THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH
(Sura Yunus: 108)
THERE IS NO GOD BUT ALLAH
The essence of Islam is to know of the existence of Allah, and to understand that there is no god but Allah. To practice Islam is to allow this truth to manifest itself in every aspect of one's life. Allah reveals this truth in the basic source of Islam, the Qur'an:
Your God is One God. There is no god but Him, the All-Merciful, the Most Merciful. (Surat al-Baqara: 163)
Most people think that matter, the underlying substance of the universe, has an absolute existence, and regard Allah as but an abstract idea. ( Allah is truly beyond what they ascribe to Him) The truth is, however, only Allah truly exists, and the rest is merely His Creation.
The entire universe and everything in it was created by Allah. Before the Creation of the universe, nothing existed, in the material sense. It was all non-existence. At the moment when the universe was created, the Al-Awwal (The First) and Al-Akhir (The Last) Allah, Who is beyond all, created time, matter and space. In the Qur'an, Allah relates this matter as follows:
The Originator of the heavens and Earth. When He decides on something, He just says to it, "Be!" and it is. (Surat al-Baqara: 117)
Contrary to the perceived wisdom, God did not create matter and then leave it on its own. Everything happening, even at this very instant, is ordained by God. Every raindrop, each child that opens its eyes to the world, the process of photosynthesis in plants, all the bodily functions of living things, the courses of stars in far remote galaxies, each seed sprouting forth, or any other event that we might think of, or fail to think of, are all ordained by God. It is God Who creates all things. Every event occurs within His command:
It is Allah Who created the seven heavens and of the Earth the same number, the Command descending down through all of them, so that you might know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge. (Surat at-Talaq: 12)
He Who originates Creation and then regenerates it and provides for you from out of heaven and Earth. Is there another god besides Allah? Say: "Bring your proof if you are being truthful." (Surat an-Naml: 64)
Were the universe left to its own will, it would become disordered, scattered and corrupted. However, the perfect equilibrium in all things, from the cells of a living organism, to the stars in deep outer space, all reveal the existence of something that is controlling them at every moment, with the same perfection as their original Creation. In any corner of the universe, one will always come to recognize a flawless plan:
He Who created the seven heavens in layers. You will not find any flaw in the Creation of the All-Merciful. Look again - do you see any gaps? Then look again and again. Your sight will return to you dazzled and exhausted! (Surat al-Mulk: 3-4)
Denying that Allah is the Creator, and attributing divinity to that which He created, despite the abundance of proof to the contrary, is as nonsensical as claiming that a skyscraper was not built by construction workers, but came into being by the free will of bricks, or the placement of one on top of the other by pure coincidence.
The perfect order in the universe, and the supreme Creation of living things, reveals to us that they have all been created by a single Creator , in other words Allah created them. If there were other gods, that is, others capable of similarly ordaining their will, disorder and confusion would prevail. That there is no god but Him, and that no other being in the universe has any similar power, is related in a verse of the Qur'an as follows:
Allah has no son and there is no other god accompanying Him, for then each god would have gone off with what he created and one of them would have been exalted above the other. Glory be to Allah above what they describe. (Surat al-Muminun: 91)
In the supplication below, the Prophet Muhammad (saas) stressed that there is no deity but God and a believer has to turn to Him in all matters:
None has the right to be worshipped but God, the Majestic, the Most Forbearing. None has the right to be worshipped but God, the Lord of the Tremendous Throne. None has the right to be worshipped but God, the Lord of the Heavens and the Lord of the Honourable Throne. (Al-Bukhari)
As stated in the verse above, there is no other god beside Him. He has no son. He is above such human attributes. We clearly understand from this verse that those religions claiming that Allah has a "son" are misguided. (Allah is beyond that) The Oneness of Allah is further emphasized in the Qur'an as follows:
Say: "He is Allah , Absolute Oneness,
Allah, the Everlasting Sustainer of all. He has not given birth and was
not born. And no one is comparable to Him." (Surat al-Ikhlas: 1-4)
ALLAH ENCOMPASSES EVERYTHING
Some people think that Allah is found in a certain place. The belief that Allah is up in the sky, in a remote corner of the universe, is held by many people. (Allah is beyond that) The fact is, however, that Allah is anywhere, encompassing everything. He is the actual and the only absolute being, to Whom all beings are subjected:
Allah , there is no god but Him, the Living, the Self-Sustaining. He is not subject to drowsiness or sleep. Everything in the heavens and the Earth belongs to Him. Who can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is before them and what is behind them but they cannot grasp any of His knowledge save what He wills. His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the Earth and their preservation does not tire Him. He is the Most High, the Magnificent. (Surat al-Baqara: 255)
Allah has everything within His grasp at any given moment. There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock. He has power over all things and is exalted high above any weakness or inability.
