Belief in Allah

Having faith in Allah means to believe with certainty and conviction that Allah is the Lord and Sovereign of all that exists, that He is the Creator and Planner and Sustainer of the entire universe, that He alone - and without a partner - deserves to be worshipped, that all that is worshipped other than Him is worshipped in vain, that Allah has the most exalted and perfect attributes, and that He is far above from having any fault or defect. Faith in Allah consists of the following:



l)Tawhid Ar-Rububiyyah

This means to believe that Allah Almighty is the only Creator, King, Planner, and Sustainer of all that exists. First, that He is the sole Creator of all that exists:



And Allah Almighty says:


Say: "In Whose Hand is the sovereignty of everything?" (Surah Al-Mu’minun 23: 88) [/color][/center]

We must also believe that it is only Allah Who sustains everything:

Say: "Who provides for you from the sky and the earth? Or who owns hearing and sight? And who brings out the living from the dead and brings out the dead from the living? And who disposes the affairs?" They will say: "Allah." Say: "Will you not then be afraid of Allah's punishment? (Surah Yunus 10:31)

The polytheists to whom Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) was sent as a Messenger did not oppose this category; rather, they accepted it, for Allah Almighty says:

And indeed if you ask them, "Who has created the heavens and the earth?" They will surely say: "The All-Mighty, the All-Knower created them.” (Surah Al-Zukhruf 43:9)

From previous nations, the only one known to have rejected this category of Tawhid was Fir'awn, who did so because of his haughtiness; Allah Almighty says to us, relating what he says:



Another group, the Zoroastrians, set up partners with Allah in this category, for they said that the universe has two creators: darkness and light; they believed that light was better than darkness.


2) Tawhid Al-Uluhiyyah

It is also called Tawhid Al-'Ibadah (worship), from the point of view of the worshipper. But to ascribe it to Allah, this category is called Al¬-Uluhiyyah (from the word Al-Ilah, which means "the God"). This category requires one to dedicate his worship purely for Allah, for Allah alone deserves to be worshipped. All that is worshipped other than Him is falsely worshipped. Allah Almighty says:


And Allah Almighty says:



Most people disbelieve in and reject this category, and it was because of this that the Messengers were sent and the Books were revealed. Allah Almighty says:

And We did not send any Messenger before you (0 Muhammad (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam)) but We inspired him (saying): "Laa Ilaha Illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone and none else)” (Surah Al-Anbiya 21:25)


3) Tawhid Al-Asma' was-Sifat

This category involves believing in Allah and in His Attributes in the way that is taught to us in the Qur'an and the Sunnah, and in a way that is appropriate for Allah, and that is achieved by affirming that which Allah affirmed for Himself, or, what His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) affirmed, and by negating what Allah Almighty negated from Himself, or what His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) negated from Him - without distorting : such attributes or negating them, and without saying "how" they are nor believing that they are similar to the attributes of the creatures. Allah Almighty says:



There are many groups and sects that have gone astray regarding this category.

A topic that can be attached to faith in Allah is faith in the unseen. We must first discuss its meaning and then its influence on the beliefs of the Muslim.


The Meaning Of Faith In The Unseen

Al-Ghaib, or the unseen, refers to anything that is hidden from the senses, whether it is known or unknown. Belief in the unseen -i.e., in that which cannot be perceived by the senses - is not gained by genius of the mind; rather, it becomes known through what the Prophets inform us. Belief in the unseen is one of the qualities of the believer, for Allah Almighty says:

Alif-Lam-Mim. This is the Book (the Qur'an), whereof there is no doubt, a guidance to those who are pious. Who believe in the Ghaib and perform As-Salat, and spend out of what we have provided for them. (Surah Al-Baqarah 2: 1-3)

Regarding their belief in the Ghaib, or the unseen, there are two views:

1) They believe in that which is hidden from the senses, and this specifically refers to those hidden matters that Allah and His Messenger (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) have informed us about.

2) They believe in Allah now that they do not see Him just as they would were they able to see Him, as opposed to the hypocrites. There is no contradiction between the two meanings, for they must both be present in the believer.


The Influence of Faith In The Unseen On The Muslim's Beliefs

The belief one has in the unseen greatly influences and affects his behavior and his way of life, for it is a great incentive for doing good deeds and it inhibits one from doing evil deeds. Some of the effects of a belief in the unseen are given here:

1) Sincerity in action: If you believe in Allah, His reward, and His punishment, you will follow His orders and stay away from His prohibitions, hoping for His reward, while fearing His punish¬ment in the Hereafter, and not hoping for reward and
thankfulness in this world from people. Allah Almighty says regarding those who give food to others in spite of their love for it:

And they give food, in spite of their love for it (or for the love of Him), to Miskin (poor), the orphan, and the captive, (Saying): "We feed you seeking Allah's Face only. We wish for no reward, nor thanks from you.” (Surah Al-Insan 76:8-9)


2) Strength upon the truth: The believer knows that though he has no strength or help from people when he is obeying Allah, calling others to the truth, and warning others against falsehood, yet he is strong because of Allah. This world and its suffering become insignificant to him in contrast to the next life, the Hereafter. In this verse, Allah informs us of what Ibrahim, (Alayhi Salam) said to his people:

"And by Allah, I shall plot a plan (to destroy) your idols after you have gone away and turned your backs." So he broke them to pieces, (all) except the biggest of them, that they might turn to it. (Surah Al-Anbiya' 21:57-58)

3) A sense of indignation for worldly appearances: This is a result of filling one's heart with faith, with belief that this world and its pleasures will vanish, that the Hereafter is the everlasting life, that happiness is not in one's mind alone, and that the eternal should be chosen over the transient. Allah Almighty says:

And this life of the world is only an amusement and a play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter, that is the life indeed (i.e., the eternal life that will never end), if they but knew. (Surah Al-Ankabut 29:64)

Allah informs us about the wife of Fir'awn. She was not content with the pleasures of life that she had, and she asked to be saved from Fir'awn and his behavior, hoping for the Hereafter because of the light of faith in Allah Almighty and the Hereafter that was in her heart:

And Allah has set forth an example for those who believe, the wife of Fir' awn, when she said: "My Lord! Build for me a home with You in Paradise, and save me from Fir'awn and his work, and save me from the people who are wrongdoers. (Surah At-Tahrim 66: 11)

4) Rancor and malice disappear: When people strive to fulfill their desires and lust, using unlawful means, rancor and malice will spread. But when one believes in the unseen - in Allah's Promise of reward and warning of punishment - one begins to hold himself accountable for all of his deeds, hoping for reward, and fearing punishment. When one truly believes that he will get his reward from Allah, he will work hard in doing good deeds, hoping for an everlasting reward. By following this path, people will instill love among themselves as individuals and societies; Allah Almighty says:

And those who, before them, had homes (in Al-Madinah) and had adopted the faith, love those who emigrate to them, and have no jealousy in their breasts for that which they have been given (from the booty of Banu An-Nadhir), and give them (emigrants) preference over themselves, even though they were in need of that. And whosoever is saved from his own covetousness, such are they who will be the successful. And those who came after them say: "Our Lord! Forgive us and our brethren who have preceded us in faith, and put not in our hearts any hatred against those who have believed. Our Lord! You are indeed full of kindness, Most Merciful.” (Surah Al-Hashr 59:9-10)

These are some of the effects of having faith in the unseen, effects that will not be lacking in someone unless his faith is defective. And if these effects do not become prevalent in a given society, its members will become like animals, eating both the living and the dead, with the strong oppressing the weak. When that happens on a mass scale, evil, fear and corruption will reign - and we seek protection in Allah Almighty from those evil results.