3.updated-Islamic thought and world culture Role of Tawhid.-Fall-24.pdf

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1. The Role of Tawhid in Development of
Islamic Thought
*Prof.AnisismeritoriousprofessorofcomparativeethicsandreligionsandViceChancellor,Riphah
InternationalUniversity,Islamabad.HeisalsoEditorinchiefofQuarterlyJournalWest&Islam,
[email protected],
Prof. Dr. Anis Ahmad*
3

2. 1 The Islamic Worldview
An
ethical
judgment
is
necessary
Man has
a
Purpose
and role
Universe
and
nature is
created
Allah
s.w.t alone
is the
Creator
and
Sustainer

3. 2 Non-Tawhidic World view

4. 3 Meaning of al-Tawhid: Unity and Uniqueness
•Tawhid, Allah s.w.t’s Unity and Uniqueness is the core of all Islamic
thought.
“Say He is Allah, the One and Unique, Allah who is in need of none and
of Whom all are in need. He neither begot any, nor was He begotten, and
none is comparable to Him.”
al- Ikhlas 112:1-4
•Self existence
•Uniqueness

5. 3.1 Tawhid means affirmation of Allah alone as ilah
“Your God is One God, there is no God but He, the most Merciful, the Most
Compassionate”. al-Baqarah2:163
“ Allah Himself bears witness that there is no god but He, and likewise do the
angels and those possessed of knowledge bear witness in truth and justice that
there is no god but He, the all-Mighty , the All-Wise.
The true Din with Allah is Islam. The people of the Book adopted many different
ways rather than follow the true way of Islam even after the knowledge of Truth
had reached them and this merely to commit excuses against one another”.
al-‘Imran3:18-19

6. 3.2 Allah’s attributes: most Beautiful and Perfect
“Allah- there is no ilah but He. His are the most excellent names”.
Taha20:8

7. 3.3 He has no associates
“Is there any ilah (god) associated with Allah? Nay, but most of them do
not know.”
al-Naml27:61
•In the pre-Islamic civilization people knew that ultimately there is a
High God, the Creator and the Sustainer. But at the same time they
believed in others as functional gods, like the gods of fertility, wealth
and security.

8. 3.4
•The pre-Islamic gods have been substituted by the modern
gods of nationalism, technology, racism, color, global
capitalism uni and multi polarism and individualism.

9. 3.5 The Qur’anic approach on the origin of faith
•“ In the beginning mankind followed one single way. (later on difference
arose), Then Allah sent forth Prophets as heralders of good tidings for
the righteous and as warner against the consequences of evil doing”.
al-Baqarah2:213
•The Qur’an rejects the western concept of evolution of concept of
monotheism [Greek mono (one) theos (god)] from polytheism to
Henotheism and monotheism. Ikhnaton (c1375-1358 BC) worshiped the
sun god(Aton) and asked all Egyptian to worship Aton alone , this is
why he is called a monotheist.

10. 3.6 Allah alone is the Designer and Controller of the
Universes
He alone is the Ultimate Cause of all that is caused, no power operates in
nature but Allah.
“It is He Who made the sun to be a shining glory and the moon to be
a light (of beauty), and measured out stages for her; that you might know
the number of years and the count (of time). Allah has created all this
with a rightful purpose. He expounds His Signs in detail, for those who
understand.
Surely, in the alternation of the night and the day, and in all that Allah
has created, in the heavens and the earth, are signs for those who fear
Him”. Yunus10:5-6

11. 3.7
“And do not invoke any god (ilah) besides Allah. There is no god
but He. All will perish but He. To Him belongs the Command and
to Him shall all of you return”
al-Qasas28:88

12. 3.8 Allah’s Transcendence means He can alter
the Course of nature
“Truly it is Allah Who causes the grain and the fruit kernel to sprout.
He brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead
from the living. Such is Allah how then are you turned away from
worshipping Him alone?”

al-An‘am6:95

13. 4Nature has no divinity
“Say (O Muhammad): All praise be to Allah, and peace be on those of His servants
whom He has chosen. (Ask them) who is better Allah or the false gods that they
associate with Him as His partners? Who is it that has created the heavens and the
earth and sent down for you water from the sky and then We caused to grow
therewith orchards full of beauty whose trees you could never grow. Is there any god
associated with Allah? Nay they are a people who are verily away from the Right
Path.” “Who is it Who has made the earth a place of resort, and has caused rivers to
flow in its midst, and has placed upon it firm mountains, and has placed a seamless
divide between sweet and salty water? Is there any god to be worshiped along with
Allah ? Nay but most of them do not know…
(Continued)

