Islamic Theology: Unity of God God's Names and Attributes

Islamic Theology: Unity of God God's Names and Attributes

Unity of God; God’s Names and Attributes

Abstract

Monotheism [Touhid] and the unity of God is the core of the Islamic faith. The accuracy of all other beliefs and practices in Islam is examined by monotheism.

The term used for God in the Quran is ‘Allah’. The Arabic term Allah has no plural, whereas the English word ‘God’ could be pluralised. Thus, Muslims usually prefer to use ‘Allah’ rather than ‘God’ to emphatically point out the unity of God.

Proofs of the Unity of God

One of the best and at the same time simple proofs for the unity of God is the proof of ‘infinite being’ suggested by Mulla Sadra (died in 1050 AH)
P1. God is necessarily infinite.
P2. There is no plurality in an infinite being.
Therefore there is no possible plurality in Godhead. Varies Ayaat in the Quran proves the unity of God. For instance see chapters 6:12-17, 21:22, 23:91, 28:88 and chapter 112.

During the battle of Camel one of the soldiers of Imam Ali (a.s) asked him: "Do you say God is One?" Before the Imam answered him, his friends opposed him and said: "Is this the time for such questions?" The Imam said: "Let him ask, indeed this is what we are fighting for." He then said to the man: "When someone says God is One, it could have four different meanings; two of which are wrong and the other two are correct. If you say: God is one in its numerical sense, then this is wrong, for, there is no second or third for God. Thus, those who said: "He is the third of the three" are blasphemous. Similarly, if one says: "He is one of the people" it is wrong for he has likened God to his creation. Glory be to Allah. The other two correct meanings of oneness of God is either to say:

He is One meaning there is none like unto Him" or to say: "He is One in that He has no divisions whether in external existence or in our mind. Such is our exalted Lord."

Unity not Trinity

Jesus Christ was an infallible Messenger of Allah in so much as Moses, Ibrahim and other Prophets were. He never called to the worship of himself. Nazorean Jewish Christians, who lived in the time of Jesus, knew nothing about the Trinity. Historically, the mysterious term of Trinity was first used in the 2nd century by the Latin theologian Tertullian and its dogma was imposed on the body of the Christian community from the 4th century after the Council of Nicea. The Dogma of Trinity is a blasphemy. It is also illogical and hence Christians justify it by calling it a mystery which is beyond logic! Islam whilst acknowledging Jesus Christ (peace be upon him and his household) as a great and infallible Messenger of God explicitly condemns the dogma of Trinity.

Scopes of Monotheism

Muslim theologians have mentioned four dimensions for Monotheism.

• Monotheism of Essence: monotheism of essence means God in His very Essence is unique and peerless. There is none like unto Him and He has no partner.

• Monotheism of Attributes: This means the attributes of God such as knowledge, might, life, etc are not distinct from His essence. The Ash’arites unlike Mu'tazilites do not believe in Monotheism of Attributes.

Imam Ali (a.s) in the first sermon of Nahjul-Balagha whilst confirming the endless attributes of Allah explains that the purity of monotheism necessitates not separating the attributes of God from His essence.

• Monotheism of Worshiping: This means none other than Allah is worthy of worshiping. Wahhabism considers seeking intercession of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his household) or anyone else blasphemy and contradictory to the concept of Monotheism of worshiping. On the contrary, majority of Muslim theologians argue that seeking intercession under two conditions is not contrary to the monotheism of worshiping;

1- The intercessors are not worshiped but they are referred to as signs or the paths to God,

2- God has recognised and introduced them as His Signs and paths. Intercession through the Prophets (peace be upon him and his household) and the Imams of Ahlul-Bayt (a.s) meets the above conditions.

• Monotheism of Acts: This means all that happens in the universe- including man’s actions- is eventually the act of God and is in accordance to His will. The Mu'tazilites denotes monotheism in actions as they regard man an agent totally having free will for his actions. Shi’a theologians whilst confirming the relative free will for man, assert that the purity of monotheism necessitates that God is the source of every power in the universe and hence He is the ultimate Creator of all that exists including our actions.

The first and the third type of monotheism form the least necessary belief in Islam, denial of which singles out the person from the realm of Islam.

* Author: Sheikh Mansour Leghaei.