The Gateway to the Quran

   Different Factors Behind Falsehood:All these concepts may still keep on merging and re-emerging in philosophies of different times as modern cults, fashions and fades of those times. The Quran analyses human behaviour and highlights the reasons responsible for that (against which panacea has been prescribed in Al-Faatihah, see 1-5) , e.g.:

   Honour, Power and Glory:
  "And they have taken gods besides Allah,
  that they might give them honour, power and glory." 19-81

  This shows that some people take, out of fashion and greed, some powers to which they submit, obey or follow, as their gods. For example we have seen in the case of `Mithraism', discussed earlier, that it was popular among officials and military who considered it respectable to follow that cult.
   Help:
  "And they have taken gods besides Allah ,
  hoping that they might be helped " 36-74

  Only Allah is the One Who helps. But, like pagans of Makkah, we find innumerable examples of other peoples taking saints, spirits etc, as helpers. So much so that we have seen in the case of German-Celtic cults that an image with a hammer in its hand was taken as a god about which it was considered that it fought for them against vagaries of weather! Against placing any hope for help in the dead, e.g. saints, priests, humanbeings etc, it has been emphatically clarified in 16-21. Even now in the West, cities have their own saints as their `protectors and guardians’.

  Theories of Evolution and Revelation:Evolutionary theories, also termed as materialism, overtaking all scholarly and innovative thinking, almost in all fields, were applied in theology also. Although these theories did not work here, but, any way, some thinkers attributed the evolution of superstition into the belief, in a Supreme Being, without tracing origin of the belief itself and verifying contemporary record of various groups, tribes and nations who occupied different corners on the globe in different periods of human history. This has, however, been clearly refuted by the Bible and the Quran, and now disproved by the scientific enquiry also.

  Father Wilhelm Schmidt in ‘The Origin of the Idea of God’ suggested that there had been a primitive monotheism before man started worshiping a number of gods. Originally they acknowledged only One Supreme Deity, Who had created the world and governed human affairs. Belief in such a High God is still a feature of the religious life in many indigenous African tribes. They yearn towards God in prayer; believe that He is watching over them and will punish wrong-doing. They believe that He is inexpressible and cannot be contaminated by man. Schmidt’s theory goes, in ancient times - the High God was replaced by the more attractive gods of the pagan pantheons.

  In ancient times of ignorance, when offspring of Adam lost contact with the Divine, he was harassed by everything and every odd phenomenon around him. Out of awe and fear he started worshiping objects of nature. He also developed a number of demi-gods, with time, according to his need and aspiration. In those pre-historic times man worshiped powers of nature, as conceived by him, with symbols representing them or idols symbolized as such. False conception and superstition assumed form and status of worship.

  Rudolf Otto, the German historian of religion, and author of the book `The Idea of the Holy’, however, believed that the sense of the `Numinous’ (Numina, spirits) was basic to religion. It preceded any desire to explain the origin of the world or find a basis for ethical behaviour. When people began to devise their myths and worship their gods, they were not seeking to find a literal explanation for natural phenomena. (This is how the process of reflection in the fact of nature was blocked and superstition and conjecture over ruled reasoning and logic.) The symbolic stories, cave paintings and carvings were an attempt to express their wonder and to link the pervasive mystery with their own lives; indeed, poets, artists and musicians are often impelled by a similar desire. It seems that in the ancient world, people believed that it was only by participating in this divine life that they would become truly human.

  On the other hand our scientific knowledge tells us to focus our attention on physical and material world around us. We have, thus, edited out the sense of the `spiritual’ and the `holy’ which pervades life in more traditional societies at every level and which was once an essential component of our human experience of the world. In the South Sea Islands, they call this mysterious force `Mana’; others experience it as a Presence or spirit; sometimes it has been felt as an impersonal power, like a form of radioactivity or electricity. Naturally people want to get in touch with this `Reality', admire it and also make it work for them. When they personalized the unseen forces and made them gods, associated with wind, sun, sea, stars, etc., possessing human characteristics, they were expressing their sense of affinity with the unseen and the world around them, within the limits of their mundane experience and expression. One of the reasons why religion seems irrelevant today is that many of us no longer have the sense that we are surrounded by the Unseen.

  Karen Armstrong adds that we need to go back to the ancient world of the Middle East where the idea of our (One) God ‘gradually emerged’ about 14,000 years ago. This is again based on the faulty theory of evolution rather revelation. These issues have been discussed at appropriate places, with reference to the first experience of Adam in the Presence of his Creator-Sustainer. This contact has been continually renewed through the reality of revelation recorded not only by different religions but also by general history of man. It has further been strengthened and supported by knowledge based on scientific query, archeology and art. `Dictionary of Religions’, edited by John R. Hinnells, precisely summarizes the historical fact: "Theories of religious evolution, which saw monotheism as emerging from polytheism were countered by arguments that it was original or primordial or that it arose historically by revolution through Prophecy in the context of protests against idolatry."

  The human nature, could not ignore the ingrained psychological need and urge for The Supreme Being - the fact that He is The One Who made man’s nature like this. Man always felt or perceived the Existence of his Creator and Sustainer. Those who were firm in their faith and sensitive to Signs of nature, even felt or perceived His Presence. Those who participated in this experience and practiced what they `believed’, their communication became `conversation’ and their contact, `communion’.
  Man was so desperate about his relationship with his Creator-Sustainer but since he had lost ‘contact’ and direction he fell prostrate before any object which he took for God. Feeling about the existence of Allah was already and always there as a part of human nature. What it needed was the proper guidance. The Quran gives clear indication about such a feeling when it refers to the pattern on which man was created. (30-30). Prophets were sent to every nation and tribe to support and satisfy his natural urge for belief in Allah and his inborn inclination to worship Him as well as to reinforce the divine truth in the daily Signs revealed by Allah. The physical world always posed questions about its own creation and the Creator. Man always pondered about the Providence. Therefore, consciousness of the Highest Being always remained there. Different concepts and terms were, therefore, always there which were used for the Highest Being. It was mainly in respect of different aspects of attributes that the man erred the most and partners were conceived for variety of functions and phenomena.

