Islamic Creed Overview

The Four Major Constituents of the Islamic Worldview

• Four major constituents are Allah (theology), Universe (cosmology), Man (anthropology/epistemology/teleology), and Life (axiology and eschatology).

Allah/God (Theology)

• Tawhid and its implications for life
• Essence, attributes, and act of Allah
• Al-Kufr and Al-Shirk and their implications for life

(Al-Tawhid) the Oneness of Allah

• Al-Tawhid: The absolute and uncompromising Oneness of Allah – the central creed, core of Islam
• Lā llāha illāʼLlāh: There is no God (llāh) but The God, i.e. there is no one worthy of worship, veneration and obedience except The One True God-Allāh.
• Whatever that goes on in the Cosmos, all in the heavens & on the Earth, & everything in between resound with signs pointing to al-Tawhīd.
• Divine attributes mentioned in the Quran are inherent in the divine essence, implying a singular God.

Meaning

• Literal: originating from the verb ‘wahhada,’ meaning to make something one.
• Terminological: affirming and asserting that Allah is One, absolute, transcendent creator and master to all existence.

Recurrent Message of Tawhid in the Quran

• Man and jinn are created to submit to Allah.
• Allah commands mankind to worship only Him.

Further Points on Tawhid

• God has sent messengers to every community to remind them to submit and worship Allah while shunning false gods.
• Polytheism (al-shirk) is the worst sin that God does not forgive.

'Ilm al-Tawhid

• 'Ilm al-Tawhid is considered the most crucial knowledge in Islam because it delves into God's nature.
• It analyzes religious principles based on demonstrable evidence.

Fundamental Pillars of Tawhid

• Affirmation of the Oneness of the Divine Essence (dhat).
• Affirmation of the Oneness of Divine Attributes (sifat).
• Affirmation of the Oneness of the Divine Act (af'al).
• Affirmation of Matters Brought by the Prophet (sam'iyyat).

Oneness of the Essence (i)

• God's essence isn't made up of parts; it's indivisible.
• God is not a physical body and does not occupy space.

Oneness of the Essence (ii)

• There is no partner to God.
• No other essence is similar or equivalent to God.
• The distinction between God and everything else is fundamental.

The Oneness of the Attributes (i):

• God possesses all attributes mentioned in the Quran.
• Despite being numerous, these attributes exist in unity within the divine essence.

The Oneness of the Attributes (ii):

• No attribute is comparable to God's attributes.
• The difference between God's attributes and those of creatures is essential.
• The likeness to God’s attributes is only linguistic.

The Oneness of the Divine Act

• Every event in the world is a result of the Divine Act.
• God is the eternal creator of all.
• Humans are responsible for their actions, even though all actions ultimately originate with God.

The Existence of God

• Rational Proofs:
• Cosmological Argument: The universe must have a first cause. God is that cause.
• Argument from Design: The universe's intricate order suggests an intelligent creator.
• Moral Argument: The existence of morality implies a moral lawgiver (God).
• Common Sense Argument: The inherent understanding of God among cultures across history.

Names and Attributes of God

• God's descriptions often appear as 'names and attributes' in the Quran.
• The word ‘sifat’ doesn't appear in the Quran, but al-Asma' al-Husna (beautiful names) suggest these attributes exist.

The Division of Divine Attributes

• Existence (Wujud) – God's being
• Eternal/No beginning (Qidam) – God's timeless existence
• Everlasting/No end (Baqa) – God's continuous existence
• Difference from others (mukhalafah) – God's unique nature
• Self-sufficiency (Qiyamuhu bināfsihi) – God's independent existence
• Unicity/oneness (wahdaniyyah) – God's uniqueness

Seven Ma'ani Attributes

• Power (Qudrah)
• Will (Iradah)
• Knowledge ('Ilm)
• Life (Hayah)
• Hearing (Sama)
• Sight (Basar)
• Speech (Kalam)

Tawhid: Allah, His Essence, Attributes & Worship

• Belief in Allah and His attributes forms the basis of Iman (faith).
• Allah is described as the One and Only (Ahad), Eternal (Ajaliyyun), Endless (Abadiyyun).
• God attributes include Creator, Judge, Omnipotent, Merciful, Gracious, Cherisher of Worlds, and the Authority of the Day of Judgment.

