Belief In The Absolute Oneness Of God

Unity means belief in the absolute Oneness of God, in the sense that He is not composite and divisible in any sense or composition and divisibility. It implies negation of all limitations because limitation in any sense implies composition, and a composite being is not self-existent. A self-existent, unlimited being is not definable. So, any attempt to conceive Him by any external or internal means of our limited power or understanding is futile.

But He is recognizable by any being, in the sense that every limited being can realize His existence, and Essence as manifested in His Attributes. His Attributes can be presented in two ways - affirmative (Subutia) and negated (Salabia). All His Affirmative Attributes refer to the assertion of His Absolute Unity. All His Negative Attributes refer to the negation of limitation and composition. Thus, they are reducible to negation of limitation and composition

For beginners, the negated attributes can be defined as follows. He cannot be described in any physical or anthropomorphic terms. He does not consist of body, colour and size. It is not possible for any creature to see or sight Him, or even to imagine and conceive Him. He is not to be presented in terms of substance or contingent, matter or form. It is not possible to localize Him in any part or space or confine Him to any stretch or point in time. He is not to be aligned and counted with any being.

Although as the Creator He is with everything, nothing co-existed or is an extension of Him. All these negations mean the negation of limitation and composition.

His Affirmative Attributes are of three types:

1. The essential attributes or the real attributes of the Essence (Sifat Adh-Dhat: Sifat al-Haqiqiyyah).

2. The essential relative attributes (Sifat al-Haqiqiyyah al-Izafiya).

3. The relative attributes (Sifat al-Izafiyah).

1. The Essential Attributes Or The Real Attributes Of The Essence

The essential attributes or the real attributes of the Essence mean such ideas which are implied in the very idea or Unity of Essence and are identical with it and are not in relation to anything else. These are:

(i) Oneness,

(ii) Self existence,

(iii) Self Consciousness,

(iv) Self Love and

(v) Life.1

The above qualities are attributed to Him - the Godhead, Allah, in consideration of His Essence only. The subject and object of each of these attributes are identical in as much as there is no difference among the knower, knowing and the known, or the lover, loving and the beloved and so forth.

2. The Essential Relative Attributes

The Essential Relative Attributes mean such ideas which are said about Him but in consideration of His relation to the entities other than Himself. These are:

(i) Knowledge of entities other than Himself

(ii) Will - the love for expression and manifestation

(iii) Love of entities other than Himself and

(iv) Might - or His hold over entities other than Himself.

In the popular preliminary treatise on the fundamental articles of faith (Usool Ad-Din), Hearing and Seeing are counted as “His Relative Real Attributes”. Besides these two, Speech is also counted as one of His Relative Real Attributes by some schools of thought in Islam. So far as the first two above-mentioned attributes are concerned, they are Real Relative attributes. But they are not separate attributes other than His knowledge of the object.

Everything is known to Him, be it the qualitative or quantitative, substance or contingent, big or small, visible or unseen, physical or intangible. He is Omniscient; everything is present to Him, be it the object of hearing or seeing, taste, smell or touch or of any other senses, external or internal. The reason for counting Hearing and Seeing among His attributes as it is mentioned in the Qur'an is just to emphasize that the objects of the two are also present to Him, like the objects of all other senses.

Regarding the last one, Speech, if it means the Might and Power and Ability to speak, it refers to His two main Attributes Knowledge and Might. As such, it is not a separate attribute besides Knowledge and Might. If it means the process of speech or origination of audible and intelligent words, then it cannot be classified as one of His attributes.

It is one of His acts of creation, and as such His words and speech are created by Him like other created things. The origin of the idea of counting Speech among His attributes and considering it as uncreated as other attributes, is to be traced back to the ancient theory of Logos, which was formulated by the Alexandrian Jewish school of thought. The same theory was later adopted by the Christian theologians as the Word of God identified with Him and as the Uncreated Second Person in the Trinity of Godhead.

According to the Qur'an everything or being is an outcome of Divine will, attention or intention, which is termed in the Qur'an as Command of God, ‘kun fayakun’ (كُن فَيَكُونُ) “Be, and it is!”2. In this sense, whatever is manifested in any sphere or realm of creation, administration and legislation, is the word of God that is an outcome of His Imperative Will.

