“And your god is One God. There is no god but He.” Quran 2:163
“Allah” is the personal name of the One True God. Nothing else can be called Allah. The term has no plural or gender unlike the English word “God” which can be made both plural and feminine (i.e. gods/goddess). The unique usage of “Allah” is a reflection of Islam’s emphasis on the purity of the belief in One God.
The main beauty of Islam is that it acknowledges the complete perfection, greatness and uniqueness of God with absolutely no compromises. This is reflected in Islam’s pure teachings of the attributes of God.
God is One and Unique:
- God has no partners, no equals and no rivals.
- God has no father, mother, sons, daughters or wives.
- God alone is worthy of all worship.
- Had there been more than one God, it would reflect deficiency in His power or authority as this would involve God having rivalry, making compromises or needing agreement with other gods.
God is the All-Powerful:
- God has full authority and power over all things.
- Everything is completely subservient and dependent on Him.
- Obedience to God does not increase His Power, nor does disobedience decrease His power in any way.
God is the Most High:
- There is nothing above or comparable to God.
- The attributes of God do not resemble that of His creation.
- No part of God is present in anyone or anything.
- God is perfect and does not have any human limitations, such as resting on the seventh day after he created the universe, as claimed by some other religions.
God is the All-Just and All-Merciful:
- God does not need to sacrifice himself to forgive sins nor is anyone “born into sin”.
- God judges everyone based on their own deeds and everyone is accountable for their own actions.
- Humans may distinguish themselves and earn God’s favour through belief, virtue and piety only – not through race, wealth or social class.
God Alone is Worthy of Worship
“And worship Allah and associate none with Him.” Quran 4:36
Islam teaches that all prayer and acts of worship should be exclusively to God. Nothing else is worthy of worship: not statues, graves, the sun, the moon, animals, Prophets, saints, angels, priests or religious scholars. All of these things are created and limited, hence imperfect, whereas Allah is perfect.
God is Worshipped Directly
God does not need any partners or intermediaries. Everyone always has direct access to worship God, as He hears all who praise and call upon Him. Worshipping Allah indirectly (e.g. through idols, statues or other intermediaries) is viewed as compromising Allah’s Oneness and purity of worship that He alone, is worthy of.
All Prophets Called to the Worship of God
“And We (God) certainly sent into every nation a Messenger, saying, ‘Worship Allah and avoid false gods.’ ” Quran 16:36
Muslims believe in all the Prophets that Allah sent. These prophets include Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus and Muhammad. They all came with the same message – to call their people to the belief and worship of the One True God.
The Purpose of Life is to Worship God
The ultimate purpose of life is to acknowledge the greatness of God, establish a direct connection with him, and worship Him alone. The concept of worship in Islam is not limited to rituals such as praying and fasting, it includes all actions that are pleasing to God such as having good manners, being honest, establishing justice, being patient and helping the needy.
In conclusion, the foundation of Islam is belief in the Oneness and Uniqueness of Almighty God, who is the Creator and Lord of all, perfect in all His attributes. He alone deserves all worship. Therein lies our success in this life and the next.
