Report: Oneness of God (Tawhid)
Introduction
The Oneness of God, also called Tawhid, is the most important belief in Islam and the foundation
of all heavenly religions. All prophets invited people to worship only one God and warned
against polytheism or associating partners with Him. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S) started
his mission by teaching belief in one God. The Holy Quran strongly emphasizes monotheism and
considers shirk (associating partners with Allah) as the gravest sin.
The lesson discusses different forms of Tawhid:
1. Oneness of the Being of God
2. Oneness in Attributes
3. Oneness in Creation
4. Oneness in Lordship and Will
5. Oneness in Worship
Jot Downs / Reviewer
1. Oneness of the Being of God
● Allah is One and has no partner.
● He is the only independent and limitless being.
● Everything in creation depends on Him.
● Limited beings need others for existence; Allah does not.
● Since Allah is unlimited and perfect, there cannot be another equal being beside Him.
Important Verse
“Say: He, Allah, is One.” (112:1)
Key Idea
● All worldly phenomena are dependent on Allah.
● Multiplicity cannot exist in an unlimited perfect being.
2. Oneness in Attributes
● Allah’s attributes are not separate from Him.
● His knowledge, power, life, hearing, and sight are part of His very being.
● Human qualities are temporary and acquired, but Allah’s attributes are eternal and
complete.
Example
● Humans gain knowledge.
● Allah does not “gain” knowledge because He is knowledge itself.
Key Point from Imam Ali (a.s.)
● Separating Allah from His attributes limits Him, which is impossible.
3. Oneness in Creation
● Allah alone is the Creator of all things.
● Natural causes exist, but they only work through Allah’s permission.
● Scientists discover the laws of nature but do not truly create existence.
Important Verse
“Allah is the Creator of all things.” (13:16)
Key Ideas
● Everything depends on Allah for existence and continuation.
● The sun, plants, and nature have effects, but Allah is the true source.
4. Oneness in Lordship and Will
● Allah alone controls and governs the universe.
● No being independently manages creation.
● Angels and natural causes only act through Allah’s permission.
Polytheists’ Mistake
● Ancient people believed gods, spirits, or idols controlled parts of nature.
● Islam rejects this belief.
Important Verse
“Surely your Lord is Allah… regulating the affair.” (10:3)
Key Ideas
● Allah is the Lord of all worlds.
● Control of the universe belongs only to Him.
5. Oneness in Worship
● Worship must only be directed to Allah.
● Worship means humility and obedience based on belief in divinity and lordship.
Polytheism in Worship
● Worshipping idols, spirits, stars, or other beings is shirk.
● False gods cannot benefit or harm people.
Important Verse
“Serve Allah and shun false gods.” (16:36)
Important Clarification
Not every act of respect is worship.
Examples:
● Angels prostrating to Adam was obedience to Allah, not worship of Adam.
● Prophet Yusuf’s family prostrating to him was respect, not worship.
● Respecting the Kaaba or visiting holy tombs is not shirk if people do not believe those
beings are divine.
Summary of Main Ideas
Type of Tawhid Meaning
Oneness of Being Allah is one and unique
Oneness in Attributes Allah’s qualities are part of His being
Oneness in Creation Allah alone creates everything
Oneness in Lordship Allah alone controls the universe
Oneness in Worship Only Allah deserves worship
Script (Presentation Report)
Introduction
Good day everyone. Today, I will discuss the topic “Oneness of God” or Tawhid. Tawhid is the
central belief in Islam and means believing that Allah is one without any partner. All prophets
taught people to worship only Allah and avoid polytheism.
Oneness of the Being
The first type is the Oneness of the Being of God. This means Allah is unique and there is no
other creator besides Him. Allah is independent and limitless, while all created things depend on
Him. The Quran says, “Say: He, Allah, is One.” Since Allah is perfect and unlimited, there
cannot be another equal being beside Him.
