Say: He Is the One God: God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of all being

C. Ash-Shahadah: To Exist İs To Be Witness

We have come to this world not to own but to witness.

To exist is to witness, to witness is to exist.

1. Ash-Shahadah is to be a witness. To be a witness to ALLÂH (SWT) is to be a witness of His Existence and Oneness, His Mercy and Compassion, His Dominion and Wisdom, His Greatness and Superiority, His Rule and Might, His Love and Protection, His Grace and Guidance, His Being the Greatest and the Highest.

2. It is to make a witness, to make one’s own creation and nature become witness for Him (SWT); to make one’s servitude and worship, one’s knowledge and understanding, one’s wealth and health, one’s life and death, one’s most loved one and one’s soul become witness to Him (SWT). This is the perception built by the Divine Revelation, but those who are prepared for such testimony can read the following:

“Say: “Behold, my prayer, and [all] my acts of worship, and my living and my dying are for God [alone], the Sustainer of all the worlds.” (6:162)

“Ashhadu an-la ilâha illa-ALLÂHU wa ashhadu anna-Muhammadan ’Abdu-HU wa Rasulu-HU:

“I testify that there is no deity save ALLÂH and I testify that Muhammad is His servant and His messenger.”

You come first.

Look out! You begin your statement by saying “I”. You have the honour of being a witness of ALLÂH (SWT)’s Oneness. This testimony you give will be taken into consideration on the Great Day of Judgement. So that to begin speaking by saying “I testify that…” the first necessary thing is the existence of the person who can say “I”.

Do you exist?

Because beginning the word with “I” entails two preconceptions: Firstly, “I exist”. Secondly, “I am me”. In that case, Tawhid means to be witness to yourself. That means that first you feel your existence. That means your realization of “I” comes before the testimony to the Oneness of ALLÂH (SWT). This is a confession. This is the speaking of the existence, the disclosure of the existence in speech.

The “I” at the beginning of Ash-Shahadah refers to the self which is a witness. To be a witness is to be a subject. Objects cannot be witnesses, but the subjects are the witnesses. The human being who testifies to the Oneness of ALLÂH (SWT) must first be a subject. To be a subject is to know oneself, be aware of oneself. The person that does not know himself is not expected to be a witness for ALLÂH (SWT). The person that is not aware of himself is not (to be) expected to be aware of ALLÂH (SWT). The one knowing oneself and being aware of oneself is to be called a candidate for knowing his Lord (SWT).

I testify that...

ALLÂH (SWT), to Whom one is a witness, Revealed Himself (SWT) in existence. Human being who is a witness, began his testimony by saying “I”. To say “I testify that...” in actual fact means “My existence bears witness to His Existence…” Its implicit expansion is as follows: I also testify in speech to the truth whose witness is my existence … I also join with my word to the testimony of my state and declare that …”

It is established through authentic narrations that practice of ALLÂH’s Messenger (SAWS) to raise his index finger while reciting Ash-Shahadah in the sitting posture of prayer according to authentic narrations. *6 It is as if ALLÂH’s Messenger (SAWS) by that miraculous habit demonstrated the creation’s signature that his (SAWS) identity bore. This Divine Signature put on every human being’s index fingertip is a proof of identity representing the “I”. Saying “I testify that…”, a Muslim making a testimony of faith performs a sort of presentation of identity by raising the index finger. It is implicit: “Oh ALLÂH! I, being a witness to Your Existence and Oneness, am the one who has put his nature’s signature to the tip of his index finger. In my greatest testimony, I present the identity that You Bestow!”

The index finger raised while reciting Ash-Shahadah, almost like a transmitting antenna, is the highest point of human being. Ash-Shahadah is the message conveyed to the Hereafter. The manifestations of the Names of ALLÂH (SWT) go on without being interrupted. These manifestations can be likened to a continuous message. A Muslim making his testimony of faith in fact declares that he has received this message. With his testimony of faith he declares that he has read the clear proofs of the Existence of ALLÂH (SWT) and hereby he turns out to have entered the Islam community. He is already a Muslim, because he is a witness. The one having become a witness, whether one understands it or not it proves to have submitted unconditionally and absolutely. The proof of his submission bears the signature of Ash-Shahadah. That human being is already a witness of ALLÂH (SWT)’s Oneness and His Names. That human being is a witness of the Great Prophet (SAWS) who brought the Divine Revelation that makes us recognise ALLÂH (SWT) by His Names. This testimony also expresses implicitly the command to worship none but ALLÂH (SWT), to be only the servant of ALLÂH (SWT), not to become a slave of other slaves and not to ascribe the Attributes belonging exclusively to ALLÂH (SWT). In brief, we can call it avoiding polytheism.

