New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Foundations of faith: Shi'a Islam

I can explain the five roots of Usul ad-Din, their importance and how they link to other key beliefs in Islam.

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New
New
Year 10
Eduqas

Foundations of faith: Shi'a Islam

I can explain the five roots of Usul ad-Din, their importance and how they link to other key beliefs in Islam.

Link copied to clipboard

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Lesson details

Key learning points

  1. The five roots of Usul ad-Din are foundational beliefs for Shi'a Muslims.
  2. There is crossover between the five roots and the six articles of faith.
  3. The belief in tawhid, prophets and the last day are common to Sunni and Shi'a Muslims.
  4. The five roots of Usul ad-Din also include the belief in divine justice and the imamate.

Keywords

  • Adalat - God’s fairness; one of the five roots of Usul ad-Din

  • Imamate - the authority of the Imams as chosen guides after the prophets, starting from Ali as a member of the Prophet’s household

  • Resurrection - when someone is raised again after death

  • Shi'a Islam - Muslims who believe in the successorship of the Imam Ali and other imams from the Prophet Muhammad's bloodline

  • Tawhid - belief in Allah’s oneness and unity

Common misconception

The Prophet Muhammad chose Ali to be his successor.

Shi'a Muslims believe that Allah chose Ali to be the successor to the Prophet Muhammad, and that the Prophet Muhammad announced this to the Muslim community before he died.


To help you plan your year 10 religious education lesson on: Foundations of faith: Shi'a Islam, download all teaching resources for free and adapt to suit your pupils' needs...

If pupils have not covered the different narratives about the succession of a leader for the Muslim community after the death of the Prophet Muhammad, it is advisable to cover this topic before this lesson is taught.
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Licence

This content is © Oak National Academy Limited (2025), licensed on Open Government Licence version 3.0 except where otherwise stated. See Oak's terms & conditions (Collection 2).

Lesson video

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6 Questions

Q1.
What is the meaning of ‘tawhid’?
belief in life after death
belief in angels as God’s messengers
Correct answer: belief in the oneness and unity of God
Q2.
Which of the following is not one of the six articles of faith?
Correct answer: belief in charity (Zakah)
belief in Allah
belief in angels
Q3.
Which of the following is not a source of authority for the six articles of faith?
The Qur’an
The Hadith
Correct answer: The Bible
Q4.
How does belief in akhirah (life after death) influence Muslims?
it makes them feel that their actions have no consequences
Correct answer: it encourages them to do good deeds for rewards in the afterlife
it teaches that this life is more important than anything else
Q5.
The belief in means that Muslims accept prophets as Allah’s messengers.
Correct Answer: risalah, Risalah
Q6.
The belief in al-Qadr means that Allah has supreme over everything, but humans still have free will.
Correct Answer: control, Control

6 Questions

Q1.
Shi’a Muslims believe that means that Allah is one, unique, and has no partners.
Correct Answer: tawhid, Tawhid
Q2.
What are the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din?
the Five Pillars of Islam
Correct answer: the foundational beliefs of Shi’a Islam
the names of the first five imams
Q3.
What is the imamate in Shi’a Islam?
Correct answer: the belief that Imams are divinely chosen leaders
the belief that all Muslims must pray five times a day
the belief that Muhammad was the last prophet
Q4.
What do Shi’a Muslims believe about the successorship of Ali?
that the Prophet Muhammad himself chose Ali as his successor
that the Muslim community elected Ali as their leader
Correct answer: that Allah chose Ali, and the Prophet Muhammad then announced it
Q5.
How does belief in resurrection (mi'ad) affect Shi’a Muslims?
it makes them focus only on this life
Correct answer: it encourages them to do good deeds in preparation for the afterlife
it makes them believe they have no control over their destiny
Q6.
The belief in means that Allah is always just and fair, no matter what happens in the world.
Correct Answer: adalat, Adalat