Sura Ikhlas (Monotheism)
On the virtue of reciting this Sura, numerous narrations from the holy Prophet and Ahlul-Bait (p.b.u.th.) are cited in Islamic sources which refer to the extraordinary greatness of the Sura. The author of Atyab-ul-Bayan Commentary, collected 25 of them.
In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful
Sura Ikhlas (Monotheism)
No. 112 (4 Verses)
Contents of the Sura:
This Sura, as its name indicates, is about the Unity of Allah, and His Oneness. In its four verses, the Sura describes monotheism completely.
Occasion of Revelation of the Sura:
On the occasion of revelation of this Sura, a tradition from Imam Sadiq (p.b.u.h.) says: "A Jew asked the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) to describe the identity or to relate the geneology of Allah. He remained silent and gave no answer for three days, then, the Messenger Angel brought (him) this Sura and he (p.b.u.h.) gave them their answer." (1)
Some other narrations denote that the Jew who asked this question was 'Abdullah ibn Suriya, one of the known chiefs of the Jews. Another narration says that 'Abdullah ibn Salam asked this question from the holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.), in Mecca, and believed (in Islam), but, he kept his faith concealed.
Another narration says that the pagans of Mecca asked such a question. (2)
In some narrations it is also said that the Christians of Najran asked the question.
There is no contradiction in these narrations because the question may have been asked by all of them, separately, which is, itself, an evidence to the extraordinary importance of this Sura, which answers the questions of different persons from various groups.
The Virtue of studying this Sura:
On the virtue of reciting this Sura, numerous narrations from the holy Prophet and Ahlul-Bait (p.b.u.th.) are cited in Islamic sources which refer to the extraordinary greatness of the Sura. The author of Atyab-ul-Bayan Commentary, collected 25 of them. (3)
The holy Prophet (p.b.u.h.) is narrated to have said in a tradition: "Is there anyone of you unable to recite one third of the Qur'an in one night"?
One of his listeners asked: "O Messenger of Allah! Who is able to do that"?
The Prophet (p.b.u.h.) said: "Recite 'Say: He, Allah, is One! (Sura Ikhlas)". (4)
A tradition says that the recitation of this Sura, when arriving at a home, causes the increase of sustenance and removing poverty from the people therein. (5)
There are ninety different traditions and narrations mentioned, with their approved references, on the virtue and commentary of this Sura in Tafsir-i-Nur-uth-Thaqalayn. (6)
On the idea that reading this Sura is equal to one third of the whole Qur'an, some have said that it is for the reason that the Holy Qur'an contains ordinances, creeds, and history, and this Sura states the creed part in an intensive form.
Some others have said that the Qur'an is made up of three main themes; origin, end, and what is in the middle between these two, and this Sura is about the first theme.
This meaning, that about one third of the Qur'an is the description of monotheism, is also acceptable; the extract of which has come in this Sura.
In conclusion, of this statement, we cite a tradition on the splendor of the Sura.
Imam Ali-ibn al-Hosain az-Zain-ul-'Abideen (p.b.u.h.) was asked about Sura Ikhlas (Monotheism), and he said: "Verily Allah, the Almighty and Glorious, knew that at the end of time there will come some people who will be precise and careful (in affairs), then, He sent down the Sura (Ikhlas), and the beginning verses of Sura Hadid up to 'And He has fill knowledge of the secrets of (all) hearts'. Everyone who seeks beyond this will perish". (7)
(1) Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10, p. 564.
(2) Al-Mizan, vol. 20, p. 546.
(3) Atyab-ul-Bayan, vol. 14, p. 259.
(4) Majma'-al-Bayan, vol. 10. p. 561 (and other commentary sources).
(5) Ibid.
(6) Nur-uth-Thaqalayn vol. 5 p. 699-715.
(7) Usul-i-Kafi, vol. 1, Chapter Nesbat, tradition 3.
Sura Ikhlas
(Monotheism)
No. 112 (Verses 1-4)
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
(1)قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
(2)اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ
(3)لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
(4) وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ
In The Name of Allah, The Beneficent, The Merciful
1. Say: He, Allah, is One,
2. Allah, the Eternal,
3. He begets not, nor is He begotten,
4. And there is none like unto Him.
Commentary:
The first verse, of this Sura, is an answer to the repeated question of many persons from different groups of people or tribes who asked about the attributes and identity of Allah. The command is:
Say: He, Allah, is One,
It begins with the Arabic term /huwa/ 'He' which is a pronoun-third-person-singular and refers to something known to all, but ambiguous and not identified with any, as against the usual reference in the term of first person singular 'I'. It is, indeed, a code referring to the fact that His Holy Being is extremely concealed and no human thought or imagination can touch it, though the signs of His Existence have filled the world, totally, and are more apparent and clear than all things, as Sura Fussilat, No. 41, verse 53 says: Soon will We show them Our Signs in the (furthest) regions (of the earth), and in their own souls, until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth...
