Year 11 - Religious education
Predestination
Muslim beliefs
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This pupil-friendly study guide includes a unit summary, clear notes, common mistakes, and quick questions with answers.
Unit Summary
In this unit pupils will learn about key beliefs in the worldview of Islam such as the nature of Allah, prophethood and the role of texts. They will gain a critical understanding of Islamic theology and key stories that underpin it.
Lesson Summary
You will learn to explain what a belief in predestination is and different perspectives on how this can relate to the idea of human freedom in Islam.
Key Notes
- Muslims believe that Allah is all powerful and all knowing.
- Most Muslims believe that Allah has predestined what will happen.
- Some Muslims view total predestination as in conflict with the idea of free will.
- There are different solutions to the issue of predestination and free will in Islam.
Vocabulary To Learn
- decree: a command or order that must be followed
- free will: being able to choose between different actions
- omnipotent: Allah is all powerful
- omniscient: Allah is all knowing
- predestination: Allah has pre-decided everything that happens
Common Mistakes To Avoid
- That Sunni Muslims believe we have no free will due to predestination, or that Shi'a Muslims believe there is no predestination due to free will.
3 Quick Questions (With Answers)
1. Explain the lesson in two key points.
Muslims believe that Allah is all powerful and all knowing. Most Muslims believe that Allah has predestined what will happen.
2. What does this key word mean in this lesson? 'decree'
a command or order that must be followed.
3. Correct this common mistake.
Mistake: That Sunni Muslims believe we have no free will due to predestination, or that Shi'a Muslims believe there is no predestination due to free will. Correction: Most Muslims take a middle ground between them when considering the relationship between free will and predestination in Islam.
More Lessons In This Unit
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