[17] Tawhid- Pure Islamic Monotheism

In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy

Allah [The Most High] said:
حمٓ
تَنزِيلُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡعَلِيمِ
غَافِرِ ٱلذَّنۢبِ وَقَابِلِ ٱلتَّوۡبِ شَدِيدِ ٱلۡعِقَابِ ذِى ٱلطَّوۡلِۖ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ إِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ

Haa-Meem. The revelation of the Book (this Qur’an) is from Allah the All-Mighty, the All-Knower. The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment, the Bestower (of favours), Laa ilaaha illaa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He), to Him is the final return. [Surah Ghaafir 1-3]

Allah [The Most High] informs [us] about His Great Book – the Qur’an – that it was from Him and sent down by Him; and that He alone has the right to be deified and worshipped due to the fact that He alone is the Perfect One and the One singled out in His Actions; [ٱلۡعَزِيزِ – The All-Mighty One], Who has absolute control over everything and He is never overcome; [ٱلۡعَلِيمِ – The All-Knower]; [غَافِرِ ٱلذَّنۢبِ – The Forgiver of sin]; [وَقَابِلِ ٱلتَّوۡبِ – the Acceptor of repentance]; [شَدِيدِ ٱلۡعِقَابِ- the Severe in punishment] on those who are unrepentant; and [ذِى ٱلطَّوۡلِۖ – the Bestower (of favours)].

After Allah [The Most High] established the fact that He alone is perfect, then this absolutely necessitates that He alone has the right to be deified and that all acts of worship are to be sincerely devoted to Him; [لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ إِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ – none has the right to be worshipped but He), to Him is the final return].

The appropriateness of mentioning -in these verses – that the Qur’an was revealed by Allah is because the Qur’an comprises of all matters mentioned in these verses. The Qur’an either informs [us] of the Perfect Names and Attributes of Allah and His Actions, or about the unseen events of the past, and what will take place in future- a lesson from Allah [The All-Knower].

It either informs (us) of Allah’s tremendous blessings and great favours bestowed on mankind, and this why Allah said: [ذِى ٱلطَّوۡلِۖ – the Bestower (of favours)]; about His severe punishment on those who commit sins, and this is why Allah said:[شَدِيدِ ٱلۡعِقَابِ- the Severe in punishment], or it informs (us) about the sinners being urged to repent, and this is why Allah said: [غَافِرِ ٱلذَّنۢبِ وَقَابِلِ ٱلتَّوۡبِ شَدِيدِ ٱلۡعِقَابِ – The Forgiver of sin, the Acceptor of repentance, the Severe in punishment].

It informs (us) about the fact that Allah alone has the right to be deified and worshipped, whilst citing the clear rational and divine proofs to establish that; commanding [mankind and jinn] to worship Allah alone and forbid them from worshipping others besides Him, whilst citing clear proofs to show the falsity of worshipping others besides Him and warning them about the [destructive consequences of polytheism in this life and the next], and this is why Allah said: [لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَۖ – none has the right to be worshipped but He (Allah)]. It also informs us of Allah’s just recompense – the reward that will be granted to doers of good and the punishment that will be afflicted on the sinners, and this is why Allah said: [ إِلَيۡهِ ٱلۡمَصِيرُ- to Him is the final return].

The Qur’an gathers all these lofty, divine and perfect [commands and prohibitions related to every aspect of life, and by way of which mankind can live a life of purity, virtue, security, justice, perfect guidance in this worldly life, and a life of eternal bliss in the afterlife].

An Excerpt from Tafsir As-Sadi