The Guidance
| Allah(SWT) is one, but not the one that can be counted, He is Uncountable, Unique, and there is absolutely nothing comparable to Him. |
Sura Ikhlas(Quran 112) Translated and explained*
Translation: In the name of Allah, Who is Most Kind, Ever-Merciful.
Translation-1:Allah is the Transcendent of all, the Protector and Far-Superior to all
Translation-2: Allah is He on Whome all depend
Translation-1: (O Esteemed Messenger!) Proclaim: ‘He is Allah, Who is the One.
Translation-2:Say: He, Allah is Unique
Translation-1:Nor is there anyone equal to Him.
Translation-2: And there is none comparable unto Him
Translation-3: And none is like Him
He has not begotten any nor is He begotten.
This chapter describes the pure Oneness (Tawheed) of Allah (SWT), freeing Him from all kinds of need without associating anything with Him and that which is not in His essence, attributes or actions. This is pure Tawheed according to the Qur’an and it is one of the specialties of the Qur’an and the edifice of all the Islamic knowledge.
There are numerous traditions discussing about the virtues of this Surah including those received by Shias and Sunnis that say that this Surah is equivalent to one third of the Qur’an and the same will be forthcoming in our narrative discourse.
This surah is either a Meccan Sura or revealed in Medina, but is likely that it descended in Mecca according to the reasons of its revelation.
Commentary
Qur’an: Say: He, Allah, is Unique: The word Ahad (unique) is an attribute which is derived from the word Wahid (one) but the word Ahad is used about something which cannot be counted or numbered and something that does not accept numerousness (from all sides) – not even evidently or imagined. Therefore, the word Ahad does not mean one, unlike the word Wahid, so that we may start counting two, three and so on. In the (usage of the) word Ahad, whatever is followed by a second is that very same thing. For example if someone says: “No one (from the people) came to me” (maa jaani minal qaumi ahad), it negates the coming of one, two or more but if someone says “one (from the people) did not come to me” (maa jaani wahidu minhum) it negates the coming of only one but not two, three or more. In this backdrop, the word Ahad (in the verse under discussion) is used in a positive sentence and it has a connotation that in His essence, Allah is such as no one like unto Him can even be imagined – be it one or more. Therefore, regardless of its condition in actuality, it is impossible even to imagine it properly.
Qur’an: Allah is He on Whom all depend: The literal meaning of “Samad” is to intend or to depend. The word has been explained in many different ways. More so, it has been explained as the One on Whom all depend. The word Samad in this verse has been used without any restriction – therefore the meaning “One on Whom all depend” is more acceptable.
For Allah is the one who brought everything into existence – therefore everything with the exception of Him (Who is self-Existing) depend on Him. Just like He said:
Surely His is the creation and the command; blessed is Allah, the Lord of the worlds. (7:54)
And that to your Lord is the goal (53:42)
By mentioning the word “Allah” again in the verse under discussion saying: “Allah is He on Whom all depend” and without saying: “He is the One on Whom all depend” or “Allah is Unique and One on Whom all depend” shows that each of these two verses is sufficient in explaining (in a limited way) the attributes of Allah.
The most noble words from the Noblest of the creation, our beloved Prophet Mohammad (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him and his noble family)
On the authority of Abu Dharr al-Ghafari (may Allah be pleased with him) from the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him and his blessed family) is that among the sayings he relates from his Lord (may He be glorified) is that He said:
“O My servants, I have forbidden oppression for Myself and have made it forbidden amongst you, so do not oppress one another. O My servants, all of you are astray except for those I have guided, so seek guidance of Me and I shall guide you. O My servants, all of you are hungry except for those I have fed, so seek food of Me and I shall feed you. O My servants, all of you are naked except for those I have clothed, so seek clothing of Me and I shall clothe you. O My servants, you sin by night and by day, and I forgive all sins, so seek forgiveness of Me and I shall forgive you. O My servants, you will not attain harming Me so as to harm Me, and you will not attain benefiting Me so as to benefit Me. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as pious as the most pious heart of any one man of you, that would not increase My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to be as wicked as the most wicked heart of any one man of you, that would not decrease My kingdom in anything. O My servants, were the first of you and the last of you, the human of you and the jinn of you to rise up in one place and make a request of Me, and were I to give everyone what he requested, that would not decrease what I have, any more than a needle decreases the sea if put into it. O My servants, it is but your deeds that I reckon up for you and then recompense you for, so let him who finds good praise Allah and let him who finds other than that blame no one but himself.”
[Muslim (also by at-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah).]
These two verses praise Allah (SWT) in His attributes of essence and action. Therefore, the clause “Allah is Unique” is the praise of His Essence and the clause “Allah is One Whom all depend” is the praise of action – which praises Allah for He is the end of everything. It has also been said that the word samad means One who does not eat, drink, sleep, beget or is He begotten. Therefore the verse that follows (He does not beget nor was He begotten) is the explanation of the word samad.
Qur’an: He begets not, nor is He begotten. And (there is) none is like Him: Also, these two verses refute that God has a partner in His actions just like the claim among people like Firawn and Nimrud – who called themselves gods.
To give birth is one way of reproducing (or populating) however one defines it – for the one who is born has to cling to (depend on), and becomes part of, the one who gave birth and definitely each of the parts will be in need of each other. But Allah (swt) is not in need of anything and that all things are in need of Him. Therefore, Allah does not beget.
His saying: “He was not begotten”: a thing which is begotten must be dependable on the one who begets and Allah is not dependable on or in need of anyone, therefore He was not begotten.
His saying: “there is no one like unto Him”: it is indeed not possible that He is self-Sufficient (and on Whom all depend) if there is someone else like Him or a model like Him. For, He alone is the One on Whom all depend, thus He has no example or model. Therefore it has become clear that these two verses is the explanation of the word “samad” and they also confirm or establish Allah’s Oneness in His Essence, Attributes, Actions and in addition, those things that relate to His Majesty and Glory. For this reason, this whole chapter explains the attributes of Allah and His Oneness.
It is also said that the word “kufwan” means wife because a wife is an example of a husband. In this case, the verse (under discussion) takes on the meaning of the following verse:
And that He – exalted be the majesty of our Lord – has not taken a consort, nor a son. (72:3)
*The translations and the commentary have been taken from well-known exegesis(tafasir), and no changes, whatsoever, have been made from our side
—Editor
Asalamalikum .Jazakallah . The refrence for the translation is requested ….
To Nadia Yusuf: translations have been taken from the following sources:
1) Irfanul-Quran by Dr Tahirul-Qadri(http://www.irfan-ul-quran.com/quran/english/index.html)
2)Tafseer Al-Mizan by Allama Tabatabai
3)Abdullah Yusuf Ali/M Pickthal/Shakir in ‘English Translation of Quran by three Translators’ at http://www.usc.edu/schools/college/crcc/engagement/resources/texts/muslim/quran/ Please do not hesitate to contact if you have any other queries.