  Due to man's own limited capacity and capability, he could not conceive the Omnipotent-Omnipresent-Omniscient One Supreme Being, Who could create and sustain all vastness and variety in universes. Furthermore, each function and phenomenon was so much flabbergasting that his imagination, covered by haze and hallucination, once when he lost `contact’ could only fabricate fairy tales of `spirits' and `gods' to be some- ones who could be responsible for different happenings - i.e. gods and demi-gods were carved out of imagination and worshipped out of awe and fear of different phenomena.

  The discussion and, particularly, the statement in the `Dictionary of Religions’, quoted above, highlight the fact that `man' was aware of God being in his very nature and that, from time to time, when idolatry over took him, revelation was repeated which brought revolution in those prevailing polytheist societies. So the concept of One Supreme Being did not emerge through `evolution’ or `via polytheism’, but it was the original ingrained belief and firsthand experience, which was refreshed against emerging idolatrous situations, from time to time.

  The Bible and the Quran reiterate and re-emphasize the first direct experience of man, in this regard, of love, care and consideration of the Great Divine Supreme Being. In this regard, detailed accounts of communion and communication have been recorded in the history of revealed religions. `Communion', may however, be carefully referred to, because it has different connotations and implications in Christianity. For example its synonimity with the Eucharist, communion of saints, etc, etc. But here, in our discussion, it is referred in the sense of communion with the Transcendental. This belief underwent “retrogression” with time and with distance from the spiritual realm due to multiplicity and association of partners or denial of the divine, altogether. But even during times of ignorance there always remained alive, the idea of the Supreme Being.

A.K.Azad, in ‘Tarjumaanul Quran,’ has discussed this at length: “The history of religious beliefs ..is a product of the 19th century…traced to the close of the 18th century… the idea came to be entertained that Deism had its first origin in nature-myth or in the urge to personify the forces of nature such as light and rain. By the middle of the 19th century…another theory…that the origins of Deism are to be found in fetish worship or the worship of objects to which evil spirits were believed to be attached….(which) developed into the worship of God…About the same time another theory (Manism)… was that the origins of Deism were to be found in the worship of ancestors…A further theory (Animism) advanced…by Taylor (1872) is that even as the physical matter of life has had an evolutionary development, even so, the spiritual consciousness of man has had a similar growth and development leading on and on to the belief in God. Yet another theory revived and strengthened the earlier theory of nature-worship which now was expanded to cover the influence of planets on human life (Astral-worship)…(Another) theory (Totemism) …traced religious beliefs to the worship of animals. (The respect shown to the cow in India and the bullock in Egypt, the bear in the Arctic region, and the white calf among nomadic tribes). Very soon, however, Totemism came to be discredited …The new movement gave rise to the speculation that there was a period earlier to the times when Animism prevailed – a period of pre-Animism when Necromancy was the order of the day and which slowly put on a spiritual visage and expressed itself in Deism. A group (of scholars) …emphasized that the basis of Deism was to be sought in mix of necromancy and religion...This was the time of the First World War which opened a fresh chapter of revolutionary upheavals in human thought. Be it noted that these theories had all been inspired by materialistic evolutionism. The idea was nursed that even as every other thing in life (Darwinism), the concept of monotheism was the result of an evolutionary process.”

  A.K.Azad now comes to explain evidence which disapproves such theories and highlights the historical fact that in the twentieth century “the thinkers came forward to admit that the concept of Deism was not the result of any evolutionary process, but that it was the very first achievement of man. The researches made in Egyptology have enabled us to know that the earliest belief among the ancient Egyptians was the belief in one god, and that all the deities and demi-gods who have left their mark on the archeological remains of the land had absolutely no existence in the first phase of life in Egypt, when the only belief entertained was the belief in only one, Osaris. The excavations made in Iraq also reveal the fact that even as in the valley of the Nile, so also in the valley of the Tigris and the Euphrates, the belief among the earliest people there, was not in a multiplicity of deities and demi-gods but in one unseen all powerful God. The people whom the Chaldians and the Sumerians succeeded did not worship either the sun or the moon, but worshiped the God who was eternal and who created the sun and the moon…The people of Mohenjodaro did not believe in a multiplicity of gods, but they believed in one Almighty power whom they styled `Oun’ which resembles the Sanskrit term `Undwan’. They believed that this Being rules over everything and that everything submitted to the law of life devised by Him; and that His attribute is `Vedukun’ or `eternal awakefulness’ or as the Quran puts it ` without rest and without sleep’.

  “The latest Semitic studies have disclosed that the Semitic tribes all believed in an unseen Supreme God whom they called Al- Ilah, Allah. It is this Ilah which was differently spelt as Al- Uluh and Ilahia. The archeological finds discovered after the First World War in the valley of Aqaba in Hejaz and in the terrain of Shamar in Northern Syria go to emphasize this fact of history. In short the enquiry and research carried out in the 20th century have all gone to establish that the earliest belief which inspired man was a belief in the unity of God, shorn of all symbolic representation.

  "The ancient traditions of Egypt, Greece, Chaldea, India, China and Iran reveal that man lived a natural life guided by nature. Plato’s Critias and the writings of Timasus throw light on the point. According to Old Testament also Adam had heavenly existence."

  For detailed notes on Egyptology see Appendices IV and V to “The Holy Quran Translation” , by Abdullah Yusuf Ali.
  Important Note: Because of fundamental importance of the term “Allah”, its concept, philosophy and faith, Appendices 3, 4   and 5 to this book must be examined carefully.

