HAFIZ HAMMAD YOUNUS

ISLAMIC STUDIES AND

HUMANITIES

BSAF 1C (2147189)

ASSIGNMENT

TOPIC:
TAW HID (ONENESS OF ALLAH)
 TAW HID
Meaning of Taw hid:
Tawhid in Arabic means attributing Oneness to Allah and describing Him as being One and Unique, with
no partner or peer in His Essence and Attributes.

The Arabs say wahid, ahad and wahid, all meaning one. Allah is Wahid, meaning that He has no rivals or
peers in any way. So Tawhid means knowing Allah is one, with none like unto Him. Whoever does not
acknowledge Allah in these terms and does not describe Him as being one with no partner or associate
does not believe in Tawhid.

With regard to the Shar’i definition of Tawhid, it means believing in Allah Alone as God and Lord and
attributing to Him Alone all the attributes of Lordship and divinity.

It may be defined as follows: Believing that Allah is One with no partner or associate in His Lordship
(Tawheed-ar-Rabubiyah), divinity Taw hid-al-Aluhiyyah) or names and attributes (Taw hid-al-Asma-
wa-Sifat).

This word (Tawhid) and its derivatives are used with this meaning in the Quran and Sunnah. For
example:

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Say (O Muhammad): He is Allah, (the) One [Ahad]. Allah-us-Samad [Allah — the Self-Sufficient Master,
Whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. He begets not, nor was He begotten. And there
is none co-equal or comparable unto Him” [al-Ikhlas 112:1-4]

“And your Ilah (God) is One Ilah [ilahun wahidun] (God — Allah), La Ilaha illa Huwa (there is none who
has the right to be worshipped but He), the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful” [al-Baqarah 2:163]

“Surely, disbelievers are those who said: ‘Allah is the third of the three (in a Trinity).’ But there is no Ilah
(god) (none who has the right to be worshipped) but One Ilah [ilahun wahidun] (God —Allah). And if
they cease not from what they say, verily, a painful torment will befall on the disbelievers among
them” [al-Maidah 5:73]

And there are many similar verses.

In Sahih al-Bukhari (7372) and Sahi Muslim (19) it is narrated that Ibn ‘Abbas (may Allah be pleased with
him) said: When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) sent Mu’adh ibn Jabal to
Yemen, he said to him: “You are going to people from among the People of the Book, so let the first
thing to which you call them be belief in Allah alone (Tawhid). If they accept that, then tell them that
Allah has enjoined on them five prayers every day and night. If they pray then tell them that Allah has
enjoined on them zakat from their wealth to be taken from their rich and given to their poor. If they
agree to that then take it from them but avoid the best of people’s wealth.”

In Sahih Muslim it is narrated from Ibn ‘Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) that the Prophet (peace
and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Islam is built on five (pillars) : belief that Allah is One,
establishing regular prayer, paying zakat, fasting Ramadan and Hajj.”
What is meant by Tawhid in all these texts is affirming the meaning of the testimony that there is no god
but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, which is the essence of the religion of Islam
with which Allah sent His Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), based on the
evidence of the words of the Quran and Sunnah.

In some versions of the hadith of Muadh quoted above it says: “You will come to some people from
among the People of the Book so when you come to them, call them to bear witness that there is no god
except Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.” (Narrated by al-Bukhari, 1492)

According to another version of the hadith of Ibn ‘Umar: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of
Allah be upon him) said: “Islam is based on five (pillars): the testimony that there is no god except Allah
and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger...” (Narrated by Muslim, 16)

This indicates that Tawhid is the essence of the testimony that there is no god except Allah and that
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, and that this is Islam with which Allah sent His Prophet to the
two races of mankind and the jinn, other than which Allah will not accept any religion from anyone.

Allah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“Truly, the religion with Allah is Islam” [Al ‘Imran 3:19]

“And whoever seeks a religion other than Islam, it will never be accepted of him, and in the Hereafter he
will be one of the losers” [Al ‘Imran 3:85]

ALLAH also revealed Surah IKHLAS in Quran and explain his lonely character.

