TAUHID ----- (ISLAMIC MONOTHEISM)
Tauhid (Islamic Monotheism) is to believe in 1- Allah, 2- His Angels, 3- His Messengers, 4- His revealed Books, 5- Day of Resurrection, 6- and Al-Qadar (Divine Preordainment i.e., whatever Allah ordained must come to pass), and to act on the five principles of Islam, i.e., 1- to testify that La illaha illallah wa anna Muhammad-ur Rasul Allah (None has the right to be worshipped but Allah and that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah, 2- to offer the (five compulsory congregational) prayers (Iqamat as-Salat), 3- to pay zakat, 4- to perform Hajj (i.e., pilgrimage to Makkah), 5- to observe fast during the month of Ramadan. To believe in Allah means declaring Allah to be the only God in the heavens and the earth and all that exits. It has three aspects:
(A) The Oneness of the Lordship of Allah; Tauhid-ar-Rububiyya: To believe that there is only one Lord for all the universe, Who is its Creator, Organizer, Planner, Sustainer, and the Giver of security, etc., and that is Allah.
(B) The Oneness of the Worship of Allah; Tauhid-al-Uluhiyyah: To believe that none has the right to be worshipped (e.g., praying, invoking, asking for help from the unseen, swearing, offering sacrifice, giving charity, fasting, pilgrimage) but Allah.
(C) The Oneness of the Names and the Qualities of Allah; Tauhid-al-asma’was-Sifat: to believe that :
(i) We must not name or qualify Allah except with what He or His Messenger (SAW) has named or qualified Him.
(ii) None can be named or qualified with the Names or Qualifications of Allah, e.g., Al-Karim.
(iii) We must believe in all the qualities of Allah which Allah has stated in His Book (the Qur’an) or mentioned through His Messenger (Muhammad (SAW) without changing their meaning or ignoring them completely or twisting the meanings or likening them (giving resemblance) to any of the created things e.g., Allah is present over His Throne as mentioned in the Qur’an (V. 20:5)
“The Most Gracious (Allah) rose over ( IStawa ) the (Mighty) Throne (in a manner that suits His Majesty),” over the seventh heaven; and He comes down over the first (nearest) heaven to us on the day of ‘Arafah (Hajj, i.e., the 9th of Dhul-Hijja), and also during the last third part of the night as mentioned by the Prophet(SAW) but He is with us by His Knowledge, not by His Personal-self (bi-Dhatihi).
It is not as some people think that Allah is present everywhere – here, there, and
Inside the breasts of men.
Also, Allah (SWT) says:
“There is nothing like Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer” (V. 42:11).
This holy Verse proves the quality of hearing and the quality of sight for Allah without likening them (or giving resemblance) to any of the created things) and likewise He (SWT) also says:
“To one whom I have created with Both My Hands.” (V. 38:75)
and He also says:
“The Hand of Allah is over their hands.” (V. 48:10)
This confirms two Hands for Allah, but there is no similarity for them. This is the belief of all true believers and was the belief of all the Prophets of Allah, from Nuh (Noah), Ibrahim(Abraham), Musa (Moses) and ‘Isa (Jesus) till the last of the Prophets, Muhammad (SAW).
These three aspects of Tauhid are included in the meaning of La ilaha illallah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah)
It is also essential to follow Allah’s Messenger, Muhammad (SAW): Wujub al-Ittiba’ and it is a part of Tauhid-al-Uluhiyyah.
This is included in the meaning, “I testify that Muhammad (SAW) is Allah’s Messenger,” and this means, “None has the right to be followed after Allah’s Book (the Qur’an), but Allah’s Messenger (SAW).”
Allah (SWT) says:
“And whatsoever the Messenger (Muhammad SAW) gives you, take it, and whatsoever he forbids you, abstain (from it).”
And also, Allah (SWT) says:
“Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind), ‘If you (really) love Allah then follow me [i.e., accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Qur’an and the Sunnah (legal ways of the Prophet SAW)], Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins.’ “ (V. 3:31)