D. Shirk: Awesome Wrong

The Noble Qur’ân uses the words “awesome wrong” for shirk. The truth comes from Hz. Luqman: “And, lo, Luqman spoke thus unto his son, admonishing him: “O my dear son! Do not ascribe divine powers to aught beside God: for, behold, such (a false) ascribing of divinity is indeed an awesome wrong!” (31:13)

Whoever is addressed by the Divine Revelation, are the Luqman’s children. And Muslims of all times belong to one family, and the Prophets were each the fathers of this great faith family in their times.

Why is polytheism the most awesome wrong? Let us proceed to answering this question after we have also looked at this Verse: “Verily, God Does Not Forgive the ascribing of divinity to aught beside Him, although He Forgives any lesser sin unto whomever He Wills: for he who ascribes divinity to aught beside God has indeed contrived an awesome sin” (4:48)

Polytheism is the most awesome wrong, since it is the greatest obstacle to the human being’s psychological independence process. Because polytheism frustrates all the human qualities and efforts to elevate the mind. Also it results in the breaking of patterns of moral behaviour. If we define polytheism as worshipping others but not ALLÂH (SWT), in that case it implies worship of one’s groundless fears and desires. In that sense polytheism has a boomerang effect and causes harm to the person responsible for it. Because a human being allows a thing become his god without having any right to be so and allows one’s soul to be sold to it. Those having sold their personality to the false god invented by themselves, have missed an opportunity to set up relation with ALLÂH (SWT). What is more, they have made themselves with their own hands objects to the false god they have appointed for themselves. Making oneself object exhausts the inner energy of a human being. Like spiritual Aids, it breaks the souls’ resistance and defence mechanism, renders the soul open to all sorts of attack and unable to defend oneself. And this is the greatest evil mankind can do itself. As a matter of fact, that’s the reason why polytheism is the most awesome wrong.

The situation of a person who does the wrong of polytheism is similar to that of a madman who supposes his brain to be a corn and covers his head and runs away, saying “Don’t eat me!” whenever he sees a hen. He ascribes an Attribute that belongs to ALLÂH (SWT) to others but ALLÂH (SWT). This is the first wrong. Because he has thus tried to infringe the law of ALLÂH (SWT), he has had the impudence to use the Attributes of ALLÂH (SWT) as he wishes. Taking into account that this wrong can cause no harm to ALLÂH (SWT), this wrong is bound to return to this person himself and impinge himself. The second degree is the ascription of Attribute of ALLÂH (SWT) to a being that bears no divinity. Think about those who ascribed the right to be worshipped to cow. But the cow has no idea of this. This is also a wrong to the cow. Because, the person ascribing divinity to the cow expects the divinity from the cow. Now this is the ill-treatment of an animal. Or imagine someone requesting a thing from a human being that ought to be requested from ALLÂH (SWT). To request a thing from somebody that has neither skill nor ability to do it is a wrong to them. And this is the second wrong. As for the third wrong, it is the wrong done by one to oneself. Because polytheism is an awesome wrong that can cause no harm to ALLÂH (SWT), but which damages only the person practising polytheism. Here, as you can see, polytheism means wrong three times.

The reason why ALLÂH (SWT) Does Not Forgive polytheism is His Love for mankind. Polytheism is the most serious betrayal of the Great Love of ALLÂH (SWT) for His servant. Those who ascribe divinity to others but ALLÂH (SWT), do not only cause harm to the object of polytheism, but they also cause harm to themselves by transgressing the set limit which is like removing an object from its usual or correct place. Ibn Mas’ud reconciliated the above-mentioned Verse with the middle part of the Verse of the Noble Qur’ân that reads “…behold, God Forgives all sins…” (39:53) as follows: “He (SWT) Forgives polytheism only when there is repentance, and His forgiveness for other sins does not depend on the repentance”. *7

