Islamic-Life

Three Categories of Tawheed are defined in the Qur'an

We have previously stated that the three categories of tawheed are taken directly from the Noble Qur'an. The categories are taken from many verses, so let us look to some of them now. The very first chapter found in the mus-haf, Soorah Al-Faatihah, mentions all three categories of tawheed. Allah says: "All the praise is due to Allah, the Lord of all that exists".¹ Here is Tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah (rububiyyah - Unity of Allah's Lordship), as the verse establishes Allah's Lordship over the 'aalameen, which means everything except Allah, and the Rabb (Lord) means the Owner and Controller of Affairs.

Allah then says: "The Bestower of Mercy, the All-Merciful, the Owner of the Day of Judgement". ² Tawheed al-asmaa' was-sifaat (asma was-sifat) is present in these verses, as Allah establishes for Himself the attributes of Mercy and Ownership. He also establishes some of His Names - Ar-Rahmaan, Ar-Raheem, and Al-Maalik.

Then He says: "You alone we worship, and You alone we seek help from".³ And here is Tawheed al-uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah - Oneness of Allah), as the verse demonstrates the obligation to single out Allah with acts of worship, and to seek help from Him alone.

Similarly, the three categories of Tawheed are also found in Soorah An-Naas, the very last chapter to be found in the mus-haf. Tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah (rububiyyah - Unity of Allah's Lordship) is found in His Statement: "Say: 'I seek refuge in the Lord of mankind'".⁴ And Tawheed al-asmaa' was-sifaat (asma was-sifat) is found in His Statement "the King of mankind" ⁵. And lastly, Tawheed al-uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah - Oneness of Allah) is found in His Statement "the God worshipped by mankind"⁶.

Likewise, the very first command issued in the mus-haf contains the categories of Tawheed: "O mankind! Worship your Lord who created you and those who came before you, so that you might attain taqwaa. (He is) the One who made the earth a bed for you and the sky a mighty structure, and He sent water down from the sky that brings forth many fruits for your provisions. So do not ascribe partners to Allah while you have knowledge!"⁷. After mentioning the three kinds of people, the believers, the disbelievers, and the hypocrites, and then turning His Servants to the Qur'an as a source of guidance⁸.

He followed that up saying: "O mankind! Worship your Lord!"⁹. This is a general call, a command to the entire creation, to single out Allah with acts of worship, and a command to avoid ascribing a single partner to Allah. This is Tawheed al-uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah - Oneness of Allah).

Then Allah comes with Tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah (rububiyyah - Unity of Allah's Lordship), as something to back up the fact that He deserves to be worshipped alone: "The One who made the earth a bed for you and the sky a mighty structure, and He sent water down from the sky that brings forth many fruits for your provisions"¹⁰. Aren't these the actions of Allah, Most High and Magnificent? This is Tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah (rububiyyah - Unity of Allah's Lordship). Allah, Most Glorified and Exalted, mentions it here as a proof and something that leads to Tawheed al-uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah - Oneness of Allah). Just as He alone does these things, then no one other than Him deserves worship, rather this is a right that is purely and solely for Him, Most Glorified.

He mentions two of the categories of Tawheed in these verses. Tawheed al-uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah - Oneness of Allah) is mentioned since it is the greatest thing sought from mankind, and Tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah (rububiyyah - Unity of Allah's Lordship) is mentioned as a proof for it, and something that can not be separated from it. He orders all of mankind with the same order found in another verse: "And I have not created the Jinn nor mankind for any purpose other than worshipping Me"¹¹.

So He has informed us that these two great creations, the Jinn and mankind, have not been created for a purpose other than worshipping Allah, singling Him out with tawheed al-uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah). Then He forbade shirk in the last part of the verse: "So do not ascribe partners to Allah while you have knowledge"¹². Meaning that you are not to perform a single act of worship for other than Allah, while you know that no one shares in His ruboobiyyah (rububiyyah), His Creation of the Heavens and the Earth, His sending of the rain, His causing the plants to grow forth, etc. Since you know that no one shared with Him in these affairs, then how could you worship someone along with Him?!

Allah, Most Glorified and Exalted, says: "And your God is one God, there is no God except Him"¹³. This is Tawheed al-uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah - Oneness of Allah). A God is something that is worshipped, so uloohiyyah (uluhiyyah) is worship and complete love. The verse means that the one who rightfully deserves your worship is only one, there is no God except Him, there is none to be worshipped other than Him.

Later in the verse, Allah says: "The Bestower of Mercy, the All-Merciful "¹⁴. This is something from Tawheed al-asmaa' was-sifaat (asma was-sifat), as it contains proof for two of Allah's Names, along with His Attribute of Mercy.

Allah also says: "Verily in the creation of the heavens and the earth, and in the alternation of night and day, and the ships that sail through the sea with that which is of use to mankind, and the water that Allah sends down from the sky and makes the earth alive with it after its death, and the many animals of all kinds scattered therein, and in the various winds, and in the clouds that are held between the sky and the earth, truly all of these are evidences for people of intellect"¹⁵. This verse is about Tawheed ar-ruboobiyyah (rububiyyah - Unity of Allah's Lordship). Allah mentions these things as proofs for His Right to be worshipped alone, as He called these things aayaat, meaning proofs and evidences for His Right to be worshipped alone.

In these verses, all three categories of tawheed have been mentioned, and likewise you find them mentioned all throughout the rest of the Qur'an.

Source: The Three Categories of Tawheed are Defined in the Qur'an

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Footnotes:

[1] the meaning of Soorah Al-Faatihah (1):2

[2] the meaning of Soorah Al-Faatihah (1):3-4

[3] the meaning of Soorah Al-Faatihah (1):5

[4] the meaning of Soorah An-Naas (114):1

[5] the meaning of Soorah An-Naas (114):2

[6] the meaning of Soorah An-Naas (114):3

[7] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2):21-22

[8] translator's note: in the first 20 verse of Soorah Al-Baqarah

[9] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2):21

[10] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2):21-22

[11] the meaning of Soorah Ath-Thaariyaat (51):56

[12] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2):22

[13] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2):163

[14] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2):163

[15] the meaning of Soorah Al-Baqarah (2):164