Tawhid: His Essence

• Everything will perish but Allah.
• Allah possesses attributes of perfection.
• Natural events occur by Allah's command

Tawhid: His Attributes

• 99 most beautiful names of Allah (al-Asma' al-Husna). Devoted recitation and contemplation of names.
• Allah is described with attributes of sustaining (al-Wahhab), nourishing (al-Muqit), guiding (al-Hadi), and exhibiting ultimate beauty (al-Jamal)

Tawhid: His Attributes (Continued)

• Allah is described as rewarding, forgiving, and compassionate (al-Shakur, al-Tawwab, al-Halim, al-Wadud).

• Allah's Majesty (Dhū al-Jalāl wa al-Ikrām) encompasses attributes of power, justice, reckoning, might, and sovereignty.

###Tawhid: Allah: The One True God

• There is no God except Allah. No partners or associates are allowed.

###Tawhid: Al-An'am

• The Quran clarifies that portions of offerings are not allocated to associates of God.
• Pagans allocate portions of offerings to other beings.

###Tawhid: Linguistic Connotation of llah

• It includes fulfilling needs, granting protection, alleviating distress, being mysterious, eliciting awe, and exemplifying superiority and authority.

Pre-Islamic Concept of Ilah

• Pre-Islamic Arabs viewed patrons and lords (ālihah) as deities able to offer protection.
• These included jinn, angels, idols, gods, and deceased humans.

Quranic Approach to Ilah

• God is the only God in heavens and earth (omnipresent).
• No deity besides Him is worthy of worship
• Allah is the eternal and sustaining existence.

The Creator (Al-Khalîq)

• Allah is the originator and creator of everything.
• People should worship God.

Different terms used in the Quran for Allah's acts of creating

• bada'a (primal creation).
• khalaqa (creating things).
• amr (command).
• ja'ala (forming/arranging).
• sawwara (giving form/design).
• ansha'a (creating and having things develop).

The Creator and Other Concepts (continued)

• Fatara: creation out of nothing.
• Bada': The beginning of creation.
• Baraa: The freeing from pre-existing circumstances.
• Sawwara: Giving a definite form or shape.
• Anshaa': Bringing to completion.

The Owner of the Kingdom (Al-Malik)

• Allah is the ultimate authority and all things are under His rule.
• Humans need Allah, and all of existence submits to Him.

The All-Wise (Al-Hakim)

• Allah is the ultimate wisdom.
• Allah’s actions are signs to be perceived and understood.

Tawhid: Its Effects on Man's Life

• Tawhid is core of Islam.
• It’s the central concept that underpins Islam's ethical, social, and political structure.
• Leads to a wider perspective, self-respect, modesty, optimistic attitude, determination, and perseverance.

Tawhid and the Effects on Man's Life Continued

• Tawhid guides man to understand the entire universe and his position within existence.

Shirk (Polytheism)

• Literal meaning: partnership or sharing
• Technical meaning: attributing partners to God. This includes ideas, actions, or objects worshipped as partners to Allah.

Shirk: Manifestations

• Shirk in God's essence: attributing human characteristics or limitations to God.
• Shirk in God's attributes: attributing divine attributes to other beings.
• Shirk in God's act: attributing creative powers to other beings or assigning a cause of an event other than Allah's will or power.

Shirk in ‘Ibadah

• Grave/Significant Shirk (Akbar/Jaliy): Worshipping anyone or anything other than Allah.
• Minor/Hidden Shirk (Asghar/Khafiy): Acts like showing off (riya) to gain attention or praise, which involve an element of self-worship or seeking worldly reward.

Kufr (Disbelief)

• Literal meaning: covering or ignoring; lack of gratitude.
• Technical meaning: rejecting or denying Allah or Islam or the message of religion.

Dimensions of Kufr (Disbelief)

• Kufr encompasses ingratitude towards God (and rejecting the message of Islam).
• Kufr results in denying God's absolute oneness (Tawhid).
• Kufr ultimately leads to Shirk.

Kufr: Characteristics

• Hardened heart (loss of compassion for Islam)
• Veiled heart (loss of clarity about Islam)
• Denial of God’s signs (rejecting the Quran and the world as a sign of God)
• Straying from true path

This quiz explores the central concepts of the Islamic faith, including the attributes of Allah and the significance of Al-Tawhid. It covers key ideas about creation, transcendence, and the foundational tenets of Islam. Test your understanding of these essential elements and their implications in Islamic belief.