The views expressed here
do not necessarily represent those of the Subagh.
Taqi al-Deen Ibn Taymiyyah (661/1263 – 728/1328)
From Aqidatul Wasitiyyah
Surah
112: Ikhlas
Þõáú åõæó Çááøóåõ
ÃóÍóÏñ
Çááøóåõ ÇáÕøóãóÏõ
áóãú íóáöÏú æóáóãú
íõæáóÏú
æóáóãú íóßõä áøóåõ
ßõÝõæðÇ ÃóÍóÏñ
Whatever was revealed to the Rasoolۖ (Quran) only that is real. It is obligatory to obey it and forbidden to deviate from it as this alone is the Divine Path which has no doubts. The Divine Path is only one and whoever deviates from it he strays onto the wrong path, the path of regress and injustice. Allah says:
"And this is My
Straight Path, so follow it and do not follow the other paths lest they divert
you from His way."
The Straight Path is that path of the Ummah (ÇãÉ) which is the moderate path between the two extremes. Hence, the supplication in every rakah јÚÉ)) of the prayer [1: 6]
ÇåÏöäóÜÜÜÜÇ ÇáÕøöÑóÇØó ÇáãõÓÊóÞöíãó
that Allah should help, assist, guide, support and lead us in towards the things which will help us to follow His Laws, and keep us steadfastly on His Path. This is the Path of those who were favored by Allah, the Prophets, the Truthful, the Martyrs and the Righteous, and these are the best for keeping company.
The Concept of Tauhid has been explained in Surah Ikhlas by separating and purging it from Shirk. Imam Ahmad's narration of Ubay bin Ka'ab that the mushrikeen ãÔјíä)) asked: "Oh Muhammad! Tell us the genealogy of Your Lord!", whereupon Allah revealed this Surah.
From authentic hadiths, it is proven that this Surah is equal to one third of the Koran. The substance of the statement of Ibn Abbas is as follows:
The Koran consists of three sections:
i. Those commands and prohibitions which contain the laws and practical ways. These form the subject matter of the science of Fikah ÝÞå)) and Ethics.
ii. The tales and narratives which include the stories of the rasool and their communities. The punishments and disasters which befell those who resisted and denied the rasools of Allah. Also, the promises, rewards, warnings and dooms.
iii. The knowledge of Tauhid and the description of those matters which relate to the attributes of Allah, which is a must by Muslims (to create in their personality within human limits). This has precedence over the first three.
Surah Ikhlas contains the third objective and a general description of it. Thus, it is correct to say that this Surah is equal to one third of the Koran. The answer to the question that how does this Surah contains comprehensively the knowledge of Tauhid and its principles which form the essence of the belief in Allah. The verse [112: 1]:
Þõáú åõæó Çááøóåõ ÃóÍóÏñ
negates partnership with Allah in every sense, whether it concerns His Self, Attributes or His Deeds. It also demonstrates the distinctiveness of Allah in His perfection, magnificence and majesty. The word Ahad ÇÍÏ)) is not used in affirmation for anyone besides Allah, since Ahad is more emphatic than Wahid æÇÍÏ).).
The Tafsir of Ibn Abbas for the verse 112:2 is:
Çááøóåõ ÇáÕøóãóÏõ
"The Lord who is best in His Nobility. The Great one who is best in His greatness. The Tolerant One who is best in His toleration. The Omnipotent who is the best in His omnipotence, the All Knowing who is best in His knowledge. The Self which is perfect in all types of nobility and greatness – that Self is only Allah – the Most Revered and the Most Powerful. He alone has these qualities for they do not apply to anyone save Him. No one is equal to Him and no one is like Him."
The Tafsir also as follows: "The Self who has no fear, around whom all creatures turn and Whom they seek after for all their needs and actions." Affirmation in the Oneness negates all forms of polytheism and similitude. Affirmation of all the meaning of Samad includes all the noble Names and the related exalted Attributes. This is the Tauhid of Affirmation.
The Tauhid of Purity is in the verses 112: 3-4:
áóãú íóáöÏú æóáóãú íõæáóÏú
æóáóãú íóßõä áøóåõ ßõÝõæðÇ ÃóÍóÏñ
This statement can also be understood from the first verse:
Þõáú åõæó Çááøóåõ ÃóÍóÏñ
Nothing came out of Him nor did He come out of anything. He has no equal, no likeness and no similarity.
This Surah is dominated by concept of Tauhid, which is "the affirmation of Oneness for the Lord in total (by following His Laws) and absolute contradiction to all forms of Polytheism (including idol worship, following man-made laws etc.). His character of being "Eternally Besought of all", which proves all His Attributes, that He cannot suffer from any defect, negation of father and son which is an implication of Him being in no need and that all is in need of Him. All is characterized in the statement of His being besought and His Oneness. Negation of an equal includes negation of similarity, resemblances and likeness. This Surah includes all of these matters and is therefore rightly deserving of being called equal to a third of the Koran.
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