Tawheed:
The Absolute Unity of Lordship
Tawheed
is the first of a series of articles on Islam that we
will Insha’Allah publish regarding the basic teaching of Islam. It is also
the first pillar of Islam and it governs the religious faith, designs the social
pattern and gives meaning to the moral codes.In Arabic ‘tawheed’ means
“Oneness of the Almighty Lord of the Worlds”. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala)
guides the Muslims in religious matters and in social behaviour. The basic
decisive verses in the Glorious Qur'an address His Oneness (Nothing like a
likeness of Him) and (Visions comprehend Him
not), as the base of promoting Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), the Exalted,
so that it is attributes and deeds would be evidently conceived by
ordinary mentalities. The Glorious Qur'an says,“Say thou: Allah (alone) is the
Creator of all things, and He is (the
Only) One. Say: He is Allah, One (alone).” 13:16
& 112:1
The
most primary belief in Islam is that of the Unity and the Supreme Sovereignty of
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), Who sent His Anbiya and Rasul to convey His
message, and to show His creatures the proper way to live their lives.
An individual becomes a Muslim, when he/she expresses the Islamic
Declaration of Faith (‘Shahadah’). The act of submitting the self by the
believer to the will of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) has been mentioned in
verse 112 of Sura Al Baqarah 2,“Whoever
submiteth his self (entirely) to Allah and is a doer of good for him there shall
be his reward with his Lord; on such shall be no fear, nor shall they grieve.”
And verse 22 of Sura Luqman 31,“And
whoever setteth his face (submitting himself)
unto Allah, and be a doer of good,
then indeed hath (he) laid hold on a firmest hand-hold (a rope); and Allah is
the end of all affairs.” There are others verses of
the Glorious Qur'an that mention this Islamic Declaration of Faith such
as 3:18; 39:45;
2:130, 135; 3:95; 4:125;
6:161; 12:37-38; 16:123;
22:78; and 47:19. Nabiy
Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wa Salam) of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala)
said,“Two most sure things are: 1)Whoever dies testifying that There is no god
except Allah will enter Paradise and, 2) Whoever dies associating anything with
Allah will enter the fire (of hell)." The Glorious Qur'an says,“Neither
did Allah take to Himself a son, and never was there with him any (other) god;
in that case, each god would certainly have taken away what he created, and some
of them would certainly have overpowered others; glory to Allah above what they
ascribe!” 23:91
Tawheed instructs Muslims that there is only One
Lord in the whole universe, and asks them to reject all falsehood and all ideas
of nature-worship, idol-worship or human worship. These are all creations, many
of them created by Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) for the benefit of man. Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta’Ala) says in Sura AlFateha 1:1-2,“All praise is (only) Allah's, the Lord of the worlds.”
And He is the Only One Who created all human beings from Adam and Eve. The
Glorious Qur'an says,"And indeed We created man from an extract of clay.
Then We made him an embryo in a firm resting place. Then, made We made the clot
of a lump of flesh, then made We in the lump of flesh bones, then clothed We the
bones with flesh; then We did grow it into another creation; so Blessed be
Allah, the best of the creators.” 23:12-14
The
whole universe, the cosmos, the stars and constellations, the earth and its
mountains, oceans, rivers, vegetation, small or large beings, and the human
beings who live on it, are all among His creations, and the existence and
survival of every thing is dependent on Him. The Glorious Quran says,“Surely
your Lord is Allah Who created the heavens and the earth in six periods of time,
and He is firm in power; He throws the veil of night over the day, which it
incessantly pursues, and (He created) the sun and the moon and the stars (and)
made them subservient (to you, serving you) by His command; surely His is the
creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds.” 7:54
Tawhid
was prescribed by the Glorious Quran as a principal guidance of the teaching of
the Rasul. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) says
in Sura Al-Maidah 5, verse 79
regarding the disbelievers,"Say, O Nabiy Muhammad, you worship one other
than god who has no power to help or to harm you. It is Allah Who is all-hearing
and Who bows the state of all of creation." The Glorious Quran
says,“Verily the (true) religion with Allah is Islam (Submission to Allah’s
will); and those to whom the Book had been given not differ but after the
knowledge (of the Truth) had come to them, out of envy among themselves; and
whoever disbelieveth in the signs of Allah, verily, Allah is quick in reckoning.
3:19
Muslims
should obey only Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala). Obedience to His commandments
manifests one's submission to Him. A Muslim is required to do only what pleases
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) and what He has decreed as permissible. Anything
besides that is going astray, Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) says,“Show me
these partners whom you worship in place of Allah.” The Glorious Qur'an
says,“There is no Allah but He take Him as the protector.” 73:9
Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) is the Creator of everything and He has authority over
everything. His are the treasures of the heavens and the earth; as for those who
disbelieve in the communications of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala), they surely
are the losers. The Glorious Qur'an says,“Such is Allah, your Lord, the
Creator of everything; there is no god but He; whence are you then turned away?
