The Six Beliefs, the Five Roots, the Nature of Allah and Risalah
The Six Beliefs of Sunni Islam
Islam is built on core beliefs that shape how a Muslim understands God and lives daily life. Sunni Islam organises these into the Six Beliefs, based on a hadith known as Kitab al-Iman 1:1. They are belief in Allah, his angels (Malaikah), his holy books (Kutub), his prophets (Risalah), the Day of Judgement (Akhirah), and divine decree (al-Qadr). Sunni Muslims see these as the framework for correct belief, shaping how they pray, behave and view the purpose of life.
The Six Beliefs (Sunni) are: Allah, Angels, Books, Prophets, Day of Judgement, and al-Qadr (divine decree). They come from Kitab al-Iman 1:1 and are the foundation of Sunni religious identity.
The Five Roots of Usul ad-Din (Shi'a Islam)
Shi'a Islam expresses its foundational beliefs differently, through the Five Roots of Usul ad-Din: Tawhid (the oneness of Allah, rooted in Surah 112), 'Adl (Divine Justice), Nubuwwah (Prophethood), Imamah (belief in the divinely appointed successors to Muhammad) and Mi'ad (the Day of Judgement and Resurrection).
The clearest distinguishing feature is Imamah — belief that leadership after Muhammad passed to specific Imams from his family. This belief does not appear among the Sunni Six Beliefs at all, which is why the two lists must never be confused in an exam answer.
Different Shi'a communities disagree about how many Imams there were and who the rightful line of successors is. Twelver Shi'a Muslims, the largest group, believe in twelve Imams, the last of whom is hidden and will return as the Mahdi to bring justice. Sevener Shi'a Muslims (Isma'ilis) recognise a different line, stopping at the seventh Imam. Both groups still hold Imamah as one of the Five Roots — they simply disagree on its details, showing that the principle unites Shi'a Islam even where specific beliefs about the Imams diverge.
The Nature of Allah
The Qur'an describes several characteristics of Allah that matter deeply to Muslims. Tawhid (oneness) is the most fundamental: Surah 112 declares Allah to be “the One, the Eternal Refuge,” who “neither begets nor is born, nor is there to Him any equivalent.” Surah 16:35–36 teaches that Allah sent a messenger to every community calling people to worship him alone and avoid false gods.
Other characteristics include immanence (Allah is close to creation), transcendence (Allah is beyond and greater than creation), omnipotence (all-powerful), beneficence and mercy (Allah is endlessly compassionate) and fairness and justice. In Shi'a Islam, divine justice is given the specific name Adalat ('Adl) — the belief that Allah never acts unjustly and that humans have real freedom to choose right from wrong.
The Qur'an describes Allah as one (Tawhid), immanent, transcendent, omnipotent, merciful, and fair. Surah 112 is the central text for Tawhid; Surah 16:35–36 shows Allah sending messengers to call people away from false worship.
Risalah: Prophethood
Risalah is the belief that Allah chose specific people throughout history to receive and pass on his guidance. Surah 2:136 sets this out clearly: Muslims believe in what was revealed to the Prophet and “what was revealed to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob... and what was given to Moses, Jesus and the Prophets from their Lord.” Muslims make no distinction between these prophets in terms of their status as true messengers of Allah.
The roles of individual prophets teach Muslims different lessons. Adam was the first human being and first prophet, showing that guidance was needed from the very start of humanity. Ibrahim (Abraham) is remembered for his complete trust in Allah and is seen as the father of monotheistic faith. Isma'il (Ishmael), Ibrahim's son, helped build the Ka'aba, connecting prophethood directly to Muslim worship today. Musa (Moses) received the Tawrat and led his people out of slavery, teaching perseverance and reliance on Allah. Dawud (David) received the Zabur and is remembered as a just ruler. Isa (Jesus) performed miracles and preached Allah's message, and is honoured as a great prophet — though not, in Islamic belief, as the Son of God. Muhammad is the final prophet, the ‘Seal of the Prophets,’ who received the complete and final revelation, the Qur'an.
Believing in the prophets gives Muslims role models for how to live. Each prophet faced hardship and stayed faithful to Allah, which encourages Muslims to persevere through their own struggles. Muhammad's life in particular is studied closely through the Hadith, providing a practical model (the Sunnah) for prayer, honesty, family life and dealing fairly with others. Without Risalah, Muslims would have no direct link between Allah's will and human life — it is the belief that makes the Qur'an and Islamic guidance possible at all.
Sunni and Shi'a: Shared and Divergent Understanding
Both Sunni and Shi'a Muslims share belief in Tawhid, prophethood and the Day of Judgement — these ideas run through both the Six Beliefs and the Five Roots. Where they diverge is structure and emphasis: Sunni Islam names al-Qadr (divine decree) as a distinct belief, while Shi'a Islam foregrounds Imamah, the belief that leadership rightfully passed to Muhammad's family through the Imams. This is not a disagreement about whether Allah exists or is one — both traditions agree completely on Tawhid — but a disagreement about religious authority and leadership after Muhammad's death.
Sunni and Shi'a Muslims agree on Tawhid, prophethood and the Day of Judgement. The clearest point of divergence is Imamah — belief in the Imams as Muhammad's rightful successors — which appears in the Shi'a Five Roots but not the Sunni Six Beliefs.