Islam FAQ

Allah is the proper name in Arabic for God. So God in English translates directly to Allah in Arabic. Muslims believe that God is the one and only creator of the universe, and there is no other God but Him. Everything that happens in this universe happens by His permission and under His control. Allah has 99 attributes that give us an understanding about who He is. He is The One (Ahad), The Self-Sufficient (Samad), The All-Knowing, The Eternal, and The Absolute Creator who is worshipped alone without partners. Nothing is comparable to Him. 

All of His names begin with “The” to signify their unmatched perfection. Just as there is a difference between “a book” and “THE book,” the use of “The” in His names emphasizes that there is no comparison to His qualities. He is The Most Loving, The Most Merciful, The Most Generous, The Most Forgiving. Muslims do not depict Allah in any form or image, as He is beyond all human limitations and is not confined to any place, direction, or physical form. “He” is used as a grammatical convention. Similarly, when Allah says “We” in the Qur’an, it is the royal “We”, not a plural, it reflects majesty, not number. So while “He” is used, it’s understood as a linguistic tool, not a description of gender. He revealed Himself through the Qur’an – His final revelation – and sent prophets such as Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all) to guide humanity.

According to Islam, the purpose of life is to worship Allah. This is based on the verse in the Qur’an where Allah says: “And I did not create the jinn and mankind except to worship Me” (Qur’an 51:56). Worship in Islam is not limited to rituals like prayer and fasting – it includes every action done with sincerity for Allah, such as respecting one’s parents, speaking kindly, giving charity, being honest, just and much more. Islam teaches that life is a test, and every person is given free will, reason, and guidance through revelation and prophets to choose how they live. Through these choices, each person earns reward or accountability in the Hereafter. The ultimate goal is to return to Allah and attain eternal peace in Paradise, which is the true success. Islam emphasizes that this life is temporary, while the next life is everlasting—so believers are encouraged to live with purpose, justice, compassion, and awareness of their Creator.

In Islam, Allah created Satan (Iblīs) as a test for humanity—not because He wanted evil to exist, but because free will and moral choices are essential to our purpose in life. 

Satan was originally a devout worshipper among the jinn (a creation made from fire). When Allah created Adam (peace be upon him), He commanded all the angels and Iblīs to bow in respect. Iblīs refused out of arrogance and pride, saying he was better than Adam because he was made from fire while Adam was made from clay. Because of this disobedience, he was cast out of Allah’s mercy. But Allah allowed Satan to live until the Day of Judgment and test humans. Allah gave humans something powerful: free will, intellect, and guidance through prophets and revelation, so they can choose right from wrong. To help us in this test, Allah gave every human a fitrah – a natural moral compass that helps us sense right from wrong. Think about how you feel after cheating or doing something you’re not told to do. Most of us would feel guilty right? Our gut feeling is telling us that something is wrong. Nobody taught us that feeling. We were just born with it. That is what we call “fitrah”. After equipping us with this fitrah – this basic feeling for what’s right and wrong – God sent down prophets with a set of rules to live by. In Arabic, this set of rules is called Sharia. Sharia includes all types of laws – from how we should treat one another to how we should live our life. God provided us with revelation so we can have the full to worship Him.  In short, we believe that we are born with fitra (natural instincts) which God completes by sending down prophets who provide us with a set of laws to live by. This set of laws or way of life in Arabic is called a shariah.* Each civilization has their own way of life and therefore their own shariah.

By resisting Satan’s whispers and striving to obey Allah, believers grow spiritually and earn reward. So while Satan invites evil, he cannot force anyone to sin. His role helps reveal what’s truly in a person’s heart.

In short, Allah created Satan as part of the divine plan to give humans choice, responsibility, and the chance to get closer to Allah. Life is a test – and with every test comes an opportunity to grow and learn from.