ِ‫ِِٱلر ِح ِيم‬
َّ ‫ِِٱلر ْح َم ٰـ ِن‬ ِ َّ ‫ِب ْس ِم‬
َّ ‫ِِٱّلل‬
ِ‫ص َمد‬ َّ ‫ِِٱّللِِأ َ َحد‬
َّ ‫ِِٱّللِِٱل‬ َّ ‫ق ْلِِه َو‬
ِ‫ِِولَ ْمِِيَكنِلَّهۥِكف ًواِأ َ َحد‬ َ ‫ِِولَ ْمِِيولَ ْد‬
َ ‫ِلَ ْمِِيَ ِل ْد‬

TRANSLATION
In the Name of ALLAH, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
Say, “He is ALLAH, [who is] One ALLAH, the eternal refuge He neither begets
nor is born Nor there is to Him any Equivalent

Prophet (P.B.U.H) is the last messenger of ALLAH, and it is our believe that now
there will no any prophet will be come in this universe. Prophet (P.B.U.H) also
explain the Oneness of ALLAH through his Hadith to the people. Some of are as
follows:
Narrated Mu`adh bin Jabal:
The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, "O Mu`adh! Do you know what Allah's Right upon His slaves is?" I said,
"Allah and His Apostle know best." The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, "To worship Him (Allah) Alone and
to join none in worship with Him (Allah). Do you know what their right upon Him is?" I
replied, "Allah and His Apostle know best." The Prophet (‫ )ﷺ‬said, "Not to punish them (if
they do so). (Sahih- al-Bukhari 7373)

TYPES OF TAW HID

The concept of oneness (Taw hid) implies that ALLAH (SWT) is single, unique,
absolute and matchless both in his essence and attributes. Being incomparable,
he neither has offspring nor was he born of anyone. The holy Quran says:
“He begets not, and neither is He begotten”
Hence ALLAH alone is the worthy of worship. According to the leading scholars of
Islam, there are three kinds of Taw hid:

 Tawheed-ar-Rabubiyah (Oneness in lordship of ALLAH)

 Taw hid-al-Aluhiyyah (Oneness in the worship of ALLAH)
 Taw hid-al-Asma-wa-Sifat (Oneness in the names and qualities of ALLAH)

Tawheed-ar-Rabubiyah (Oneness in lordship of ALLAH):

Refers to the believe that ALLAH (SWT) is self-Existent; he is the creator and the
sustainer of the universe. He knows everything, sees everything, and is able to do
anything. As creator, he stands outside and beyond everything that he create.
Allah is the outside time whereas all created things are a part of time and the
things which are part of time having beginning and ends: ALLAH has no
beginning, no ends. Quran says;
“He is above the grip of space and time, he is the first and last, the evident and
the hidden…..” (57:3)

It also refers to the believe that He is entirely immune to all forms of human
weaknesses needs such as hunger, thirst and the need to rest or sleep etc. He
himself says;
“No slumber can seize him nor sleep…. (2:255)

Taw hid-al-Aluhiyyah (Oneness in the worship of ALLAH):

Refers to the believe that since ALLAH is the creator, he is the only one worthy of
worship. All supplication, pleading and imploring (begging) are due only to ALLAH
(swt). So we as a Muslims, must observe all the religious practices such as
prayers, Hajj, fast and alms to the poor etc. for his sake only. Quran teaches this
important lesson to the Muslims in the very first Sunnah as it says:
“You alone we worship and your aid we seek” (112:5)

Taw hid-Asma-Wa-Sifaat (Oneness in the names and

qualities of ALLAH):
Refers to the believe that ALLAH (SWT) is matchless not only in his essence but
also in his names and attributes. This belief include that we must not name or
qualify ALLAH (SWT) except what he and his messenger have named or qualified
him. None can be named or qualify with the names or qualifications of ALLAH
(SWT), FOR EXAMPLE;
“And there is none like unto him”
We must believe in all the qualities of ALLAH (SWT) which he has stated in his
book or mentioned through his messenger without changing, twisting or ignoring
their meaning.
So, Taw hid provides the idea that, when he is the provider and sustainer of all
his creations. Only he is to be worshiped and considered as GOD. Mankind should
refrain from equating him with any other being or object and submit to him in all
humanity.

