How Muslims understand the nature of God through divine names and attributes.
• • •Let's start with what you already know from earlier lessons and what you can retrieve from memory.
From Lesson 6 (My Worldview Map): Write down one thing you included in your worldview map and one thing you learned about your own beliefs back then.
From Lesson 2 (The Big Six + One): Write three key facts you remember about Islam.
Muslims believe God has 99 beautiful names. If you had to describe God (or your idea of God) in just 3 words, what would they be? Why those three?
Let's meet the core Islamic understanding of God: absolute oneness, divine names, and how Muslims encounter the divine.
Arabic: "to make one." The absolute belief that God is one and unique, with no partners, no equals, and nothing comparable to God. This is the most fundamental concept in Islam.
Core idea: "There is no god but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger" — this is the Shahada, the statement all Muslims must believe.
This surah is the clearest statement of Islamic monotheism. It appears in the Quran and is recited by Muslims daily:
"Say: He is Allah, the One. Allah, the Eternal Absolute. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there is none comparable to Him."
Quran 112:1–4 (Yusuf Ali translation)"He is Allah, the One": God is absolutely unique and alone.
"The Eternal Absolute": God exists beyond time, depending on nothing, everything depending on God.
"He begets not, nor was He begotten": God has no parents, no children, no family. (This directly rejects the Christian belief in Jesus as God's son.)
"There is none comparable to Him": Nothing in creation is like God; God is utterly transcendent.
Arabic: "to associate" or "to share." Associating partners with God, or believing anything is equal to God. This is the gravest sin in Islam because it violates Tawhid.
Examples of shirk: Worshipping idols, believing Jesus is God's son, praying to saints or angels as if they are gods, believing in multiple gods (polytheism).
Muslims believe God has 99 "most beautiful names" (Al-Asma al-Husna) that describe God's qualities and attributes. These are not 99 different gods — they are 99 ways to understand the one God.
Muslims sometimes use prayer beads (Misbaha) with 99 beads to remember the 99 Names while praying. Some Muslims say that reciting the 99 Names with sincere intent brings blessings and spiritual closeness to God.
For Muslims, the Quran is God's own words, recited in Arabic. Reading or listening to it is direct contact with the divine message. The beauty of Quranic language is seen as a sign of its divine origin.
Muslims pray five times daily, facing Makkah. Prayer is not just asking God for things — it is an act of submission and remembrance. Each prayer renews the connection between the worshipper and God.
Muslims see the beauty, order, and complexity of the universe as signs (ayat) of God's wisdom and power. Reflecting on nature is a form of worship.
Now let's go deeper with sorting and matching activities.
Read each statement. Is it consistent with Islamic belief or contradicts Islamic belief?
1. "God has a son."
2. "God is absolutely one, with no partners."
3. "God became human."
4. "God can be seen in creation."
5. "God is merciful and just."
Six Names are shown on the left. Can you match them to their meanings? (Some are from the grid above; try from memory first.)
Match these Names:
A. Ar-Rahman B. Al-Malik C. As-Salam D. Al-Aziz E. Al-Hakeem F. Al-Aleem
1. The Source of Peace:
2. The Most Gracious:
3. The All-Knowing:
4. The Sovereign:
5. The All-Wise:
6. The Mighty:
From the 12 Names you saw earlier, which 3 do you think are most important for understanding God? Write them down and explain why you chose them.
Choose two of these discussion challenges and respond thoughtfully.
Why do Muslims say the Trinity (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) is shirk? Explain what's at stake for Muslims in maintaining absolute monotheism.
If God has 99 Names, does that mean humans can fully understand God? Or does God remain mysterious? What's your view?
What's the difference between saying "God is merciful" (a description) and saying "God's Name is The Merciful" (one of the 99)? Does the difference matter?
Could a Humanist agree with any of the 99 Names? For instance, could they accept that the divine (or nature) is "All-Wise" or "All-Knowing"? Explain.
A Christian and a Muslim are discussing God. Write a 4-line conversation showing where they agree and where they disagree. (At least 60 words total.)
"Muslims and Christians worship the same God."
Do you agree? Consider both sides before giving your answer.
Step 1: Arguments that they DO worship the same God:
Step 2: Arguments that they have fundamentally different concepts of God:
Step 3: Your evaluation — what do you think?
Mix of questions from Unit 1 + Unit 2 Lessons 1–3. No looking back!
1. What does Tawhid mean, and why is it the most important concept in Islam?
2. Name two of the 99 Names and explain what they reveal about God.
3. What is shirk? Give one example.
4. From Lesson 2: Name one of the Five Pillars or Shahadah.
Close everything. From memory, write down what you've learned today.
Start the timer. Write down (from memory):
Choose one and answer honestly:
Was it the Names grid? The sorting activities? The Surah? Something else?
Remembering the Names? Understanding Tawhid? The Christian–Muslim comparison? Why?
Tick the statements that are true for you right now: