The Foundations of Faith
What Muslims believe — the six articles of Iman.
Islam
In the narration known as the Hadith of Jibril, the Prophet ﷺ was asked what faith is, and answered:
“It is to believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and to believe in divine decree, both its good and its bad.”
The six
- 01
Allah
One Creator, without partner, without image, unlike anything He made. This is the article the other five rest on.
- Qur'anQur'an 112
- Qur'anQur'an 42:11
- 02
His angels
Created beings of light who do not disobey what they are commanded; among them Jibril, who brought revelation to the prophets. (Qur'an 66:6; 2:97)
- Qur'anQur'an 66:6
- Qur'anQur'an 2:97
- 03
His books
Revelations given to earlier prophets — the Scrolls of Abraham, the Torah given to Moses, the Zabur given to David, the Gospel given to Jesus — and finally the Qur'an. (Qur'an 5:44–48; 87:18–19)
- Qur'anQur'an 5:44–48
- Qur'anQur'an 87:18–19
- 04
His messengers
Human beings chosen to convey His guidance, from Adam to Muhammad ﷺ. Muslims make no distinction between them in belief: to reject one is to reject the office. (Qur'an 2:285)
- Qur'anQur'an 2:285
- 05
The Last Day
This life ends; the dead are raised, judged with perfect justice, and answer for what they did. (Qur'an 99:6–8)
- Qur'anQur'an 99:6–8
- 06
Divine decree — al-Qadar
Nothing occurs outside God's knowledge and will. Muslims hold this together with real human responsibility; the Qur'an addresses people as agents who choose. (Qur'an 54:49; 18:29)
- Qur'anQur'an 54:49
- Qur'anQur'an 18:29
A limit on speculation
Much about angels, the grave and the Hereafter is unseen — al-ghayb. Islamic scholarship treats it as knowable only through revelation, so what is not established in the Qur'an or authentic Sunnah is left unsaid rather than filled in.
Sources & References
12 cited- 1Sahih Muslim 8 — the Hadith of Jibril
Religious content here follows the Qur'an, the authentic Sunnah, and the established scholarship of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. Qur'an citations link to the verse; hadith carry collection and number; Tafsir and historical claims name the work. Where something could not be verified, it is not published.