  The Concept of Allah Was Always There:Dr Abdul Karim, in his article ‘Existence of the Creator’, observes: “The existence of a superpower is ingrained in human nature to Whom man turns when in trouble, like a child crying to the mother in a difficult situation. Even avowed disbelievers do the same.”
  “And when an affliction befalls men,
  they cry unto their Lord-Master-Owner-Sustainer (Allah),
  turning to Him in repentance, then,
  when He has made them taste of Mercy from Him,
  lo! a section of them associates partners

  with their Lord-Master-Owner-Sustainer;
  so as to be ungrateful for what We have given them,
  So enjoy yourself awhile,
  but soon you will come to know.” 30-33 to 34

  “Say: `Who is it that delivers you from the dark recesses
   of land and sea, when you call upon Him,
   in humility and silent terror:
  ‘If He only delivers us from these (dangers),
   we shall truly show our gratitude.?”6-63

  Beside the Bible and the Quran, now evidence is provided by archaeological sites, anthropological studies and some specific studies of ancient tribes, that the concept of One God always remained in human races on the planet. Not only that but the very concept of Allah has continued all along. Let us take an example of the Semetic region, which is the cradle of Semetic languages since Sumerians, Akhadians, Assyrians, Greek, Macedonians, Sassanians and up to the Arabs. A special word, in sound and style, had remained in vogue in Semetic languages for The Supreme Being, e.g.:

  Chaldean and Syriac : ‘Ilaahiaa’
  Hebrew:’Ilohaa’
  Arabic:‘Ilaah’.

  Even before that, history of religions and the Scripture provides evidence, right from Adam, about the continued existence of the concept of One God, among human races on the Earth. Since old days, in continuity, the term ‘Allah’ was used in Arabic and in the Semetic family of languages in the region, with different pronunciations or accents or styles or derivatives of the root word, mentioned above, as a proper name for God. This special word , in sound and style – phonetically and philologically, was applied exclusively for The Supreme Being. It is this term (Ilaah) which came to be applied exclusively as Allah to the Highest Being. Karen Armstrong highlights the historic fact briefly that while pagans of Makkah believed in `Allah’, it was in the belief of `Rubuubiyah’ that the pagans of Makkah differed and practiced polytheism. “Muhammad (Peace be upon him) did not have to prove the existence of God to the Quraysh. They all believed implicitly in Al-laah, Who was the creator of heaven and earth, and most believed Him to be the God worshiped by Jews and Christians, His existence was taken for granted.
As says to Muhammad (Peace be upon him) in an early surah of the Koran.”

  “And thus it is, if you ask them,
  `Who is it that has created the heavens and the earth, and
   made the sun and the moon subservient (to His laws) ?’ –
   They will surely answer, `Allah’”.(61)

  “And thus it is, If you ask them,
  `Who is it that sends down water from the skies,
   giving life thereby to the earth after it had been lifeless.? ’
   They will surely answer, `Allah’ ” (63) 29-61 & 63
   Also see 23-84 to 88

  Karen goes on to observe:“The trouble was that the Quraysh were not thinking through the implications of this belief …They depended upon God for their food and sustenance and yet they regarded themselves as the center of the universe in an unrealistic presumption (Yatqaa) and self-sufficiency (Istaqaa), (i.e. they denied the Rubuubiyah of Allah) that took no account of their responsibilities as members of a decent Arab society. Consequently the early verses of the Koran all encourage the Quraysh to become aware of God’s benevolence, which they can see wherever they look (in His Rubuubiyah). They will then realize how many things they.. owe to Him, despite their new success and appreciate their utter dependence upon the Creator of the natural order.”

   In Perspective:As the man, with the passage of time, slipped into ignorance, he lost contact with his own inner world. But since the belief in the existence of God is ingrained in the very nature of man, he continuously remained in `search', although wandering and wavering in the wonder-struck world, within and outside his `self'. Theosophy, in general sense, all along has remained very interesting for man. At the same time, it was mainly in the field of Unity in the ‘Attributes’ of Only One God Alone that he could not understand and appreciate the truth even in the very obvious order and harmony in the universe. He was rather distracted by the apparent diversity in nature. But with the development of human intellect or ‘progressive comprehension’, as we may put it, Revelation and Inspiration kept their pace repeating continually. He started reflecting into Theophany - Divine manifestations in physical phenomena. However, confusion created by mere conjecture and philosophy during different periods could not be completely cleared by theosophists and theologians. At many places they rather compounded it. Anyhow, now it seems that scientific enquiry and evidence in nature are determined to assist him progressively to unravel mysteries and see the Truth manifest:
  "We (Allah) will show them Our Signs,
  in the universe and in their own selves,
  until it becomes manifest to them that this is the Truth." 41-53

   "Let God arise,
   Let His enemies (disbelievers) be scattered." ( Bible Psalms 68: 1-3 )

   "It is He (Allah) Who shows you His Signs." 40-13

  Man always wondered about his own creation, and the nature around him. This always created curiosity about the Creator and the Providence, although simultaneously, he conceptualized different gods and demi-gods for different Attributes and worshipped them. The Quran has amply clarified, at many places, and it is also clear from the literature of that time, that whenever the question came to the Creation the pagans of Makkah always admitted that Allah is the Creator. Same was the position, more or less, of other people. Dr Abdul Karim, in his article, ‘Existence of the Creator’, states: “There is a very heavy weight of historical evidence in favour of (acceptance of) Allah’s Existence.” Besides historical evidence provided by the prophethood from Adam (Peace be upon him) to Muhammad (Peace be upon him), secular and scientific history of creation, cosmos, earth, all creatures and man himself provide evidence of the Existence of the Creator (Allah).

