Islam's Unique Monotheism

Islam's Unique Monotheism

Among the world's religions, Islam stands out as a staunch advocate of pure, strict, and morally simple monotheism. While Judaism claims to be the progenitor of monotheistic traditions, it does not contain explicit verses in the Hebrew Bible that unequivocally deny the existence of other gods or their authority. Instead, the Hebrew Bible acknowledges that Yahweh is the special God of the Hebrews while allowing for the existence of other gods among other nations. While Yahweh is presented as the primary God, this theological framework is often termed "monolatry" rather than "monotheism." In monolatry, one God is recognized as superior but not necessarily as the only existing deity.

Furthermore, the Jewish Bible frequently portrays God in a human-like form with physical attributes, organs, a sense of space, and emotions, alongside transcendental attributes. For instance, humans are depicted as being created in the physical image and likeness of God, suggesting a level of anthropomorphism. This characterization of God blurs the distinction between the divine and the human, making the Jewish concept of monotheism and God more complex and man-like.

Christianity, on the other hand, professes belief in a triune God, consisting of three distinct persons (God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit) within a single divine essence. The God the Son, Jesus Christ, is believed to have lived on Earth as a human being, displaying human characteristics and experiences. This incarnation of God in human form introduces the idea of God resembling and behaving like a human being.

In stark contrast, Islam vehemently rejects such anthropomorphic, man-like depictions of God and instead promotes an alternative and distinct concept of God that is truly monotheistic, otherworldly, transcendent, and morally uncomplicated. In Islam, God is understood as entirely distinct from His creation, devoid of any physical form or human attributes. This concept of God as purely monotheistic, transcendent, and moral is central to Islamic theology.

Islam's unique position among world religions is marked by its unwavering commitment to a concept of God that is strictly monotheistic, transcendent, and morally simple. This stands in contrast to Judaism's monolatry and anthropomorphic depictions of God, as well as Christianity's triune God and the belief in the incarnation of God as a human being. Islam's emphasis on the purity and simplicity of monotheism sets it apart in the realm of religious thought and theology.

Two Kinds of Reality

The Qur'anic worldview divides reality into two fundamental realms: God and non-God. God is depicted as the Eternal Creator, entirely incomparable and beyond any form of resemblance, similarity, partnership, or association. God is the unique Being from whom all reality, existence, and being emanate, and the Arabic word "Allah" is the central focus of the Qur'an, semantically representing the highest concept.

The Qur'anic worldview is deeply theocentric, emphasizing that nothing can be equal to or opposed to God in terms of ontology. God always remains the transcendent Other who governs the entire system of existence as its Master and Creator, while everything other than God exists as His creation and holds an inferior position in the hierarchy of being.

The second realm encompasses everything apart from God, representing the domain of time, space, creation, and human experience. Ontologically, these two realms are permanently distinct. The Creator does not descend into the realm of space, time, or human experience to unite, incarnate, diffuse, or confuse with His creations, nor can creations ascend to achieve ontological unity or fusion with the Creator. Divine Unity in the Qur'an revolves around this idea, serving as the core of the Qur'an's message. All other Qur'anic concepts, ideas, and ideologies are interconnected to highlight and elucidate this doctrine of the Oneness, Unity, and Transcendence of God, while also encouraging humanity to establish a meaningful and righteous relationship with Him.

Shahadah

The Qur'an places significant emphasis on the Oneness and Unity of God. It leaves no room for ambiguity or confusion, making it explicitly clear even to casual readers. Furthermore, the Qur'an's concept of "Monotheism" is straightforward and all-encompassing. It starts by negating all notions, ideas, and illusions of divinity or godhood other than the One true Divine. This negation is encapsulated in the Islamic creed, "La ilaha illa Allah," which is derived from the Qur'an itself. Charles Eaton aptly describes the entire Qur'an as a commentary on these four words, emphasizing the rejection of all false gods and false devotion.