The Six Articles of Faith are the core beliefs that every Muslim must hold. They form the foundation of Islamic theology (ʿAqīdah) and are based on teachings from the Qur’an and the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ. These beliefs are:

1. Belief in Allah – One God (al-īmān bi’llāh)
   That Allah is the One and Only God, with no partners, equals, or children. He is the Creator, Sustainer, and the only one worthy of worship.
2. Belief in the Angels (al-malāʾikah)
   That Allah created angels from light. They do not have free will and always obey His commands. Angels like Jibrīl (Gabriel), Mīkāʾīl (Michael), and others have specific duties.
3. Belief in the Revealed Books (al-kutub)
   That Allah sent down scriptures to guide humanity in their original form that came down to Prophets (Peace be Upon Them) – including the Torah (to Moses), the Psalms (to David), the Gospel (to Jesus), and the Qur’an (to Muhammad ﷺ), which is the final and preserved revelation.
4. Belief in the Prophets (al-rusul)
   That Allah sent prophets to guide people, starting with Adam and ending with Muhammad ﷺ, the final messenger. Muslims believe in prophets like Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all), but do not worship them.
5. Belief in the Day of Judgment (yawm al-qiyāmah)
   That there will be a final day when all people will be resurrected and judged by Allah and be accountable for their actions they did in this life.
6. Belief in Divine Decree (Qadr)
   That everything happens by Allah’s will, knowledge, and wisdom. This includes good and bad, ease and hardship. Humans have free will, but Allah’s knowledge and control encompass all things.

Islam teaches that this life is only a temporary stage, and the real, eternal life begins after death. The afterlife—al-Ākhirah in Arabic—is a central part of Islamic belief and is one of the six articles of faith. Muslims believe that every soul will eventually leave this world and be brought back to life on the Day of Judgment.

Here’s a breakdown of what Islam teaches:

1. Life After Death

When a person dies, their soul enters a phase called Barzakh, a waiting period until the Day of Judgment. During this time, the soul is either in a state of peace or discomfort based on their deeds.

2. The Day of Judgment

On this day, all people—past and present—will be resurrected and judged by Allah.
Every action, big or small, public or hidden, will be accounted for.
Each person will receive a record of their deeds, and justice will be served in full.

3. Paradise (Jannah)

Those who believed in Allah, followed His guidance, and lived righteously will enter Paradise—a place of eternal peace, joy, and reward.
Paradise is described in the Qur’an as having unimaginable beauty, gardens beneath which rivers flow, peace, love, and closeness to Allah.

4. Hellfire (Jahannam)

Those who rejected truth, were unjust, or turned away from God will face punishment in Hell.
It is a place of regret and suffering – but even Hell has levels, and Allah’s mercy and justice are always present. Some may enter temporarily for purification, while others may remain due to their deliberate rebellion against God.

5. Allah’s Mercy and Justice

While Muslims believe in personal responsibility, they also believe Allah is the Most Merciful. A person may enter Paradise not just by their deeds, but through sincere repentance, faith, and the mercy of God.

Summary:

In Islam, the afterlife gives meaning and accountability to life. We are here for a purpose – to know and worship Allah – and how we live in this life shapes our eternal future. It’s a system based on justice, mercy, and hope.

Yes, Muslims can go to Hell – but not necessarily forever. Islam teaches that every individual is accountable for their actions, including Muslims. Believing in Islam does not give someone a “free pass” to Paradise. If a Muslim commits major sins, wrongs others, or turns away from God’s guidance without repentance, they may be punished in Hell (Jahannam) for a period of time. However, there are two key things to understand.

1. Allah is Most Merciful : Even if a Muslim enters Hell, they will not remain there forever if they had sincere belief in Allah. Eventually, they may be forgiven and brought into Paradise, either through Allah’s mercy or after being purified of their sins.
2. Repentance Wipes Away Sins: Islam encourages repentance (tawbah). Anyone—Muslim or not—who sincerely turns back to Allah, seeks forgiveness, and corrects their behavior can be completely forgiven, no matter how serious the sin.

Summary: So yes, Muslims can go to Hell for their sins, but Islam teaches that belief + sincere repentance + Allah’s mercy means that Paradise remains open for them. The afterlife is based on justice