In some way or other, every word of God represents His Will and is a manifestation of His attributes. As such, the Qur'an counts Jesus as one of His created words in the realm of creation, and the Qur'an itself, Taurah or the other scriptures, as His words in the realm of legislation. The Qur'an says that the words of God are innumerable in either realm. Therefore, these cannot be accounted for by limited powers.3

وَلَوْ أَنَّمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ مِنْ شَجَرَةٍ أَقْلَامٌ وَالْبَحْرُ يَمُدُّهُ مِنْ بَعْدِهِ سَبْعَةُ أَبْحُرٍ مَا نَفِدَتْ كَلِمَاتُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ

“And if the trees on earth be pens and seven more seas are added to the sea (as ink), “yet” the· words of God will not be exhausted.” (31:27)

But the words of God, though all are created and are a manifestation of His Will, differ from each other in comprehensiveness. The more comprehensive the word, the Higher it will be in its representative status and closer to God in the hierarchy of beings from the primal matter up to the highest spiritual entities.

On this basis, the most perfect created word of God in the realm of creation is the last prophet, and the book (the Qur’an) with which he was sent is the most perfect word of God in the realm of legislation

وَتَمَّتْ كَلِمَتُ رَبِّكَ صِدْقًا وَعَدْلًا لَا مُبَدِّلَ لِكَلِمَاتِهِ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ

“And perfect has become the word of thy Lord in truth and justice; There is none to change His words, and He is the All-Hearing and the All-Knowing.” (6:115)

However, it should be borne in mind that as Ali (‘a) says, “The word of God in any realm is His work, therefore, it is created”, be it Christ or Muhammad or the Qur'an or anything else.

The above qualities are attributed to Him in consideration of His Essence, in a relative sense, in as much as the object is other than the subject. Both types of attributes shown above are the analytical attributes inherent in the very idea of Absolute unity or the Infinite (Godhead).

3. The Relative Attributes

The relative attributes of God are innumerable, such as Creator, Sustainer, Forgiver, Ruler, Helper and so forth. Any adjectival idea about Him in relation to some aspect of his action is the relative attribute. The number of relative attributes is known to Him alone. The Qur'an says:

قُلِ ادْعُوا اللَّهَ أَوِ ادْعُوا الرَّحْمَٰنَ أَيًّا مَا تَدْعُوا فَلَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ

“Call Him, Allah or ar-Rahman (All­Gracious) whether call Him this or that makes no difference; behold that He has innumerable excellent names4“ (17:110)

For a more detailed list of His excellent names, one can refer to the famous supplication Du’a al-Jawshan al-Kabeer. These are attributed to Him in consideration of His actions or in consideration of His relation to His creatures, or to what He has been doing and will continue to do.

The third type of His attributes are drawn from, or are the result of the second type, the Essential relative attributes. Again, the second type of attributes are derived from the first type, the essential attributes. Finally, His Essence is beyond any limitation, definition and comprehension. These are all that a finite being in his utmost effort can say about Him - the 'Allah'.

'Allah' is the only great name for His 'essence and existence' which is but 'All-Excellence’. A creature cannot conceive beyond this. According to the interpretation by the purified imams of the house of Holy Prophet, no creature, with all his endowed excellences, can refer to His essence but with the word 'Huwa' (He). 'Huwa' is the first word after word ‘Qul' (say! Oh, apostle) in surah 1125. 'Allah' is beyond our conception; even our subtle conception of the 'Infinite He' represents nothing but the limitations of the finite ‘we’.

This concept of the ‘absolute oneness’ and infiniteness of the essence and attributes of Godhead presents 'Him' as the unique in oneness or the Unique Entity in the true sense of these two terms - to Whom all finite beings owe their existence, qualities, and all excellences they possess. The concept leaves no room for imagining anything as second or opposed to Him or to match with Him, because any such idea would mean limitation affecting His Absoluteness and consequently making Him of composite nature, finite and dependent on His components.

The concept eliminates all possibilities of anything emanating from Him, as the very idea of emanation means divisibility, contradicting His Absoluteness. He did not 'beget nor is He begotten'; hence the idea of Fatherhood and Sonship has no place in this concept of Godhead.