Allah has everything within His grasp at any given moment.
There is no creature He does not hold by the forelock. He has power
over all things and is exalted high above any weakness or inability.
As the sole absolute being, Allah enfolds the
whole universe, all people and places, the heavens and everywhere. And
Allah is manifested in the whole universe. According to the hadith,
our Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) said that someone
who said that Allah was in the sky was telling the truth. But this
account in no way conflicts with the fact that Allah is everywhere.
Because if someone at your location on Earth raises his hands and prays
to Allah and thinks that Allah is in the sky, while someone at the
South Pole turns to Allah in the same way, while someone else at the
North Pole raises his hands and yet another individual in Japan, or
America or Ecuador raises his hands to the sky in the same way and
turns to Allah, then it is impossible to speak of any fixed direction.
In the same way, if djinn, angels and demons at various points in space
and the universe also pray toward the skies, it will again be
impossible to speak of any fixed direction, and the situation will be
one that covers the entire universe.
We must not also forget that Allah is unfettered by time and space. Allah's self is something different. But the manifestations of Allah are everywhere. If someone enters a room and says Allah is not there, he is denying Allah. The manifestations of Allah are in that room and everywhere. Wherever you may turn, manifestations of Allah are there. It is stated in several verses of the Qur'an that Allah pervades all places, that He is closer to us than our own jugular veins, and that we will see His face wherever we look. For example, in verse 255 of Surat al-Baqara Allah says "... His Footstool encompasses the heavens and the earth...." In verse 92 of Surah Hud it is revealed, "...But my Lord encompasses everything that you do" meaning that Allah also pervades what people do.
ALLAH IS NEAR TO MAN
Many people think Allah is far away. However, as stated in the Qur'an, "...Surely your Lord encompasses the people with His knowledge..." (Surat al-Isra': 60), He is very near. He sees and knows every aspect of a human being, and hears every word he utters. He is knowledgeable of even one's inner thoughts. This is related in the Qur'an as follows:
We created man and We know what his own self whispers to him. We are nearer to him than his jugular vein. (Surah Qaf: 16)
Allah is so near to man that He hears the prayer of everyone -even if he prays inwardly -and it is He Who answers it:
If My servants ask you about Me, I am near. I answer the call of the caller when he calls on Me. They should therefore respond to Me and believe in Me so that hopefully they will be rightly guided. (Surat al-Baqara: 186)
Allah knows what a person harbours in his heart. He knows whether he engages in a deed to earn His consent, or to satisfy his own lower soul. Allah reminds us that He knows our inner thoughts:
...Know that Allah knows what is in your selves, so beware of Him! And know that Allah is Ever-Forgiving, All-Forbearing. (Surat al-Baqara: 235)
Though you speak out loud, He knows your secrets and what is even more concealed. (Surat Ta Ha: 7)
Allah's Messenger, the Prophet Muhammad (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also reminded Muslims that when they prayed Allah is very close to them by saying, "You are calling a Hearer, One very close by; The One Who you are calling is closer to each one of you."(Al-Bukhari and Muslim)
As He is with you at every moment, Allah is with you as you are reading this book; He sees what you are doing and knows what you are thinking. This fact is related in the Qur'an as follows:
Do you not see that Allah knows what is in the heavens and on the Earth? Three men cannot confer together secretly without Him being the fourth of them, or five without Him being the sixth of them, or fewer than that or more without Him being with them wherever they are. Then He will inform them on the Day of Resurrection of what they did. Allah has knowledge of all things. (Surat al-Mujadala: 7)
ALLAH CREATED EVERYTHING ACCORDING TO A FIXED DECREE
We have created all things according to a fixed decree. (Surat al-Qamar: 49)
Destiny is part of Allah's perfect Creation and all events, past and future, are known to Him as in a timeless "single moment."
