Tawheed: Difference between revisions

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-Tawheed (also spelled tawhid) is the Islamic monotheistic concept of god.
+Tawheed (also spelled tawhid) is the Islamic monotheistic concept of god. Although the concept of [[monotheism]] is intrinsic to tawheed, tawheed encompasses more than the concept of god simply being one. It also refers to all of the implications of the existence of one god who created the universe and has very specific wishes for his creations. It stands in contrast to [[shirk]] in all of its forms.
 ==The word==
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 Oneness could be وحدانية (wahdaaniya) or توحد (tawahhud) or وحدة (wahda), but not توحيد (tawheed).
-There are 10 basic word forms in Arabic (I, II, ..X). The word waahid (واحد) means "one" and it is the basic form I. Tawheed is form II. Form II is usually a causative of form I. So tawheed means "cause to be one", "unify" or "make into one". The various translations of the word tawheed outside of Islamic theology are:
+Tawheed is the masdar, that is to say verbal noun, of a form II(wazn fa''ala وزن فعّل in Arabic) verb wahhada وحّد meaning to unify or consolidate. Form II is usually a causative or implies the transmitting of the effect of the act from the doer to the receiver. So tawheed means "causing to be one", "unifying" or "making into one". The various translations of the word tawheed outside of Islamic theology are:
 {{Quote|[https://www.almaany.com/en/dict/ar-en/%D8%AA%D9%88%D8%AD%D9%8A%D8%AF/ almaany.com: tawheed]|
 amalgamation ; combination ; conjunction ; consolidation ; fusion ; integration ; joining ; junction ; merger ; merging ; standardization ; unification ; union ; uniting
 }}
-Similarly we have form I word kaafir (كافر) and form II takfeer (تكفير). Takfeer means make someone a kafir (who wasn't a kaafir previously). Similarly tawheed means make something one (waahid) that wasn't one previously. Merging many into one.
 ===Occurrences in the Quran===
 Although the term tawheed is central to the Islamic theology, it doesn't appear anywhere in the Quran.
 ==Tawheed versus monotheism==
-Monotheism means that only one god exists. But tawheed is more complicated. Monotheism doesn't require theocracy. But an important part of tawheed is that Allah is the only legislator (Tawheed Al-Hakimiyyah), which makes Islam incompatible with democracy. Muslims have to obey only god and nobody else. And the will of god happens to be everything Muhammad says:
+Monotheism means that only one god exists. But tawheed has a wider scope in Islamic theology. Monotheism doesn't require theocracy. But an important part of tawheed in the classical sources is that Allah is the only legislator (Tawheed Al-Hakimiyyah), which implies supremacy of religion over secular government in states which acknowledge and enact tawheed. In the traditional sources, Muslims as a result of acknowledging Allah as the highest ruler have to obey Allah before all else:
 {{Quote|{{Quran|26|108}}|
 So fear Allah and obey '''me'''.
 }}
-If we compare it to monotheistic deism (or pantheism):
+In comparison to monotheistic deism (or pantheism):
 * There is only one god (Deism)
 * There is only one god '''and Muhammad is his messenger''' (Islam)
-The god of deism is more self-sufficient than the god of Islam. He doesn't need self-proclaimed prophets to represent his will.
+The god of the deists is one, but the belief in this god does not comply with tawheed, as no messenger is acknowledged to provide mankind with the direct will of god to be obeyed before all else.
 ==Quranic arguments==
 ===Against polytheism===
-The Quran presented a fallacious argument against polytheism:
+The Quran presented an argument against polytheism:
 {{Quote|{{Quran|21|22}}|
 Had there been within the heavens and earth gods besides Allah, they both would have been ruined. So exalted is Allah, Lord of the Throne, above what they describe.
 }}
-It doesn't follow that if many gods exist, therefore they will be ruined. Maybe they could be friends. Or enemies, but not powerful enough to destroy the other. Or each having a different responsibility (god of the seas, god of winds, goddess of love..).
 ===Against Atheism===
-The Quran also contains a fallacious argument against Atheism:
+The Quran also argues against Atheism:
 {{Quote|{{Quran|52|35}}|
 Or were they created by nothing, or were they the creators [of themselves]?
