Tawheed: The Foundations And Significance Of The First Pillar Of Islam
To believe in the oneness and solemnity of Almighty Allah is to practice Tawheed, as defined literally. It is the primary tenet of Islam and the primary distinction between a believer and a non-believer. For an individual to become a member of the Islamic community, they must embrace and uphold the notion of monotheism.
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Literal Meaning Of Tawheed
The Arabic term tawhid means “to make one” or “to declare oneness.” The primary tenet of Islam, according to Tawheed, is that there is only one God, Allah, and no other gods. Muslims affirm their faith in the shahada, which is the statement that “Allah is the only God and Muhammad (SAW) is His prophet.” Tawhid also suggests that Allah is distinct from all else in his creation, autonomous, and all-one.
He is the origin of all knowledge, power, and existence. The core of Islamic philosophy, religion, and Sufism is tawhid. It instructs Muslims to eschew IDOL worship, shirk, and any association with Allah, and to worship him alone. The foundation of Islam and the secret of forgiving others is tawhid. The Almighty Allah has said unequivocally that anyone who worship many deities are disbelievers.
Allah says:
لَّقَدْ كَفَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ثَالِثُ ثَلَـٰثَةٍۢ ۘ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّآ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۚ وَإِن لَّمْ يَنتَهُوا۟ عَمَّا يَقُولُونَ لَيَمَسَّنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ
Those who say, “Allah is one in a Trinity,” have certainly fallen into disbelief. There is only One God. If they do not stop saying this, those who disbelieve in them will be afflicted with a painful punishment.
Oneness Of Allah In The Light Of Quran
The actions of individuals who reject the principle of Tawheed are compared in the Holy Quran to ashes that are carried away by the wind and leave no trace or indication behind.
Allah says:
مَّثَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِرَبِّهِمْ ۖ أَعْمَـٰلُهُمْ كَرَمَادٍ ٱشْتَدَّتْ بِهِ ٱلرِّيحُ فِى يَوْمٍ عَاصِفٍۢ ۖ لَّا يَقْدِرُونَ مِمَّا كَسَبُوا۟ عَلَىٰ شَىْءٍۢ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلضَّلَـٰلُ ٱلْبَعِيدُ
The parable of the deeds of those who disbelieve in their Lord is that of ashes fiercely blown away by the wind on a stormy day. They will gain nothing from what they have earned. That is truly the farthest one can stray.
Importance of Tawheed
The actions of individuals who reject the principle of Tawheed are compared in the Holy Quran to ashes that are carried away by the wind and leave no trace or indication behind.
Allah says:
وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَا مِن قَبْلِكَ مِن رَّسُولٍ إِلَّا نُوحِىٓ إِلَيْهِ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّآ أَنَا۠ فَٱعْبُدُونِ
We never sent a messenger before you ˹O Prophet˺ without revealing to him: “There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Me, so worship Me ˹alone˺.”
Allah says:
مَا ٱتَّخَذَ ٱللَّهُ مِن وَلَدٍۢ وَمَا كَانَ مَعَهُۥ مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ ۚ إِذًۭا لَّذَهَبَ كُلُّ إِلَـٰهٍۭ بِمَا خَلَقَ وَلَعَلَا بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱللَّهِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ
Allah has never had ˹any˺ offspring, nor is there any god besides Him. Otherwise, each god would have taken away what he created, and they would have tried to dominate one another. Glorified is Allah above what they claim!
At another place Allah says:
وَقَالَ ٱللَّهُ لَا تَتَّخِذُوٓا۟ إِلَـٰهَيْنِ ٱثْنَيْنِ ۖ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَـٰهٌۭ وَٰحِدٌۭ ۖ فَإِيَّـٰىَ فَٱرْهَبُونِ
And Allah has said, “Do not take two gods. There is only One God. So be in awe of Me ˹alone˺.”