.
Then, it makes this unknown fact manifest by saying that 'Allah is One'.
By the way, the term /qul/, here, means 'express this fact and tell others'.
A tradition from Imam Mohammad Baqir (p.b.u.h.) says that after expressing this statement he has said: Pagans and idol worshippers used to point to their idols using demonstrative pronouns and say: 'O Mohammad, these are our gods that can be seen. You, too, describe your God so that we can see and understand'. Allah revealed these verses: 'Say: He, Allah, is One', and the /h/ in the word /huwa/ refers to the confirmation of the matter and takes it into consideration. And /w/ is a third person pronoun which refers to the meaning that it is concealed from the sight of the eyes and it is beyond the limits of the touch of the senses. (1)
In another tradition, Imam Amir-ul-Mo'mineen Ali (p.b.u.h.) says: On the night before the battle of Badr I saw 'Khidr' in my dream. I asked him to teach me something with which I would defeat the enemies. He told me: 'Say: /ya hu ya man la huwa illa hu/, The next morning I told the Messenger of Allah (p.b.u.h.) what had happened, and he (p.b.u.h.) said: 'O Ali you have been taught the Greatest Name (of Allah)'. Thereafter, I repeatedly said the phrase in the battle of Badr. (2)
When 'Ammar Yasir heard that Hazrat Ali (p.b.u.h.) was reciting this phrase, habitually, while he was fighting on the day of Siffin, he asked him what it was, and Hazrat Ali (p.b.u.h.) replied: It is the Greatest Name (of Allah) and the pillar of monotheism. (3)
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Allah is a proper name for God, and the meaning of the Imam's expression is that in this very word are gathered all His attributes of Bounty and Glory, and due to this it has been called 'The Greatest of Names'.
This proper name is used for nothing but God, while other names for Allah each of which usually refers to one of His qualities of Beauty and Glory, are often used for other than Him.
The root of the word is mentioned differently; /ilahat/, /alahah/, /alilahah/, /ilah/, /walih/; however, Allah, from whatever root it is, has been used as a proper noun, applied to 'the Being Who exists necessarily, by Himself; comprising all the attributes of perfection; a proper name denoting the true god, containing all the excellent, divine names; a unity having all the essence of existing things'.
This Sacred Name is mentioned in the Holy Qur'an almost one thousand times, which is more than any other name of His Holy Names. This name brings light in our heart, makes us firm and calm, and takes us into a world full of purity and serenity.
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The term /ahad/ is derived from /wahdah/, and some believe that /ahad/ and /wahid/ are the same in many cases. In this case, /ahad/ is interchangeable with /wahid/ when it is used as an epithet applied for Allah, because /al-ahad/, as an epithet, is applied to Allah alone, and signifies 'the One'; the Soul; He Who has always been one and alone; or the Indivisible; or He Who has no second (to share) in His Lordship, nor in His Essence, nor in His attributes.
One can say /huwal wahid/ and /huwal ahad/ and, in like manner, /ahad/ without the article being used as an epithet, especially in relation to Allah. It is interchangeable, in this case, (but not in other cases) with /wahid/ . In this verse /ahad/ is a substitute for Allah, just as an indeterminate noun is sometimes a substitute for a determinate noun.
But, some others believe that there is a vast difference between the two Arabic words /ahad/ and /wahid/ both commonly thought to mean 'Oneness'. To indicate the Unity of God, it is said, in this verse, that God is Allah, i.e. One; One in the sense of Absolute Oneness of His Essential Existence, not in the numerical sense of the word, which has its second and third, but, the One which has no second.
The expression 'One', is in the sense of being the 'ONLY' and, in conceiving Whose existence, all faculties of the human intellect are helpless. He is such a One that even His attributes are His Essence and are not and can never be separate from Him.
It is a death blow which Islam has rendered, about the All-Divine, to all imaginary concepts of any kind of polytheistic doctrines and the phenomena of plurality.
He is One with none comparable to Him, without any beginning or end, unlimited by time, space or circumstances. A reality before which all others have no existence. He is the Creator, One, and everything is His creation.
A tradition from Imam Mohammad Baqir (p.b.u.h.) says: 'Ahad' and 'wahid' both have one concept which is One with nothing comparable or similar to it, and monotheism is the confession to His Oneness. (4)
In the Qur'an /wahid/ and /ahad/, both, refer to Allah, the One, the Only.
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