What this topic asks

Edexcel Spec B studies Religion, Peace and Conflict through Islam. It links what Muslims believe about Allah to how they think we should treat criminals and respond to war and peace.

• Muslim beliefs — Tawhid (oneness of Allah), the articles of faith, akhirah (life after death).
• Crime & punishment — justice, the aims of punishment, forgiveness and the treatment of criminals.
• Peace & conflict — peace, the greater and lesser jihad, just war, pacifism and reconciliation.

Spec focus: you must explain Muslim beliefs and practices and use them to discuss issues — always with correct sources of authority (the Qur'an, Sunnah and Hadith) and by showing that Muslims can hold different views.

Words you must be able to define

• Tawhid — the belief in the absolute oneness and unity of Allah.
• Risalah — prophethood: Allah sends messengers (prophets) such as Adam, Ibrahim, Musa and Muhammad ﷺ.
• Akhirah — life after death: the Day of Judgement, then Paradise (Jannah) or Hell (Jahannam).
• Greater jihad — the personal, inner struggle to be good and follow Allah.
• Lesser jihad — the military struggle to defend Islam, allowed only under strict conditions.

Get this right: jihad literally means "to struggle". The greater jihad is the everyday effort to live rightly; the lesser jihad is armed struggle in self-defence. Jihad is not a word for terrorism or aggressive "holy war" — you'll match these up on the next screen.

Define the term

The articles of faith

Flowing from Tawhid, Muslims hold core beliefs. Sunni Muslims describe six articles of faith; Shia Muslims describe the five roots of religion (Usul ad-Din). Both share belief in the oneness of Allah, prophets and the afterlife.

Why it matters: because Allah is just and all-knowing, and everyone will be judged on the Day of Judgement (akhirah), Muslims believe they are accountable for how they treat others — this shapes their views on crime, justice and peace.

Islamic term → meaning

Tap a term on the left, then its meaning on the right.

Justice and the aims of punishment

Muslims believe justice (adl) is central because Allah is just. Punishing crime is meant to be fair and to have a purpose. The three main aims of punishment are:

Forgiveness and treating criminals

Justice matters in Islam, but so does forgiveness. Allah is Ar-Rahman (the Most Merciful) and Ar-Rahim (the Most Compassionate), so Muslims are encouraged to forgive and to want wrongdoers to reform.

Criminals must still be treated with dignity and fairness. Muslims believe punishment should not be cruel, that the accused deserve a fair process, and that helping an offender change is a form of justice too.

Say it like this: "Islam teaches justice and mercy. Punishment should be fair and can aim to reform the criminal, while forgiveness is strongly encouraged because Allah is Most Merciful." That balance protects you from making Islam sound only strict.

Aims of punishment

Views on the death penalty

Muslims hold varied views on capital punishment. It is permitted in the Qur'an for the most serious crimes such as murder, but it is not compulsory — and forgiveness is often praised as the better choice.

Justice and mercy

Peace in Islam

The word Islam is linked to the Arabic word salaam — peace. Muslims greet each other with "As-salaamu alaikum" ("Peace be upon you"). Peace, justice and reconciliation are central Muslim values.

Because Allah is just and merciful, Muslims see working for peace — resolving disputes fairly and forgiving where they can — as part of following Allah. War is only ever a last resort, never something to be desired.

Jihad — the greater and the lesser

Jihad means to struggle or strive in the way of Allah. The specification distinguishes two kinds:

• Greater jihad — the personal, inner struggle to be a good Muslim: to overcome bad habits, to pray, to be honest and kind, and to follow Allah. The Prophet ﷺ called this the more important struggle.
• Lesser jihad — the outward, military struggle to defend Islam or the community, permitted only under strict conditions.

For most Muslims, the everyday greater jihad is the one that matters most, and the lesser jihad is a rare last resort.

Very important: jihad is not a word for terrorism or aggressive "holy war". Islam forbids harming innocent people. Using jihad to justify terrorism goes against its true meaning and against the Qur'an.

The greater jihad

Conditions for a just (lesser) jihad

The lesser jihad — armed struggle — is only allowed if strict conditions are met. It must be a genuine last resort in self-defence, never aggression.

Conditions Muslims apply to a just military jihad include:

• It is declared by a proper authority (a legitimate leader), not by individuals.
• It has a just cause — usually self-defence or defending others from oppression.
• Innocent civilians, women, children, the elderly and crops must not be harmed.
• Force is proportionate and stops once peace can be made.

Misconception: because civilians must not be targeted, terrorism can never be a lesser jihad. Attacking innocent people breaks these conditions and is condemned in Islam.

Forgiveness, reconciliation and pacifism

Alongside just war, Islam strongly values reconciliation — bringing people back together after conflict — and forgiveness. Ending a conflict fairly and rebuilding relationships is seen as pleasing to Allah.

Most Muslims are not strict pacifists — they accept that self-defence is sometimes necessary. But many work actively for peace, and some individual Muslims choose non-violence. All agree that peace and forgiveness are the goal, and war only a last resort.

Greater or lesser jihad?

Tap the box that fits each statement about jihad.

A map of the topic

Here is the whole topic on one page — how Muslim beliefs connect to crime, punishment, peace and conflict:

Conditions for a just jihad

The Five Pillars & festivals

Muslims put their beliefs into practice through the Five Pillars (Sunni Islam):

• Shahadah — the declaration of faith: there is no god but Allah and Muhammad is His messenger.
• Salah — prayer five times a day.
• Zakah — giving a set share of wealth to those in need (linked to justice).
• Sawm — fasting during the month of Ramadan.
• Hajj — pilgrimage to Makkah at least once, if able.

Major festivals include Id-ul-Fitr (marking the end of Ramadan) and Id-ul-Adha (recalling the willingness of Ibrahim to obey Allah). Shia Muslims also mark Ashura.

Link to the topic: zakah expresses justice, and forgiveness at festivals reflects the mercy that shapes Muslim views on crime and peace.

Which belief?

How these beliefs shape lives

Exam questions often ask about the impact of Muslim beliefs. These beliefs are not just ideas — they shape how Muslims act on justice, crime and peace:

• Because Allah is just and everyone faces akhirah (judgement), Muslims try to act fairly and treat criminals justly.
• Because Allah is Most Merciful, many Muslims stress forgiveness and want criminals to reform.
• The greater jihad — the inner struggle to be good — shapes everyday honesty, prayer and self-control.
• Belief in peace (salaam) means Muslims seek reconciliation and treat war as a strict last resort.
• Zakah and care for the poor put justice into practice, reducing the causes of crime and conflict.

Which part of the topic?

Tap an idea, then tap the theme it belongs to.

Writing a strong answer

In the exam, connect a belief to a source of authority and then to a view. For example:

• Because Allah is Most Merciful (Ar-Rahman), and the Qur'an praises forgiveness (42:40), many Muslims argue offenders should be given the chance to reform.
• Because life is sacred (Qur'an 6:151), Muslims disagree on the death penalty — some accept it for the gravest crimes, others say mercy is better.
• Because the greater jihad is the inner struggle, most Muslims see everyday self-improvement, not violence, as the heart of their faith.

Top tip: always show that Muslims can hold different views, and never suggest that jihad means terrorism — it means struggle, and Islam forbids harming the innocent.

The ideas to know

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