The Creator of all things; so, worship Him (and Him alone), and He has charge of
all things.” 40:62
6:102
A
great favor of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) to mankind is that He give them the
growth of consciousness and knowledge, along with the development of wonderful
faculties. The Glorious Qur'an says,"He taught man what he knew not!" 96:5
In
general, man asks questions about His Creator such as “Where is He?"
"It is not correct to ask where He is because this confines Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta’Ala) to a place in space, and it is the Creator Who made all in space.
Nor is it correct to ask how He is, of what nature is He, since it is He Who
created all nature. Further, it is not correct to ask what He is because it is
He Who created all. The Glorious Qur’an says,"He it is Who creates and
brings forth (the totality of parts), Who separates (the parts belonging to each
organ), and Who gives form (to different aspects)." 59:24
"Did man emerge from non-being through his own devices? Was he his own
creator? Did mankind create the heavens and earth? Certainly they do not know
Allah." 52:35-36 "He it is
Who creates and brings forth. Your Lord is but one Lord. There is no god other
than Him, Compassionate and Merciful. In the creation of the heavens and the
earth, in the alternation of night and day, in the ships that ply the seas to
the benefit of man, in the water sent down from the heavens to revive the earth
after its death, in the different species of animals scattered across the earth,
in the rotation of the winds, in the clouds that are subordinate to Allah's
command between the heaven and the earth-in all of this, there are signs for men
who use their intellects." 2:163-164
"Tell men to reflect with care and see what things the heavens and the
earth contain." 10:10 "Even
before your time, certain laws and norms were in force, so travel and examine
the historical traces left by past peoples, to see the fate of those who denied
the truths of revelation and the
promises of Allah." 3:137
Man
has a limited knowledge. It is rare that something untested remains accepted.
Scientists must perform experiments, then fit it with theories. This is basic in
any field for otherwise, it would be like putting the cart before the horse.
Islam encourages people to seek wisdom and knowledge toward understanding Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala). The
Glorious Qur’an says,"He is Allah, the One other than Whom there is no
god, the knower of the hidden and the manifest, the Compassionate, the Merciful.
He is Allah, the One other than Whom there is no god, the Commander, the
All-powerful, Pure and Without Defect, the Bestower of Safety, the Protector,
the Precious; the Mighty, the Sublime, the Most Elevated. Exempt and purified be
He from the partners which they ascribe to Him." 59:22-23
There
are mysteries that no one knows about except Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala). It
is reported,“Do such objections not indicate that we look into a problem from
one aspect only and are motivated by selfish desires only as if the whole
Universe should work for our own personal interest and that too for the
temporary gain? Sometimes the difficulties that we face today turn to our
benefit tomorrow, but we do not feel satisfied unless they give us fruitful
result only today." The Glorious Qur’an says,“Certainly it is Allah Who
preserves the heavens and the earth from collapse and annihilation; were they to
collapse and be annihilated, there is none other than Allah who could preserve
them. Know that Allah is most forbearing and forgiving." 35:40-41
For
years, scientists have examined the evolution of the universe, and have studies
objects in the universe, trying to explain the most mysterious. But all their
finding point ultimately to the existence of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala). The
answers to their questions were given in the Glorious Qur’an at a time when
there were no instruments. The Glorious Qur’an says,"Is not the one who
created the world aware of the secrets of His own creation ? Certainly He has
knowledge of all the subtleties and mysteries of the world." 67:14
"Nothing is hidden from Allah, neither on earth nor in the heavens." 3:5 "On the horizons. We make our signs and indications
entirely manifest in the world and in the souls and inner beings of Our servants
so that it should be clear that Allah is the True." 41:53
“Allah is aware of all that exists on the face of the earth and in the depths
of the oceans. He knows of every leaf that falls and every seed that is hidden
in the darkness of the earth. All things, fresh and dry, are clear and evident
to Him." 6:59
The
media has announced large rewards for new finding regarding the Big Bang Theory.