14. 4.1
…Who is it Who answers the prayers of the distressed when he calls out to Him and
Who removes their affliction. And who is it Who makes you vicegerent on earth? Is
there another god to be worshipped along with Allah (in this task)? How little do you
reflect”
“Who is it Who guides you through the darkness on land and sea? And who sends
winds as heralds of tidings ahead of His Mercy? Is there another god to be worshiped
along with Allah (in this task) exalted be Allah above what ever they associate with
Him in His Divinity?”
“Who is it who creates in the first instance and then repeats? Who is it who provides
you with sustenance from the heaven and the earth? Is there another god to be
worshiped along with Allah” ?
“Say bring forth your evidence if you are truthful. Say none in the heavens or on the
earth has knowledge of the unseen save Allah. They do not know when they will be
raised to life”.
al-Naml27:59-65

15. 5 Allah s.w.t’s all attributes are Unique
“He is Allah: there is no ilah but He, the Knower of the unseen and the
manifest, He is the most Merciful, the Most Compassionate. He is Allah
there is no god but He, the King, the Holy, the All Peace, the Preserver
of Security, the Overseer, the most Mighty the Overpowering, the All
Great. Exalted be He from whatever they associate with Him. He is
Allah the Creator, Planner, Executer and Fashioner of creation, His are
the Most Beautiful Names whatever is in the heaven and the earth Extols
His glory, He is the Most Mighty the Most Wise”
al-Hashr59:22-24

16. 6 Creator of man in His right


“He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth, Who made for you
pairs from your own kind, and pairs also of the cattle (from their own
kind) so as to multiply you. There is nothing like Him in the
universe:He hears everything and sees everything”.

al-Shura 42:11

17. 7 Independent creation of man
“O people fear your Lord Who created you from a single soul and out
of it created its mate; and out of the two spread many men and women.
Fear Allah in whose name you plead for rights and heed the ties of
kinship. Surely Allah is ever watchful over you.”
al-Nisa4:1

18. 8 Human beings , essentially are ethical beings
“O people, we have created you from a male and a female, and made
you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another. Verily
the noblest of you in the sight of Allah is the most Allah conscious
(fearing) of you. Surely Allah is All Knowing, All Aware”.

al-Hujurat 49:13

19. 8.1 Humans are gifted with freedom of the will
“ Verily We have created man into toil and hardship… Did We not
give him two eyes, and a tongue and two lips and did We not show
him the two highroads (good and evil) ?”

al-Balad90:4,8-10

20. 8.2 Tawhid deep-rooted in the collective conscience

“When your Lord brought forth descendants from the loin of the
children of Adam, and made them witnesses against their own selves,
asking them “Am I not your Lord?”. They said yes we do testify. We
did so lest you should claim on the Day of Resurrection: “we were
unaware of this”.

al-A‘raf7:172

21. “Had there been any gods in the heaven and the earth apart from Allah,
the order of both the heavens and the earth would have gone to ruins.
Glory be to Allah , the Lord of the Throne, Who is far above their false
descriptions of Him”
al- Anbiya 21:22

❖Allah’s Unity Uniqueness and Ultimacy liberates man from dualism,
trinitariansm and polytheism. It renders redundant the concept of
“Father”, “Savior”, “Son” and “intercessor”.
9 Ultimacy and sovereignty

22. “Have you not seen that Allah has subjected to your (use) all things in
the heavens and on earth, and has abundantly bestowed upon you all
His bounties, both visible or invisible. Yet some persons dispute about
Allah, without having any knowledge or guidance or any illuminating
Book”.
Luqman31:20
9.1 Nature is made subservient to man

23. 10 Impact of tawhid on Individual: ‘ubudiyah,
isti‘anh and nusrah


“You alone we worship and You alone we ask for help”.
al-Fatihah1:4
“If Allah is your Helper none can overcome you, and if He
withdraws His help from you, who is there who can help you”
al-i-’Imran 3:160

24. “They have taken as lords (arbaban) besides Allah their rabbis and their
monks (saints) and the Messiah son of Mary, when they were
commanded to worship only One Allah ; there is no save Him, be He
glorified from all that they ascribe as partners (to Him)”.
al-Tawbah9:31
10.1 Rejection of assigning others status of the ilah

25. “Say Lo my ‘ibadah (devotions) and sacrifice, and my life and my death
are only for Allah , Lord of the worlds. He has no partner. This am I
commanded and I am first of those who (accept it and) surrender (to
Him)”.
al-An‘am6:162-163
10.2 Total devotion: denial of gods of color,
culture, ethnicity, language, sects