All finite beings are His creatures, dependent - in their very existence - on His Will. The word 'Qayyum'(القيوم) expresses one of His attributes that He is self-sustaining, and everything is sustained by Him.

وَمِنْ آيَاتِهِ أَنْ تَقُومَ السَّمَاءُ وَالْأَرْضُ بِأَمْرِهِ ثُمَّ إِذَا دَعَاكُمْ دَعْوَةً مِنَ الْأَرْضِ إِذَا أَنْتُمْ تَخْرُجُونَ

“And of His signs is that the heavens and the earth stand firm by His command; then when He summoneth you with a (single) summon from out of the earth, lo; you come forth.” (30:25)

Being Absolute and Infinite, no finite being or thing - with all their limitations - can be considered as His incarnation and His complete manifestation because the finite beings - even as a whole - are, after all, finite, while He is Infinite.

Therefore, there is no room for deification of any being in any form, whether man as the microcosm, or the whole Universe as a macro-man. It is quite true that creatures represent His attributes, and that the representation varies according to the stages of perfection. But even the foremost in perfection is limited and submissive to the infinite One.

The highest and the most accomplished creature is nothing but His servant and slave, within His complete hold ­ a hold in its true meaning of Power. No polytheism, no trinity or dualism, no incarnation or anthropomorphism have any place in this concept of the ‘Oneness of God-head - Allah’.

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ

“Nothing is like of Him.” (112:4).

فَاطِرُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ جَعَلَ لَكُمْ مِنْ أَنْفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا وَمِنَ الْأَنْعَامِ أَزْوَاجًا يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ

“The Creator of the heaven and the earth. He hath made for you pairs of yourselves, and of the cattle also pairs, whereby He multiplieth you. Nothing is like of Him, and He ls the Hearer, the seer.” (42:11)

The justification for man or any other created and finite being for naming and describing God with Excellent Attributes is that when man and other beings find some excellences in themselves, they feel that the same attributes in its highest order should exist in the Creator. For example, man found life in his 'self’ and felt that something corresponding to this ‘life' in its highest order, must be existent with his 'Self '.

This applies to all other excellences that we may find here in our 'self' and in 'beings' surrounding us. We are thus obliged to feel that these excellences and beatitudes are also present in the infinite Absolute in such a limitless degree that befits His Absolute Oneness and Infiniteness.

Beyond this point, 'why' and 'wherefore' do not prevail; and here definition and description fail. But love for the realization and assimilation and reflection of His attributes is ever-increasing and surges on. This leads man to a deeper and yet deeper submission to His Will and the desire for coming in communion with Him.

Finally, a man approaching Him in this submissive way will absorb his own will in ‘His'. The result is the rise of man from the limitations of the temporal life - which is the cause of the demoralization of the human soul - to the horizon, from where he sees and realizes the whole Universe as the Kingdom of God and manifestation of His universal Love and Grace.

Ultimately, the will of such person becomes His will, his order becomes His order, his actions become His action. He takes no course in his life and activities but whatever is revealed to him by Him.

The following verses of the Qur’an should be borne in mind.

وَالضُّحَىٰ

“(Oh, Our Apostle Muhammad!) By the Noonday (Brightness).” (93:1)

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا سَجَىٰ

“By the night when it darkeneth.” (93:2)

مَا وَدَّعَكَ رَبُّكَ وَمَا قَلَىٰ

“Hath forsaken not thee thy Lord, nor hath he been displeased (with thee).” (93:3)

وَلَلْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ لَكَ مِنَ الْأُولَىٰ

“And Verily, the end is better for thee than the beginning (of life)” (93:4)

الرَّحْمَٰنُ

“The Beneficient.” (55:1)

عَلَّمَ الْقُرْآنَ

“Taught He the Qur’an.” (55:2)

خَلَقَ الْإِنْسَانَ

“He created man,” (55:3)

عَلَّمَهُ الْبَيَانَ

“He taught him expression.” (55:4)

الَّذِي عَلَّمَ بِالْقَلَمِ

“(He) who taught (to write) with the pen” (96:4)

عَلَّمَ الْإِنْسَانَ مَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ

“He taught man what he knew not!” (96:5)

