Aqeedah and Fiqh

Tawhid: Asserting God’s Unity

Published

December 25, 2007

Tawhid (or Tawheed), often referred to as the “key to paradise”, is the core of Islam. This article discusses what Tawhid truly means and implies. It also explores whether or not whether there is any basis for dividing it into three categories, which some allege was first done by Ibn Taymiyyah (rahimullah).

Was it Ibn Taymiyyah’s concoction? Is this division an innovation?

Read the discussion here: tawhid.pdf

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Shaykh Abu Aaliyah Surkheel

Abu Aaliyah is the founder of The Jawziyyah Institute, a leading institute for Islamic moderation and contemporary thought in the United Kingdom. Sidi Abu Aaliyah has been in involved in Dawah and Islamic teachings since 1986. He has translated a number of books from the Arabic language into English such as "The Exquisite Pearls". Abu Aaliyah's written works and audio lectures can be found online.

5 Comments

inexplicabletimelessness

December 25, 2007 at 4:01 PM

As salamu alaikum
Jazak Allahu khairan, a beautiful article masha Allah!

Reply
Abu Sulayman

February 22, 2009 at 11:21 AM

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
assalam alaykum
I only read the title, and this is what I have a problem with: the translation of the word توحيد into ‘unity’. The word unity suggests that there are many factions brought together and ‘unified’. This is not what tawheed means. As we have learned, it is افراد الله. On the contrary, it should be translated as oneness rather than unity. Please don’t confuse the unitarian concept with our tawheed.

جزاك الله خيراً

Reply
abu abdAllah Tariq Ahmed

February 22, 2009 at 11:50 AM

bismillah wa alaykumus salam wa Rahmat Allah, abu Sulayman. i agree that in the US, the primary definition of “unity” implies one from many, just as would be the case if one looked up the definition of “union.”

but i think people should not rush to judgment.

here, you would notice if you click on Abu Aaliyah’s profile that he is a Brit. then, many dictionaries will tell you that among the definitions of “unity”: “(Mathematics, chiefly Brit.) the number one.” my dictionary also offered a few thesaurus selections highlighting not just the meaning that you focused on, but also: “oneness, singleness, wholeness…”

might the title confuse some people? i think not justifiably so given the nature of this article as a blurb, and the clear indication that a reader would find elaboration in the linked document, tawhid.pdf. wAllaho’Alim.

Reply
Abu Sulayman

February 22, 2009 at 5:20 PM

Abu Abdallah,

Jazak Allahu khayran for your comment. I am well aware of the differences between ‘Englishes’ of the world, so to speak. I have studied linguistics and applied linguistics at post graduate level. Having said that, I still believe that the issue of the translation of Islamic terminology needs to be re-visited by linguists with a strong Islamic background, not just students of knowledge. There are a few good dictionaries on the topic, but certainly more work needs to be done.

May Allah reward you both for your intentions.

Abu Sulayman

Reply
abu abdAllah Tariq Ahmed (Associate)

February 22, 2009 at 6:24 PM

we eeyak, and ameen to that dua. abu Sulayman, i happen to know a group of brothers and sisters always on the lookout to publish a beneficial article. ;) if you’ve got a piece that you would like to share with a wide range of Muslims, especially illuminating linguistic or translation issues (or both), consider sending it in for possible publication as a guest writer: http://muslimmatters.org/contact-us/.

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