E. Secular Shirk

It is also a kind of polytheism to imagine any area of life to be independent of ALLÂH (SWT). There is not a single area that is independent of ALLÂH (SWT) throughout the entire world of creatures. The area of life is also like that. ALLÂH (SWT) Intervenes into life. To think that ALLÂH (SWT) Does Not Intervene into life is polytheism. There are two developments of the heart’s giving way to the misconception that there is an area which is independent of ALLÂH (SWT): In the area, where it is thought that ALLÂH (SWT) Does Not Intervene, that person is either bound to ascribe divinity to others besides ALLÂH (SWT) or to feign divinity himself. Actually, the first kind of polytheism is connected to the second one. Because ascribing divinity to others in fact proves to be deifying oneself.

Today, this kind of polytheism is in demand in the circles where the secular thought is prevalent. While the secular thought is at the end of thinking that ALLÂH (SWT) Does Not Intervene in some of the areas of life, it dares to abstract ALLÂH (SWT) from life so as to transfer that misconception into life. The outcome of this all is obvious: The area of life which is isolated from ALLÂH (SWT), that is to say from the Holy, starts smelling rotten rapidly and decaying mercilessly everybody and everything living therein. The life that is separated from ALLÂH (SWT) has the same rotten smell as the corpse having lost its spirit. Using the mummification technique for concealing the rotten smell does not bring the corpse back to life, it means merely powdering its face. Actually, this kind of polytheism is depicted in the Verse below:

“It is He [Alone) Who Is God in heaven and God on earth, and He Alone Is Truly Wise, All-Knowing.”(43:84)

Man - compulsorily and helplessly- surrenders to the fact that ALLÂH (SWT) is the God in the heavens, but to try to separate, take away, steal from ALLÂH (SWT) the life which ALLÂH (SWT) Entrusted to mankind in this Divine guesthouse!.. Theft is bad. But it is worse if the guest whom you have let in your completely furnished house, whose every need you welcome in a perfect way, whom you entertain with sumptuous meals, tries to rip off your things and to usurp your house. Human being is the guest of ALLÂH (SWT) in this guesthouse that is called Dunya, i.e. this world. He (SWT) Is A Host, to Whom belongs not only the house, but also the guest and his life. Nevertheless, imagining a life area where ALLÂH (SWT) Does Not Intervene must be considered as a repeated breach of the Divine Trust. Calculate it yourself! “…verily, God Does Not Love anyone who betrays His Trust and is bereft of gratitude.” (22:38)

ALLÂH (SWT) Is in the centre of a Muslim’s life. A faithful person is together with ALLÂH (SWT) in every moment of his life. A faithful person can only in this way succeed in becoming the subject of his life (i.e. who controls it), not its object (i.e. who is controlled by it). A true believer knows that to become the rider of his life is only possible if the life is together with ALLÂH (SWT). Otherwise, he has to become the horse of the life. Therefore, a true believer never thinks, lives, speaks without remembering ALLÂH (SWT). Because to speak without remembering ALLÂH (SWT) is a sin. As a matter of fact, it is for that very reason that a Muslim mind lives together with ALLÂH (SWT), thinks together with ALLÂH (SWT) and speaks together with ALLÂH (SWT) in every area of life. When in great distress, a Muslim says: “ALLÂH (SWT)!”. When advancing on the aggressive enemy, being ready to die for the Cause of ALLÂH (SWT) a Muslims says: “ALLÂH! … ALLÂH!”. A Muslim says: “Ya ALLÂH!” when he desperately needs to collect his power together. When a Muslim is thrilled, he says: “ALLÂHu Akbar” When beginning a task, a Muslim says: “BISMILLÂH”. When making a decision a Muslim says: “BIIDHNILLÂH”. When filled with admiration, a Muslim says: “MASHA’ALLÂH”. When feeling sadness a Muslim says: “LÂ HAWLÂ WALÂ QUWWATA ILLA BILLÂH” (i.e. There is neither might nor power except with ALLÂH (SWT)). When feeling angry, a Muslim says: “FA-SubhÂnALLÂH”. When cherishing a longing, a Muslim says: “Inshâ’ALLÂH”. When pleading for the Forgiveness of ALLÂH (SWT), a Muslim says: “ASTAGHFIRULLÂH”. In every situation a Muslim says: “ALHAMDULILLÂH”. When taking an oath, a Muslim says: “WALLÂH-BILLÂH”.

