Tawhīd
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Tawhīd (also Tawhid or Tauhid or Tawheed; Arabic توحيد) is the Islamic concept of monotheism. In Arabic, Tawhīd means "unification, ie to unify or to keep something unified as one." In Islam, Tawhīd means to assert the unity of God. The opposite of Tawhīd is shirk, which means "division" in Arabic. Muslims view polytheism and idolatry as shirk.
Muslims believe that Allah cannot be held equal in any way to other beings or concepts. He is unique and supreme. It is for this reason that Muslims reject the concept of the Trinity, as God (who in Christian terms is the Father) is held equal to the Son and the Holy Ghost. Muslims consider this belief to be shirk.
Tawhīd is among the five Shia Roots of Religion. Sunni Muslims regard Tawhīd as one of seven aspects of Aqidah or the Islamic creed. The Muslim profession of faith, or Shahadah (Lā 'ilāha 'illā llāha -- There is no god except Allah) is an expression of Tawhīd.
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Verses from the Qur'ān
Many passages of the Muslim sacred text, the Qur'an, refer to Tawhīd, passages such as:
- "In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficient, the Most Merciful,
- Say: He is Allah, the One,
- Allah is He on whom all depend,
- He does not beget, nor is He begotten,
- And (there is) none like Him." (Qur'an, 112:1-4)
This passage is commonly recited as part of the five daily prayers or salah.
Salafi Muslim view
The current of contemporary Sunni Muslim thought called Salafi or Wahhabi is notable for its insistence on the centrality of Tawheed.
Salafis preach that Tawheed has three aspects:
- Tawhid ar-Rububiyya -- Oneness of God's Lordship is the conviction that God, and only God, creates and sustains the universe, that without his will the universe could not continue to exist.
- Tawhid al-Asma wa as-Sifat -- Oneness of God's Names and of Attributes is the conviction that God has certain names and characteristics which He mentioned in the Qur'an or in the sayings of the Prophet Muhammad (Sunnah). These are the ninety-nine attributes describing God.
- Tawhid al-ibāda -- Oneness of God's Worship is the conviction that one must worship none other than God in all actions, words and thoughts; whether the actions, words and thought are visible to others or hidden.
Shia Muslim view
Like Sunni Muslims, Shia Muslims believe that the most fundamental aspect of all beliefs revolves around the total acceptance of the Absolute and Perfect Creator.
Ali is quoted as giving a long and detailed account of Tawhid, part of it being:
- Whoever attaches attributes to Allah recognises His like, and who recognises His like regards Him two; and who regards Him two recognises parts for Him; and who recognises parts for Him mistook Him; and who mistook Him pointed at Him; and who pointed at Him admitted limitations for Him; and who admitted limitations for Him numbered Him. Nahj al-Balagha sermon 1
Other Muslim views
Refer to Divisions of Islam.
Nullification of Tawheed
The nullification of Tawhīd is shirk, which means "division" in Arabic. Acts of shirk can be classified as major and minor. Acts of shirk vary depending on methodology.
For some Muslims, such as the Salafis, the following acts may be considered as shirk:
- Sufi worship, such as pilgrimage to the tombs of revered early Muslims and Sufi saints.
- Celebration of Mawlid, Muhammad's birthday.
- And many other practices.
Non-Muslim uses
Refer to Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church.