Oneness in Attributes
The second type is Oneness in Attributes. Allah’s qualities such as knowledge, power, life,
hearing, and sight are not separate from Him. Unlike humans who gain knowledge over time,
Allah already possesses complete and eternal knowledge. His attributes are part of His divine
being.
Oneness in Creation
The third type is Oneness in Creation. Allah alone created everything in existence. Nature may
have causes and effects, such as the sun giving heat or plants growing, but these only happen
through Allah’s will. Scientists may discover natural laws, but Allah is the true Creator of all
things.
Oneness in Lordship and Will
The fourth type is Oneness in Lordship and Will. Allah alone controls and manages the universe.
Ancient polytheists believed idols and spirits controlled different parts of nature, but Islam
teaches that only Allah has complete authority. Angels and natural causes only act by His
permission.
Oneness in Worship
The final type is Oneness in Worship. Worship should only be directed to Allah because He
alone is the Creator and Lord. Worshipping idols or false gods is considered shirk. However, not
every act of respect is worship. For example, angels prostrating to Adam was an act of obedience
to Allah, not worship of Adam.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Tawhid is the foundation of Islam. Allah is one in His being, attributes, creation,
lordship, and worship. Muslims are taught to worship only Allah and recognize that all power
and authority belong to Him alone. Thank you.
Oneness in Attributes
Oneness in Attributes means that the qualities or attributes of Allah are not separate from Him.
In humans, qualities like knowledge, strength, or wisdom are added traits that can increase or
decrease over time. For example, a person is not born knowing everything and must study in
order to gain knowledge. This shows that human attributes are limited and dependent.
Allah is different from created beings because His attributes are eternal, complete, and unlimited.
Allah does not “gain” knowledge, power, or life because these qualities are already part of His
very being. His knowledge has no beginning or end, His power is absolute, and His life is
eternal. If Allah lacked any perfection, then He would be limited and dependent, which is
impossible for the Creator.
This teaching emphasizes that Allah is perfect in every way. His attributes such as knowledge,
power, hearing, seeing, mercy, and wisdom are not separate from Him but are one with His
divine essence. Unlike humans whose qualities can change, Allah’s attributes never change and
are always complete.
Important Ideas
● Allah’s attributes are eternal and unlimited.
● Human attributes are temporary and acquired.
● Allah does not need to learn or gain anything.
● His knowledge, power, and life are part of His being.
Example
● Humans study to become knowledgeable.
● Allah already possesses complete knowledge without learning.
Supporting Quote
Imam Ali (a.s.) explained that separating Allah from His attributes would make Him limited, and
limitation cannot apply to Allah because He is perfect and absolute.
Oneness in Creation
Oneness in Creation means that Allah alone is the true Creator of everything in existence. Every
living and non-living thing in the universe ultimately comes from Him. The heavens, earth, sun,
moon, plants, animals, and humans were all created by Allah.
Although natural causes exist in the world, such as rain helping plants grow or the sun giving
heat and light, these causes only work because Allah gave them their abilities. Nature itself does
not create independently. Allah is the one who created these systems and allows them to continue
functioning.
The lesson also explains that scientists and inventors do not truly create something from nothing.
Instead, they discover the laws and secrets already placed in nature by Allah. Human inventions
are based on materials and abilities that Allah already created.
This concept teaches that all existence depends on Allah not only for creation but also for
survival and continuation. Nothing can exist or function without His permission and support.
Important Ideas
● Allah is the only true Creator.
● All creation depends on Him for existence.
● Natural causes work only through Allah’s will.
● Humans discover and use creation but do not create independently.
Examples
● The sun gives heat and light because Allah created it with those abilities.
● Plants grow through water and sunlight by Allah’s design.
● Scientists invent technology using materials and natural laws already created by Allah.
Important Verse
“Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the One, the Supreme.” (13:16)
Main Lesson
Even though there are causes and effects in nature, Allah remains the ultimate source and creator
behind everything in the universe.