   Important Terminology and Translations:When the Quran was presented, the usage of the important words and terms, used therein, was already current in Arabic. But with the passage of time, interaction with other religions, when Islam came in contact with them, different philosophies and their terminology, and also due to difficulties of one word (word to word) translations in different languages, the words of basic importance had to be explained and the equivalents had also to be used. But in many cases synonyms and similitudes have not been able to convey the totality of the Message in its entirety of perspective. With the advancement of science and knowledge, this needs further study and explanation in the true Quranic context. For example, look at some of the very important terms, given below, which need proper study and explanation of their meaning, usage, nuance, historical perspective and scientific truth:
  Ilaah as synonymous with idols or gods,
  Rabb as some one who provides for the worldly needs,
  Ibaadah as set of rituals of worship, and
  Deen as religion.

  Karen Armstrong observes:“Western people find the Koran a difficult book, and this is largely a problem of translation. Arabic is particularly difficult to translate.. and this is doubly true of the Quran.. Muslims often say that when they read the Quran in a translation, they feel that they are reading a different book because nothing of the beauty of the Arabic has been conveyed.”
  Above mentioned terms, in fact, in the Quranic context, have much deeper and far wider meaning and nuance. Consequently it became difficult to convey the real message of the Quran. Therefore, a humble effort has to be made to explain these terms at their relevant places. Here we restrict some explanations to the translation of the term Allah only. God, Deity, and such other terms are in fact not proper substitutes to the Name, Allah. A.M. Daryabadi, in ‘Tafsir-ul-Quran’ says: “The English word `God’, which is `the common Teutonic word for a personal object of religious worship….applied to all superhuman beings of heathen mythologies who exercise power over nature and man’(Ebr.X.p.460) and which primarily meant only, what is invoked’ and `what is worshipped by sacrifice’. (SOED.I.808) can hardly be even an approximate substitute for the word Allah".
  M.M. Pickthall in the Translator’s Note says: “I have retained the word Allah throughout, because there is no corresponding word in English. The word Allah (the stress is on the last syllable) has neither feminine nor plural, and has never been applied to anything other than the unimaginable Supreme Being. I use the word ‘God’ only where the corresponding word ‘Ilaah’ is found in the Arabic”. Ahmed Ali, in his ‘Translation of the Holy Quran’, explains: “Allah is the Name of the Same Supreme Being Who is called in English God and Khudaa in Persian. He is The Same God, the Jews and Christians worship. “Our God and your God is One,” is said in the Quran to the people of the Book in 29-46. “Whatever Name you call Him by, (Allah or Rahmaan), All His Names are Beautiful.” (17-110)

  "Allah does wish to make it easy for you,
   and man was created weak." 4-28

  Allah calls to come back pleasing and pleased, and not afraid. In this connection see verse 89-28, as already discussed.

  Usage of the Term `Allah' in Arabic:Allah is not a common noun meaning a god or deity or any divine being. No dual or plural can be derived from it. The word itself includes All Attributes of Perfection and Beauty in their Infinitude and denotes none but the One and Unique God, The Ever All-Supreme-Perfect-Tender-Mighty-Most High Exalted-Gracious-Benign-Compassionate. The English translation `God', is not the equivalent presentation. Therefore, due to difficulties of common usage, wherever it occurs in English texts, it should be understood in the same meaning and perspective of the term `Allah in Arabic - not simply Arabic language but in the proper perspective of the usage in the Arabic linguistics of the Quran.

  The term “Allah” was used in Arabic as a Proper Name for God. It was never used in the sense of an Attribute. Numerous Attributes were termed separately. Allah is the Name of Essence of The Only One Alone Creator-Owner-Lord-Master-Sustainer-Cherisher-Nurturer-Providence, Who has none else as His partner or associate or in likeness unto Him in any of the exclusive and special sense of His Name and Attributes. Allah is the Greatest Name as described in the Quran by Most Beautiful Best Attributes disclosed by Allah Himself:

  "He is Allah, beside Whom there is no god except He,
  The Ever-All Knower of the unseen-hidden and the seen.

  He is The Ever All-Gracious, The Ever All-Merciful" (22)
  "He is Allah beside Whom, there is no god except He,
  The King, The Holy, The One free from all defects,
  The Giver of security, The Watcher over His creatures,
  The Almighty, The Compeller, The Supreme.
  Glory is to Allah! (High Exalted is He) above all
  that they associate as partners to Him" (23)

  "He is Allah, The Ever All-Creator,
  The Ever All-Inventor of all things ,
  The Ever All-Bestower of forms.
  To Him belong The Most Beautiful Best Names.
  All that is in the heavens and the earth glorify Him.
  And He is the Ever All-Mighty, The Ever All-Wise."(24)
  ( 59 - 22 to 24 ).

  "And The Most Beautiful Best Names belong to Allah,
  So call on Him by them,
  And leave the company of those, who belie or deny His Names.
  They will be requited for what they used to do." 7-180

  "Say: `Invoke Allah or The Ever All-Gracious (Allah),
  By whatever Name you invoke Him,
  For, to Him belong The Most Beautiful Best Names."
  17-110
 "And say: `All the thankful praises are to Allah,
  Who has not begotten any son ,
  And Who has no partner in Dominion-Sovereignty,
  Nor He is low to have a helper-supporter-protector.
  And magnify Him with All High Most Great Magnificence." 17-111

  "Allah! There is no god, except He,
  The Ever Living, The Ever All- Sustainer-Protector of all that exists,
  Neither slumber nor sleep overtakes Him." 2-255