Types of Tawheed
Allah often addresses the topic of His unity. Since Tawheed is the foundation of Islam and its first pillar, Allah affirms it. Belief in this idea is essential for Muslims. Let us now discuss the three categories that this idea falls within.
1: Tawheed Asmaa wa Sifaat
One of the ways that Allah reveals His Names and Attributes is through His Book of Names and Attributes, or Asmaa wa Sifaat. Therefore, expanding one’s knowledge of Allah is highly beneficial as it strengthens a Muslim’s Eman.
At another place Allah says:
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌۭ وَلَا نَوْمٌۭ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍۢ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Allah! There is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him, the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness nor sleep overtakes Him. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who could intercede with Him without His permission? He fully knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but no one can grasp any of His knowledge—except what He wills to reveal. His Seat encompasses the heavens and the earth, and the preservation of both does not tire Him. For He is the Most High, the Greatest.
At another place Allah says:
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ
Allah! There is no god worthy of worship except Him—the Ever-Living, All-Sustaining.
At another place Allah says:
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ لَهُ ٱلْأَسْمَآءُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
Allah—there is no god ˹worthy of worship˺ except Him. He has the Most Beautiful Names.
2: Tawheed Al-Rububiyya
The doctrine of Tawheed Rububiyyah holds that Allah (SWT) is the sole Lord of the cosmos. He is the only one with the ability to create, maintain, supply, and govern everything. It belongs to the category of Tawheed or the Oneness of Allah.
The foundation of Tawheed Rububiyyah is the nature (fitnah) upon which Allah has formed humankind, as well as the logical justifications supporting His attributes and existence. The Quran has several passages that describe Tawheed Rububiyyah.
قَالَتْ رُسُلُهُمْ أَفِي اللَّهِ شَكٍّ فَاطِرِ السَّمَوتِ وَالْأَرْضِ يَدْعُوكُمْ لِيَغْفِرَ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرَكُمْ إِلَى أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى
“Is there any doubt about Allah, the Originator of the heavens and the earth?” inquired their prophets. He is inviting you to pardon your transgressions and postpone your demise till the time of your recommendation.
قَالَ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتَ مَا أَنزَلَ هَؤُلَاءِ إِلَّا رَبُّ السَّمَوتِ وَالْأَرْضِ بَصَائِرَ وَإِنِّي لَأَظُنُّكَ يَفِرْعَوْنُ مَثْبُورًا
Moses replied, “You know well that none has sent these signs down except the Lord of the heavens and the earth as insights. And I think that you, O Pharaoh, are doomed.”
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ خَلَقَهُنَّ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْعَلِيمُ
If you ask them ˹O Prophet˺ who created the heavens and the earth, they will certainly say, “The Almighty, All-Knowing did.”
قَالُوا إِنْ أَنتُمْ إِلَّا بَشَرٌ مِثْلُنَا تُرِيدُونَ أَن تَصُدُّونَا عَمَّا كَانَ يَعْبُدُ ءَابَآؤُنَا فَأْتُونَا بِسُلْطَنٌ مُّبِينٌ
They argued, “You are no more than humans like us! You only wish to turn us away from what our ancestors worshipped. So bring us some impressive proof.
3: Tawheed Uluhiyyah
The kind of Tawheed that is the first pillar of Islam concerning the worship of Allah alone is known as Tawheed Uluhiyyah. It implies that Allah alone is the rightful owner of all acts of worship, including prayer, dua, sacrifice, fear, hope, love, and obedience. Uluhiyyah is the Arabic word for worshiping Allah. Believing that Allah is the Creator and that He goes by several names and attributes is insufficient.
Additionally, one must worship Him by themselves, without the assistance of any companions. This is the meaning of the Shahada (the witness of faith) and the core of Islam.
