One Third of the Quran
1. Say: “He
is Allah, the Unique.”
2. “Allah,
the Self-Sufficient.”
3. “He does
not give birth, nor was He born.”
4. “And
there is none equal to Him.”
(1) Say: “He is Allah, the Unique.” This verse represents Allah’s own affirmation of His
unique Monotheism, His inimitable Oneness. Thus, the first verse is a
command to the Prophet, may the mercy and blessings of God be upon him, and
whoever reads or recites this verse to affirm Allah’s Unique Oneness. He
is one like whom there is no other. There are many unities in this world,
but they all are not unique as each unity has others similar to them. For
example, there is one Mount Everest, but there are other tall mountains similar
to it. In the case of Allah, there is no other unity similar to
Him. All other unities can be divided into parts, while Allah is unique
in His Oneness and is as such indivisible.
(2) Allah, the Self-Sufficient. Allah’s uniqueness is realized in His
self-sufficiency. On the other hand, all created beings have ne eds and
are dependent on others to fulfill their needs. Allah is not in need of
any of His creation in any way, as nothing they can do can better or benefit
His already perfect state. This attribute of self-sufficiency invites the
believers to reflect on the purpose and the goals of their worship. Most
people worship as if they are doing God a favor. The purpose of human
creation is to worship Allah because all human beings have a need to worship
Him. He has no need for or from them. Human
beings need to worship and glorify God because obedience to divine law is the
key to their success in both this life and the next.
(3) “He
does not give birth, nor was He born.” This verse describes another aspect
of Allah’s Unique Oneness. False religions generally represent God in
human terms by either giving Him human characteristics and or human form.
This verse deals primarily with two distinct characteristics of human beings
and other living creatures in general: coming into existence by being born and
procreating by giving birth. “He (Allah) does not give birth,” because
there is nothing similar to him. A child is made from portions (sperm and
ovum) of the bodies of its parents which is why it is similar to its parents in
form and characteristics. If God gave birth, there would be another god
like Him, which His uniqueness has already negated. The Almighty also
rejected the concept of having a child from the perspective that bearing
offspring usually requires a female partner similar in form to the male.
Allah also rejected offspring from the general perspective that it is not
befitting, since to have a child would reduce him to the status of His
creatures. This answers the question of those who claim that since it is
agreed that God can do anything, He should be able to have a son if He
wished. It is not befitting because it would make God like His
creatures. Furthermore people have children out of a need for help to
survive in this material world or out of the need for continued existence
through one’s progeny. [1]
By describing Himself as self-sufficient, Allah also negated this possibility.
“Nor was He born” subtly rejects the notion that Jesus was God, because he was
born. For God to be born, He must first have not existed, which
contradicts the basic unique divine attribute of eternal existence.
(4) “And
there is nothing equal to Him.” Allah closes the chapter with a restatement
of the opening verse. If God is unique, nothing can be equal to
Him. If nothing is equal to Him, then He alone is unique. If He
alone is Self-Sufficient and all creation is in need of Him, nothing in creation
can be equal to Him. If He does not bear offspring, nor did anyone or
anything give birth to Him, nothing or no one can be equal to Him as every
created being came into existence after a period of non-existence. Every
created being has something similar to it, called its pair, or something
resembling it, called its equal. If the Creator were from one or other of
these species He would have an equal and a similitude.
Thus, this chapter contains the genealogy and
description of God, the Most Merciful. It was revealed by Allah to refute
beliefs attributed to Him by misguided people concerning His similitude, form,
origin and offspring. For example, those who paint pictures or make
statues of Allah are claiming similitude, those who worship others besides Him
claim similitude, and those who attribute some parts of His creation to others
besides Him claim similitude. However, nothing is similar to Him in His
Attributes, His Dominion or His Divinity. Therefore, only He alone
deserves to be worshipped by His creatures.
Say (O Muhammad): “He is Allah (God), (the) One. (1)
“Allah-us-Samad [Allah (God) the Self-Sufficient Master, Whom
all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. (2)
“He begets not, nor was He begotten. (3)
“And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him.” (4)
(Quran 112:1-4)
Interpretation
(1) “Say” a decisive statement which you believe in and be aware of, “He is
Allah (God), (the) One” which means, the oneness is confined to Him, He is the
one who alone possesses perfection, Who has the most beautiful names and
perfect supreme attributes,. He is unparalleled and matchless.
(2) “Allah-us-Samad” [Allah the Self-Sufficient Master] whom all
creatures need. All the inhabitants of the upper and lower world are in utmost
need of Him. They ask Him for their needs, and seek Him for their
concerns, because He is perfect in his attributes, He is the all-knowing whose
knowledge is perfect, He is the most-forbearing whose forbearance is perfect,
the most-merciful whose mercy is perfect.
(3) And of his perfection that “He begets not, nor was He begotten” due to
the perfection of his opulence [freedom of all needs]
(4) “And there is none comparable to Him.” Neither in His names and
attributes nor in His deeds. Far removed is He from every imperfection.
So this Chapter establishes the oneness of God.
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