  Considerations Forming Basis for the Belief:If we reflect upon different aspects of meaning and nuance of the term ‘Allah’ (also see appendices 3, 4, & 5), which form basis of the belief, we can gain necessary idea of how the verb came to mean the act of worship and the noun to denote the object of worship. There are some basic considerations to bear in mind in this connection: (i) The most important of the factors which arouses feelings of adoration for someone or something is a person’s own state of being in distress or need. He may worship someone when he considers `that being or body' to be in a position to remove his distress, to provide for his needs, give him shelter, protect him in time of danger, and soothe his troubled heart and feelings. (ii) The above belief places that being or body in a position of superiority of status, power and strength. (iii) There are physical things in existence and phenomena in function and formation, surrounded by mystery and myth, that are attributed to that being or body. (iv) This is bound to create sense of mystery and perplexity. (v) The aura, awe and adoration over whelm all process of thought and action. (vi) It is only natural, then, to turn eagerly to that body as a matter of course and conviction. From above it concludes that the connotations of the word "Ilaah” include: (a) ability of that body or being to `know', (b) capability to be `responsive' (c) capacities to fulfill the needs of others, (d) consideration and care to give them shelter and protection, (e) love and affection to provide relief in distress, (f) soothe feelings and minds in agitation; with superiority, full authority and power to do all these and other things, in a perplexingly mysterious way, being hidden from eyes. All these create natural feelings of awe and adoration. Worship, then, is the human behavioral response to the inner and outer stimulations and impressions influencing his thinking, feelings and functions. Therefore, turning of creatures eagerly to Him, is but natural..

  Knowledge of the Unity in the Attributes:Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah (Peace be upon him) said: “Allah has ninety-nine Names (of Attributes), one hundred minus one, whoever counts (and preserves ) them, will enter Paradise”.
  It may, however, be clarified that the objective is not the blind commitment of the Names and the Most Beautiful Best Attributes to memory without understanding and reflection. But it is the understanding, appreciation and faith in them as these reflect different aspects of the Same Unity - Allah. The whole idea is: Allah is the Only One Alone Who Himself possesses all The Most Beautiful Best Attributes without any association or partnership. There was, is, will be or can be naught, nothing, none else like unto Him in Essence and Attribute in any manner, whatsoever.
  Abdul Wadud is of the view that Allah can be known through manifestations of His Attributes in scientific phenomena.

   The Unique Name:The word Allah occurs in the Quran more than 3000 times. The Quran itself clarifies meaning by usage and context at different places and occurrence. “Allah” is the Greatest and Most Comprehensive Divine Name in its vastness of meaning - `The Name' of The Ultimate Reality, Who comprehends in Himself all The Most Beautiful Best Attributes of Perfection. Allah is the Name of the Only One Alone - Who aught to be and should be worshiped, as Only He can make everything worship Him, - as due to Him. Therefore, this Name can not be given to anyone except Allah. Thus, Allah is the Name of The Ever All-Great Almighty as High Exalted, in the Quran, by His Most Beautiful Best Attributes of Greatness, disclosed by Allah Himself, e.g. in verses 59- 22 to 24, 7-180, and 17-110 & 111. The perception of Uniqueness of Allah is the basis of the morality of the Quran.

  The All-Comprehensive Unity:When we think of Allah, it comprehends the Name of Oneness (Tauheed) possessing all the Most Beautiful Best Attributes as given in the Quran. The Quran rejected the doctrine of division of work and distributive approach of polytheists raising different gods for different functions, regions and hierarchy. The whole concept is that Allah is The Only One Alone Originator, Organizer and Disposer of all affairs and matters, e.g., 18-109, 24-35. It is very important to note that each Attribute of Perfection does not represent any separate department of function. All these Attributes are inseparably overlapping in continuum, as Oneness of each other, in Unity and Unison (Tauheed). All His Qualities are covered by His Greatness, Mercy and Benevolence. In the ‘Tarjumanul QURAN’, A.K.Azad explains this point in these words: “…in the search for gnosis, the human mind is to take note of, in succession, the three Great Attributes of God which the Surat-ul-Faatihah concentrates upon – Rubuubiyat, Rahmat, and Adaalat. A study of them as manifested in the life or working of the universe will disclose that one attribute gives rise to the other in progressive order of things, affording thus to every seeker of truth ample scope for reflection.”

  ‘Tauheed’ means believing and declaring Allah as the Only One Allah Alone. The fundamentals of ‘Tauheed’ are discussed below. The whole belief of "Tauheed" versus "Shirk" is based on this central theme. They are all included in the basic formulation of the faith, i.e., ‘Laailaaha Illalaah’ (none has the right to be worshipped but Only One Allah Alone. Oneness of the Lordship of Allah in all universes and all creations commands convergence of oneness of all worship: none else has the right to be worshipped, none else aught to be worshipped, and none else has the power to compel to worship, in any form; whether liturgical, material, sacrificial, verbal etc. Furthermore, to Him Alone belongs all sincerely pure ‘Ibaadah’ (worship, obedience) according to the ‘Diin’ (Way) ordained by Him. On the negative side, it involves negation of all sorts, suppositions and superstitions of partnership, association, portion, consorting, giving or getting birth, likeness, etc, in any manner, in any space or time frame: all are excluded as prohibited by Allah and as explained in the Quran. On the positiv side it is the Oneness in the Name, Essence, Attributes, and Qualities. The belief in God has to be in all these, as disclosed by God Himself, about Himself, as given in the Quran, without any ‘Tashbiih’ (resembling), or ‘Ta-wiil’ (describing) or ‘Ta-tiil’ (ignoring or rejecting).

  ‘Laa Ilaaha Illal-Laah’ is known as ‘Nafii wal Isbaat'. ‘Laa Ilaah’ (There is no deity) is known as `Nafii’, - that which is rejected, and ‘Illal-Laah’ (but Allah) is known as ‘Isbaat’ - that which is established. The faith in "Illal-Laah" includes the belief in the Existence, Unity, Ever All Absolute Power with all The Most Beautiful Best Attributes of The Eternal Being Alone Worthy of worship-obedience.

