Characteristics of Allah
Fairness
Allah treats everyone equally and with patience. For example, on the Day of JudgementThe last day, when God judges all of humanity according to how they have lived., each person is judged fairly on the daily choices they have made throughout their life when in BarzakhA state of waiting between this life and the next life in Islamic belief.. This will then determine whether they go to AliJannahHeaven or paradise, though literally, 'the garden'. (Paradise) or JahannamIn Islam, as in the Christian Hell, Jahannam is the place where sinners, unbelievers and evil people are punished in the afterlife. (Hell).
Immanence
immanentThe belief in various religions that God is immanent - ‘in the world’. God acted in history in the past and continues to be active today. is the belief that Allah is everywhere and that he knows everything and everyone. This is shown in the Qur’an:
We create man - We know what his soul whispers to him: We are closer to him than his jugular vein.
Omnipotence
Allah is believed to be omnipotentAll-powerful. as He is the creator of the universe. Although Muslims have been given free willThe idea that humans are free to make their own moral choices., Allah’s omnipotence has allowed him to determine their future. This is known as predestination.
Adalat – Shi’a Islam
Shi'aMuslims, or Shi’ites, who believe in the Imamah, leadership of Ali and his descendants after the Prophet Muhammad. Muslims believe in the idea of AdalatThe idea that God is just. One of the five roots of faith in Shi'a Islam.. This means that Allah is just and created the world in a fair way.
Shi’a Muslims also believe in the five roots of Usul ad-Din.
Similarities and differences between Sunni and Shi’a beliefs about God
The six beliefs of Sunni Islam and five roots of Usul ad-Din both have the belief of tawhidThe belief in the oneness of Allah. It is acknowledged in the First Pillar of Islam: There is no god but God., as this is the central foundation of Islam. They also both have the belief in prophethood, as it is through the prophets that Allah delivered the key teachings of Islam.
The main difference between SunniMuslims who believe in the successorship of Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman and Ali as leaders of the Muslim community after the Prophet Muhammad. and Shi’a beliefs is Imamah. This relates to disagreements that arose between Muslims after the Prophet Muhammad died. The disagreements were about who should be the next leader. Today, Sunni and Shi’a Muslims recognise different leaders as the successors of Muhammad.
