Every spiritual tradition, at its purest root, begins with one timeless, foundational truth: Reality originates from a single, ultimate Source. In Islam, this truth is called Tawhid—the absolute Oneness of God.
Before diving into the historical and philosophical echo of monotheism, it is essential to define the Islamic framework of Tawhid (The Oneness of God). This foundational truth is divided by scholars into three comprehensive categories, ensuring every aspect of creation and worship is directed towards the One Source:
1. Tawhid al-Rubūbiyyah (Oneness of Lordship)
This is the belief that Allah alone is the Creator, Sustainer, Controller, and Sovereign of the universe. He is the only one who gives life, causes death, grants provisions, and maintains order. This is the aspect of Tawhid generally acknowledged by most people, as they recognize a singular creative force.
2. Tawhid al-Ulūhiyyah (Oneness of Worship)
This is the core of the prophetic message: the belief that Allah alone deserves to be worshipped, obeyed, and dedicated to. It means directing all acts of devotion (prayer, fasting, supplication, sacrifice, fear, hope, and love) exclusively to God, and rejecting all forms of idolatry or worship of creation.
3. Tawhid al-Asmā’ wal-Ṣifāt (Oneness of Names and Attributes)
This is the belief that Allah is unique in His Names and Attributes. It means affirming the Names and Attributes mentioned in the Qur’an and Sunnah exactly as they are—without distorting their meaning, denying them, comparing them to creation, or asking “how” they exist.
Tawhid is not merely a doctrine or a belief; it is the essence of existence, the heartbeat of every revelation, and the deepest instinct of the human soul. It defines the relationship between the Creator and creation.
The Qur’an describes this innate recognition clearly:
“Set your face toward the religion, inclining to truth—the Fitrah of Allah upon which He created humanity.” (Qur’an 30:30)
Fitrah means the built-in spiritual compass inside every human being—our natural, primal awareness that there is a single Creator behind all of life.
🧭 The One God Recognized Across History
Islam teaches that every prophet, from Adam to Noah, Abraham to Moses, Jesus to Muhammad (peace be upon them all), brought the exact same central message:
God is One. Worship Him alone.
The Qur’an emphasizes that Islam is not a new religion but a return to this original, universal declaration:
“He has ordained for you the same religion that He enjoined upon Noah… Abraham… Moses… and Jesus.” (Qur’an 42:13)
Indeed, this eternal message of Divine Oneness echoes through the purest expressions of earlier spiritual traditions, confirming that every path began with the same singular source.
✡️ Old Testament Expressions of Divine Oneness
1. The Shema (Deuteronomy 6:4)
This is the central declaration of faith in Judaism and the ultimate expression of singularity.
“Hear, O Israel: The Lᴏʀᴅ is our God, the Lᴏʀᴅ is one.”
- This statement is the clearest possible declaration of monotheism, asserting that God is absolutely one and indivisible.
2. The First Commandment (Exodus 20:3)
This is the cornerstone of the Decalogue, setting the principle of exclusive worship.
“You shall have no other gods before me.”
- While framed as a prohibition, it establishes God’s unique and exclusive nature. The very presence of any other deity is deemed illegitimate.
3. The Declaration of No Equal (Isaiah 45:5)
The Prophet Isaiah frequently asserts God’s singularity as a matter of ontological fact—He is the only one who is God.
“I am the Lᴏʀᴅ, and there is no other; besides me there is no God. I will equip you, though you do not know me.”
- This is an explicit, absolute statement that outside of God, there is no other God. It emphasizes His solitary nature as the ultimate creator and power.
4. The Creator and Sustainer (Isaiah 44:6)
This verse uses God’s titles to emphasize that He is the origin and the culmination of all existence.
“Thus says the Lᴏʀᴅ, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lᴏʀᴅ of hosts: ‘I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no God.’”
- Declares that God is both the beginning (the first) and the end (the last), encompassing all of existence and leaving no room for any contemporary or succeeding deity.
5. The Truth of Idolatry (Psalm 115:4-8)
While not a direct statement of Oneness, this passage affirms God’s reality by contrasting Him with the powerlessness of false gods (idols).
“Their idols are silver and gold, the work of human hands. They have mouths, but do not speak; eyes, but do not see… Those who make them become like them; so do all who trust in them.”
- By highlighting the utter lack of power, sight, or speech in idols, the Psalmist indirectly affirms the living, powerful, and singular reality of the One True God.
📜 Zoroastrian Expressions of Divine Oneness
The Gathas, composed by the Prophet Zarathushtra (Zoroaster) himself, emphasize the singularity of Ahura Mazda as the Creator of all reality, challenging the polytheism of the time.
From the Gathas (Yasnā 30:3)
This verse highlights Ahura Mazda as the original and ultimate source of both spiritual and material existence.
“He who in the beginning thus thought: Let the blessed realms be filled with light. He it is who by His will created Asha (Truth) and Vohu Manah (Good Mind). He is the Lord of all things.”