26. “Or have they taken other than Allah as intercessors? Say, will they
intercede though they have no power and though they may not even
understand? Say all intercession lies with Allah. He is the Sovereign
of the heavens and the earth. And to Him with all of you be sent
back.” al-Zumar39:43-44
10.3No Intercession
“Who is he that intercedes with Him save by His permission”
al-Baqarah2:255

27. 11 Social Impact of tawhid
•Family life as completion of Iman (faith)
“And marry the unmarried among you and the righteous among your
male slaves and female slaves. If they should be poor, Allah will enrich
them from His bounty, and Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.”
an-Nur 24:32

28. 11.1 Social Obligations: Huquqal-‘ibad
“Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west,
but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah, the Last Day, the
angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to
relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for
freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who]
fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in
poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been
true, and it is those who are the righteous”. al-Baqara2:177

29. 11.2 Individual and collective Obligation to realize
ma‘ruf
“You are indeed the best community that has ever been brought forth for
[the good of] mankind: you enjoin the doing of what is right and forbid the
doing of what is wrong, and you believe in God. Now if the followers of
earlier revelation had attained to [this kind of] faith, it would have been for
their own good; [but only few] among them are believers, while most of
them are iniquitous”.

al-i-‘Imran 3-110

30. “ (O Prophet), enjoin believing men to cast down their looks and guard
their private parts. That is purer for them. Surely Allah is well aware of
all what they do. “And enjoin believing women to keep gazes down and
guard their private parts and not reveal their adornment (zeenah) except
that which is revealed itself and to draw their veils over their bosoms and
not reveal their adornment save to their husbands or their fathers or the
father of their husband or their own sons or the sons of their husbands or
their brothers or the sons of their brothers or the sons of their sisters or
their women, or the slaves whom their right hands possess…”.
al-Nur24:30-31
11.3 Creation of Culture of dignity and modesty

31. 12 Impact of tawhid on Politics
“All Authority to govern rests only with Allah. He has commanded that
you serve non but Him, This is the Right way of life (dhalikad dinul qaiyim)
though most people are altogether unaware”
Yousuf12:40
•Sovereignty belongs to Allah alone.
•Integration of religious and secular.
•Vicegerency of man as amin, imam, khalifah, amir, mas‘ul
•Realization of total din

32. “When your Lord said to the angles: Lo I am about to place a
vicegerent on earth ”
al-Baqarah2:30

“It is Allah who established you as vicegerents on earth and raised some
of you higher than others and of different ranks, that with all that He
had endowed you, you may excel one another in the deeds.”
al-An‘am6:165
12. 1 Bestower of Khilafah

33. 12.2 State’s responsibility for realization of the tawhidi order
“(They are) those who, if We establish them in the land, establish
(regular) prayer and give (regular) zakah, enjoin the right and forbid
wrong: with Allah rests the end of affairs”.

al-Hajj22:41

34. “Sovereignty is for none but Allah, He has commanded that you serve
none but Him; that is the right Din (dhalika al-din al-qaiyyim) but most
people understand not.”
Yousuf 12:40
•[Also al-‘Imran 3:154; al-An‘am 6:57; al-Nahl 16:17; al-Furqan25:2]
12.3 Characteristics of Islamic order: Sovereignty

35. 12.4 Tawhid means Iqamah of total din
“ Believers! Enter wholly into Islam and do not follow in the footsteps
of Satan, for he is your open enemy ”.
al-Baqarah2:208

36. “ Believers! When the call for prayer is made on Friday, hasten to the
remembrance of Allah, and give up all trading. That is better for you if
you only know. But when the prayer is ended, disperse in the land and
seek the Allah’s bounty and remember Allah much so that you may
prosper ”.
al-Jumu`ah62:9-10
13 Impact on Economy: tijarah and dhikr synergized

37. “ Believers! Have fear of Allah and give up all outstanding interest if you
do truly believers. But if you fail to do so then be warned of war from
Allah and His messenger.”

al-Baqarah2:278-279

13.1 Elimination of oppressive exploitative
economic system

38. 13.2 Ethical economic practices
“ Believers ! Eat not up your property among yourselves in vanities: But
let there be amongst you trading by mutual good-will: Nor kill (or
destroy) yourselves: for verily Allah hath been to you Most Merciful”.
al-Nisa4:29
“And do not eat up your property among yourselves for vanities, nor use
it as bait for the judges, with intent that you may eat up wrongfully and
knowingly a little of (other) people's property.”
al-Baqrah2:188

