Foundations · The Six Pillars of Iman

Islamic Teachings on Fate and Knowledge

Test your understanding of Islamic beliefs about fate, knowledge, and unseen matters.

5 questions · Easy · about 4 minutes

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5 questions, about 4 minutes.

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1. What is one benefit of calamities for a believer?

  • They test patience and may expiate sins. (correct answer)
  • They always mean a person is rejected by Allah.
  • They remove the need to repent.
  • They make worship unnecessary.

Why

Calamities may test patience, remind people of their need for Allah, expiate sins, raise status, and wake people from negligence.

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2. What happens when people’s deeds are weighed on the Day of Resurrection?

  • People are divided according to whether good deeds, bad deeds, or equal deeds weigh more. (correct answer)
  • Lineage and wealth decide the result.
  • Everyone enters Paradise immediately.
  • The Balance is only symbolic and has no effect.

Why

The Balance is part of belief in the Hereafter. After deeds are weighed, people include those whose good deeds outweigh their bad deeds, those whose bad deeds outweigh their good deeds, and those whose deeds are equal.

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3. Who knows when the Hour will begin?

  • Allah alone. (correct answer)
  • The Prophet ﷺ.
  • The angels who are close to Allah.
  • Anyone who studies its signs carefully enough.

Why

The time of the Hour is part of the unseen that Allah has kept to Himself. No Prophet, Messenger, angel, or human knows when it will begin.

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4. Who knows the unseen independently?

  • Allah alone. (correct answer)
  • All angels.
  • All Prophets.
  • Anyone who is very righteous.

Why

Knowledge of the unseen belongs to Allah alone. Allah may disclose some unseen matters to whomever He wills, such as angels or Messengers, but no created being knows the unseen independently.

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5. How should Muslims handle stories about angels and unseen matters?

  • Accept only what is proven in sound religious texts. (correct answer)
  • Repeat every story that sounds inspiring.
  • Treat all popular stories as reliable.
  • Believe stories are true if many people share them.

Why

Stories about angels and the unseen should not be spread unless they are proven. A Muslim should verify reports and rely on sound texts.

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A note on these answers

These questions are for learning and self-testing. Explanations are drawn from the sources linked on each question and are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar.

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