This is Part 1 of our new series: The Three Pillars of the Qur’an. Over the next few installments, we’ll explore the central themes that shape the entire message of the Qur’an: Tawheed (Oneness of God), Risala (Prophethood), and Al-Akhira (the Hereafter).

We begin with the most foundational of them all: Tawheed—the belief in the absolute Oneness of God, and what that means for our purpose, our place in the world, and our relationship with the Creator.

The subject -matter of Quran could be divided into three major themes: Unity of God, God raised Prophets for human guidance, and the certainty of Hereafter. Muslims believe in the same universal God that Jews and Christians believe in and respect and honor all biblical prophets. Islam is the last of Abrahamic faiths preached by Muhammad.

The Quran as the last testament completes and corrects earlier scriptures of Torah and bible. Islam requires orthopraxy alongside great emphasis on orthodoxy for human salvation. Please consider the prayer “Peace and blessings of God upon him” for all of prophets in the following descriptions.

Monotheism, or belief in one supreme God, the ever-living ultimate Reality perfect in power, wisdom, and goodness. He is unique and exalted above al He creates and His greatness cannot be compared to His creation. He is the only deserving of worship and the ultimate purpose of all creation is to submit to Him.

Muslims often refer to God as Allah, which is a generic name for God, related to Aramaic and Hebrew names for God. It affirms that He is one singular God with no partners or equals. The name Allah cannot be pluralized or limited to a specific gender. He is not confined by space or time and He is the only One who is in control and provides for His creation.

God is transcendental yet near to believers, and responds to their call: “And when My servants ask you, [O Muhammad], concerning Me - indeed I am near. I respond to the invocation of the supplicant when he calls upon Me. So let them respond to Me [by obedience] and believe in Me that they may be [rightly] guided.” (Al Baqarah 2:186)

The Quran negates that Jesus is either God or son of God, as clearly and emphatically stated in the following verses. “That He may warn those who say, “Allah has begotten a son”: “No knowledge have they of such a thing, nor had their fathers. It is a grievous thing that issues from their mouths as a saying. What they say is nothing but falsehood!” (Al Kahf 18:4-5)

God created man as his representative, “Khalifa” on earth as stated in the following verses: “Behold, thy Lord said to the angels. “I will create a Khalifa on earth.” (Al Baqarah2: 30). God bestowed enumerable blessings to humans: “If ye would count up the favors of Allah, never would ye be able to number them: for Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”(An Nahal 16:18).

He subjugated the heavens and earth at the disposal of humans. “And He has subjected to you, as from Him, all that is in the heavens and on earth: Behold, in that are Signs indeed for those who reflect.” (Al Jathia 45:13) God created means of sustenance for humans and all creatures: “ And We have provided therein means of subsistence -- for you and for those for whose sustenance ye are not responsible.”(Al Hijr 54:20)

God granted humans a free will to choose between good and evil, and a degree of autonomy. But all that is granted as an Amana, Trust, and every human is answerable in how he conducts himself. This accountability will be taken in the Hereafter.

God is free of any gender connotations: Allah is a generic name, and Muslims use it in preference to any other name for Him.

According to Qur’an, men and women came from one source: “O mankind, reverence your Guardian Lord, who created you from a single source. Created, of like nature, his mate, and from them twain scattered (like seeds) countless men and women -fear Allah, through whom you demand your mutual rights and reverence the wombs that bore you: for Allah ever watches over you.” (Al Nisa 4: 1).

Evidence for oneness of Allah includes the following : 

1. The entire universe, and the way it is created and controlled testifies to the oneness of Allah. “Surely, His is the creation and commandment. Blessed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds ( mankind, jinn and all that exists)” (Al Araf 7:54).
2. The creation of te heavens and the earth , the alternation of night and day, the different kinds of inanimate objects, plants and fruits, the creation of humans and animals, all of that indicates that the Almighty Creator is one with no partner or associate. “That is Allah, your Lord, The Creator of all things, None has the right to be worshipped but He. How then you are turning away from Allah?* (Ghafir 40:62).
3. The variety and greatness of these created things, the perfection of their formation, and the way they are maintained and controlled, all indicate that the Creator is one. “Allah is the Creator of all things, and He is the disposer of affairs of all things. “ (Az-Zumar39:62)
4. The soundness of the heavens and the earth, the order of the universe, the harmony among created things, all indicate that the Creator is One, with no partners or associate. “ Had there been therein gods besides Allah, then verily both would have ruined. Glorified be Allah, the Lord of throne, High is He above all they associate with Him!” (Al Anbiya 21:22)
5. God raised prophets throughout the history of humankind among various tribes and nations to guide them righteously. They were selected by God, and they spoke with the Almighty. The first prophet was Adam and the last one was Muhammad. The following is a brief account of Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad taken from IslamReligion.com

This was Part 1: Exploring Tawheed. In the next article, we’ll move into Part 2: The Prophets – From Adam to Abraham, diving into how God’s message was delivered to humankind through His chosen messengers.