  Dr Iqbal explains the principle of `Tauheed'’ in ‘Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam’: "Islam, as a polity, is only a practical means of making this principle a living factor in the intellectual and emotional life of mankind . It demands loyalty to God, not to thrones. And since God is the ultimate spiritual basis of all life, as conceived by Islam, it is eternal and reveals itself in variety and change. A society based on such a conception of reality must reconcile, in its life, the categories of permanence and change. It must possess principles to regulate its collective life. For, the eternal gives us a foothold in the world of perpetual change."

   Different Concepts about Transcendentalism and Nullification:In this connection let us have a very brief look at following, in order to clarify certain terms, as a word of caution, because these usually come under discussion and create confusion.

  Transcendentalism:Transcendentalism is the philosophy of the Transcendental or Transcendent. Transcendent is the surpassing excellence beyond and outside the range or grasp of human experience, reason, powers of description etc. It can not be discovered or understood by practical experience - a doctrine that knowledge may be obtained by mental processes apart from experience, specially of the Supreme Being, existing apart from and not subject to the limitations of the material universe. Those who believe in a Transcendental Creator- a Being that is Real but beyond sensory perception and human comprehension, also believe in His Revelation. The `Atheists' reject it outright.

  Nullification:It is rejecting or denying or invalidating the real existence of the figurative descriptions of the essence or the person of the Reality.

  Gnosticism:Gnosis is the knowledge of spiritual mysteries. Therefore, gnosticism is the belief in the esoteric occult or mystical knowledge. It is a doctrine that knowledge (in Greek gnosis) is the way to salvation, specially for human beings. Human spirits are considered as particles of light fallen from upper world which have been trapped into prison-houses of flesh. Those who are worthy receive the knowledge from a redeemer-revealer. They believe that the material world is evil and the spiritual world is good. This created the belief that there were two different creators! There are claimed, almost as many systems of redemption as there are teachers. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify its position in the context of the Quran.

  ‘A Dictionary of Islam’, edited by Thomas Patrick Hughes, makes following comments in this regard: "Gnosticism had disappeared from Egypt before the sixth century, and there is no reason for supporting that it had at any time gained footing in Arabia. Besides, there is no affinity between the `supernaturalism' of the gnostics… and the rationalism of the Coran. According to the former the Deity must be removed far from the gross contact of evil matter." The `agnostics' however consider all non-material and meta-physical phenomena as un-knowable and unbelievable.

 Mysticism:It has been discussed in detail in the Part pertaining to 'The Phrase- Bismillaah", under the sub-title ’BISM’..

  Knowledge of the Unseen:The Quran refers to `Ghayb’ (unseen-hidden), at many places. ‘Almuajammul Mufaharris’, by Muhammad Fawad Abdul Baqi, lists these references at pages 633-634. Vastness and wonders of unseen-hidden are perplexingly flabbergasting and beyond total comprehension and imagination! All human observation and explanations catch no more than a ray from a glimpse of the Infinite Goodness! Study some of the verses.

  Karen Armstrong, in ‘A History God’, (p.177), has given following interpretation of the parable pertaining to the knowledge of the Transcendent: “The particle `ka’ ( in the verse 24 of Surah An-Nuur, i.e. No. 24 - 35) is a reminder of the essentially symbolic nature of the Koranic discourse about God. An-Nuur, the Light, is not God Himself, therefore, but refers to the enlightenment which He bestows on a particular revelation (the lamp) which shines in the heart of an individual (the niche). The light itself can not be identified wholly with anyone of its bearers but is common to them all. As Muslim commentators pointed out from the very earliest days, light is a particularly good symbol for the Divine Reality, which transcends time and space.. It is neither of the East nor the West..”

  Bhaktivedanta Swami, in his notes to `Bhagavad-Gita As It Is’, (pp. 127-172, 305-350) comments in following words: “Transcendental Knowledge – the spiritual knowledge of the soul, of God, and other relationship – is both purifying and liberating… The soul is eternally related to Him through transcendental devotional service (bhakti). By reviving one’s pure devotion one returns to Krishna in the spiritual realm”.

  Transcendentalism and Attributes of God:Against any functional division, their dispersal into different deities, and also against any presentation by iconization or image-creation, the Quran presents all the Attributes of God in His Unity as His personal, singly and collectively, as the means of manifestation of His Oneness. There is no attribute of God which is not perfectly beautiful and that all of them, singly and collectively, present Excellence in beauty and perfection. There is no need of image formation. It is neither esoteric, nor occult. Human intellect has sufficient capacity to understand the manifestations of the Transcendental in intellectual and scientific terms. The Quran explains each Attribute and Quality manifesting itself, in the naturally occurring phenomena, in such a manner that we not only get better vision and understanding of the Transcendental but can also negate (Ta'tiil) and reject any form of anthropomorphic representation. It projects every and all Attributes of Allah without ‘Tashbiih’ or ‘Ta'wiil’, sometimes even by using similitudes, e.g.:
      "Allah is the light of the heavens and the earth." 24-35

  Intellect of man is bound by his senses in an environment in the physical universe of dimensions. The mind is primarily attracted by attributive aspects rather than the inward reality or ingrained nature. Whenever he visualizes any unseen or unfelt thing, he invariably conjures up dimensions for that, of which he is aware in his own mundane life. It is to save man from this situation that revelation was made from time to time. The belief in the existence of God is ingrained in the very nature of man, but in respect the Attributes “progressive comprehension” and better understanding always remained in process, through revelation and advancement of knowledge.