 }}
-This is a false dichotomy.
 ===Against Trinity===
-The Quran also presented a fallacious argument against the Christian Trinity:
+The Quran also arguesagainst the Christian Trinity:
 {{Quote|{{Quran|4|171}}|
 O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him: so believe in Allah and His messengers. Say not "Trinity": desist: it will be better for you: for Allah is one Allah: '''Glory be to Him: (far exalted is He) above having a son''' (سبحانه أن يكون له ولد). To Him belong all things in the heavens and on earth. And enough is Allah as a Disposer of affairs.
 }}
-The Arabic says only "glory be to him (سبحانه) that (أن) exists (يكون) for him (له) a son (ولد)" which almost seems like he has a son, but the interpretation is that he is "exalted above having a son". Just because he's exalted doesn't mean he can't have a son.
+The Arabic says only "glory be to him (سبحانه) that (أن) exists (يكون) for him (له) a son (ولد)" which implies that the exalted position of god prohibits him from having a son.
 ==Proclamations of monotheism==
-Islam insists that people should worship only one god, Allah. It's usually understood monotheistically, although the texts often don't explicitly deny the existence of other gods, which allows a henotheistic interpretation.
+Islam scholars and preacher insist that people should worship only one god, Allah.
 ===Shahada===
 The most popular statement of oneness of Allah is the first part of the shahada:
@@ Line 66: / Line 68: @@
 no god but Allah
 }}
-It is sometimes interpreted as "There's no god but Allah", although "There's" is not present in the original Arabic. There is also the henotheistic interpretation "No god is worthy of worship except Allah".
-There is grammatically equivalent Shia saying:
+It is  interpreted as "There's no god but Allah." Compare the [[Shi'ite]] saying:
 {{Quote||
 لا سيف إلا ذو الفقار
@@ Line 74: / Line 76: @@
 lā sayf ʾillā Ḏū l-Fiqār.
-No sword except Zulfiqar
+"No sword except Zulfiqar"
-}}
-Which means that it's the best sword. Not that it's the only sword existing.
 ===Ahad===
@@ Line 84: / Line 84: @@
 }}
-The word ahad is also used in the verse 2:180 talking about one (ahad) of many. It doesn't mean that others don't exist:
+The use of Ahad here is highly unusual, one would expect "waahid." "Ahad" though is usual in Aramaic, and has been suggested as a sign of Syriac influence on the original Qur'anic rasm.
-{{Quote|{{Quran|2|180}}|
-Prescribed for you when death approaches [any] '''one of you''' (أحدكم, ''ahadu-kum'') if he leaves wealth [is that he should make] a bequest for the parents and near relatives according to what is acceptable - a duty upon the righteous.
-}}
 ===Waahid===
-Some verses say that Allah is one (واحد, ''waahid''):
+Some verses say that Allah is one with the Arabic واحد, ''waahid'':
 {{Quote|{{Quran|2|133}}|
 Or were you witnesses when death approached Jacob, when he said to his sons, "What will you worship after me?" They said, "We will worship '''your God''' and the God of your fathers, Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac - '''one''' (واحد) God. And we are Muslims [in submission] to Him."
@@ Line 97: / Line 94: @@
 And '''your god''' is '''one''' (واحد) God. There is no deity [worthy of worship] except Him, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
 }}
-So it's in the context of "someone's god is one". Maybe other people have other gods.
 ==Polytheism in the Quran==
-There used to be a part of the Quran, which was later removed, about goddeses:
+According to the traditional Islamic sources, there used to be a part of the Quran, which was later removed, about goddeses:
 {{Quote|Used to be in Quran 53:19-20|
 Have you thought of al-Lāt and al-‘Uzzá
@@ Line 122: / Line 119: @@
 O People of the Scripture, do not commit excess in your religion or say about Allah except the truth. The Messiah, Jesus, the son of Mary, was but a messenger of Allah and His word which He directed to Mary and a soul [created at a command] from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers. And do not say, '''"Three"''' (ثلاثة); desist - it is better for you. Indeed, Allah is but one God. Exalted is He above having a son. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. And sufficient is Allah as Disposer of affairs.