- This verse Identifies Ahura Mazda as the singular creator (He it is who by His will created…) and the Lord of all things, demonstrating absolute supremacy over creation.
From the Gathas (Yasnā 45:2)
This verse emphasizes Ahura Mazda’s uniqueness as the only being who is the source of all good and ultimate knowledge.
“Verily, I conceived of Thee, O Mazda, as the most bountiful of all, when I saw Thee as the first fashioner of this existence, when Thou didst make deeds and words to receive their rewards.”
- It describes Ahura Mazda as the most bountiful of all and the first fashioner (Creator) of existence, placing Him in a category entirely separate and supreme from all else.
From the Avesta (Yasnā 33:11)
This verse is a direct address and pledge of worship, confirming Ahura Mazda as the one true object of devotion.
“Him do I seek to please with righteousness, O Ahura Mazda, and to Him I dedicate my entire being.”
- It affirms that Ahura Mazda is the sole recipient of worship and devotion (Him do I seek to please), which is the core principle of monotheism.
🕉️ Bhagavad Gītā Expressions of Divine Oneness
These verses emphasize The Supreme Lord being the ultimate source, sustainer, and essence of everything in creation, asserting a singular, foundational reality.
Chapter 7, Verses 6-10 (The Essence and Pervasiveness of God)
These verses emphasize that God is the source and essence of everything material and spiritual.
Verse 7.6:”Know that all creatures have their birth in these two natures [lower (material) and higher (spiritual)]. I am the origin of all this world, and similarly its dissolution.”
- This identifies the Lord as the singular origin and dissolution of the entire universe, asserting absolute and unrivaled control over all creation and destruction.
Verse 7.7:”There is nothing whatever superior to Me, O conqueror of wealth [Arjuna]. All this is strung upon Me, as pearls on a thread.”
- This is a direct, unequivocal statement of supremacy. There is nothing superior to the Lord, and all of existence is sustained and connected by Him, like beads held together by a single thread.
Verse 7.8:”I am the taste of water, O son of Kunti [Arjuna], the light of the sun and the moon, the syllable Om in the Vedic mantras; I am the sound in ether, and ability in man.”
- God is identified as the essential quality (rasa) or fundamental reality of all diverse phenomena—the light, the sound, the taste, and the power—demonstrating His singular presence in all things.
Verse 7.9:”I am the pure fragrance of the earth, and the heat in fire. I am the life of all that lives, and the penance of the ascetics.”
- Significance of Singularity: This further confirms the Divine identity with the core, pure essence of the material elements (fragrance of earth, heat of fire) and the life force (jīvana) that animates all beings.
Verse 7.10:”Know that I am the eternal seed of all existences, O son of Pritha [Arjuna]. I am the intelligence of the intelligent, and the splendor of the splendid.”
- God is the eternal seed (bījam)—the singular, original, and unchanging cause from which all things grow.
Chapter 10, Verse 3 (The Unborn, Unbeginning Lord)
This verse describes the Lord’s absolute transcendence and lack of origin, a key attribute of ultimate Divine Oneness.
Verse 10.3:”He who knows Me as the unborn, as the beginningless, as the supreme Lord of all the worlds—he, unbewildered among men, is freed from all sins.”
- Significance of Singularity: This defines the Lord as unborn (aja) and beginningless (anādi), attributes that belong exclusively to the Eternal, Singular Creator and Supreme Lord (Maheśvaram).
Philosophical Confirmations of Ultimate Singularity
The persistence of the monistic or monotheistic concept in non-scriptural philosophy provides powerful evidence that the truth of Tawhid is built into the human intellect itself.
1. 🇬🇷 Plato’s “The Good” (Tó Agathón)
In ancient Greek philosophy, particularly the works of Plato (c. 428–348 BCE), the concept of “The Good” is not merely an ethical virtue; it is the transcendent source and ultimate reality of all existence and knowledge.
The Absolute Source and Standard
- The Form of Forms: Plato’s theory posits a realm of eternal, perfect Forms (Ideas) that exist independently of the material world. These Forms are the true reality of things—for example, the Form of Justice, the Form of Beauty, and the Form of the Circle.
- The Good’s Supremacy: “The Good” (Tó Agathón) sits at the apex of this hierarchy. It is the ultimate source from which all other Forms derive their existence, intelligibility, and value. It is the Uncaused Cause.
- The Sun Analogy: In The Republic, Plato uses the analogy of the Sun to explain The Good. Just as the Sun provides the light necessary for the eye to see and the power for plants to grow, The Good provides the truth necessary for the mind (intellect) to know and the essence necessary for objects to exist. Crucially, The Good itself is “beyond being” or “beyond essence” (i.e., beyond comprehension), transcending all existence it causes.
Alignment with Tawhid
This concept strongly aligns with Tawhid in several ways:
- Singularity: The Good is a single, indivisible source of all perfection and reality. There is only one ultimate power.
- