Muslim teachings about good, evil and suffering
Lesson details
Learning outcome
I can explain different views, including Muslim ones, on good, evil and suffering.
Key learning points
- Muslims believe people are born pure (fitrah) and are guided by Islam but judged by their choices and intentions.
- For an action to be good, the intention (niyyah) must be sincere, not done for attention or personal benefit.
- Suffering is sometimes seen as a test with spiritual value, though some suffering results from the misuse of free will.
- Many non-religious perspectives see suffering as a problem to solve, not something that serves a higher purpose.
- Opinions differ on whether suffering leads to good, with some seeing benefits, while others focus on the harm it causes.
Keywords
Evil - that which is considered extremely immoral, wicked and wrong
Good - that which is considered right according to moral standards
Suffering - an effect of evil; undergoing pain and hardship
Common misconception
Islam teaches that people are born sinful or evil.
Islam teaches that all people are born pure (in a state of fitrah), and have the ability to choose between right and wrong.
Teacher tip
Use real-life examples, such as Islamic charity work or personal stories from Muslims, to show how beliefs about suffering influence actions.
Content guidance
Depiction or discussion of sensitive content
Supervision
Adult supervision recommended
Licence
Lesson video
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Prior knowledge starter quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Crime can be caused by social conditions, mental health, and personal .
Q2.What guides Islamic responses to crime?
Q3.Responsibility in Islam depends on a person’s reasons and their of the act.
Q4.What are Muslims taught about the law?
Q5.What does Islam consider when judging a crime?
Assessment exit quiz
5 Questions
Q1.Muslims believe people are born in a state of .
Q2.What is the Arabic word for intention in Islam?
Q3.Some suffering is seen as a test, but some results from the misuse of free .
Q4.Why do views on suffering differ?
Q5.How is suffering sometimes viewed in Islam?
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Muslim teachings about good, evil and suffering, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...
To help you plan your 11 religious education lesson on: Muslim teachings about good, evil and suffering, 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 Crime and punishment unit, dive into the full secondary religious education curriculum, or learn more about lesson planning.