This language, which is like the building stones of the life constructed by Islam, shows in the most impressive manner that ALLÂH (SWT) Is in the centre of the perception of an Islamic way of life. This language, at the same time, expresses the sensitivity to be demonstrated so as to keep away from polytheism. As a matter of fact, this is the way the mind producing this language has explained that there is not a single area of life that does not depend on ALLÂH (SWT).

All the kinds of polytheism in essence render human being exhilarated by the idea of being self-sufficient. The human’s assumption that he is self-sufficient is a satanic idea. Because, this is a perilous kind of self-deception. For it is an acknowledged truth that a human being is not self-sufficient. In this respect, human being is even weaker than other living creatures.

A human young is dependent upon its mother more than other mammals are. A human being cannot even make his body listen to him. There are lots of systems functioning like clockwork inside a microcosmos-human without being controlled by the human’s consciousness. The human sleeps but those systems don’t. The human faints, those systems still operate.

Human being needs a family, a social environment. Human being depends on the earth, the heavens, bread, water for the fulfilment of his needs. Human being is surrounded by countless examples of his inability to fulfil his own needs without help from others, including those in living beings and the stars. How can human manage to do that not depending on the Creator if he can’t even do without the created things. How can human maintain life not depending on the Creator Halik if he can’t even keep it up without the created things. That’s the reason why polytheism is the assumption that human is sufficient for the fulfilment of his own needs.

Repentance of polytheism is its renunciation. The one who renounces polytheism turns to Tawhid (monotheism). Renouncing polytheism is asking ALLÂH (SWT) for His Pardon (Istighfar), to turn to Tawhid is Repentance. Turning to Tawhid is turning to faith. The faith tree’s root is “Ma’rifa” (religious knowledge). All the facts and information concerning the issues of faith are closely connected with that root.

Chapter Four

The Perceptıon Of Allâh (Swt)

Buılt By The Dıvıne Revelatıon

A. Who Is Allâh (Swt)?

The Noble Qur’ân from the beginning to the end builds the sound perception of ALLÂH (SWT). ALLÂH (SWT) Is Not Seen by His Personal-Self. He (SWT) Is the Absolute Truth That Is Beyond human comprehension. He (SWT) Is Known to the creation by His Attributes and His Names are apparent in the mirror of the existence. Now, let us proceed to the Verses in the Noble Qur’ân that build our perception of ALLÂH (SWT).

1. This is the way ALLÂH (SWT) Introduces Himself:

“Say: He Is the One God: God the Eternal, the Uncaused Cause of All Being.

He begets not, and neither Is He begotten; and there is nothing that could be compared with Him.” (112:1-4)

“God Is He save Whom there is no deity: the One Who Knows all that is beyond the reach of a created being’s perception, as well as all that can be witnessed by a creature’s senses or mind: He, the Most Gracious, the Dispenser of Grace.

God Is He save Whom there is no deity: the Sovereign Supreme, the Holy, the One with whom all salvation rests, the Giver of Faith, the One Who Determines what is true and false, the Almighty, the One Who Subdues wrong and restores right, the One to Whom All Greatness belongs! Utterly remote Is God, in His Limitless Glory, from anything to which men may ascribe a share in His Divinity!

He Is God, the Creator, the Maker who shapes all forms and appearances! His [Alone] are the Attributes of Perfection. All that is in the heavens and on earth extols His Limitless Glory: for He Alone Is Almighty, Truly Wise! (59:22-24)

“God - there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent Fount of All Being!” (3:2)

“God - there is no deity save Him; His [Alone] are the Attributes of Perfection!” (20:8)

“God Is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The parable of His light is, as it were, that of a niche containing a lamp; the lamp is [enclosed] in glass, the glass [shining] like a radiant star: [a lamp] lit from a blessed tree - an olive-tree that is neither of the east nor of the west – the oil whereof [is so bright that it] would well-nigh give light [of itself] even though fire had not touched it: light upon light! God Guides unto His light him that wills [to be guided]; and [to this end] God Propounds parables unto men, since God [alone] Has full knowledge of all things.” (24:35)

