Lesson: Who Is Allah?

Learning objectives & key points

Learning objectives

By the end of this topic, pupils can:

1. State that Muslims believe Allah is One. There is nothing like Him, and there is no other god. This belief is called Tawhid.
2. Explain that Allah is the Creator and the Sustainer of everything.
3. Describe two ways we come to know about Allah: by looking at the world He made, and through what He told us in the Qur'an.
4. Recall that Allah has beautiful names. Give the meaning of at least one (Ar-Rahman — the Most Merciful / Most Kind).

Key points (belief-level only, for ages 8–9)

• Allah is One. There is only one God. Nothing is like Him. (Tawhid)
• Allah made everything — the sky, the sea, animals, and people. He is the Creator.
• Allah keeps everything going. He gives everything what it needs. He is the Sustainer.
• We learn about Allah in two gentle ways. First, by wondering at the world around us. Second, from the Qur'an, the book Allah gave us.
• Allah has beautiful names. One of them is Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful / Most Kind).

Lesson content

(Teaching text — core delivery capped at 30 minutes.)

A big, gentle question (≈4 min)

Have you ever looked up at the night sky? Have you ever wondered, "Who made all of this?" Muslims believe the answer is Allah. Allah is God. He is the One who made everything and looks after everything.

Allah is One (≈6 min)

The most important belief in Islam is that Allah is One. There is only one God. Nothing at all is like Him. He was not born, and He did not have children. Nobody and nothing is equal to Him (Qur'an 112:1–4).

Muslims call this belief Tawhid. It means believing in One God. It is the very heart of what a Muslim believes.

A short surah about this: Surah Al-Ikhlas tells us that Allah is One. It tells us Allah is the One we all need. It tells us that He was not born and gave birth to none. And it tells us there is nothing equal to Him (Qur'an 112:1–4).

Allah is the Creator and the Sustainer (≈6 min)

Allah is the Creator. He made the sun, the moon, the mountains, and the oceans. He made every animal and every person. He is the Lord of everything that exists (Qur'an 1:2). Muslims believe Allah is the Creator of all things (Qur'an 39:62).

Allah is also the Sustainer. This means He keeps everything going. He gives every living thing what it needs. He gives the bird its food. He gives the plant its rain. He gives you the air you breathe. He is "Lord of all the worlds" (Qur'an 1:2).

How do we come to know about Allah? (≈6 min)

We cannot see Allah with our eyes. So how do we know about Him? We know in two gentle ways.

One — by wondering at the world. Look at how amazing the world is. A tiny seed grows into a huge tree. The stars shine far away. Your own heart beats inside you. These are like signs. A sign is something that points to Allah, the One who made them (Qur'an 2:164).

Two — from the Qur'an. Allah told us about Himself in the Qur'an. The Qur'an is the holy book He gave to Muslims. When we want to know what Allah is like, we listen to what He has told us (Qur'an 112:1–4).

Allah's beautiful names — a first taste (≈4 min)

Allah has many beautiful names. Each name teaches us something about Him (Qur'an 7:180). Here is one to remember:

• Ar-Rahman — the Most Merciful, the Most Kind. It means Allah's kindness is for everyone and everything (Qur'an 1:1–3).

(You may also meet its close partner Ar-Raheem — the Especially Merciful. Both come right at the start of the Qur'an, in Al-Fatiha (Qur'an 1:1–3).)

Allah is Ar-Rahman. So Muslims feel loved and looked after. That is a warm thought to carry with you.

Review / recap

(Use as a plenary, ≈5–10 min.)

Let's check what we learned today. Thumbs up if you can answer:

1. Is Allah one, or many? → One. Nothing is like Him. What is this belief called? → Tawhid.
2. What did Allah make? → Everything — He is the Creator. He also keeps it all going as the Sustainer.
3. Name two ways we come to know about Allah. → By wondering at the world He made, and from the Qur'an.
4. Tell me one beautiful name of Allah and what it means. → Ar-Rahman — the Most Merciful / Most Kind.

Finish together: "Allah is One. He made everything and looks after everything. He is Ar-Rahman — the Most Kind."

Glossary