Allah in Himself

1: Surah, 2.225 (AyatulKursi)

(a) Main Theme:

● Theme of this long verse is God himself.

● It’s a verse of Sura al-Baqara, a Madninansura.
● It begins with the expression of the Shahada (declaration of oneness of God) and then
elaborates various aspects of unity of God that make Him matchless
● God is free from all weaknesses and limitations, has perfect knowledge of all times, is not
dependent on anyone for His survival and enjoys autonomy in exercising His authority.
● His authority and His rule encompass the entire universe. This makes God not only unique
but also elevates him to the heights, we just can’t imagine and that is mentioned in the
Quran' as: “then He established Himself on the throne” (10:3, 13:2)

(b) Importance:

● This passage tells Muslims to believe in Tawhid in terms of God’s uniqueness, majesty and
glory.
● The theme is important for Muslims as it crystallizes the belief of Tawhid and trains them to
condemn shirk.
● There is repetitive mention of God’s authority, unlimited knowledge and powers in order to
strengthen the faith of its readers.
● For example, it says “He is exalted in power, Wise. He created the heavens without any
pillars”31:9-10, luqman) and “but God is the One free of all wants “(35:15,Fatir).
● The objective is to remind Muslims that God alone is to be worshipped and no authority can
be compared with him.
● Many Muslims recite this verse regularly to reiterate God’s power and high position as
compared to any worldly authority.

2.Surah (6:101-103) (Al-An’aam)

(a)Main Theme:
The Theme of this passage is God in Himself.

● It elaborates some of the fundamental aspects of unity of God (Tawhid).

● It describes God as the originator of universe and rejects any kind of misconception of God
having any family.
● It also refers to His unbounded knowledge, power and grasp on His created world.
● The passage further stresses on the sublime nature of God and inability of human
imagination to encompass God’s person, though He himself can see to the unfathomable
depths, as endorsed elsewhere in the Quran: “for God is He Who understands the finest
mysteries” (22:63).

(b)Importance:
This passage is important for Muslims to clearly understand the doctrine of Tawhid in terms of
God’s nature and powers. Muslims need to learn that though God is too sublime to be perceived,
 ● He is everywhere and all powerful.
● The Quran reminds Muslims this repeatedly: “and He is with you where ever you are”
(57:04, Al-hadid), and
● “for We are nearer to him (man) than his jugular vein” (50:16, Qaf).
● The passage also categorically negates the false belief of God having any wife or children and
thus, it strikes at the roots of shirk (associating partners with God).
● Muslims, in this way, develop a clearer concept of tawhid and feel themselves bound to
adore God only.
● They remember that shirk is the only unpardonable sin in the sight of God.

3.Sura (41.37)(Surah Fussilat)

(a)Main Theme:
This verse is from sura fussilat Ha-Mim, an early makkan sura,

● it describes the theme of God in Himself.

● It mentions some of the signs and phenomena of nature that reflect God’s unity and majesty.
● It refers to the cycles of day and night as evidence of divinity.
● The quran supports it elsewhere as: “Behold! In the creation of the heavens and earth; in
the alternation of the night and the day….are signs for the people who are wise’’
(2:164).
● The passage commands us to worship the Creator of the sun and moon and not the
creations themselves because the Creator is always superior to the creations

(b)Importance:
Theme of this passage urges Muslims to observe various objects of nature that reflect God’s
presence, majesty and glory.

● Since humans cannot afford to see God physically, they are asked to identify the real creator
through his creations that bear witness to is existence.
● Such observation encourages Muslims to develop a strong belief in Tawhid in all its aspects.
● The Quran, for this reason, frequently refers to the need of pondering and
observing: “Verily, in the alternation of the night and the day, and in all that God has
created in the heavens and the earth, are signs for those who fear Him” (30:40,
Al-Rum).
● So, Muslims should express their gratitude to God for enabling them to see and think deeply.
● Muslims will thus avoid Shirk that the earlier communities fell victim to, and worship one
Supreme God.

4.Sura Al-Shura (42.4-5)

(a)Main Theme:
The two verses are from sura al-Shura, revealed in Makka shortly after surafussilat and its theme is
God’s unity expressed by His grandeur and authority.

● He enjoys unshared authority over entire universe.

● The Quran says: “His are all things in the heaven and on the earth” (2:255).
● It also mentions the effect of God’s might on the heavens that hardly sustain this immense
burden.
 ● The passage also refers to the countless angels who are busy in the prayers and glorification
of the Lord and also invoke His mercy and pardon for humans who tend to disobey their
lord. The Quran declares this weakness of humans as: “It is man that wrongs his own soul”
(10:44).

(b) Importance:
Theme of this message guides Muslims about two articles of faith: belief in Tawhid and angels.

● The passage tells Muslims about God’s power, authority and glory in order to make them His
obedient servants.
● By referring to the angels praising God and seeking forgiveness for humans, it tells them
about God’s mercy. Humans, because of free will, can commit sins but God is ready to forgive
them.
● Belief in God’s mercy and forgiveness prepares Muslims to repent over their misdeeds.
● The Quran re-assures Muslims by saying: “Despair not of the mercy of God; for God forgives
all sins, for he is oft-forgiving, Most merciful’’ (39:53 al-zulmar). Surah 97(al-Qadr) also
tells about: “the angels and the spirit” descending in the night of Power to distribute God’s
mercy.

5. Sura Al- Ikhlas(112)

(a) Main Theme:

Theme of this early Makkan is God in himself in terms of His unique person.

● It outlines the most fundamental and cardinal aspects of Tawhid (oneness of God).
● It out rightly declares God’s unity and emphatically negates the false belief of God having
ancestors and descendants.
● It further highlights God’s unity by saying that God’s nature or person can never be
compared to anyone throughout the universe.
● It also mentions God’s freedom from time and space by saying that he has always been and
will always be there.
● This way, the passage crystallizes the belief of Tawhid.

(b) Importance:
Theme of this passage purifies Muslim’s belief in Tawhid and that is why the passage is named
al-Ikhlas (the purity of faith).

● Muslims learn from this passage that God is unique in all aspects.
● This uniqueness and supremacy of God highlights human inability and limitation before his
Lord.
● Thus, it eliminates all forms and degrees of shirk or associating partners with God.
● Muslims recite this sura in daily prayers in order to reiterate rejection of shirk.
● It is so important that the holy prophet declared it equivalent to one third of the Quran.
● Its theme is so important that the Quran repeatedly mentions this: “and your God is one
God” (2:163, al-Baqarah) and “God! there is no God but He” (2:255).
● Belief in Tawhid, in turn affects the conduct of Muslims as they develop a strong sense of
God’s presence and knowledge.