Holy Books, Angels, Predestination and Akhirah
Muslim Holy Books (Kutub)
Muslims believe that Allah revealed his guidance to humanity many times before the Qur’an, through the Kutub. Muslims hold that the Qur’an is Allah’s final and perfectly preserved word, but that earlier prophets also received genuine scripture from Allah.
Four earlier holy books are named in Muslim teaching:
- Tawrat (Torah): given to Musa (Moses). Surah 5:43–48 describes the Tawrat as containing guidance and light for those who follow it.
- Zabur (Psalms): given to Dawud (David). Surah 4:163–171 lists Dawud among the prophets to whom Allah gave a book of revelation.
- Injil (Gospel): given to Isa (Jesus). Surah 57:27 states that Allah sent Isa the Gospel and placed compassion and mercy in the hearts of those who followed him.
- Sahifah (Scrolls): early revelations, associated with Ibrahim (Abraham), believed by Muslims to have come before the other named books.
Muslims believe Allah revealed the Tawrat to Musa, the Zabur to Dawud, the Injil to Isa, and the Sahifah before them. The Qur’an, given to Muhammad, is believed to be the final, complete and unaltered revelation.
Muslims do not all treat the earlier holy books in the same way. Some Muslims study the Tawrat, Zabur and Injil to understand the shared prophetic history they hold with Jews and Christians, and to show respect for Musa, Dawud and Isa as genuine prophets of Allah. Other Muslims place little weight on the earlier books in daily life, believing that their original texts were altered or lost over time and that the Qur’an alone is a sufficient and reliable guide for Muslim practice today.
Malaikah: Angels in Islam
Muslims believe in Malaikah, angels created by Allah from light. Angels have no free will; they exist only to obey Allah and form part of the unseen world (al-ghayb). Three angels are especially significant in Muslim teaching — two are named in the Qur’an and one is named in Islamic tradition:
- Jibril: the angel of revelation, through whom Allah communicated the Qur’an to Muhammad. Surah 2:97–98 states that Jibril “has brought the Qur’an down upon your heart.”
- Mika’il: associated with provision and sustenance, mentioned alongside Jibril in Surah 2:97–98.
- Izra’il: the angel of death, who takes the soul at the moment of death. Surah 32:11 says the angel “entrusted with you” will take a person’s soul, which is then returned to Allah.
Jibril brings revelation (Surah 2:97–98); Mika’il is linked to sustenance; Izra’il takes the soul at death (Surah 32:11). Belief in angels reminds Muslims that an unseen world exists and that Allah’s will is carried out perfectly.
Al-Qadr: Predestination
Muslims believe in al-Qadr, Allah’s divine decree. The hadith Sahih al-Bukhari 78:685 teaches that a person’s provision, lifespan and deeds are written by an angel before birth.
This belief connects to the Day of Judgement: although Allah already knows what every person will choose, Muslims are still held responsible for their actions and are judged on the basis of those choices, not simply on a fixed fate they could not control.
Sunni and Shi’a Muslims understand al-Qadr differently:
- Sunni Islam counts al-Qadr among the Six Beliefs. Allah’s foreknowledge and genuine human free will are both held to be true together, even though exactly how this works is treated as a mystery beyond full human understanding.
- Shi’a Islam gives greater weight to Adl (divine justice): a just Allah would not fix a person’s actions in advance and then punish them for those actions, so Shi’a theology tends to stress human free will more strongly.
For Muslims today, belief in al-Qadr can bring comfort and trust in Allah’s plan during hardship, while still requiring effort and good choices, since a person’s deeds remain their own responsibility.
Akhirah: Life After Death
Muslims believe in Akhirah, the hereafter. After death the soul enters barzakh, a waiting state, before the resurrection and Day of Judgement. Surah 17:49–72 answers those who doubt that Allah can resurrect the dead, teaching that he who created a person the first time can restore them again.
On the Day of Judgement, each person’s deeds are weighed. Those judged righteous enter Jannah (paradise); those judged unrighteous enter Jahannam (hell). Allah’s mercy plays a part in this judgement alongside the weighing of deeds.
Belief in Akhirah affects Muslims differently. Some Muslims are motivated mainly by fear of Jahannam, leading them to avoid sin carefully in daily life. Others focus mainly on Allah’s mercy and hope for Jannah, which shapes a more hopeful and grateful approach to worship and good deeds.
Muslim and Christian teaching about the afterlife share common ground: both traditions teach bodily resurrection, a final judgement, and a paradise and a place of punishment. However, Islam has no equivalent of purgatory — only the waiting state of barzakh — and judgement rests on the weighing of deeds together with Allah’s mercy, rather than on a mediating figure like Christ’s atoning death in Christian teaching.
The sequence in Muslim teaching about Akhirah: death → barzakh → resurrection → judgement of deeds → Jannah or Jahannam. Surah 17:49–72 is the key passage on resurrection.