Tawhid facts for kids

Many Muslims use the single raised index finger gesture (called al-sabbāba or al-sabbāḥa) to show the idea of Tawhid.

Tawhid (which means "oneness of God" in Arabic) is a very important idea in Islam. It means that there is only one God (Allah), and He is unique and indivisible. This belief is the most central part of Islam, and everything a Muslim believes and does is based on it.

Muslims believe that Allah is one and only one. To say that anything or anyone else is also a god is called shirk. This is considered a very serious sin in Islam, one that Allah might not forgive unless a person truly repents. Muslims believe that all of Islam's teachings come from the idea of Tawhid.

This idea of one God means Muslims should not only avoid worshiping other gods, but also avoid focusing too much on things like money, social status, or being selfish. The Qur'an says that God is a single, absolute truth who is independent of everything else He created. God, in Islam, is seen as a God for everyone, not just one group or place. He is perfect and has all good qualities.

Over time, Islamic scholars have explored what Tawhid truly means. Different areas of Islamic study, like theology, law, philosophy, and Sufism, all try to explain this important principle.

What Does Tawhid Mean?

The word Tawhid comes from an Arabic word that means "He made it one" or "He declared God to be one." In modern Arabic, it can also mean "to unite" or "bring together" things that were separate. This shows the idea of believing in one God instead of many.

Chapter 112 of the Qur'an, called Al-'Ikhlās (The Sincerity), explains this clearly:

Say: "He is Allah, [who is] One.
Allah, the Eternal Refuge.
He neither begets nor is born,
Nor is there to Him any equivalent."

Names of God in Islam

To help people understand God's unique nature, the Qur'an uses 99 special terms called "Excellent Names of God." These names describe God's qualities, like "The Most Merciful" or "The King of Kings." While some names are only for God, others can also be used for humans. This reminds Muslims that God is close to us, but it doesn't mean humans are divine. Believing that a created thing is divine is shirk, a major sin.

What is Shirk?

Shirk means associating partners with God. It is the opposite of Tawhid. It usually means believing in more than one god (polytheism). However, shirk can also refer to other types of sins.

There are two main types of shirk:

• Greater shirk (Shirk-al-Akbar): This is clear and open, like worshiping idols.
• Lesser shirk (Shirk-al-Asghar): This is hidden. For example, a person might say they believe in God, but their actions don't show it. Minor forms of shirk include doing good deeds just to show off, or making an oath in the name of anyone except God.

In Islam, shirk is a very serious sin. Allah may forgive any other sin if a person dies in that state, but not shirk, unless the person repents before dying.

The Qur'an says:

"God does not forgive the joining of partners with Him: anything less than that He forgives to whoever He will, but anyone who joins partners with God has concocted a tremendous sin."

And also:

"Indeed, Allah does not forgive association with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills. And he who associates others with Allah has certainly gone far astray."

Understanding God's Oneness

Some early Muslim scholars, like Ali, who was an important leader, helped explain the idea of God's oneness. Ali said that when we say "God is One," it means God is unlike anything else and cannot be divided, even in our minds. He also said that God's qualities are part of His very being; they are not separate from Him.

Reasons for Believing in One God

God as the Creator

The Qur'an teaches that because God created everything, there cannot be any lesser gods. Those other beings would also have to be created themselves. For Muslims, God is the ultimate cause of everything. He actively creates, maintains, and can destroy the universe.

The Qur'an points to things we can observe in the world as "reminders" of God's existence and oneness. It asks people to humbly listen to its message.

God as the Necessary Being

Some thinkers, like Avicenna, argued that everything in the universe depends on something else for its existence. This chain of dependencies must eventually lead back to a being that does not depend on anything else. This being must be self-sufficient and eternal. This "Necessary Existent" is God.

God's Undivided Power

The Qur'an argues that if there were many gods, they would surely fight over what they created. The stability and order we see in the universe show that it was created and is managed by only one God.

The Qur'an says: "If there were numerous gods instead of one, [the heavens and the earth] would be in a sorry state" (Qur'an 21:22). Muslim scholars explained that if two gods had different wills, one would have to give up, proving they weren't truly all-powerful.

Other Arguments

The Qur'an also says that people naturally dislike believing in many gods. For example, during a crisis, even people who worship idols often call upon the one true God for help. But once the danger passes, they might go back to worshiping other things.

The Qur'an also argues that believing in many gods takes away from human dignity. God has honored humans and given them responsibility over the world, but they dishonor themselves by worshiping things they made with their own hands.

Finally, the Qur'an says that believing in one God is not a new idea. It has been taught by prophets throughout human history, starting from Adam. The Qur'an suggests that people might turn away from monotheism because of great power, or by worshiping natural things like the sun or moon, or by letting their desires control them.

How Tawhid Affects Muslim Culture

The Islamic idea of Tawhid means that God's rule and laws cover all creatures and all parts of human life. Early Muslims understood that religion should guide government, law, and society. The entire teaching of Islam is believed to be based on Tawhid.

Relationships Between People

The Qur'an teaches that if people understand their relationship with God (as the one who serves and the one who is served), they will also have good relationships with each other. It reminds people that God is one, and everything else depends on Him. It also reminds them that God is all-merciful.

Good and Evil

According to the Qur'an, Allah is the source of all things, both good and evil. All of humanity is created by Allah's will, and their natures are set from the beginning.

The story of Adam's creation shows how Satan went against God's oneness. Allah asked the angels to bow to Adam, but Satan refused, saying he was better because he was made of fire and Adam was made of clay. A Muslim scholar named Al-Ghazali said that if a rich person thinks they are better than a poor person, or a white person thinks they are better than a black person, they are being arrogant. This is like Satan's mistake and can lead to shirk.

Islamic Art

Because Muslims want to keep the idea of God's oneness and uniqueness, they generally avoid making pictures or statues of God or any prophet, including Muhammad. The main concern is that such images could lead to idol worship. So, the most common forms of expression in Islamic art became calligraphy (beautiful writing) and arabesque (complex patterns).

See also

In Spanish: Tawhid para niños