The Universality of the Creed of Tawhid (Monotheism)

When contemplating this vast and complex workshop of the universe, a single voice emerges from the depths of the soul: this cosmic order must have a Regulator, who is One and peerless. Tawhid is not merely a theoretical debate or a collection of words; rather, it is the primal call of the human soul and the ultimate truth of the universe. Human history bears witness that whenever man abandoned his Creator and sought refuge in material or imaginary gods, he fell into intellectual and moral degradation.

For Muslims, this creed is the foundation of faith (Deen), but the reality is that the meaning of Tawhid is not merely acknowledging one God with the tongue. True and primal Tawhid is that which reflects in man's heart, intellect, attributes, and acts of worship.

The Intellectual Deviation of World Religions and the Uniqueness of Islamic Tawhid

If we study the history of various world religions, we find that almost every nation acknowledged the concept of God at some level. However, over time, corruption crept into their beliefs, distancing them from pure monotheism (Tawhid-e-Khalis).

The Intellectual Contradiction of Judaism and Christianity

Christians openly adopted the doctrine of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit), dividing divinity into three parts. On the other hand, although Jews fundamentally claim monotheism, a major sect among them historically emerged which, in imitation of the Christians, declared Ezra (Hazrat Uzair, peace be upon him) to be the son of God. Exposing this intellectual deviation, the Holy Quran states:

وَقَالَتِ الْيَهُودُ عُزَيْرٌ ابْنُ اللَّهِ وَقَالَتِ النَّصْرَى الْمَسِيحُ ابْنُ اللَّهِ ۖ ذَٰلِكَ قَوْلُهُم بِأَفْوَاهِهِمْ ۖ يُضَاهِئُونَ قَوْلَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا مِن قَبْلُ (Surah At-Tawbah: 30)

Translation: "And the Jews say, 'Ezra is the son of Allah'; and the Christians say, 'The Messiah is the son of Allah.' That is their statement at their mouths; they imitate the saying of those who disbelieved before them."

Hinduism and the Aryas'

'New Trinity' In Hinduism, the doctrine of Avatars (incarnations) exists, which closely resembles the Christian doctrine of divine sonship or incarnation (God manifesting in human form). When the 'Arya Samaj' sect emerged in history, they made great efforts to cleanse Hinduism from the stain of polytheism (shirk). However, when human intellect is deprived of the guidance of divine revelation, it fails to reach the absolute truth. Thus, while they stepped back from millions of deities, they invented a new trinity, deeming three entities to be eternal (co-eternal from the beginning):

1.     God

2.     Matter

3.     Soul

The Dualism of Zoroastrianism (Fire Worshipers)

To comprehend the cosmic battle between good and evil, the Zoroastrians divided divine power into two parts. According to them:

·       Yazdan: The creator of good and benevolence.

·       Ahriman: The creator of evil and malice.

They believe that this cosmic workshop operates through the reconciliation and distribution of authority between these two equal forces. Besides these, there were ignorant nations who worshiped not only trees and stones (shajar and hajar), but even went as far as idolizing human genitalia—an abominable act that cannot be lamented enough.

A Persian poet beautifully expressed the remedy for this intellectual wandering and polytheistic pluralism:

آنکہ دو گفت و سہ گفت و بیش ازیں متفق باشند در واحد یقیں

احولی چوں دفع شد یکساں شوند آں دو سہ گویاں یکے گویاں شوند

Meaning: Those who believe in two, three, or more gods are, in reality, searching for that one true origin. When their inner distortion and intellectual squint (strabismus) are cured, they will all abandon saying two or three and will profess one God.

In summary, no religion in the world is entirely free from the taint of polytheism (shirk) except Islam. Islam is the only religion that is completely pure, clean, and exalted from:

·       Shirk fi al-Dhat (Associating partners in the Essence of God)

·       Shirk fi al-Sifat (Attributing divine qualities to anyone else)

·       Shirk fi al-Ibadah (Associating others in worship and prostration)

Tawhid: A Natural and Intuitive Reality

The imprint of Tawhid is so deeply embedded in the depths of human instinct (Jibillah) that it cannot be erased. Those who ostensibly bow before millions of deities still harbor true love and fear for that one true God in some corner of their hearts.

When man is surrounded by a severe affliction or a tempest where material means vanish, words of prayer and gratitude spontaneously rise from his mouth for that one Lord of the Worlds. At that moment, no idol is remembered, nor does the trinity of matter and soul avail. How beautifully an Arabic poet said:

وَفِي كُلِّ شَيْءٍ لَهُ شَاهِدٌ ۖ يَدُلُّ عَلَى أَنَّهُ وَاحِدُ

Translation: "And in everything there is a sign for Him, indicating that He is One."