It is Allah Who created matter. What we call time is the motion of matter. Time is a dimension which is relative only to man. Only man perceives the passage of time; a human being can recognize his own existence only as it exists in time. Allah, however, is not bound by time, for it is He Who created it. In other words, Allah is independent of the flow of time; Allah does not need to wait to see what will happen in the future. Allah is truly exalted above all such deficiencies. Allah knows of a future event (future for us) before it happens, because Allah, the First and the Last, is not bound by time, and because He is the Absolute and the Infinite. Not bound by time, Allah is aware of an event which, from our perspective, will take place thousands of years later. In fact, it is He Who willed, determined and created it. This truth is revealed in a verse as follows:
Nothing occurs, either in the Earth or in yourselves, without its being in a Book before We make it happen. That is something easy for Allah. (Surat al-Hadid: 22)
ALLAH HAS POWER OVER EVERYTHING
Allah, the Creator of everything, is the sole possessor of all beings. It is Allah Who heaps up the heavy clouds, heats and brightens the Earth, varies the direction of the winds, holds birds suspended up in the sky, splits the seed, makes a man's heart beat, ordains photosynthesis in plants, and keeps planets in their separate orbits. People generally surmise that such phenomena occur according to "the laws of physics," "gravity," "aerodynamics," or other physical factors; however, there is one significant truth these people ignore: all such physical laws were created by Allah. In fact, the only possessor of power in the universe is Allah.
Allah rules all the systems at any moment in the universe, regardless of whether we are aware of them, or if we are asleep, sitting, walking. Each of the myriad of processes in the universe, all essential to our existence, is under Allah's control. Even our ability to just take a small step forward depends onAllah's Creation in countless minute details, including Earth's force of gravity, the structure of the human skeleton, the nervous system and muscular system, the brain, the heart, and even the rotation speed of the Earth.
Attributing the existence of the world and of the entire universe to sheer coincidence is complete delusion. The exquisite order of the Earth and the universe completely contradicts the possibility of formation through coincidence, and is, rather, a clear sign of Allah's infinite might. For instance, the Earth's orbit around theSun deviates only 2.8 mm in every 29 kms from the right path. If this deviation were 0.3 mm longer or shorter, then living beings all over the Earth would either freeze or be scorched. While it is virtually impossible for even a marble to revolve in the same orbit without any deviation, the Earth accomplishes such a course despite its gigantic mass. As stated in the Qur'an, "... Allah has appointed a measure for all things..." (Surat at-Talaq: 3). In effect, the splendid order in the universe is maintained as a result of fantastic systems that depend on highly delicate equilibriums.
Some people hold the perverted belief that Allah "created everything and then left them on their own." However, any event, taking place in any area of the universe, occurs solely by Allah's Will, and under His control. It is stated in the Qur'an:
Do you not know that Allah knows everything in heaven and Earth? That is in a Book. That is easy for Allah. (Surat al-Hajj: 70)
It is very important to grasp this fact for someone who strives to come near to Allah. The prayer of Prophet Muhammad ( may Allah bless him and grant him peace) quoted below is a very good example of this:
O Allah: All the Praises are for You: You are the Lord of the Heavens and the Earth. All the Praises are for You; You are the Maintainer of the Heaven and the Earth and whatever is in them. All the Praises are for You; You are the Light of the Heavens and the Earth. Your Word is the Truth, and Your Promise is the Truth, and the Meeting with You is the Truth, and Paradise is the Truth, and the (Hell) Fire is the Truth, and the Hour is the Truth. O Allah! I surrender myself to You, and I believe in You and I depend upon You, and I repent to You and with You (Your evidences) I stand against my opponents, and to you I leave the judgment (for those who refuse my message). O Allah! Forgive me my sins that I did in the past or will do in the future, and also the sins I did in secret or in public. You are my only God (Whom I worship) and there is no other God for me (i.e. I worship none but You). (Al-Bukhari)
Elaborate processes taking place in the bodies of living things are impressive examples that help us to grasp Allah's might. For instance, at every moment, your kidneys filter your blood and extricate those harmful molecules to be excreted from the body. This screening and elimination process, which can be carried out by a single kidney cell, can only be accomplished by a giant haemodialyser (artificial kidney). A haemodialyser was consciously designed by scientists. A kidney, however, does not sense, or have a decision-making centre, nor the faculty of thought. In other words, an unconscious kidney cell can accomplish tasks that otherwise demand an elaborate thinking process.