 }}
-While in reality Christians are actually saying "trinity" (ثالوث), not "three" (ثلاثة).
+It should be noted that Christians in Arabic actually say "trinity" (ثالوث), not "three" (ثلاثة).
-The Quran also thinks that Christians worship Mary as a part of the trinity:
+The Quran also claims that Christians worship Mary as a part of the trinity:
 {{Quote|{{Quran|5|116}}|
 And [beware the Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allah ?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.
 }}
-Christians actually believe that the trinity is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Mary is not a part of the trinity.
+Christians actually believe that the trinity is the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Mary is not a part of the trinity in any known Christian sect. Some Islamic scholars have claimed that there existed at this time in Arabia a Christian heresy which worshiped Mary as part of the trinity, but there is not much evidence for this.
-It's not known much, but the Quran actually mentions the Holy Spirit:
+The Quran actually does mention the Holy Spirit, one part of the Christian Trinity:
 {{Quote|{{Quran|5|110}}|
 [The Day] when Allah will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, remember My favor upon you and upon your mother when I supported you with '''the Pure Spirit''' (روح القدس) and you spoke to the people in the cradle and in maturity; and [remember] when I taught you writing and wisdom and the Torah and the Gospel;
 }}
-Some translators translate it away as "pure", but the word القدس means "holy". So both the Bible and the Quran mention the holy spirit, but Muslims just didn't incorporate it into their theology.
-The author of the Quran seems to think that the trinity (or "three" as he incorrectly says) means three gods, while it actually means one god in three persons and therefore Christianity is a monotheistic faith.
+The author of the Quran seems to think that the trinity (or "three" as the Qur'an says) means three gods, while it actually means one god in three persons in the Christian understanding.
 ===The holy duality: Allah and Quran===
-Most Muslim today believe that the Quran is eternal (not created). However Allah is supposed to be the only eternal thing and Allah and Quran are not the same thing. So there are two eternal beings, Allah and the Quran. And if the Quran is a part of Allah, then it is divisible from him, but Allah is supposed to be one and indivisible.
+Most Muslim today believe that the Quran is eternal (not created). This belief stems from the Mu'tazila controversy/heresy in the 2nd Islamic century (the 8th century of the common era) and closely parrelels Christian debates about the nature of the Son vs God the Father (who is like the Qur'an in Islam the Word of God). Although Muslims claim strict monotheism, they generally ascribe many divine characteristics to the Qur'an.
 ==Raised index finger by terrorists==
-Many non-Muslims recognize raised index finger as the sign used by Islamic terrorists. It's the symbol of tawhid. Tawhid is not only monotheism, tawhid also means that Allah is the only legislator. And the terrorists are striving against those who don't obey Allah's laws. "Allah's laws" are everything Muhammad said (including the Quran) and did.
+The raised index finger with the rest of the fingers folded into a fist is the symbol of tawhid. Tawhid is not only monotheism, tawhid also means that Allah is the only legislator. This symbol has been made famous outside of the Islamic world by salafi jihadists, who often make it prior to engaging in military or terror attacks. The point of their raising the finger is that tawheed for them implies the necessity of bringing about the rule of Allah's laws on the earth, and they view their military and terrorism activities as the logical outcome of this principle.
 ==Ancient religiosity==
-Tawheed is supposedly "the original concept of god" that was corrupted.
+Tawheed is supposedly "the original concept of god" that was corrupted according to Islamic orthodoxy. This however stands in contrasts to all hitherto done research on ancient and prehistoric societes:
 {{Quote|Denova, R. (2019, October 17). Monotheism in the Ancient World. Ancient History Encyclopedia. Retrieved from https://www.ancient.eu/article/1454/|
 However, in the ancient world, the concept of monotheism as we understand it today did not exist; '''all ancient people were polytheists'''. They may have elevated one god as higher than the others (henotheism) but nevertheless recognized the existence of divine multiplicity.
 }}
-So the whole concept of monotheism is actually a later innovation.
+Rather than the default position of mankind, history and anthropology seem to indicate that monotheism is the innovation.