The term "ilah," which is an integral part of the creed, holds various literal meanings that highlight its significance in the context of worship and adoration. It can refer to any being, person, concept, or matter that possesses qualities that captivate people's attention and evoke worship, whether out of love or fear.

Meanings of Ilah

The Arabic word ilah stands for several mutually interconnected meanings. The root of this word consists of three letters i.e., alif, lam and ha’. Raghib al-Isfahani and Abu al A’ala Mawdudi have shown the connotations of various derivatives of this word, as found in the lexicons, as follows: 1. Became confused; 2. Achieved peace and mental calm by seeking refuge with someone or establishing relations with him; 3. Became frightened of some impending mishap or disaster, and someone gave him the necessary shelter; 4. Turned to another eagerly, due to the intensity of his feelings for him; 5. The lost offspring of the she-camel rushing to snuggle up to its mother on finding her; 6. Became hidden, or concealed, or elevated; 7. Adored, offered worship to.

These literal meanings of the word make it clear that the word ilah stands for anything mysterious, concealed, frightening, extremely attractive, absorbing one’s whole being, demanding absolute love, adoration, dependence, and worship. Whatever and whosoever possesses these qualities, and makes human beings adore, worship, or take refuge in it or him, can be called ilah. Therefore, the word can refer to any being, person, matter, or concept that attracts people’s full attention and is taken as an object of worship and absolute adoration whether out of love or fear. This is why the Qur’an uses the word in both positive and negative senses meaning that it may denote the true God or a false god. It may be added that the Qur’an frequently uses the term for the true God. There are some verses where it uses the same term for false gods also (see for instance see 28:38; 15:96; 17:22, 17:39; 25:43; 45:23). Using the first part of the Shahadah, the existence as well as the reality of any and every god and object of worship is negated. With an explosive “No” all allusions of multiplicity, self-sufficiency, godhead, and divinity are at once shattered.

Meanings of Illa

The third word of the confession illa is the link and isthmus between what is negated and what is affirmed. All that is denied is finally restored by the fourth word Allah. It means that there is no reality, no god, no self-sufficient except Allah, the true Reality.

The second part of the Shahadah contains an immediate corollary on the mission and prophethood of Muhammad. It says Muhammadun Rasul Allah, “and Muhammad is the Messenger of God.” The true Reality is historically revealed through the mission and prophethood of Muhammad. Prophet Muhammad is the embodiment of the divine message and, not a reflection of the divine Person. The pronouncement of this confession is the pronouncement of God’s Oneness, Uniqueness, and Transcendence. Perhaps this is the reason why it has been mentioned both in the Qur’an and the Prophetic traditions (Sunnah) more frequently than any other phrase. It has been referred to as kalimah tayyibah (sacred utterance) (14:24), al-qawl al-thabit (the firm word) (14:27), kalimah al-taqwa (utterance of piety) (48:26), maqalid al-samawati wa al-ard (key to the heavens and the earth) etc.

As this confession is the essence of the Islamic faith and the only token of entry into it, it can safely be asserted that the Oneness, Unity and Unicity of God form the essence of the Islamic religion. This is why the Shahadah stands as the supreme religious act in Islam and its mere recitation brings one within the fold of the “community of believers”. Prophet Muhammad is reported to have said that one who recites with sincerity that there is no god but God will enter Paradise. In another report, he said that he who bears testimony to that fact, that there is no god but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, Allah makes him immune from Hell-Fire. According to Muslim traditions, Prophet Moses’ request for a special formula of remembrance was responded to by God in the following words: “If the seven heavens and the seven earths were placed in one pan of the Balance, and the Kalimah La ilaha illa Allah in the other, the latter will outweigh the former.” Therefore, this confession is a Muslims’ sublime obsession. It occupies Muslim thought and action and polarizes the thought of Islam into real and non-real.

In conclusion, the concept of the Oneness, Unity, Otherness, and Transcendence of God lies at the heart of the Islamic religion, and the confession of faith, "La ilaha illa Allah, Muhammadun Rasul Allah," encapsulates this essence, serving as a guiding principle for Muslims and a fundamental aspect of their religious devotion.