ALLAH (SWT) AND HIS NAMES:

Different cultures have known this Supreme Being by different names but each of
them had a mistaken idea about whom and what ALLAH (SWT) was so they
portrayed him as a man, as spirit or even worse. The chief of his names that HE
revealed to humanity in his last revelation is “ALLAH”. His other names are also
mentioned in the same book (QURAN) are known collectively as “Asma-Ul-
Husna”. Quran says:
“Say, call upon ALLAH or call upon the most merciful. Whichever (name) you call
to him belong the best names” (17:110)
SHIRK (Ascribing partners to ALLAH):
According to the Arabic dictionary it means ‘partnership’ but in religious
terminology it means “Associating anyone or anything with ALLAH in his
existence, in his Attributes or in his exclusive rights (such as worship)”. The holy
Quran strongly warns against ascribing partners to ALLAH (SWT), because this is
the opposite of oneness. It says:
“(A false) ascribing of divinity is indeed an awesome wrong” (31:13)
For this reason this is the teaching of Islam that Christians and Jews (believe that
Hazrat Isa is the son of God), disbelievers (believe that angles are the daughters
of ALLAH (SWT), idol worshipers (believe that there are many other minor Gods
as well) are making a terrible mistake. The text of Quran and Hadith indicates
that the Shirk and the ascribing of partners to ALLAH (SWT) is considered to be an
unpardonable sin and the person will enter Hell. Quran says:
“Indeed, ALLAH (SWT) does not forgive association with him, but he forgives
what is less than that for whom he wills”. (4:48)
The prophet Muhammad (P.B.U.H) also said that:
“Whoever dies claiming ALLAH has a rival, will enter Hell”.

Effects of Taw hid in a Believers Life:

 Self-respect and confidence: It produces in a believer a high degree of

self-respect and confidence. He knows that he depends on none but
ALLAH (SWT) for the fulfillment of his needs/desires. He firmly believes
that the ALLAH (SWT) alone has the power of providing all his
requirements and no-one else has any power to do well or harm to him.
 Piety and soberness: When the believer believes that none of his actions
hidden from ALLAH (SWT) the knower and the seer of all the things, so he
abstains from sins and evils, whether in public or in private. He also tries
to develop his character and to take it to the highest level of piety.
 Close relation to ALLAH (SWT): believer is always hopeful of ALLAH (SWT)
blessings because he knows that ALLAH is even closer to him than his
jugular vein.
 Obedience of ALLAH (SWT): the most important effect of this belief is
that it makes a person obey and observe ALLAH (SWT) commands. A
believer in Taw hid is sure that he cannot escape ALLAH (SWT) ever
watchful eye for a single moment. So a true believer always obeys a
command of ALLAH (SWT) and his prophet (P.B.U.H).
 Contentment: The belief in La ilaha illallah creates an attitude of peace
and contentment, purges the mind of jealousy, envy and greed and keeps
away the temptations of resorting to base and unfair means for achieving
success. The believer understands that wealth is in God's hands, and He
apportions it out as He likes; that honor, power, reputation and authority
- everything - is subjected to His will, and He bestows them as He will; and
that man's duty is only to Endeavour and to struggle fairly. He knows that
success and failure depend on God's grace; if He wills to give, no power in
the world can prevent Him from so doing; and if He does not will it, no
power can force Him to.
 Man obey and observe Allah's Law: The most important effect of La ilaha
illallah is that it makes man obey and observe God's Law. One who has
belief in it is sure that God knows everything hidden or open and is nearer
to him than his own jugular vein. If he commits a sin in a secluded corner
 and in the darkness of night, He knows it; He even knows our thoughts
and intentions, bad or good. We can hide from everyone, but we cannot
hide anything from ALLAH; we can evade everyone, but it is impossible to
evade Allah's grip.

SUMMARY
Islamic monotheism is the foundation of Islam upon which all other teachings
and practices must be based. The word “monotheism” (tawhid) comes from
the root wa-ha-da from which we derive the word “one” and which is a
verbal noun meaning “to make one.” From this perspective, monotheism in
Islam is to declare the Creator to be one in respect to His Lordship. Taw hid is
an Arabic word, which means attributing Oneness to ALLAH and describing
him as being one and unique, with no partner and peer in his Essence and
Attributes. It refers that there is no GOD but ALLAH who created this universe
and all the things which are exist in this universe. This concept makes Islam
unique among all religions of the world, since every other religion devotes
some aspects of worship or divinity to created beings.