Scientists suggest that with at the beginning of the universe the temperature
was very high. Then, the density and the temperature of the Universe could
dropped as it expanded. At some point after the Big Bang, the temperature
dropped to a point where ionization
could no longer take place. The number of free particles drops by a large
fraction. And suddenly the photons were free to travel without collisions. More
studies of this phenomenon, led to the cause of the domination of matter over
anti-matter in the present day universe. Despite the remarkable progress made in
this area, the missing information such as the mass, energy, etc. of these
particles still remains unsolved. It is important to understand
that to conduct further research to this area, one should simply read
what the Almighty, the Lord of the World says regarding the existence of the
universe when He created the heavens and the earth. The Glorious Qur’an
says,"They (the heavens and the earth) were closed for anything coming out
of them, in a sense that there was no rain-water coming from the sky
on the earth, therefore plants and vegetation did not grow on the surface of the
earth . When Allah created life on the earth, He sent down from the heavens
rain-water which is the ultimate support, direct or indirect, of all life on the
earth to be productive of the vegetation necessary for life.” Allah (Subhanahu
Wa Ta’Ala) says in Sura Al-Anbiyaa 21, verses 30 of the Glorious Qur'an,“Or see not those who
disbelieve that the heavens and the earth were of one piece, and that We clove
them asunder; and We made of water everything alive; Will they not then
believe?” Here in the Glorious Qur’an says lies the evidence of the Big Bang
Theory and the creation of life. the Glorious Qur'an,“Then He applied Himself
unto the heaven, which was yet only smoke, so said He unto it and unto the earth:‘Come ye two, willingly or
reluctant;’Said the Two:‘We do come willingly.” 41:11
Physicists
describe by the quantum theory the unitary nature of the universe, simply by the
behavior of the spin of pair of particles. Nuclear physicists are seeking for an
answer to the nuclear force with little success. He is the One Who knows the
right answers. The Glorious Qur’an says,"He knows all that you do" 2:283
“(He is) the Originator of the heavens and the earth; nothing is like Him; and
He is the Hearing, the Seeing. He has no similarity to finite and deficient
created beings," 42:11 "On
the face of the earth there are signs for the possessors of certainty, and also
in your own selves; will you not see?" 51:20-21
Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) is capable of doing all things, He has created the
world according to a precise and specific scheme in the framework of which a set
role has been assigned to certain phenomena in the origination of others. Those
phenomena are completely and unquestioningly subordinate to His command while
fulfilling that role and never rebelling against His orders in the slightest.
The
weaknesses and limitations of human beings is too self-evident. It is
reported,"How strange and remarkable is the affair of man! If he becomes
hopeful with regard to a certain desire, greed will render him abject; desire
will lead to greed, and greed will destroy him. If he falls prey to
hopelessness, grief and sorrow will kill him. If he attains happiness and good
fortune, he will fail to preserve them. If he falls prey to terror and fear,
they will reduce him to utter confusion. If abundant safety is granted him, he
will become negligent. If his blessings are restored to him, he will become
arrogant and rebellious. If he is stricken with misfortune, sorrow and grief
will disgrace him. If he acquires wealth, he will become bearing. If poverty
lays hold of him, he will be plunged in misery. If he is weakened by hunger, he
will be unable to rise from the ground. If he eats to excess, the pressure of
his stomach will discomfort him. So all deficiency in the life of man is
harmful, and all excess leads to corruption and ruin." The Glorious Qur'an
says,"How many were those powerful ones whom We destroyed in their cities
on account of their oppression and wrongdoing, and We made another people to be
their heirs." “Nothing in the heavens or on earth can induce weakness or
impotence in Allah; indeed, Allah is all-knowing and all-powerful." 35:44
"If there were numerous gods other than the one true Allah the order of the
heavens and the earth would collapse. So exalted be the Lord of the Throne above
what they say concerning Him." 21:22
Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) is the first and the last. The Glorious Qur'an
says,"(Allah is the) Wonderful Originator of the heavens and the earth! How
could He have a son when He has no consort, and He (Himself) created everything?
And He knows all things.” 6:101
& 2:117 “O men! Call to mind
the favour of Allah on you; is there any creator besides Allah who gives you
sustenance from the heavens and the earth? There is no god but He; whence are
you then turned away?” 35:3
For
a comprehensive understanding of the purpose of creation in a complete sense is
beyond the abilities of mankind's faculties. Man is a finite created being and
cannot reasonably hope to fully comprehend the actions of the infinite Creator.
Hence, Allah made it a part of mankind's nature to worship Him, and He sent
Anbiya and Rasul with books of Divine Revelation to clarify the aspect of the
purpose of creation which was within mankind's mental ability. The Glorious
Qur'an says,“Allah is All-Pevrading,
and All-Knowing. 2:115
Muslims
believe that time is a subjective matter, created by Allah (Subhanahu Wa
Ta’Ala) for the convenience and benefit of His creation, for their lives
starting from birth to growing up to dying. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) Who
create the whole universe and He is the Lord of the heavens and the earth and
all that which is in between them. The sun, the moon and all bodies are created
beings, created to serve mankind, and to demonstrate the truth of the Divine
Unity. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) says in Sura Al-Anbiyaa 21, verses 33 of the Glorious Qur'an that the
sun is not stationary, but it is also orbiting like the earth and the moon,“And He it is Who created the night and the day and
the sun and the moon: all in their (respective) orbits move (move in a swim).”