  A Vendantist thinks that communion with Reality is infinitely higher than image worship. But still, at the same time, he draws it into image and sculpture, as the first stage in the quest for God - although it is a total falsification. Furthermore, according to Vedantic concept of Maya, the world, is an illusion. The Hindus assigned different grades of thought to different classes of society, and Judeo-Christianity excised the Apocrypha from the Bible. The Quran makes no such discriminations and excisions. The Quran explains the Truth behind the `Existence, held by `Haqq' (Laws of Allah). The Quran assists in intellectual development of man progressively. It also corrects misconceptions due to myopic vision and other physical limitations of the mortal man. In explaining the Attributes of God to the people of the time, a method suited, in each case to their intellectual development, was applied. This was the reason that revelations of the Scripture were made from time to time. In the case of the Quran also, the process of the Revelation continued for about 23 years.

  The Quran makes figurative expressions which define the concept within possible limits of vision in the physical frame and the make up of mind. At the same time it is full of aesthetics setting new and unmatchable standards of rhyme, melody, beauty, literature, articulation and expression of the Faith, e.g.:

  "Nay, both His (Allah's) Hands are widely outstretched.
  He spends as He wills."5-64

  "All the bounty is in the Hand of Allah." 3-73

  "There is none comparable unto Him (Allah)". 112-4
  (Dr M.M.Khan & Dr Al-Hilali, Translation-The Noble Quran, p.64, 87-88 and 791)

  In Verse 42-11 and as at many other places, it has been very categorically explained that there is nothing like unto Him. The Qualities of Seeing, Hearing etc are not comparable as there was none, there isn’t any, there will be nothing and there can be naught in likeness or comparison unto Him, even in imagination or in any manner. A.K. Azad in ‘Tarjumanul Quran’, (p.127, Vol-I) has explained the Quranic presentation in contrast to the human notions incorporated in the Old Testament. "From the standpoint of anthropomorphism versus transcendentalism, the Quranic concept of the Transcendental assumes a state of perfection.. not reached before.. Previously no concept could invest God with divine attributes other than the human. Even the Judaic concept was not free from the taint and limitation of the similitudes, e.g.: “the wrestling of God with Jacob, His appearance on Mount Sinai in the form of a flame, Moses seeing the backparts of God, the God of Moses doing a thing in recklessness and repenting thereafter, His treatment of Israel as His favourite wife and His lament over her unfaithfulness, His feeling of pain in His intestines and the production of a hole in his heart, and so forth are the portraits of God presented by the Old Testament. In the Old Testament very fine attributes are mentioned for God along with some qualities and passions which are obviously human.. The exaggeration in expression and tendency of developing similitudes raised Christ to the position of son.”

  Different Interpretations of `Being’ and `Reality’:Let us examine some of the important terminology and different concepts, defined within man’s own limitations of understanding, in this regard, very briefly and then see the style of presentation of the Quran. Let reason take stand.

  `Being':From different stems, it means: stays, remains, lingers, grows, becomes, occurs, be.

  `Reality':It is one of the most misty terms which could be defined by different philosophies of the East and the West. Its brief definitions range from `knowledge of self' (Indian) to `social relationships' (Chinese) to `phenomenal relationships' (Japanese) to `spiritual-magical-sexual activities' (Tibetan). More interpretations are also available, e.g.:

   Vedantic Theory:The Ultimate Reality is known and realized within us as the `Self' (Aatman).

   Indian:The Vedic tradition also refers to several other theories, listed in the `Svetasvatara-Upanishad that Reality was explained in terms of `Time' (Kaala), `The Nature' of things (Sva-bhava), `Fate' (Niyati), `Chance' (Yadrccha), `Elements' (Bhutaani), `Womb' (Yoni), or `person' (Pursua).

  Chinese:`Budhism, whose introduction into China presented a strong challenge to Confucianism, denied both `being' and `non-being'. To `be', something has to be produced. To be produced, something either has to come from something else or from itself. To `be' means self-nature. But everything is composite, and has no `nature'. Thus, being is an illusion. As also is non-being.

  Taoism, instead of denying being and non-being, reduced everything to non-being.
  Neo-Confucianism did not deny being or non-being, but affirmed them both as essential to change. The system was stated in these terms: In the system of change there is the Great Ultimate (Tai-Chi). It generates the Two Modes (Yin and Yang). The two Modes generate the Four Forms (major and minor Yin and Yang). The Four Forms generate the Eight Trigrams. The Eight Trigrams determine good and evil fortunes . All good and evil fortunes produce the great business (of life).

  Japanese:Hajime Nakamura remarks that the Japanese are willing to accept the phenomenal world as Absolute because they emphasize intuitive sensible concrete events, rather than universals. The image is on the fluid character of events, rather than solid masses. The phenomenal is the real.
  (In regions of Budhist influence, there are as many concepts as the versions of Budhism, as is the case with many other religions.)

  Tibetan:Noted for miraculous events, Tibetans do not attribute them to supernatural agents.. So called wonders are as natural as common everyday events. (p. 14-16, Dictionary of Asian Philosophies, St Elmo Nauman Jr)
  But when we turn to the presentation of the Quran, we find explicit argument rejecting all conjecture. Simultaneously it appeals to reason, and to understand. It provides clarifications and explanations to all what an inquisitive mind wants to explore, e.g.:

  "The Creator (Allah) of the heavens and the earth.
  He made for you mates from yourselves, and the cattle mates.
  By this means, He creates you.
  There is nothing like Him.
  And He is The Ever All-Hearer, The Ever All-Seer " 42-11

  "No vision can grasp Him (Allah); but He grasps all vision.
  He is The Ever All-Subtle-Courteous, Ever All-Acquainted." 6-103

  Also see 112- 1 to 4.

  "It is not to any mortal that Allah should speak to him direct"42-51

  The difference becomes strikingly manifest when we compare similar statements in the Scripture, e.g.: compare Exodus-20-23, Numbers 12-5 to 8 with the statements on the subject through out the Quran.

  Nullification:At the same time the Quran negates metamorphism and makes it clear that nothing can be compared to God.