“It Is God Who Has Created you, and then Has Provided you with sustenance, and then Will Cause you to die, and then Will Bring you to life again. Can any of those beings or powers to whom you ascribe a share in His divinity do any of these things? Limitless Is He in His glory, and sublimely Exalted above anything to which men may ascribe a share in His divinity!” (30:40)

“It Is God Who Creates you [all in a state] of weakness, and then, after weakness, Ordains strength [for you], and then, after [a period of] strength, Ordains [old-age] weakness and grey hair. He Creates what He Wills; and He Alone Is All-Knowing, Infinite in His power.” (30:54)

“God - there is no deity save Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Subsistent Fount of All Being. Neither slumber overtakes Him, nor sleep. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Who is there that could intercede with Him, unless it be by His Leave? He Knows all that lies open before men and all that is hidden from them, whereas they cannot attain to aught of His Knowledge save that which He Wills [them to attain]. His eternal power overspreads the heavens and the earth, and their upholding wearies Him not. And He Alone Is truly Exalted, Tremendous.” (2:255)

“God - save Whom there is no deity - Will surely Gather you all together on the Day of Resurrection, [the coming of] which is beyond all doubt: and whose word could be truer than God’s?” (4:87)

2. ALLÂH (SWT) Is Self-Sufficient, it is you who need Him (SWT):

“O men! It is you who stand in need of God, whereas He Alone Is Self-Sufficient, the One to Whom all praise is due.” (35:15)

3. ALLÂH (SWT) Is Enough for His servant:

“Is Not God Enough for His servant? And yet, they would frighten thee with those [imaginary divine powers which they worship] beside Him!” (39:36)

4. To ALLÂH (SWT) belong all might and glory:

“He who desires might and glory [ought to know that] all might and glory belong to God [Alone]. Unto Him ascend all good words, and the righteous deed Does He Exalt…” (35:10)

5. To Him (SWT) return all affairs for decision:

“And God Alone Comprehends the hidden reality of the heavens and the earth: for, all that exists goes back to Him [as its source]. Worship Him, then, and place thy trust in Him Alone: for thy Sustainer Is Not Unaware of what you do.” (11:123)

“Now whoever surrenders his whole being unto God, and is a doer of good withal, has indeed taken hold of a support most unfailing: for with God rests the final outcome of all events.” (31:22)

6. ALLÂH (SWT) Does No Wrong to the servants:

“The judgment passed by Me shall not be altered; but never Do I Do the least wrong unto My creatures!” (50:29)

“For no wrong did We do to them, but it was they who wronged themselves…” (11:101)

7. Whomsoever ALLÂH (SWT) Guides, for him there will be no misleader:

“Whereas he whom God Guides Aright can never be led astray. Is not God Almighty, an Avenger of evil?” (39:37)

8. Flee not from but to ALLÂH (SWT):

“Flee unto God…” (51:50)

“… know that you can never elude God!” (9:3)

9. I counsel you one thing only: Be conscious of standing before ALLÂH (SWT):

“Say: ‘I counsel you one thing only: Be ever conscious of standing before God whether you are in the company of others or alone.’” (34:46)

10. ALLÂH (SWT) Is Lord of all dominion:

“Say: ‘O God, Lord of all dominion! Thou Grantest dominion unto whom Thou Willest, and Takest away dominion from whom Thou Willest; and Thou Exaltest whom Thou Willest, and Abasest whom Thou Willest. In Thy hand is all good. Verily, Thou Hast the power to will anything.’” (3:26)

“Verily, your Sustainer Is God, Who Has Created the heavens and the earth in six aeons, and Is Established on the Throne of His Almightiness. He Covers the day with the night in swift pursuit, with the sun and the moon and the stars subservient to His Command: oh, verily, His is all creation and all command. Hallowed Is God, the Sustainer of all the worlds!” (7:54)

11. No one must be dearer to you than ALLÂH (SWT):

“Say: ‘If your fathers and your sons and your brothers and your spouses and your clan, and the worldly goods which you have acquired, and the commerce whereof you fear a decline, and the dwellings in which you take pleasure - [if all these] are dearer to you than God and His Apostle and the struggle in His Cause, then wait until God Makes Manifest His Will; and [know that] God Does Not Grace iniquitous folk with His Guidance.’” (9:24)