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Tawheed: According to Al-Habashi

Tawheed

Tawheed, usually defined as the unity of Allah or His oneness, is actually a term which means the process of repeatedly singling out Allah. The issue had arisen where people lost the concept of tawheed, and in fact, the popular mistranslation of the word tawheed is a result of this misunderstanding. It became necessary to explain tawheed in detail, to discuss its rules and principles etc. The reasons for this were may, however the overriding factor was that Islam had spread all over the world an deach society that accepted added more deviant concepts about Allah and worshipping Him. So, the concept is explained:

Tawheed al-Ruboobiyyah

The act of singling out Allah in all aspects of Lordship.

Tawheed al-Uloohiyyah (or Tawheed al-'Ibaadah)

The act of singling our Allah as the only diety, the only god, the only one who is in reality divine. It is the act of singling Him out for worship.

Tawheed al-Asmaa wal Sifat

It is the act of singling out Allah with all of His Beautiful names and Majestic Attributes, without denial of any of them, without likening them to anything, without claiming a similarity for them, and without distorting either their meanings or their actual wordings.

This has lead to the scholars to further state that terminology which has not been used to describe Allah either by Allah Himself, or His Messenger may not be utilized to describe Allah. Why? Because many words contain misleading or unclear meanings behind them, and it does not befit Allah who best knows Himself, that we describe Him with descriptions that He did not use, nor His Messenger. We also refrain from denying specific things from Allah if they have not been denied from Him. This is, as well, because in order to be sure of how. So were an individual to claim that Allah does not have this or that etc. and these things being specifically denied were not denied by Him T'ala or His Prophet then we may not deny them. It is not permissible to estimate Allah as how He should be based upon human understanding. It is only allowed that we claim what He has claimed, or what His Messenger has informed us reaching us by way of authentic narration.

So, the above method of understanding and implementing tawheed must be utilized completely in order for one's tawheed to be acceptable. If one of the categories above is missing, then this person does not have the correct creed, and he is not properly worshipping Allah alone. Some scholars have revised the above principles so that they utilize two instead of three, and they explain it as Tawheed al-Asmaa wal Sifat, including all of the Names and Attributes, as well as the characteristics of Lordship, and Tawheed al-'Ibaadah. This, too, is a beneficial approach for the subject.

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Al-Habashi's tawheed is divided into three principles or categories:

1. The denial of the proper concept that Allah's Essence has many qualities, and his (Habashi) false interpretation of the words al-Ahad and al-Samad

2. The denial of any similarity to Allah in His Essence and attributes

3. Allah is alone creating, originating and maintaining. So, there is no contributor in inventing, manufacturing, and sustaining the invented things.

The First Category

The denial of the proper concept that Allah's Essence has many characteristics.

We know that the source for this principle is Plato, for it was he who said,

"The many is not found in Him at all, as the idea of assembly does not relate to Him under any circumstances. Therefore, He is simply one in Himself."

Then he says,

"And because He is one from every angle, you cannot describe Him with a description that implies numerous substance."

Al-Habashi's source for this first principle is purely Platonic. Though, he did not copy it immediately from Plato, perhaps, he copied it from the books of the philosophers and the people of kalaam who studied Plato, Aristotle and others. Like Faraaby, Ibn Seena, Ibn al-Rumi, Ibn Rushid, Juwainy .etc

Here, elucidating the influence that the Greek Philosophers had over them is the saying of al-Faraaby,

"The Inevitable Existence cannot be divided with divisions of quantity or meaning, otherwise each part of it's division must have it's own existence, so inevitably there are many esisting." (Source "Fusuws al-Hikam by Farrabiy. Inevitable Existence: 'al-waajib-alwujoob' ; This is one of the few terms from Ilm al-Kalaam which is used in this book. It is used in quotations of philosophers. It is the Greek Philosophical concept of Sustainer or Lord. It is the concept of that which must exist; which controls the existence.)

and the saying of Ibn Seena,

"The Inevitable Existence does not divide in meaning or quantity." (Source: Al-Ishaaraat - by Ibn Seena)

This verfies that al-Habashi wants to strip away the attributes in order to confirm Allah's Essence and that it disturbs him that the Essence which is ONE could possess more than one quality.

