Muslims believe that God alone is Lord, that He alone is worthy of worship and that his names and attributes are unique to Him.
Outline the beliefs of Muslims in the oneness of God.
Muslims believe in Tawheed as a fundamental teaching of Islam. It is the foundation of faith and primary education of Islam. For this reason, the Quran declares it as an act of righteousness. “It is righteousness to believe in Allah.” (2:177) Tawhid means that Allah alone is One Supreme God in the entity, as well as in attributes. No one can be a Muslim without believing in it. Prophets preached the education of Tawheed throughout history. According to this belief, Allah is the personality that indeed exists, and no being can deny it. Tawheed signifies believing in His Oneness without associating any partner, family, spouse or children and worshipping Him alone.
Allah says in the Quran, “Say! He is Allah, the One and Only. The eternal, the absolute.” (1:112) Moreover, he has no match in His existence since there is no similar being which can even get closer to being comparable to Him. Tawheed mainly has three aspects.
Oneness of the Lordship of Allah
There is only one Lord in the entire universe, and that is Allah. He is the Creator, the Organizer, the Supreme Planner, the Sustainer, the Law-Giver, the Designer and the Giver of Security etc. As for the nature and person of God, we cannot imagine this because it is beyond our cognition. He is independent while others are dependent on Him for their survival.
He sustains everyone and everything; all creations rely on Him. Allah does not have any family tree or progeny. He is entirely self-subsisting and self-sustaining. All this makes him absolutely Unique, Matchless and the Quran endorses this by saying: “There is nothing whatever like unto Him and He is the One who hears and sees (all things).” (42:11) He is neither the father nor the son of anyone. Allah says, “And your Allah is One Allah, there is no God but He, the Most Gracious, Most Merciful.” (2:163)
Related Questions
Describe the task performed by the scribes of divine revelation.
Outline the Muslim teaching about the belief in the oneness of God (Tawheed).
How is the message brought by these prophets important for Muslims today?
All revealed books were sent by God. What is your opinion makes the Quran unique?
Oneness in Worship of Allah
Since Allah is the Creator, He is the only one deserving of worship. He is perfect in all aspects and free of all essentials and desires neither does he require food or sleep. Allah says in the Quran, “No slumber can seize Him nor sleep.” (2:255)
Allah Almighty & His Attributes
Have you ever wondered how the universe, which consists of billions of stars and planets, came to be? Many might not think so, although some people ponder which splendid entity created and controlled it.
It is Allah Almighty, the King of the Kings, the Governor of the Governors and the Commander of the Commanders, who created this whole … Read More
He is not tired or burdened by controlling the affairs of the universe. He is Omniscient, and His knowledge is perfect. He knows the past, present, and future along with the hidden and manifest. Not a soul has the privilege to be worshipped except Allah. He is the only one worthy of worship and has no partner. It is the primary duty of man to worship none but Allah. Man has needed to bow down in front of Allah for worshipping, gratitude, protection, help etc. We should remember Allah created us and is nourishing, and will call us back one day for accountability. He will be the “Master of the Day of Judgment.” And on that day, nobody will dare to intercede. Surah Fatihah supports this and mentions: “We worship You and Your aid we seek.” (1:4)
A True belief in Tawheed infuses a spirit of submission, obedience and thankfulness in human beings and prevents them from all those acts that are likely to displease Allah. Therefore, Muslims offer sacrifice, give charity, fast and perform pilgrimage for the pleasure of Allah.
Oneness of the Names and Qualities of Allah
We must not entitle Allah except with what He and His Prophet has named or qualified Him. None can be named or authorized with the names or qualifications of Allah. We must believe in names or attributes of Allah that have been stated in His book or mentioned through Prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) without changing their meaning. All these qualities are only inherited by Allah and believing in them is an integral part of our faith. Some of His names are Jabbar (The Exalted), Bari (Originator), Muhaimin (Preserver of Safety), and Aalim (All-Knowing).
Islamic Comprehension
The study of Islamic education assists you to comprehend the history of Muslims. Read these authentic stories and then answer questions to assess your level of knowledge.
Why is associating partners with God (shirk) regarded as a great sin?
Shirk means ascribing partners to God or giving divine image to entities other than Allah. Quran and Sunnah condemn it as the most heinous and greatest of all sins. There are many reasons for this. Belief in Tawhid is the foundation of Islam, and by associating partners with Allah, a person shakes the foundational pillar of Islam. It reflects the mental incapacity of the person who remains ignorant of the consequences of destabilising the building in which he lives.
Shirk also means challenging the unshared power and authority of God, and for this reason, the Quran declares it as an unpardonable sin by saying: “God does not forgive the attribution of partners to Him, although He forgives any lesser sin unto whomever He wills. He who attributes a partner to God has invented a terrible sin.” (4:48)
The eternal punishment for committing shirk is mentioned in the Quran that states: “Allah has forbidden Paradise to those who associate anything with Him in His divinity and their refuge shall be the Fire.” (5:72)
Shirk is even an expression of ingratitude to God, an attribute of Satan as endorsed by the Quran: “and Satan is ever ungrateful to his Lord.” (17:27)
So, if a believer follows the footsteps of Satan, their fate will be like that of Satan. It means shirk, in its accumulative effect, weakens the faith in God’s supremacy, sovereignty, authority and power to create, sustain and nourish all the creatures. Ultimately, this weakness results in an irreversible loss of true faith in Tawheed.