The short answer: the six articles of faith (*arkan al-iman*) are belief in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers, the Last Day, and qadr (divine decree, the good and the bad of it). Together they describe what a Muslim believes, while the five pillars of Islam describe what a Muslim does.
The hadith of Jibril
In Sahih Muslim, Umar ibn al-Khattab described a man in very white clothes who came and sat before the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about Islam, Iman and Ihsan. When asked about Iman, the Prophet ﷺ said: "That you believe in Allah, His angels, His books, His messengers and the Last Day, and that you believe in qadr, the good of it and the bad of it." Afterwards the Prophet ﷺ told them it was Jibril, who had come to teach them their religion.
The six articles at a glance
| Article | In simple words |
|---|---|
| Allah | There is one God, who created everything and has no partner, children or equal |
| Angels | Allah created angels from light; they always obey Him and we cannot see them |
| Books | Allah sent books to guide people; the Quran is the last and is protected |
| Messengers | Allah sent prophets and messengers to every nation; Muhammad ﷺ is the last |
| The Last Day | One day everyone will be brought back to life and asked about what they did |
| Qadr | Allah knows and has written everything that will happen; we still choose and try our best |
1. Belief in Allah
Allah is One. He created us and everything around us, He sees and hears everything, and nothing is like Him. Surah Al-Ikhlas is the perfect summary for children; see the 4 Quls for kids and the 99 names of Allah.
2. Belief in the angels
Angels are made from light and do whatever Allah commands. Children usually learn a few by name and job: Jibril brought revelation to the prophets, Mika'il is linked with rain and provision, Israfil will blow the trumpet, the Angel of Death takes souls, and the two noble writers (*Kiraman Katibin*) record our good and bad deeds.
3. Belief in the books
Allah sent books with His messengers. The Quran names the Tawrah given to Musa, the Zabur given to Dawud, the Injil given to 'Isa, the scrolls of Ibrahim, and the Quran given to Muhammad ﷺ. Muslims believe in all of them as they were revealed, and that the Quran is the final book, protected by Allah.
4. Belief in the messengers
Allah sent prophets to guide people. Twenty-five are named in the Quran, including Adam, Nuh, Ibrahim, Musa, 'Isa and Muhammad ﷺ, the last of them. Children love their stories; see teaching kids about the prophets.
5. Belief in the Last Day
This life will end. On the Day of Judgement everyone will be raised again, our deeds will be weighed, and Allah will judge with perfect justice and mercy. For children, the simple lesson is: every good deed counts, and Allah is Most Merciful.
6. Belief in qadr
Allah knows everything that will happen and has written it. This doesn't mean we stop trying: we make our choices, work hard and make dua, and then trust Allah with the result. It is a great comfort for children when something goes wrong.
Our Islamic Studies classes for kids teach the articles of faith with stories and simple questions, one-to-one. You can book 3 free trial classes.
