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What are the 3 Parts of Tawheed?

Tawheed is an Arabic word that means “oneness.” In Islam it refers to the oneness of Allah. Tawheed is broken into 3 major parts. Tawheed in Allah’s Lordship, Worship, and Names and Attributes.

Tawheed in Allah’s Lordship means we believe that Allah is the only Creator. Allah has no partners or associates in creating anything. He is in charge of everything that happens. If He decides a matter, then no one else can change it. There is no other Lord besides Him.

Tawheed in Allah’s worship means we only worship Allah. We do not worship the creation. We only worship the Creator. Worship means obedience, submission, and ultimate love and praise. No one should be obeyed, submitted to, loved, or praised more than Allah. If Allah commands you to do something, such as pray, and the people command you otherwise, then you are to follow Allah over them.

Tawheed in Allah’s names and attributes means Allah has special names and attributes that are only for Him. For instance Allah is the First. Meaning there is no one before Allah. Allah is the Ever-Living meaning, he never dies. We cannot call any creature the Ever-Living because every creature dies.

The rest of this article is an explanation of 4 rules regarding the names and attributes of Allah.

4 Rules Regarding the Names and Attributes of Allah

In Sheikh Al Uthaymeen’s explanation of Ibn Qudamah’s book “The Radiance of Faith”, he explains 4 rules regarding the names and attributes of Allah. Understanding these rules gives a strong basis in understanding the principles laid out by Allah in the Quran and by His prophet upon whom be peace. These rules protect the Muslim from committing and spreading deviance in regards to Allah’s names and attributes.

Rule #1

We must keep the implications of Allahs’ names and attributes, according to their obvious meanings without any change. The Quran was revealed in clear Arabic speech. 

كِتَابٌ أَنزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ 
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded. 

Quran 38:29

Once we go down the road of freely interpreting verses outside their obvious meaning, where there’s no need, then we will soon be like the Christians who’s book loses all meaning. For them every verse is a metaphor, and this is how they explain their trinity using a book which no explanation of a trinity is given.

Rule #2

Allah has over 99 names, all of which are beautiful, decided by revelation rather than reason, and every name refers to Allah’s attributes. It is common knowledge that Allah has 99 names, due to the well known hadith indicating that, but what is often overlooked is that it is not limited to 99. Found in Musnad Ahmad the Prophet used to supplicate saying:

“O Allah, I ask you by every name belonging to You with which You named Yourself or You revealed in Your book, or You taught one of Your creatures, or You kept with Yourself exclusively in the hidden knowledge.”

Musnad Ahmad vol. 1, p. 394

If Allah’s names are not perfect, then you have an imperfect God, which cannot be a God at all, as God is free from all imperfection. Allah says in the Quran:

وَلِلَّهِ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ فَادْعُوهُ بِهَا 
And to Allah are all the most beautiful names.

Quran 7:180

Allah’s names are not to be decided by reason but by revelation. We all have our own capacity to reason, and often they do not match. If we start reasoning out Allah’s names, we will have all sorts of names that He did not give us.

Allah sent us the Quran, and a Prophet, but failed to reveal His names which we should call on Him by? If anyone was to “reason” out Allah’s names, wouldn’t it have been the prophet? Would there be any disagreement if he revealed a name for Allah? There wouldn’t.

Keeping these things in mind, who are we to use our own reason to decide what new name to give Allah, which He didn’t reveal through His Prophet to us? In essence, we should not speak about Allah without explicit knowledge from Him:

قُلْ إِنَّمَا حَرَّمَ رَبِّيَ الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَالْإِثْمَ وَالْبَغْيَ بِغَيْرِ الْحَقِّ وَأَن تُشْرِكُوا بِاللَّهِ مَا لَمْ يُنَزِّلْ بِهِ سُلْطَانًا وَأَن تَقُولُوا عَلَى اللَّهِ مَا لَا تَعْلَمُونَ 
Say, indeed my Lord has forbidden external and hidden corruption sin, aggression, giving Allah partners for which no authority was revealed, and that you speak about Allah without knowledge.

Quran 7:33

Every one of Allah’s names must refer to an attribute otherwise the name becomes meaningless. To Allah is the best examples, but even in the realm of creation it makes little sense to call something a cat or a dog, if it doesn’t refer back to the attributes of a cat or a dog.

Rule #3

“All of Allah’s attributes are perfect without any deficiency, they are personal and consequential, to be understood literally, indescribable, and only for Allah.”

Bilal Philips, 2008

If the attribute represents deficiency without any perfection, then it is to be rejected totally. If the attribute has some element of perfection and deficiency then the element of perfection remains while the element of deficiency is rejected. Such as when it comes to plotting and deceiving. We should understand that Allah plots against those who plot against Allah, and Allah deceives those who wish to deceive Allah.  

Rule #4

Finally the fourth rule is regarding the evidence used to refute those who deny Allah’s names and attributes. The general rule for refuting their claims is to point out their contradiction of the obvious meanings of the text, their contradiction of the methodology of the salaf (the first 3 generations of Muslims), and their lack of authentic evidence to support their claims.

They bring about contradictions regarding the text to change the meaning due to an issue they themselves have, but which doesn’t exist in the texts themselves. For example they change the meaning of istawaa (settling above) to mean isteelaa (take possession of).

But why change the meaning? It’s because of an internal issue they have due to Greek philosophy and not an issue that exists in the text. The Sahabah and the Salaf didn’t have an issue with it.

Isteelaa doesn’t resolve anything, because now it implies Allah took the throne from someone else, in which case why change the meaning to begin with? What’s safer is to accept what is said, rather than change the meaning. If we are correct in not changing the meaning, then we are safe. If you change the meaning and are wrong, then you’re lying about Allah. Which is the safer position? Allah says in the Quran:

هُوَ الَّذِي أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ الْكِتَابَ مِنْهُ آيَاتٌ مُّحْكَمَاتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ الْكِتَابِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَابِهَاتٌ ۖ فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ فِي قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَابَهَ مِنْهُ ابْتِغَاءَ الْفِتْنَةِ وَابْتِغَاءَ تَأْوِيلِهِ ۗ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ ۗ وَالرَّاسِخُونَ فِي الْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا ۗ وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّا أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ 
It is He who has sent down to you, [O Muhammad], the Book; in it are verses [that are] precise – they are the foundation of the Book – and others unspecific. As for those in whose hearts is deviation [from truth], they will follow that of it which is unspecific, seeking discord and seeking an interpretation [suitable to them]. And no one knows its [true] interpretation except Allah. But those firm in knowledge say, “We believe in it. All [of it] is from our Lord.” And no one will be reminded except those of understanding.

Quran 3:7

This concludes the discussion on Sheikh Al-Uthaymeen’s four rules regarding Allah’s names and attributes. If you benefited from this article, consider subscribing below.

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References

Philips, A.A.B. (2008). A Commentary on Ibn Qudaamah al-Maqdisee’s The Radiance of Faith Leading to the Path of Guidance. 

Sahih International. (1997). Quran (English).