The Glorious Qur'an
says,“Said (Moses): (Allah is) the Lord of the East and the West and between
the two, if ye (only) understand.” 26:38
& 10:4
“Is there any doubt about Allah, the Creator of the heavens and the
earth?" 14:10 “Verily, We have
created everything by (the right) measure." 54: 49 That is why those who apparently deny Allah, they too come to
believe in Allah, when confronted with utter helplessness. 31:32;10:22 That is, Allah is only One. He has no partner, no equal. He is
eternal and beyond time and space. He alone is the Creator and Sustainer of all
things. 2:255 “And made the moon,
in it a light, and the sun as a
lamp.” 71:16 “And He it is Who has made the stars for you that ye may guided
by (observing) them in the darkness of the land and the sea; Indeed have We made
plain the signs for people who (can) know.” 6:97
Allah
(Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) is Power Himself, Mercy Himself, Truth Himself, Justice
Himself. He is the One and Only and is Absolutely independent of anything and
everything that exists. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) says in sura Yasin 36
, verse 81,“What! Is not He Who created the heavens and the earth able to create (again) the like of them? Yea! And
He is the Creator (Omnipotent), the All-knowing.”
Glorified
be His names, the Most High. The belief in the Unity of Him promotes the spirit
of brotherhood, equality and equity as important features of Islam. "O
Lord, You are the Great Creator and I am Your wretched and insignificant slave.
Who can show mercy to His insignificant slave but You the Great? You are strong
and powerful, I am weak and impotent; other than one strong and powerful, who
can show mercy to the weak? You are the one Who bestows generosity on the
beggar, and I stand as a beggar at your threshold. Who will show mercy to the
beggar other than the generous and the munificent one? You are eternal existence
and I am a creature destined to perish. Who will have mercy on one destined to
perish other than the eternal, everlasting essence? You are the guide Who points
out the way, and I am lost and bewildered. Who will take pity on the lost and
bewildered if not the guide Who points out the way? Have mercy upon me by Your
infinite mercy; accept and be satisfied with me in Your generosity, favor,
instill in me and kindness, O Lord, possessor of generosity, favor, and
kindness, in Your all-embracing mercy, O most merciful of the merciful,
instill in me the profession of Your Unity, make my way of coming to Thee
that I associate nothing with Thee, nor do I take along with Thee a god. So give
me, my Lord, by Thy mercy and Thy lasting bestowal of success, that which I may
take as a ladder with which to climb to Thy good pleasure and be secure from Thy
punishment, O Most merciful of the merciful!
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you please let us know if you want to be part of a list-serve to receive this
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benefit from it. With the help of Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) we might succeed
in spreading His Words. We are in need for a copy-machine for standard and large
size copier, with capabilities for making double-sided copies. Our existing
copier that was also donated has broken Insha'Allah, a (Mohsin) or (Mohsineen)
will come forward and donate, making every effort to help us in this regard. O'
Lord, record our good deeds and leave us delighted with what is written of
goodness concerning us, Ameen. The Glorious Qur'an says,“And Allah gave them
the reward in this world and the excellent reward of the hereafter. Verily Allah
loveth those who do good (to others). Whoever intercedeth with a good
intercession shall have a share therefrom.” 3:147 & 4:85.
Momineen
and Mominaat who Insha’Allah, want to donate toward the purchase of a land for
the Center, please send your donation to the Kufa Center of Islamic Knowledge (KCIK); P.O. Box 11771; Roanoke, VA
24022-1771, USA. May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) reward you, and increase His
gifts to you with His blessings, Ameen. Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) has
described the true believers,“And prefer over their own selves, though their
own lot be poverty.” 59:9
There
is a land close to the expressway. The size of it is one
acre with two buildings. The price is $375,000.00. Also, there are three
tracts of land of sizes 4, 3, and 35 acres. Two of them at Interstate spurs, and
the third one at the Interstate. The prices are approximately $125,000.00,
$95,000.00, and $50,000.00/acre, respectively. All of these properties are
visible from the Interstate. Insha'Allah, our brothers and sisters will donate
to establish our Center at one of these sites. “It is they who are truly
guided.” May Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) bless our planning efforts with a
successful outcome, Ameen. Nabiy Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi Waalihi Wasalam)
said,“He who builds a mosque for the sake of Allah, Allah will build a house
for him in paradise."
For
the Momineen and Mominaat who donated toward the purchase of land for the
Center, and/or supported the Center, may Allah (Subhanahu Wa Ta’Ala) gift them
houses in Heaven, Ameen. Insha’Allah, those who donated toward a place for
Center, we will publish their donations in the future.
Wa Assalamu Alaikum Wa Rahmatullah Wa Barakatuh