مَنْ يُطِعِ الرَّسُولَ فَقَدْ أَطَاعَ اللَّهَ وَمَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَا أَرْسَلْنَاكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفِيظًا

“Whoso obeyeth the Apostle, he indeed obeyeth God;” (4:80)

إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيّ

“… I follow not but what is revealed unto me…” (6:50)

قُلْ إِنَّ صَلَاتِي وَنُسُكِي وَمَحْيَايَ وَمَمَاتِي لِلَّهِ رَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

“Say: verily my prayer and my sacrifice, my life, and my death, (are all, only) for God, the Lord of the worlds” (6:162)

لَا شَرِيكَ لَهُ وَبِذَٰلِكَ أُمِرْتُ وَأَنَا أَوَّلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ

“No associate (is there) for Him; and this I am commanded, and of Muslims I am the first (i.e. those who submit to God).” (6:163

قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَتَّبِعُ مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ مِنْ رَبِّي

“…. Verily, I only follow what is revealed unto me from my Lord ...” (7:203)

فَلَمْ تَقْتُلُوهُمْ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ قَتَلَهُمْ وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَٰكِنَّ اللَّهَ رَمَىٰ وَلِيُبْلِيَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ مِنْهُ بَلَاءً حَسَنًا إِنَّ اللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ

“So ye slew them not, but God slew them, and thou threw not (the dust) but God threw it, that he might test the believers by a gracious trial from Him; Verily God is All-Hearing, All-Knowing.” (8:17)

إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ

“…I follow not but what is revealed unto me….” (10:15)

إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ وَمَا أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ مُبِينٌ

“... I follow naught save what hath been revealed unto me, and I am not but an open warner.” (46:9)

لِتُؤْمِنُوا بِاللَّهِ وَرَسُولِهِ وَتُعَزِّرُوهُ وَتُوَقِّرُوهُ وَتُسَبِّحُوهُ بُكْرَةً وَأَصِيلًا

“That ye may believe in God and His apostle and may aid and revere him; and that ye may celebrate His Glory, morning and evening.” (48:9)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ اللَّهَ

“Verily, those who swear their fealty unto thee do but swear fealty unto God ...” (48:10)

لَقَدْ أَرْسَلْنَا رُسُلَنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِ وَأَنْزَلْنَا مَعَهُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْمِيزَانَ لِيَقُومَ النَّاسُ بِالْقِسْطِ وَأَنْزَلْنَا الْحَدِيدَ فِيهِ بَأْسٌ شَدِيدٌ وَمَنَافِعُ لِلنَّاسِ وَلِيَعْلَمَ اللَّهُ مَنْ يَنْصُرُهُ وَرُسُلَهُ بِالْغَيْبِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ قَوِيٌّ عَزِيزٌ

“Indeed, sent We Our apostles with clear proofs, and sent We down with them the Book and the Scale that people may establish themselves in justice; and sent We down iron wherein is latent (in its use) mighty power and also benefits for mankind and that God may bring into evidence the one who helpeth Him and His apostles in unseen way; Verily God is All-Strong the Ever-Prevalent.” (57:25)

وَالنَّجْمِ إِذَا هَوَىٰ

“By the star tending up and down;” (53:1)

مَا ضَلَّ صَاحِبُكُمْ وَمَا غَوَىٰ

“Erreth not your companion (Our Apostle Muhammad) nor is he led astray;” (53:2)

وَمَا يَنْطِقُ عَنِ الْهَوَىٰ

“And, nor he speaketh of (his own) inclination; It (the wording) is naught, but a revelation revealed (unto him).” (53:3)

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَىٰ

“Taught him the one intense in power.” (53:4)

وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ

“Thou art endowed with (sublime) great character.” (68:4)

• 1. Here, life should not be taken as what is found in plant, animal and man. Life, here, means the total of the abovementioned attributes in (i), (ii), (iii) and (iv).
• 2. This is a phrase that occurs several times in the Holy Qur’an: 2:117; 3:47; 3:59; 6:73; 16:40; 19:35; 36:82; 40:68. [Note by Al-Islam.org].
• 3. Reference to the Holy Qur’an, 20:27.
• 4. in adjectival sense.
• 5. Sura at-Tawhid.