The Persian hemistich states:

ہر گیاہے کہ از زمین روید وحدہ لا شریک لہ گوید

Every blade of green and every leaf growing from the earth bears witness through its existential state (zaban-e-hal) that Allah is alone and has no partner. No particle of the universe is detached from its Creator. The instinct of every creature possesses an inclination and attraction toward that Unique One without any partner:

سرومی جنبد بصحن بوستان در ہوائے قامت دلجوئے تو

If the natural disposition of man were not veiled by material pleasures, carnal desires, and lusts, this entire world would be a gathering of those yearning in the love of God. When these material veils were lifted from the hearts of the Prophets and the Companions, their spiritual state was unparalleled. If these veils were removed from the souls of ordinary humans as well, the echoes of glorification and praise (Tasbih and Tahmid) of the Lord of Glory would resound everywhere.

The Covenant of Alast and the Eternal Imprint of Divine Love

From where did this yearning for God and such intense unseen love in human hearts originate? Theologians and mystics (Sufis) state that this love is the result of the Covenant of Alast (Ahd-e-Alast) taken at the time of the creation of souls.

Before the very beginning of the universe, Allah Almighty gathered the souls of all human beings, manifested His glory, and asked: "Am I not your Lord?" All souls responded in unison: "Yes indeed! You are our Lord."

Although thousands of years have passed since this event and the human mind has ostensibly forgotten it upon entering the material world, the impact of that momentary manifestation is ingrained in human instinct, firmer than a mountain. This is why no matter which corner of the world a human is in, their heart is invariably drawn toward God in one way or another.

سب سے ربطِ آشنائی ہے تجھے دل میں ہر ایک کے رسائی ہے تجھے

Reason, the Mission of the Prophets, and the Position of the Great Imam (Imam al-A'zam)

The creed of Tawhid is so clear, natural, and rational that it requires no grand philosophy to comprehend. On this basis, Imam al-A'zam Abu Hanifa (may Allah have mercy on him) held a highly significant scholarly and theological position:

"Even those people to whom the call of the Prophets or any religious message did not reach are legally bound (mukallaf) to recognize Tawhid and the gnosis of God. For recognizing God and believing in His absolute oneness is a natural and rational matter; it is not solely contingent upon the sending of the Prophets."

If man reflects merely upon his own creation and the system of the universe, his intellect will compel him to accept that this universe has only one Creator. Yes, regarding the rulings (such as prayer, fasting, zakat, and other detailed legal laws) that cannot be deduced by intellect alone, a person to whom the prophet's call did not reach will be excused.

Even if no messenger had come to the world, it would still be obligatory upon creation to recognize their true Lord. Therefore, polytheism (shirk) is unacceptable under any circumstance. Allah Almighty clearly states in the Holy Quran:

إِنَّ اللَّهَ لَا يَغْفِرُ أَن يُشْرَكَ بِهِ وَيَغْفِرُ مَا دُونَ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَن يَشَاءُ (Surah An-Nisa: 48)

Translation: "Indeed, Allah does not forgive that partners be associated with Him, but He forgives what is less than that for whom He wills."

Shirk is the worst intellectual crime according to all rational minds; this is why even polytheists do not like to be called 'polytheists'. Severe warnings have been narrated in the Ahadith regarding those who lived during the interval between two prophets (Zamanat-e-Fatrah) and chose the path of polytheism. However, to establish the definitive proof (Itmam al-Hujjah), these people will be tested separately on the Day of Judgment, wherein those who obey the divine emissary will find salvation, and the defiant will deserve punishment.

The Contemporary Context and Our Responsibility

In the contemporary era, the debate concerning "what the ruling is for someone whom the message of Islam did not reach" has become a purely hypothetical and academic discussion. In this age of communication, the internet, and globalization, no region or human population remains where the call of Islam, the name of the Quran, or the message of Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), has not reached.

Today, the process of Itmam al-Hujjah (conclusiveness of proof) has been fulfilled at every level. Humans no longer possess any excuse to turn away from the truth.

Conclusion

As Muslims, it is our responsibility not only to remain steadfast ourselves upon pure Tawhid but also to present this pure and natural Islamic concept of God to the world. Tawhid is not just a creed; it is the charter of humanity's freedom, liberating man from the slavery of fellow humans, the fear of material idols, and intellectual wandering, teaching him to bow solely before the one true Deity.