Oneness of Allah & the broadness of his Mercy at every single human

يا إِلهي وَسَيِّدي وَرَبّي، أَتُراكَ مُعَذِّبي بِنارِكَ بَعْدَ تَوْحيدِكَ وَبَعْدَ مَا انْطَوى عَلَيْهِ قَلْبي مِنْ مَعْرِفَتِكَ وَلَهِجَ بِهِ لِساني مِنْ ذِكْرِكَ، وَاعْتَقَدَهُ ضَميري مِنْ حُبِّكَ، وَبَعْدَ صِدْقِ اعْتِرافي وَدُعائي خاضِعاً لِرُبُوبِيَّتِكَ

My Allah, my Master and My Lord! Can You be seen tormenting me with Your Fire after I have professed Your Oneness; after Your cognition my heart has embraced, the remembrance of You my tongue has constantly mentioned and the love of You to which my mind has clung; after the sincerity of my confession and my supplication, the humble before Your Lordship?

By Your Holy Essence that no one of the Prophets, Imams, the mystics, the pious, and the repented servants knows You like this; You won’t torment me with Your Fire, after my awareness of these facts by Your own Mercy. Rather all Your pious servants know You as the One Who will have Mercy on me in the Hereafter, will forgive my sins, will place me in Paradise, and will gather me together with Your lovers on the Resurrection Day.

Oneness

The human who has known the Holy Essence of Allah and His Divine attributes from the Holy Qur’¡n, the traditions, the believers and by pondering in the creation of the world and its beings would practically and mentally consider any creator, other than Him, untrue and finite. He testifies to Allah’s Oneness verbally and wholeheartedly and denies the living idols. Such a person is called Muwa¦¦id (monotheist). The divine religions of all great prophets were based on the same oneness of Allah. They have invited people to confirm and believe in Allah’s Oneness. As the Holy Qur’¡n implies, the prophets invited people to practical monoecism, i.e., denying earthly deities.

The theoretical concept of monoecism is important in purifying the minds from disbelief. In this area, the disbelievers who have considered other deities beside Allah are addressed. Also those who believe in the sources of goodness and badness, those who believe in materialization of Allah in other beings, those who believe in the gods, those who have considered َAllah as compound such as the Christians, and finally the followers of Mujassama, who have personified Allah, the most ignorant of which are the followers of Wahhabiyya sect, are dealt with. In the practical aspect of monoecism, worshipping the One Allah and avoiding obedience of things other than Him are stressed. Worshipping the One Allah results from a true mind and complete knowledge of Allah and polytheism belief is a consequence of mental polytheism and wrong beliefs. In fact avoidance of worshipping beings other than Allah is avoidance of cheap opinions that cause this kind of worship.

The practical aspect of belief in Allah’s Oneness is requested from the people by the divine books and prophets. Since practical polytheism, like verbal polytheism, is the most obvious sign of disbelief it is an important aspect of the prophets’ invitation. Therefore practical monoecism is very effective in human life, in virtualization of his human nature, and in rescuing him from slavery and imperial powers.

The prophets were determined to purify human societies from polytheism and grant freedom and greatness to people. And the reason why the Pharaohs and tyrant rulers opposed monotheism was that its practical aspect was dangerous for their tyranny. Another reason for the prophets’ invitation to monotheism was that polytheism of some cheap people had resulted in their despotism, as the Holy Qur’¡n states:

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا إِذَا قِيلَ لَهُمْ لا إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ يَسْتَكْبِرُونَ.

Surely they used to behave proudly when it was said to them: There is no god but Allah. (37:35)

Because this phrase was considered a threat for their oppressing other people, dominating them, and depriving them from their rights; because confessing to Allah’s Oneness abolished obligatory obedience to them and their orders and concessions.[1]

Thus belief in Allah’s Oneness and Uniqueness and the sameness of His Essence with His Attributes, is the mere monoecism. Monoecism is belief in the Oneness of the Lord Who is the Ruler of everything, in Whose hands lies life, death, creation, alteration, hidden and apparent aspects of everything. In other words, it is the belief in the Lord to Whom people are invited by the prophets and Imams and Whose rules should be obeyed. And it is denying any tyrant and oppressor ruler. So one who confesses to that there is no diety save Allah, and that none holds any influence in this universe save Allah, and there is neither might nor power save with Allah is a real believer.