It is possible to encounter millions of such examples in living beings. Molecules, composed of unconscious matter, perform tasks so remarkable they would otherwise suggest consciousness. The consciousness apparent in these cases though is, of course, of Allah's infinite wisdom and knowledge. It is Allah Who created the kidney cells, as well as the molecules discussed, and Who orders them to accomplish their respective tasks. In the Qur'an, Allah informs us that He constantly sends down "commands" to the beings He created:
It is Allah Who created the seven heavens and of the Earth the same number, the Command descending down through all of them, so that you might know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah encompasses all things in His knowledge. (Surat at-Talaq: 12)
Clearly, Allah, Who created everything in the universe, is surely able to bring the dead to life. Of this fact, Allah states the following:
Do they not see that Allah-He Who created the heavens and the Earth and was not wearied by creating them -has the power to bring the dead to life? Yes indeed! He has power over all things. (Surat al-Ahqaf: 33)
ALLAH SEES AND KNOWS EVERYTHING
People cannot see Allah-unless He wills -, being the main reason why some often falsely presume that Allah cannot see them (truly, Allah is far above that which they ascribe to Him). Allah sees and knows all things, down to the minutest detail, as indicated in a verse of the Qur'an as follows:
Eyesight cannot perceive Him but He perceives eyesight. He is the All-Penetrating, the All-Aware. (Surat al-An'am: 103)
Wherever a person may be, Allah is surely with him. Right at this moment, as you are reading these lines, Allah sees you and knows exactly what crosses your mind.
Wherever you go, or whatever you do, this is always the case. As it is explained in the Qur'an :
You do not engage in any matter or recite any of the Qur'an or do any action without Our witnessing you while you are occupied with it. Not even the smallest speck eludes your Lord, either on Earth or in heaven. Nor is there anything smaller than that, or larger, which is not in a Clear Book. (Surah Yunus: 61)
It is He Who created the heavens and the Earth in six days, then established Himself firmly on the Throne. He knows what goes into the Earth and what comes out of it, what comes down from heaven and what goes up into it. He is with you wherever you are-Allah sees what you do. (Surat al-Hadid: 4)
The Prophet Muhammad ( may Allah bless him and grant him peace) also reminded believers to keep this in mind when he said," Allah is above the Throne and nothing is hidden from Allah of your deeds."
Aware of this fact, a believer submits himself to his Lord, seeks refuge in Him, and fears nothing but Him. Allah's command to Prophet Moses (pbuh), and Prophet Aaron (pbuh) is a lesson for all believers. Allah states in the Qur'an:
He said, "Have no fear. I will be with you, All-Hearing and All-Seeing." (Surah Ta Ha: 46)
ALL BEINGS ARE SUBJECTED TO ALLAH
All beings in the universe, either living or non-living, are under Allah's command. They can act only if He wills. They can only perform those tasks which He wills. For example, honeybees, who produce more honey than their actual need, could not possibly know that honey is beneficial to humans; nor could they be aware of the precise chemical composition that makes it so useful and delicious. In fact, in addition to not knowing why they produce an abundance of much honey, nor could they possess the intelligence to construct the orderly hexagonal honeycombs, each of which is a miracle of design and mathematics. It is Allah, to Whom all beings are subjected, that causes bees accomplish these feats. That bees act in compliance with Allah's command is related in the Qur'an as follows:
Your Lord revealed to the bees: "Build dwellings in the mountains and the trees, and also in the structures which men erect. Then eat from every kind of fruit and travel the paths of your Lord, which have been made easy for you to follow" From inside them comes a drink of varying colors, containing healing for mankind. There is certainly a Sign in that for people who reflect. (Surat an-Nahl: 68-69)
Bees' compliance with Allah's commands in the manner in which they conduct themselves is not an anomaly. Allah provides us with this example to allow us to understand that all beings, including man, act by His Will. In the Qur'an Allah indicates that this is a sign for those who reflect. All beings are entirely subjected to His command:
Everyone in the heavens and Earth belongs to Him. All are submissive to Him. (Surat ar-Rum: 26)
Some people consider satan to be a being apart from and independent of Allah (Truly, Allah is above what they ascribe to Him). ome supersititious religions also attribute individual power to satan. However, both opinions are incorrect. Satan, as well as the unbelievers who follow him, are subjected to Allah's Will. Allah created satan to put man to test, and endowed him with the ability and authority to call mankind to disbelief. Allah's address to satan is related in the Qur'an:
He (Allah) said, "Get out! you are accursed!
My curse is upon you until the Day of Reckoning."
He (satan) said, "My Lord, grant me a reprieve until the Day
they are raised again." He said, "You are among the reprieved until the
Day whose time is known."
He said, "By Your might, I will mislead all of themexcept for Your chosen servants among them.
"He said, "By the truth - and I speak the truth - I will fill up Hell with you and every one of them who follows you." (Surah Sâd: 77-85)
Just as man is, satan is also entirely under Allah's control, and subjected to His Will. He is not a being possessing a will apart from and independent of Allah; he can neither make such decisions nor carry them out. In the trial set for human beings in this life, he is merely a being that is expected to distinguish the righteous from the corrupt.