وَإِذَا مَسَّ ٱلنَّاسَ ضُرٌّۭ دَعَوْا۟ رَبَّهُم مُّنِيبِينَ إِلَيْهِ ثُمَّ إِذَآ أَذَاقَهُم مِّنْهُ رَحْمَةً إِذَا فَرِيقٌۭ مِّنْهُم بِرَبِّهِمْ يُشْرِكُونَ
When people are touched with difficult, they cry out to their Lord, turning to Him ˹alone˺. But as soon as He gives them a taste of His mercy, a group of them associates others with their Lord in worship.
تَتَجَافَىٰ جُنُوبُهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمَضَاجِعِ يَدْعُونَ رَبَّهُمْ خَوْفًۭا وَطَمَعًۭا وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
They abandon their beds, calling their Lord with hope and fear, and donate from what We have provided for them.
فَٱدْعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مُخْلِصِينَ لَهُ ٱلدِّينَ وَلَوْ كَرِهَ ٱلْكَـٰفِرُونَ
So call upon Allah with sincere devotion, even to the dismay of the disbelievers.
وَقَالَ رَبُّكُمُ ٱدْعُونِىٓ أَسْتَجِبْ لَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ عَنْ عِبَادَتِى سَيَدْخُلُونَ جَهَنَّمَ دَاخِرِينَ
Your Lord has announced, “Call upon Me, I will respond to you. Surely those who are too proud to worship Me will enter Hell, fully humbled.”
Tawheed and Its Effects on a Person's Life
A person acknowledges that Allah is the only God and that He is the universe’s Creator, Sustainer, and Holder when they go inside the confines of Tawheed and embrace the idea of monotheism. A believer’s actions and daily responsibilities are inherently geared toward Allah and His teachings as soon as they embrace the trust in Him.
Tawheed also has the tremendous effect of optimizing a believer’s teachings, leading him to conclude that Allah is his savior and supporter in all circumstances. A person’s life is profoundly impacted by this article of faith in many areas, including self-modesty and self-humbleness.
What Does The Message Of Tawheed Convey Us?
The Tawheed only forbids one from accepting any other gods or lords as equal to Allah and limits belief in Allah alone as one’s God. A Muslim who embraces the concept of Tawheed confirms most of the theory of faith and thinks that Allah is the only one who can help and listen to him and that he will eventually return to Him.
In addition, the idea and tenet of monotheism constitute the First Kalima of Islam. It highlights the idea of polytheism’s fall and acknowledges Muhammad (SAW) as Allah’s final messenger and Allah as our Lord.
Tawheed and Shirk
Tawheed and Shirk both are opposite terms. Tawheed refers to monotheism whereas the concept of Shirk relies on polytheism. In Islam, the Shirk is considered a major sin as in this act other false Gods are added. The Shirk is also highlighted in various places in Quran.
Importance of Tawheed
The Tawheed is regarded as the main feature of Islam. One cannot join the Islamic community if they do not accept the Tawheed. The Quran has several instances and locations where the value of Tawheed is emphasized.
Benefits of Tawheed
Tawheed’s tenets provide numerous, long-lasting advantages for both people and society as a whole. Among the advantages are:
- When a Muslim is linked to Allah, his faith in the Almighty is at its strongest.
- He understands that the only one who can help, hear, and stop him is Allah.
- His actions are immediately directed toward Allah and His teachings by supporting this idea.
- He developed modesty and humility that shaped his demeanour.
- Because he believes that Allah is the source and taker of life, it gives him strength and serenity.
- Tawheed’s steadfast belief provides mental tranquillity.
- It provides the idea of equality and peace while freeing human civilization.
- Tawheed is a source of strength and a soul-stirring substance that aids in the development of mature character in people.
Tawheed, the first pillar of Islam, proclaims the oneness and character of God and is the central idea of Islamic monotheism. It is the cornerstone of all Islamic teachings and the cornerstone of the Islamic religion. Tawheed suggests that there is nothing that can be worshipped other than God, nothing that can be connected to God, and nothing that can be compared to God. Tawheed also implies that there is no other source of authority, power, or wisdom for humans except God. Every Muslim aspires to acquire tawhid, which is a total and genuine surrender to God alone.
