key learning points.
Our video is a tool for planning, showing how other teachers might teach the lesson, offering helpful tips, modelled explanations and inspiration for your own delivery in the classroom. Plus, you can set it as homework or revision for pupils and keep their learning on track by sharing an online pupil version of this lesson.
Explore more key stage 4 religious education lessons from the Islam: beliefs unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.