Bu al-Habashi neglected the fact that this is Palto's theory, who was so excessive in his theory that he would not describe Allah with His many correct qualities. Yet he described Allah as khair even theough he attempted to avoid describing Allah with a description implying many qualities in His Essence . Plato, according to his own views says,

"We do not describe Him as a substance or with appearance because the substance and appearance are relative things. So, describing Him as a substance demands the imagination to picture the appearance or design along with it. Because the imagination does not stop simply at picturing it as a substance only rather it goes on to picture it's parts as well and that is the design which without a doubt must have and abundance of contents."

The reader may notice that this is from the sayings of the Greek Philosophers; the knowledge of reason which drove many groups like the Jahmiyya, the Mu'tazila, the Haruriya, and others to deny the attributes of Allah. They stated their argument as Plato had; that describing Allah with something will lead to many things, which in itself denies the ONENESS of Allah.

Furthermore, he who theorized this principle is the same who 'assigned' the attribut of khair to Allah and this is a contradiction and it amounts to nothing less than hesitation and no rational Muslim believes that Allah accepts the philosophical principles, ideas or ways. For what Muhammad was sent with was enough, and in the opinion of those Greek Philosophers, no one truly knows these things but Allah. Yet their words cam from other than Him.

This brings us to al-Habashi's interpretation of al-Ahad, the One. That is, that cannot have a description or division in its essence and there are no parts in it as Allah T'ala said, al-Ahad, al-Samad. However, you will not find that something which is described with characteristics cannot be called Ahad in the Arabic language. Contrarily it is proven that Ahad is a description of the creatures in the Qur'an as Allah T'ala said,

"And if one of the idolators seek protection from you..."

"An not join any one in the service of his Lord."

"Leave Me and him whom ."

Reference to people as alone/one or Ahad is made in these verses and these creatures are described with descriptions that befit them. Therefore, how is it correct that something which is Ahad cannot be described or divided? If al-Habashi's assertion was correct then Allah would not describe the creatures with Ahad. Yet these creatures are described with appearance, substance and with many attributes which lead to many qualities (as they calim).

It is known that Allah quotes the believer saying,

"...and I do not associate anyone with my Lord."

So, if none can be described as Ahad "One" except Allah (as there is no attribute for Him which denies His Onenees) and Allah has described His creatures with it, and they have many qualities in them -- then this concept of al-Habashi is baseless. For this reason Ahad serves as a witness falsifying al-Habashi's explanation of tawheed.

Here then, al-Habashi is disproven from three directions:

1. The Qur'an. For the Qur'an has been revealed i the pure Arabic language which does utilize the term Ahad to name something which has various characteristics and qualities. This proves that using this description is known to the Arabs and is acceptable in the language.

2. The Arabic language. Because it is not a rule in the language that a thing cannot be caleld Ahad simply because it can be described or divided.

3. The Greek Philosophers and Plato. Because these it is who forbade refering to Allah with attributes that would "increase" His unity, and then described Allah as khair .

The Second Category

The Second category of tawheed according to al-Habashi is the negation of any similarity to Allah in His Essence and His Attributes.

There is no difference between us and al-Habashi in that Allah's Essence is not similar to any of His creatures, and that His attributes are not like those describing the creatures. However, concerning the attributes it is important to clarify the following:

No sane Muslim would assert that Allah's Attributes were in reality similar to those of His creatures. Just as it is true that Allah's Essence is not like that of His creatures. Allah has said,

There is nothing like Him."

So, His Attributes are not like that of His creation. The similarity is in the word describing the attribute, not in its reality...

And this is distinguished by His sayings;

"There is nothing like Him."

"None is comparable to Him."

"Do you know any one who is called by His name?"

Yet Allah has described Himself with the words, Sameea Baseera while describing humans with the words hearing, seeing through seeing and hearing for humans is not like that of the Creator.

Allah has described Himself with the term Raouf Raheem

"Indeed Allah is kin, merciful with the people."

and He has said abou the Messenger ,

"With the believers (he is) kind, merciful."

But the Prophet's mercy is not like Allah's Mercy.

