The word “monotheism” means the recognition of only one God, monotheism. Monotheism was the main message that all the prophets of Allah and messengers from God carried to people. But after some time, people again deviated from this simple truth. This happened again and again until the last prophet, Muhammad (SAW) was sent to the people. He revived monotheism among people and commanded always to be monotheists. In this article you will find an explanation of the essence of monotheism according to Islam.
Monotheism According To Islam
The principle of monotheism – without exaggeration can be called the most important rule in Islam. (In Arabic monotheism means “tawhid”, from the word “one, only.”) Everything in Islam is based on the assertion of monotheism and is somehow connected with this basic principle. Moreover, no Islamic rite will be correct if there is something in it that contradicts monotheism.
Monotheism, as it is in Islam, can be viewed from three different sides:
- The recognition of the oneness of God as Lord.
- The treatment of all rites of worship only to God.
- Recognition of the special names and qualities of God, which He alone and no one possesses.
On each of these items will tell more.
The recognition of the oneness of God as Lord
This rule means that God alone has dominion over our entire universe. It was God who created everything from non-existence. It was God who created the causes for everything that happened and will happen. No one and nothing can become an accomplice with God in the Lordship of the world. Everything depends one way or another only on Him, and no one can interfere with the will of the Most High.
Belief in the Lord – the Creator, the Lord – is inherent in many people on Earth. We all agree that our created world has a Creator, and he is one.
Treatment Of All Rites Of Worship Only To God
The second rule means that only God can and should be worshipped. In general, no one deserves to be worshipped and idolized, and only Allah really has the right to do so. This principle was the main theme in the mission of all the prophets and messengers who ever came to people in history. And in Islam, this rule is the most important of all that Islam teaches. Our religion is designed to distract people from the worship of the created and direct them to worship the Creator.
READ MORE: There Is No Compulsion In Religion
It is in this rule that the main difference between Islam and other religions and cults occurs. The rest of the religions, though they teach that our universe has a Creator, who created life itself, but when it comes to worship and deification, these religions allow not only God to worship, but also someone else or something along with Him. In such religions, people perceive the Creator (true God) as the Supreme Being, and those to whom they address with prayers and worship are considered either mediators between themselves and God or independent deities, but whose status is lower than the status of God. In both cases, not only God is worshipped by one, but also by other objects, and this is polytheism.
All the prophets and messengers, beginning with Adam and ending with Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon them) urged people to worship only God and deify Him alone. It is so simple, understandable and natural principle! Islam does not agree with the statement of anthropologists that in ancient times all people professed polytheistic cults, and then gradually evolved and became monotheists.
READ MORE: Religions Comparison: The Difference Between Islam And Other Faiths
The truth is that the original religion of humanity was worship only to God. Over time, people have distorted this religion by introducing the worship of other beings into it. People, as is easily noticed, tend to associate their beliefs with something material that can be imagined, even if they have the instinctive knowledge that the Creator of the Universe is far beyond their imagination. Throughout the history of mankind, God sent prophets and messengers to encourage people to return to the deification of the one True God, but people themselves repeatedly returned to the deification of created beings.
READ MORE: Story Of Abraham: The City Of Mecca And Construction Of Kaaba
The Lord created man to worship only Him alone. Therefore, the most erroneous of possible actions is to worship someone else instead of God (Allah). In the same way, if a person intends to approach God, but at the same time he appeals with adoration to certain “mediators” between himself and God – this is also a mistake. God does not need intermediaries. He hears all our prayers and has complete knowledge of everything that is happening.
READ MORE: What Is Islam Religion And Facts about the Islam Religion
At the same time, God does not need our worship. He is completely independent and independent of all things. If all the people in the world could come together to worship God, it would add nothing to Him and would not change Him in any way, even His dominion would not have increased by the weight of the speck. Conversely, if all creatures refused to worship God, it would not diminish His sovereignty in the least. By worshipping God, we win our own souls and fulfil the purpose for which we were created. We do not fulfil any need or need of God. He does not need anything.
The Recognition Of The Special Names And Qualities Of God, Which He Alone Possesses
The uniqueness of God in his names and qualities means that He possesses such qualities and such names that are not and cannot be share with any creatures. These names and qualities emphasize the uniqueness of God, his absolute superiority over the created world. All the names and qualities of God mentioned in the Quran or clarified by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) are accepted by Muslims and become the subject of our faith.
READ MORE: Purification In Islam (Al-Tahara)
All the qualities of God are attributes of perfection and usefulness. God does not have human defects. The Lord has no weaknesses or deficiency at all.
Representing God with human attributes means moving away from monotheism and falling into polytheism. In the same way, it will be polytheistic if the person or creatures created are represented with divine attributes. If a person believes, for example, that someone other than God can know everything (that is, is the All-Knowing) or can do everything (that is, is Almighty), he falls into a great sin, called polytheism. And polytheism is the most serious sin from the point of view of Islam.