39. 13.3 Distribution of wealth
“The sadaqat (Zakah) are meant only for the needy, (the helpless) and
those who are in charge thereof, those whose hearts are to be reconciled
for those in bondage and in debt; in the cause of ; and for the wayfarer:
(thus is it) ordained by Allah , and Allah is full of knowledge and
wisdom.”
at-Tawbah9:60

40. 13.4 Supremacy of Shari‘ah
“Then We revealed the Book to you, (o Muhammad), with Truth,
confirming whatever of the Book was revealed before and protecting and
guarding on it. Judge, them in the affaires of men in accordance with the
Law that Allah has revealed and do not follow the desires in disregard of
the Truth which has come to you. For each of you We have appointed a
law and a way of life. And had Allah so willed He would surely have
made you one single community, instead, (He gave each of you a law and
way of life) in order to test you by what He gave you”.
al-Ma‘idah5:48

41. 14 Impact of tawhid on Law


"Those fornicate-whether female or male-flog each one of them with a hundred
lashes. And let not tenderness for them deter you from what pertains to Allah's
din, if you do truly believes Allah and the Last Day".
al-Noor24:2

“As to the thief, Male or female, cut off his or her hands: a punishment by way of
example, from God, for their crime: and God is Exalted in power”.
al-Ma'idah5:38

42. “The believers have indeed attained true success: those who, in their prayers,
humble themselves, who avoid whatever is vain and frivolous, Who observe
zakah, who strictly guard their private parts, save from their wives or those
Save from their wives or those whom their right hands possess, for with regard
to them they are free from blame. As for those who seek beyond that they are
transgressors. And who are shepherds of their pledge and their covenant, and
who guard their prayers, such are the inheritors, that shall inherit Paradise;
and in it they shall abide for ever.”
al-Muminun23: 1-11
14.1 Behavioral change: Key performance indicator (KPI’s)

43. 14.2 Sabr and qana'ah
People who are steadfast, truthful, obedient, spend (in the way of )
and implore Allah's forgiveness before daybreak
al-Imran 3:17

44. 14.3 Allah consciousness
“ Surely those who stand in awe for fear of their Lord, who have full
faith in the signs of their Lord, who associate none with their Lord,
who give, whatever they give in charity, with their heart trembling at
the thought that they are destined to return to their Lord: these who
hasten to do good works and vie in it with one another ”.

al-Muminoon23: 57-61

45. 14.4
“The (true) servants of the Merciful are those who walk humbly on the earth who, when the ignorant
people behave insolently towards them, say,"Peace to you. who pass their nights in prostrating
themselves and standing before their Lord:who pray, "Our Lord, save us from the torment of Hell,
for its torment is killing. it is an evil abode and an evil resting place. who, when they spend, are
neither extravagant nor miserly but keep the golden mean between the two (extremes).who do not
invoke any god but Allah nor kill a soul, which Allah has forbidden, unjustly, nor commit adultery. He
who does this shall be punished for his sin. and his torment shall be doubled on the Day of
Resurrection, and he shall abide in a state of ignominy. except the one who may have repented (after
those sins) and have believed and done righteous works, for then Allah will change his evil deeds into
good deeds, and He is very Forgiving and Merciful. In fact, the one who repents and does righteous
deeds, returns to Allah as one ightly should. (And the servants of the Merciful are those:) who do not
bear witness to falsehood and who; if they have ever to pass by what is vain, pass by like dignified
people: who do not behave like the blind and the deaf, when the Revelations of their Lord are recited
to them for admonition”. al-Furqan63-73

46. ▪Unity of the Creator and the Sustainer implies there is nothing Divine
except Allah. Nature, animate and non animate world is dependent and
not independent .
▪Allah s.w.t is totally Other.
▪Allah s.w.t is the only Sovereign; His Sovereignty and Authority prevails
over all universe.
▪The purpose of human Creation is observance of ethical and moral
conduct, total devotion (‘abd, ‘ibadh in its wider connotation) realization of
tawhid in personal life, family life, economic, political , legal and cultural
activities.

15Conclusion

47. Recommended Readings
1.Ismail R. al-Faruqi, Tawhid and its implication for Thought
and Life , I.I.I.T, 1992
2.S.Abul A‘la Mawdudi, Islamic Civilization. IPS.
3.Ismail R. al-Faruqi, Islamization of knowledge I.I.I.T, 1989

48. Wama Tawfiqi illa bi Allah
wa
Shukran
September 13, 2024