The Significance of the Shahadah in Islamic religion and a probable reason why Muslims frown at any depiction of the Prophet in paintings.

Staff Writer


Table of Contents

In the recent past, there have been confrontations and demonstrations when some individuals through ignorance tended to teach students about Islam and got themselves into trouble by making paintings of the Prophet. I call it ignorance because if they had learned the Qur’an or been informed about the Shahadah, they would not have done that. This writing will briefly introduce to the reader the importance of the Shahadah in the Islamic religion. 

In Islam, the concept of Tawhid invokes three aspects of monotheism, which the Shahadah (the profession of faith) embodies. The Shahadah is made up of two declarations: “There is no god but God” and “Muhammad is the Messenger of God” (La ilaha illallah, Muhammad-ur-Rasul-Allah). The former signifies the Tawhid and the latter indicates prophecy. For Muslims, the Shahadah is not a claim specifically reserved for the Islamic religion but a call to humanity to acknowledge the oneness of God. It is not reservedly connected with Islam, but rather, is an explanation of why God’s creation and creatures should submit to him. 

The Qur’an has the theme of the ‘oneness of God’ repeated in many verses, such as (Al-Ikhlas 112), which is noted as the ‘sincerity’ and the reason for Islamic religion which was to make known to humanity the truth about the unity of God following the polytheistic prevalence in Makkah in the seventh century Arabia. The warning from the Prophets about the worship of God is a case that is built into the Qur’anic argument of the Shahadah. Examples include: 

  • We sent Noah to his people. He said: ‘O my people, worship Allah! Ye have no other god but Him....” (Al-A‘raf 7:59).
  • For We assuredly sent amongst every People a Messenger, (with the Command), ‘Serve Allah, and eschew Evil.’” (An-Nahl 16:36).
  • I have only created jinns and men, that they may serve me.” (Adh-Dhariyat 51:56).
  • And We did not send any Messenger before you (O Muhammad...) but We revealed to him (saying): La ilaha illa Ana [none has the right to be worshipped but I (Allah), so worship Me (Alone and none else)” (Al-Anbiya 21:25).

The citations above draw some lines and distinctions of Islamic monotheism. For Muslims, the idea of God is by application generic to the belief in a worldwide Islamic community and God-thought means ‘one’ as well as ‘an indivisible unity.’

We will in the sections below describe the three aspects of Islamic monotheism from the perspectives of the Shahadah. They are: 

1.    Oneness of the Lordship of Allah (Tawhid-ar-Rububiyyah)

2.    Oneness of the Worship of Allah (Tawhid-al-Uluhiyyah)

3.    Divine Names and Attributes of Allah (Tawhid-al-Asma was-Sifat) 

Oneness of the Lordship of Allah (Tawhid-ar-Rububiyyah)

This is the belief that there is only one Lord for all the universe, and He is its Creator, Organizer, Planner, Sustainer, and the Giver of security. He is called Allah. It is a testimony and a declaration expected from everyone. “A confession with your heart that the Creator (of everything) is Allah.” Some Islamic scholars would argue that “all diversity, wealth and history, culture and learning, wisdom and civilization of Islam is compressed in this shortest of sentences – la ilaha illa Allah (There is no god but God).” 

Oneness of the Worship of Allah (Tawhid-al-Uluhiyyah)

The argument here is that all worship and adoration should be directed to Allah and any attempts to give reverence or worship to other creatures, such as the prophets, saints, and idols are considered Taghut (16:36). Therefore, any confession that implies the word ‘worship’ that should be directed to Allah, if directed to an angel, prophet, Mary, Isa, Muhammad, saint, idol, the sun or moon is frowned at and should be rejected. Muslims are summoned to pray with sincerity to none but Allah for help and to him only for sustenance.   

Divine Names and Attributes of Allah (Tawhid-al-Asma was-Sifat)

The name of Allah is sacred and considered absolute in the Qur’an. As such, there are other terms used for him that manifest as his attributes. The Qur’an uses the name “Allah” up to 2,500 times to refer to the Transcendent. In Islamic theology, the same name “Allah” is referred to as “Al-ism al-dhat” (the essential name). Then, other terms that the Qur’an uses for Allah are referred to as the al-asma al-sifat (the names denoting attributes). There are about 99 such names some of which are listed below.

1: Some Divine Attributes of Allah

Arabic

English

Rabb

Sustainer

Rahman

Gracious

Al-malik

The King

Al-quddus

The Sacred

Al-salam

The Peace

Al-mu’min

The Faithful

Al-muhaymin

The Protector

Al-‘aziz

The Mighty

The Ash-Shura affirms that: “There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer” (Ash-Shura 42:11). No person can equal his attributes, neither nature can be elevated to the status of God, nor his transcendence be reduced a to mere thing. This may explain why Muslims object to any drawings or paintings of the Prophet.  

God - Unique and Unchangeable

The Shahadah presents God as unique and unchangeable. God cannot be brought into existence like any man or woman, neither through procreation nor reproduction. Human language is not even enough to describe him is nor any law appropriate to be placed above him. For the Qur’an: “Say (O Muhammad...): “He is Allah, (the) One. “Allah-us-Samad...[Allah – the Self-Sufficient Master, whom all creatures need, (He neither eats nor drinks)]. “He begets not, nor was He begotten. “And there is none co-equal or comparable unto Him” (Al-Ikhlas 112). 

From the above Ikhlas surah, two concepts are noted: the ahad and the Samad. For the former, the main theme of the concept of Ahad is a reinforcement of the Shahadah. The Ikhlas surah says: “He is Allah, (the) One” (112). This is a declaration of God’s ‘oneness’ and ‘uniqueness.’ The latter concept, Samad, proclaims God’s power, mercy, and providence. The word ‘Samad’ means ‘solid’ as against something hollow. This suggests that God is as hard as a rock that cannot be moved and, as such can be trusted, depended upon, and relied on for strength and mercy. 

Conclusion

From the above, the fore the oneness and uniqueness of God as contained in the Shahadah were described in a nutshell. The Shahadah (the first part) considers the nature of God in three aspects: the oneness of the Lordship of God, the oneness of the worship of God, and the divine names and attributes of God. It also underlines the basis of Islamic monotheism as a declaration meant for all humanity and not only for Muslims and a probable reason why Muslims frown at any depiction of the Prophet in paintings or drawings. Hence, God is one, unique, and indivisible.

  

 

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