So, denying similarity between the attributes of created things and the Attributes of Allah is in fact denying a similarity in the reality of these attributes not their terms. Because utilizing similar terms for both Creator and the created is normal and has been proven, whereas utilizing the reality of similar terms for both the Creator and the created is false and incorrect.

"There is nothing like Him."

Using similar terms for reference is proven in the Book, but it is not proven in the sense of having a common reality. So, similarity does not exist between the reality of Allah's attributes and those of His creatures.

Contrarily, one finds the opposite in Allah's book - that is - one finds many verses proving that it is not possible to find any similarity at all between Allah and His creatures in any of His Attributes.

An example is the Attributes of power in Allah's Book about which He Azza wa Jalla said:

"Indeed, Allah has power over all things."

"Surely, your Lord makes plentiful the means of sustenance for whom He pleases and strengthens them."

and compare it with the power that is possessed by Hi creation as He says,

"Except for those who repent before you gain power over them..."

"...and (He) adds force to your stength."

Then read His saying,

"Allah is He who created you weak, and then after your weakness He made you strong, and then after your strength He made you weak and gray haird."

Then it is clearly proven that there is no comparison between the attribute of Allah and that of the creatures. But simply because the words are the same, it does not imply that the reality behind the meanings are the same. This is all the more clear when there is a verse in Allah's Book which forbids a common reality in the meaning of these attributes.

"There is nothing like Him."

So, if al-Habashi says that there is nothing comparable to Allah, then this is true, and if he says that nothing is comparable to His attributes, this is also true, and that we are looking for. However, that does not mean that one should deny an attribute of Allah simply because one finds that word in Allah's Book describing one of His creatures. As Allah T'ala said,

"Indeed, Allah hears and sees ."

and He T'ala said about man,

"And We gave him hearing and sight." (Translator's Note: One must take note here, the Arabic descriptions are the same in both verses, although, we have translated them differently due to the preceding words and the context.)

It does not befit Allah to describe Himself as 'hearing', seeing' and then to describe the human as 'hearing, seeing' as if the two attributes were the same in each case. But we see the human and we know how he sees and hears but as for Allah - "There is nothing like Him" - so nothing will cause us to compare Him to His creatures - even - if the word attributed is the same. For the sole reason that similarity is in the word, not in its reality. Otherwise there would be no reaon for Him T'ala to say, "There is nothing like Him," and it would be just a verse being recited with no use for it in this chapter. But no mind would think that Allah is like any of His creatures in their true characteristics. The only common thing between the descriptions of Allah and His creatures is the word which is used for the description. In order to confirm the characteristics of Lordship in all of what is attributed to Allah, we have what is common between Him and His creatures, for if this common pronunciation in the attributes did not exist, then we would have no idea what the attributes of Divinity meant. Just as there is no proof that Allah's Essence is like any other essence, and Allah's Existence does not mean that He Exists like others, it is the same concerning the attributes - they are not similar to the attributes of the creatures.

So, Allah Exists and the creatures exists and there is no comparison in this existence. Therefore, if we confirm Istawa' and Nuzool and Majee'ya to Allah, this does not mean the ascending, descending, or coming of the creatures. This is the same if we confirm Hand, the Face, the Eyes... it does not mean the same hands, face or eyes of the creatures. So, according to al-Habashi, it is a must to withhold the attributes of Allah and their interpretation. Because confirming to him equals similarity. So, he combines most of the attributes ino the following:

• - Hearing;
• - Seeing;
• - Power;
• - Intent;
• - Speech;
• - Knowledge;
• - Life;
• - Existence;
• - Everliving;
• - Eternal;
• - Oneness

Te remaining attributes are combined by al-Habashi into innovated attributes such as:

• - Mukhalifat lil Hawadath (Not an Event) - This is another of the Ilm al-Kalam terms. It refers to the concept of something which does not do anything, or does not move, or does not change, or is unaffected .etc; it also implies one who has no parts. Al-Habashi attributes it to Allah as do many of the Mutakalimoon and their like. Stating that Allah will be seen on the Day of Resurrection without him being, "...short, long, light, dark, not moving, moving, and touching anything." (As quoted in al-Habashi's followers in their "Izhar Al-Iqedah Al-Sunnyah" - The Authentic Beliefs of Ahlus-Sunnah - Ahbash). It is a Greek philosophical attributes of the divine.

and

• - Qiyaam binafs (Self-subsisting / Self-sustaining) - Another of the Ilm al-Kalam terms used by al-Habashi to describe Allah. It is used to imply, "Self sustaining." However, attesting to the implied concept has lead its inventors to claim that Allah will be seen on the Day of Resurrection without Him being, "...standing up, sitting on, leaning against, attatched to, unattatched to, seperated from, in front of, in the back of ." (As quoted by al-Habashi's followers in their "Izhar Al-Iqedah Al-Sunnyah" - The Authentic Beliefs of Ahlus-Sunnah - Ahbash).