Am¢r al-Mu’min¢n, `Al¢ (a.s), who conceived the reality of things, has offered the prerequisite for knowing Allah and worshipping Him in various sermons of his Nahj al-Bal¡ghah:

أَوَّلُ الدِّينِ مَعْرِفَتُهُ، وَكَمَالُ مَعْرِفَتِهِ التَّصْديقُ بِهِ، وَكَمَالُ التَّصْدِيقِ بِهِ تَوْحِيدُهُ، وَكَمَالُ تَوْحِيدِهِ الاِْخْلاصُ لَهُ، وَكَمَالُ الاِْخْلاصِ لَهُ نَفْيُ الصِّفَاتِ عَنْهُ، لِشَهَادَةِ كُلِّ صِفَة أَنَّها غَيْرُ المَوْصُوفِ، وَشَهَادَةِ كُلِّ مَوْصُوف أَنَّهُ غَيْرُ الصِّفَةِ، فَمَنْ وَصَفَ اللهَ سُبْحَانَهُ فَقَدْ قَرَنَهُ، وَمَنْ قَرَنَهُ فَقَدْ ثَنَّاهُ،وَمَنْ ثَنَّاهُ فَقَد جَزَّأَهُ، وَمَنْ جَزَّأَهُ فَقَدْ جَهِلَهُ، [وَمَنْ جَهِلَهُ فَقَدْ أشَارَ إِلَيْهِ، ]وَمَنْ أشَارَ إِلَيْهِ فَقَدْ حَدَّهُ، وَمَنْ حَدَّهُ فَقَدْ عَدَّهُ، وَمَنْ قَالَ: «فِيمَ» فَقَدْ ضَمَّنَهُ، وَمَنْ قَالَ: «عَلاَمَ؟» فَقَدْ أَخْلَى مِنُهُ. كائِنٌ لاَ عَنْ حَدَث، مَوْجُودٌ لاَ عَنْ عَدَم، مَعَ كُلِّ شَيْء لاَ بِمُقَارَنَة، وَغَيْرُ كُلِّ شيء لا بِمُزَايَلَة، فَاعِلٌ لا بِمَعْنَى الْحَرَكَاتِ وَالاْلةِ، بَصِيرٌ إذْ لاَ مَنْظُورَ إلَيْهِ مِنْ خَلْقِهِ، مُتَوَحِّدٌ إذْ لاَ سَكَنَ يَسْتَأْنِسُ بهِ وَلاَ يَسْتوْحِشُ لِفَقْدِهِ.

The beginning of religion is knowing Him, the perfection of this knowledge is belief in Allah, the final point of this belief is believing in His Oneness, and the purpose of this belief is sincerity toward Him, and the end point of this sincerity is denying false features attributed to Him, since every attribute is different from what it describes and vice versa. So anyone who describes Allah with an attribute has related Him to something, and if one relates Allah to something he has considered Allah as two, and if he considers Allah as two has considered Him as having aspects. If one considers Allah as having aspects, he has not understood His reality, and anyone who has not understood Allah’s reality has considered a reference point for Him, and by doing so he has considered Allah limited, so he has considered Allah as countable. If one asks: ‘What is Allah located in?’ he has considered Him along with something else. And one who asks: ‘What is Allah over?’ has considered that thing separate from and independent of Allah.

He is eternal; nothing has existed before Him and He has experienced no nonexistence. He is with everything without being related to it and He is different from everything without being separate from it. He is the Creator of beings without having a movement and without needing any means. He is Seeing without needing a view of His creatures. He is One, because He has never had a match to befriend it and fear without it.[2]

Also in another sermon Imam `Al¢ (a.s) states:

الْحَمْدُ لله الَّذِي لاَ تُدْرِكُهُ الشَّوَاهِدُ، وَلاَ تَحْوِيهِ الْمَشَاهِدُ، وَلاَ تَرَاهُ النَّوَاظِرُ، وَلاَ تَحْجُبُهُ السَّوَاتِرُ، الدَّالِّ عَلَى قِدَمِهِ بِحُدُوثِ خَلْقِهِ، وَبِحُدُوثِ خَلْقِهِ عَلَى وجُودِهِ، وَبِاشْتِبَاهِهِمْ عَلَى أَنْ لاَ شَبَهَ لَهُ، الَّذِي صَدَقَ فِي مِيعَادِهِ، وَارْتَفَعَ عَنْ ظُلْمِ عِبَادِه، وَقَامَ بِالْقِسطِ فِي خَلْقِهِ، وَعَدَلَ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي حُكْمِهِ، مُسْتَشْهِدٌ بِحُدُوثِ الاَْشْيَاءِ عَلَى أَزَلِيَّتِهِ، وَبِمَا وَسَمَهَا بِهِ مِنَ الْعَجْزِ عَلَى قُدْرَتِهِ، وَبِمَا اضْطَرَّهَا إِلَيْهِ مِنَ الْفَنَاءِ عَلَى دَوَامِهِ، وَاحِدٌ لاَ بِعَدَد، وَدَائِمٌ لاَ بِأَمَد، وَقَائِمٌ لاَ بَعَمَد، تَتَلَقَّاهُ الاَْذْهَانُ لاَ بِمُشَاعَرَة، وَتَشْهَدُ لَهُ الْمَرَائِي لاَ بِمُحَاضَرَة، لَمْ تُحِطْ بِهِ الاَْوْهَامُ، بَلْ تَجَلَّى لَهَا بِهَا، وَبِهَا امْتَنَعَ مِنهَا، وَإِلَيْهَا حَاكَمَهَا، لَيْسَ بِذِي كِبَر امْتَدَّتْ بِهِ النِّهَايَاتُ فَكَبَّرَتْهُ تَجْسِيماً، وَلاَ بِذِي عِظَم تَنَاهَتْ بِهِ الْغَايَاتُ فَعَظَّمَتْهُ تَجْسِيداً بَلْ كَبُرَ شَأْناً، وَعَظُمَ سُلْطَاناً.

