Islam: the Existence of Allah | OCR GCSE Religious Studies (J625)
Islam: the Existence of Allah
- 85 questions
- 7 subtopics
- Group 2 paper
- Group 2 paper
Islam: The Existence of Allah is examined in Component Group 2, religion, philosophy and ethics in the modern world from a Muslim perspective (J625/07), if this is the perspective studied.
That perspective must be one of the student's two Group 1 religions. It covers Muslim views on what Allah is like, Allah's goodness and the problem of evil in Islam, Muslim responses to suffering, Muslim arguments from design and first cause, khalifah, purpose and moral testing in the Muslim view of the world, revelation and miracles as Muslim evidence for Allah and Muslim religious experience: fitrah, Sufism and worship.
Sample questions from Islam: the Existence of Allah
Answer each one closed book first, then open the answer.
-
Muslim views on what Allah is like
What does Surah 2:29 teach about Allah's relationship with humanity?
Show the answer
Surah 2:29 says Allah created everything on earth for humankind. Allah then turned to the heavens, and He knows all things. -
Muslim views on what Allah is like
How did the Mu'tazilites and Ash'aris differ over Allah's attributes?
Show the answer
The Mu'tazilites argued that Allah's attributes are not separate from His essence, to protect His oneness. The Ash'aris held that the attributes are real and eternal, though unlike human qualities. -
Allah's goodness and the problem of evil in Islam
What is the problem of evil as it applies to Islam?
Show the answer
If Allah is all-powerful, all-knowing and good, many ask why evil and suffering exist. Atheists argue that such a God would prevent suffering. -
Allah's goodness and the problem of evil in Islam
What does the story of Iblis suggest about the origin of evil?
Show the answer
Iblis refused Allah's command out of pride and vowed to mislead humans. Muslims see evil as coming from the rebellion of creatures, not from Allah's nature. -
Muslim responses to suffering
How can suffering bring a Muslim closer to Allah?
Show the answer
Hardship leads many Muslims to turn to prayer and rely on Allah. A hadith says even the prick of a thorn wipes away some of a believer's sins. -
Muslim responses to suffering
How do Shi'a Muslims draw on Karbala when thinking about suffering?
Show the answer
Shi'a Muslims see Husayn's suffering at Karbala as a meaningful sacrifice for justice. Undeserved suffering can bear witness to truth and inspire others. -
Muslim arguments from design and first cause
How does the theory of evolution challenge the Muslim design argument?
Show the answer
Darwin argued that natural selection can explain complex life without a designer. Critics say apparent design is the product of chance and time. -
Muslim arguments from design and first cause
How do some Muslims link the Big Bang to belief in Allah?
Show the answer
The Big Bang suggests the universe had a beginning, which fits the idea of creation. Some Muslims link it to Surah 21:30, where heavens and earth were joined and then parted.
The 7 subtopics
One subtopic is one session. Work down the list.
| Subtopic | What it covers | Questions |
|---|---|---|
| Muslim views on what Allah is like | Surahs 7:180 and 59:24, Allah's relationship with the world and humanity, whether the universe is eternal, why Allah cannot take human form, the Mu'tazilite and Ash'ari debate, Sufi views, and atheist challenges. | 11 |
| Allah's goodness and the problem of evil in Islam | Ash'ari, Mu'tazilite and Shi'a accounts of goodness, moral and natural evil, why free will is allowed, the story of Iblis, Surah 42:30, Allah's final justice, and a Humanist response. | 12 |
| Muslim responses to suffering | Suffering as a test in Surahs 67:2 and 21:35, Musa and al-Khidr, sabr, the Prophet's own trials, acting against suffering, Karbala in Shi'a thought, the atheist challenge, and natural disasters. | 12 |
| Muslim arguments from design and first cause | Surah 3:190 and fine-tuning, evolution as a challenge and Muslim replies, al-Ghazali's Kalam argument, Surah 52:35, the Big Bang, what caused Allah, and the worth of such arguments. | 13 |
| Khalifah, purpose and moral testing in the Muslim view of the world | A world made for humanity but not to exploit, khalifah and climate change, amanah, meaning in life, the moral argument and conscience, awe and wonder, and Humanist objections to purpose. | 11 |
| Revelation and miracles as Muslim evidence for Allah | Why revelation is needed, the Qur'an as the clearest revelation and a miracle, Surah al-Alaq and Surah 4:163, the unlettered Prophet, his other miracles, conscience, inspirational people, and Hume's challenge. | 13 |
| Muslim religious experience: fitrah, Sufism and worship | Why converts call themselves reverts, the Sufis and al-Ghazali's own experience, charismatic and ecstatic experience and wariness of it, visions, Surahs 13:28 and 30:8, prayer, and sceptics. | 13 |
How the guide is worked
Answering a question from memory stores it far better than reading the answer again. The guide runs that as a fixed procedure on one subtopic at a time, about twenty minutes a session.
-
Step 1 · Closed book
Cover the answers. Work through one subtopic and write down what you can. Leave blanks where you have nothing.
-
Step 2 · Open book
Go back to the top. Read each printed answer and write it out in full, including the ones you had right.
-
Step 3 · Closed book again
Same questions, same order, from memory. The gap between pass one and pass three is the session result.
Read the full method, the return schedule and the research behind it.
Nearby topics
OCR GCSE Religious Studies Active Recall Guide
Every topic, not just this one. 2,800 questions with their answers.