Regardless of the fact that Allah has clearly described Himself with Istawa' and Nuzool and Majee'ya , according to al-Habashi, the attributes of Istawa' and Nuzool and Majee'ya are anthropomorphized by the imagination. Other than this, according to him, they do not have to be spoken of. Yet, al-Habashi does not believe that the seeing attribute causes the imagination to make similarity, so here he contradicts himself.

As for the remaining known attributes, he has combined them as we discovered before, even though Allah Subhannahu wa T'ala has specifically mentioned them concerning Himself. So, where then is the benefit is combining or abbreviating them?

This is why we say that tawheed, according to al-Habashi, equals T'ateel . And the solution for all of this is,

"There is nothing like Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing."

The first part of this verse is the cure for the filth of tashbeeh - "...Nothing like Him". The second part is the cure for the desease of T'ateel - "...and He is the Hearing, the Seeing". Only by this method is tawheed of Allah perfected.

The Third Category

The third category tawheed according to al-Habashi is stated by him as,

"Allah is unique in creating, originating and organizing, so there is no contribution in inventing, manufacturing, or organizing the invented things."

No one disagrees with al-Habashi that Allah doesn't have any partners or associates in manufacturing or organizing creations. Even the idolaters agree with that. They are aware that Allah is the Creator, the Sustainer, the One who gives life and death, and they don't believe that anyone is a partner with Him in His Creating. This is well-known from the Book of Allah T'ala, Allah said,

"And if you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth and made the sun and the moon subservient?' they will certainly say, 'Allah'."

"And if you ask them, 'Who sends down water from the sky, then gives life to the earth after it were dead?' They will certainly say, 'Allah'."

"And if you ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth?' they would most certainly say, "'The Might, Knowing One has created them'."

So, they didn't claim that their idols were partners to Allah in organizing, creating, sustaining, and giving life or death. But the idolators' argument for worshiping the idols was their claim,

"We only worship them to bring us nearer to Allah."

The reason that they worshipped the idols was not because they thought that they created and sustained, and the proof for that is that if they were asked who created the heavens and the earth and gave life to the earth after its death they would say, "Allah" they did not say, "Allah, and our gods." Yet, this still wasn't enough for their tawheed to be correct, for if it was sufficient, the Prophet Muhammad would have left them alone with their idols. The idolators themselves know that their gods don't hear, benefit or harm them, and this is Ibrahim's argument against them when He asked them,

"He said; Do they hear you when you call, or can they benefit or harm you?"

And the idolators knew that if they answered no, then it would be an argument against them, and if they answered yes, then it would be a proof that they were lying, and that is what made them excuse themselves from answering this question by saying,

"We found our fathers doing this."

Likewise, the Quraish did not deny the portion of Muhammad's message, which stated that one Lord gives life and death, creates and sustains .etc. But they denied what they thought was his implication; that all of their gods were really only one god. They said,

"Did he make all of the gods just one god; this is surely a strange thing."

Most of the idolators admit that all of the partners they claim for Allah belong to Him. All belong to the creator of this World, Allah Glorious is He. It is known that when they would encircle the K'aba the idolators would say, "We obey You, No partner have You, except a partner for You, You own him and that which he owns." Abd al-Muttalib told Abraha, "The House has a Lord to protect it." This was when Abraha wanted to destroy the house of Allah. Abd al-Muttalib also said, "This is the house of Allah and his friend Ibrahim, so if He kept you away, that would be because it is His House." (Source: "Tahdheeb al-Seerat al-Nubuwiyya" by Ibn Hishaam) This, then, is a proof as Allah said,

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