Praise be to Allah. He is such that senses cannot perceive Him, place cannot contain Him, eyes cannot see Him and veils cannot cover Him. He proves His eternity by the coming into existence of His creation, and (also) by originating His creation (He proves) His existence, and by their (mutual) similarity He proves that there is nothing similar to Him. He is true in His promise. He is too high to be unjust to His creatures. He stands by equity among His creation and practices justice over them in His commands. He provides evidence through the creation of things of His being from ever, through their marks of incapability of His power, and through their powerlessness against death of His eternity.

He is One, but not by counting. He is everlasting without, any limit. He is existent without any support. Minds admit of Him without (any activity of the) senses. Things which can be seen stand witness to Him without confronting Him. Imagination cannot encompass Him. He manifests Himself to the imagination with his help for the imagination, and refuses to be imagined by the imagination. He has made imagination the arbiter (in this matter). He is not big in the sense that volume is vast and so His body is also big. Nor is He great in the sense that His limits should extend to the utmost and so His frame be extensive. But He is big in position and great in authority.[3]

One who receives the belief in Allah’s Oneness from the Qur’¡n, the prophets, the Imams and other sincere believers, performs the obligatory deeds, avoids wrongdoing, and denies any deity but Allah, is a real monotheist and hence would be rescued, and granted great reward and sustenance from Allah. The Prophet of Islam (s.a) said:

خَيْرُ العِبَادَةِ قَوْلُ لاَ إلَهَ إلاّ اللهُ.

The best worship is confessing to Allah’s Oneness (saying there is no god but Allah).[4]

مَنْ مَاتَ وَلاَ يُشْرِكُ باللهِ شَيْئاً، أحْسَنَ أوْ أسَاءَ، دَخَلَ الجَنَّةَ.

One who dies while he has not considered a deity beside Allah would enter the Paradise, whether he has done good or bad deeds.[5]

Imam al-B¡qir (a.s) stated:

مَا مِنْ شَيْءٍ أعْظَمُ ثَواباً مِنْ شَهَادَةِ أنْ لاَ إلَهَ إلاّ اللهُ، لأنَّ اللهَ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ لاَ يَعْدِلُهُ شَيْءٌ وَلا يَشْرَكُهُ فِي الأمْرِ أحَدٌ.

No deed will be rewarded more than confessing to Allah’s Oneness, because nothing equals the Almighty and no one is His counterpart.[6]

Imam Sadiq (a.s) stated:

إنَّ اللهَ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى حَرَّمَ أجْسَادَ المُوَحِّدِينَ عَلَى النَّارِ.

Surely the Almighty has denied Fire on the believers’ bodies.[7]

Imam Sadiq (a.s) also stated:

قَوْلُ لاَ إلَهَ إلاّ اللهُ ثَمَنُ الجَنَّةِ.

The cost of Paradise is the sincere uttering of ‘There is no deity but Allah’.[8]

The Messenger of Allah (s.a) stated:

إنَّ لاَ إلَهَ إلاّ اللهُ كَلِمَةٌ عَظِيمَةٌ كَرِيمَةٌ عَلَى اللهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ، مَنْ قَالَهَا مُخْلِصاً اسْتَوْجَبَ الجَنَّةَ، وَمَنْ قَالَهَا كَاذِباً عَصَمَتْ مَالَهُ وَدَمَهُ وَكَانَ مَصِيرُهُ إلَى النَّارِ.

The phrase ‘there is no god but Allah’ is a worthy one before Allah. One who confesses to it sincerely is deserved to go to Paradise, and one who confesses to it untruly is safe in this world, but his place is in the Fire in the Hereafter.[9]

He is also quoted as saying:

وَالَّذِي بَعَثَنِي بِالْحَقِّ بَشِيراً؛ لاَ يُعَذِّبُ اللهُ بِالنَّارِ مُوَحِّداً أبَداً.

By the One Who truly sent me for giving good tidings that Allah would never chastise a monotheist by the Fire.[10]

O Merciful Allah! No one knows You as the chastiser of me after my sincere confessing to Your Oneness, my recognition of Your Greatness, my mentioning Your remembrance, my adherence to Your love, and my humble supplication before You.