  "So put not forward similitudes for Allah.
  Truly, Allah knows and you know not." 16-74

  The Supreme Being is not detectable with our senses. Furthermore finite mortal can not grasp the Infinite Maker. Yet He is Manifest in His Making. Descartes said: "I am because I think ". But it may be more appropriate to say that I am, and I think, because He (Allah ) made me and makes me think.
  “And that surely He (Allah) is the One,
  Who makes you laugh and cry : 53-43

  “My being proclaims the Greatness of the Lord,
  “my spirit finds joy in God, my Savior.” Luke, 1-46 & 47

  Difference between Transcendentalism and Nullification:Transcendentalism and Nullification. (Ta"tiil) are obviously different. `Nullification' is the non-attributive approach. It is completely negative in character. Therefore, `Nullification' is negation of every attribute that might be conceived by the human mind in its application to God, resulting in vacousness. On the other hand, `Transcendentalism' divests human mind of all human touch in its approach to divine concept of attributes.
  On analysis we find that the process of affirmation of attributes leads to anthropomorphism. The process of negation leads to total nullification. The process of personification or similitude is limited by experience and vision. It completely distorts and denies us the perception of Reality. A.K.Azad, in `Tarjumaanul Quran’ (p.129), explains the point, thus: “If no room is left for the mind to visualize any attributes for God, simply because every attribute suggested will have some resemblance to some human attribute, transcendentalism will lead to a denial of God, for we can dissociate the concept of `not-being’ from that of `being’, if we have to depend entirely on the negation of attributes in our approach to God."
  Theologians use an expression ‘Zaahirul – Mumkinaat’; for the manifestations in the Proofs and Signs of God's Existence, Power and Attributes as exhibited in nature. In remarkable distinction to all these concepts, the Quran has chosen the approach based on reason and fact. Fakhruddin Razi says: “The best method and the nearest to reality was the method provided by the Quran. In respect of the affirmation of attributes recite: “Beneficent God is seated on the throne of heaven”, and in the negation of similitudes, recite: “Naught there is like unto Him”. In other words , do not lose touch with either ‘affirmation’ or ‘Negation’..” Also see 6-103.
  The beauty of Reality Itself has not put on any veil over it. It is the physical eye which has limitations in its construction that it can not behold it, beyond the mundane, e.g.:
 “Then why do you not (intervene), when (the soul of a dying person)
  reaches the throat”. (83)
  “And you at the moment are looking on.” (84)
  “But We (Allah) are nearer to him than you,
  but you see not.” (85) 56-83 to 85

  (It will be said:)“You were heedless of this.
  Now We (Allah) have removed your veil, and
  sharp is your sight This Day.” 50-22.

  The human eye has no capability and capacity to comprehend or grasp the glimpse of the Creator-Spreader of Light – Allah.

  “Sights comprehend Him(Allah) not, but
   He comprehends all sights.” 6-103

  Human eye has a limited range, vision and decyphering capability due to its physical design. It is an `apparatus' or `scope' of vision for physical things in the three dimensional world. This physical organ has no reach in the meta-physical realm. It is not only in divine, or meta-physical sense, but in the physical world of light and visibility also; there are many types of rays (e.g. infra red, ultra violet, X-rays etc.) which can not be seen by the naked human eye. The objects which can reflect or absorb them may not be visible without the assistance of the requisite analytical and interpretative devices, tools and the appropriate mechanism. Colour blindness and phenomenon of night vision in some animals and disabilities of night blindness are also some of the examples to explain the point that there are in-built limitations of ` scope' of the human eye in the physical sense. And, due to impairments and deficiencies there can be many more.

  It is not possible for the created being, in the finite dimensions of his creation, within the limited space-time and matter, to comprehend fully the Infinite, outside the scope of his faculties, physical frame of his reference and reach of his reflection. In terms of any geometrical or mathematical logic, a finite or sub-set can not contain the universal set. Scope of vision is bound by finite coordinates. The Infinite can not be projected on the finite canvas of human retina.

  “When Moses came to the place appointed by Us (Allah),
  and his Lord addressed him.
  He said: ‘O my Lord! Show Yourself to me, that
  I may look upon You.’
  Allah said: ‘By no means can you see Me; but
  look upon the mount,
  if it abide in its place, then shall you see Me.’
  When His Lord manifested His Glory on the Mount,
  He made it as dust, and Moses fell down in a swoon.
  When he recovered his senses, he said:
  ‘You are Glorified! To You I turn in repentance, and
  I am the first to believe.” 7-143

   Dr Chopra says:"The immune cells have a reason for each receptor; they use them to think, act, perceive, and respond in precise ways. A person uses the same two eyes to view the whole world; a cell, however, has a different eye for each thing it needs to see." Can a cell see the world as much as two human eyes can? Similar are the limitations of the tiny `body' in the whole cosmos which again is a very tiny reference in the Megaverse!

  Arguments for the Existence of God:The Philosophy of Religion mainly based on Western thought and research has come to agree that generally following are the arguments for the existence of God which are manifest in the praiseworthy perfect nature of cosmos and management of whole system:
  Ontology:The concept of God as `Perfect' entails that He be regarded as existing or existing necessarily - otherwise He would not be Perfect. (Refer Anselm, R. Descartes, Hartshorne and others. This view is also discussed by `Process Theology')
  Teleology:The evidence of design and purpose in the universe point to its Intelligent Creator. “There can not be a design without a designer, contrivance without a contriver, order without choice, arrangement without anything capable of arranging.” (Refer William Paley)
  Cosmology:The contingent and causal nature of reality requires that it must have a necessary ground , a `first cause', identified as God. (Refer Aquinas. This view is also discussed by `Thomism.')
  Morality:Moral obligation is only adequately understood when it refers to God as the source or justification of the moral sense. (Refer Kant and H.Rashdall).

  For “The Summary Of The Whole `Truth’”, see Appendix: 5.