ISLAM - A Perspective (6.God is One)

Leadership is a pre-condition for any system to operate in a systematic fashion. Be it a family, educational institution, any organization or a country, all these are guided by a leader. For every creation in this world, there is a creator. There is no poetry without a poet. There is no art without an artist. The nature with its rapturous beauty and wonders, endless space, the orderly change over from day to night, the sun and moon, the orderly movements of the planets, the meticulous change of seasons, the mind boggling creation of the human body, the cooperation and coordination among the various organs teaches us something. What could that be?

Is the argument that such an amazing and intelligent universe originated on its own or by chance acceptable? Any random creation cannot operate so methodically and precisely without planning and proper leadership. There is an artist behind this stunning creation of art. HE is indeed the world’s greatest artist! We call him GOD.

“And your Allah is one Allah. There is no GOD but HE, most gracious, most merciful. Behold! in the creations of the Heaven and Earth; in the alternation of the night and the day; in the sailing of the ships through the ocean for the profit of mankind; in the rain which Allah sends from the skies; and the life which HE gives therewith to an Earth that is dead; in the beasts of all kinds that HE scatters through the Earth; in the change of the winds, and the clouds which they trail like their slaves between the sky and the Earth;- here indeed are signs for a people that are wise.” (Holy Quran 2:163,164)

Attributes of GOD

What are the attributes / qualities of such a GOD who has the capacity for such a wonderful creation? He cannot be a human. Nor can he be an animal or a plant. HE cannot be an inanimate object like a Sun or a Moon. The entire creation operates under a regulated framework. And any creation that operates under such a regulated framework cannot create another entity on its own. Hence that which is responsible for such a marvelous creation has to be something other than such regulated entities. It must also be possessing very different attributes from these regulated entities and capable of operating independent of them. Such a great power can only be called GOD. The Holy Quran clearly outlines the attributes of such a GOD.

“Say – HE is Allah, the one and only; Allah the Eternal, Absolute; HE begetteth not nor is he begotten; And there is none like unto HIM.” (Holy Quran 112:1-4)

“Allah – there is no GOD but HE – the living, the self-subsisting, the eternal, No slumber can seize Him nor sleep.” (Holy Quran 2:255)

The Prophets who were very close to GOD have only spoken to GOD but have never claimed to have seen HIM. Hence these Prophets have never ever attempted to describe GOD for us to visualize HIM. Hence they directed us to worship a formless GOD. 

  

GOD is ONE

If a group or a corporation or a country has more than one leader, then such an entity would not function efficiently and effectively. There would be lot of confusion. Hence for this grand universe, there has to be only one leader or a Master. Therefore, GOD is ONE. In his command there is no role for anyone else. This is emphasized in the Holy Quran.

“If there were, in the heavens and earth, other Gods besides Allah, there would have been confusion in both.” (Holy Quran 21:22)

“No son did Allah beget, nor is there any God along with him; If there were many Gods, behold, each God would have taken away what he had created, and some would have lorded it over others. Glory to Allah. He is free from the sort of things they attribute to HIM!” (Holy Quran 23:91)

All things in the universe – humans, plants, animals, sky, and planets are all inter-dependent. When all these are being made to act in an orderly fashion by one force or power, obviously there cannot be separate Gods for each of these.

The Holy Quran names such a GOD as Allah. The meaning of the Arabic word Allah is God. This word was in usage in Arabia even before Prophet Muhammad’s (pbuh) time. Even non-Muslims in Arabia referred to God as Allah during those times. The beauty of the word Allah is that it does not have a gender or a plural. Hence it is a unique word that cannot be categorized as a male or female. God cannot also be referred to in the plural. Hence the Holy Quran uses this word to refer to God.

God has 99 holy names. We can also call him using those. Each of those names refers to one of his qualities. For example, we can see a few of them.

AR-RAHMAN – the most beneficent

AR-RAHIM – the most merciful

AL-MALIK – the sovereign Lord

AL-KHALIQ – the creator

AS-SALAM – the source of peace  

AL-GHAFFAR – the forgiver

AR-RAZZAQ – the provider

AL-ADL – the just

One of the most often used holy name for God is ‘Bismillahir Rahmanir Rahim’ which means ‘In the name of Allah, the most gracious and most merciful’. Before we commence anything, we need to recite this holy name. Each chapter in the Holy Quran starts with these lines. This is also the first dialogue in the Holy Quran.

God’s compassion is manifest in many ways. He created humans as the pinnacle of his creation. In addition, he has given them all types of capabilities and talents, means of living, guidance for living and sent prophets to exemplify his teachings. These are examples of his compassion. Humans are also being pardoned for their omissions and commissions if they feel remorse and seek his forgiveness. HE does forgive them due to his immense compassion.

“Say: O my servants who have transgressed against their souls! Despair not of the mercy of Allah. For Allah forgives all sins: for HE is oft-forgiving, Most Merciful.” (Holy Quran 39:53)

The merciful GOD is also just. A person, who commits sins wantonly and without repenting for it, continues with his sinful activities, would be punished by GOD in this world and on the Day of Judgment.  

“Behold! They Lord did declare that he would send against them, to the Day of Judgment, those who would affect with grievous penalty. They Lord is quick in retribution, but HE is also oft-forgiving, most merciful.” (Holy Quran 7:167)

Hence we need to worship only such a noble and only GOD. You can approach HIM directly. You don’t need anyone else or any recommendation to approach HIM. HE is very near you!

“When My servants ask thee concerning me, I am indeed close to them: I listen to the prayer of every suppliant when he calleth on Me; Let them also, with a will, listen to my call, and believe in Me: that they may walk in the right way.” (Holy Quran 2:186)

God can be known in two ways. One is to understand his creations, think about them and then realize his presence. The second way is to understand and realize him through the scriptures revealed through the prophets.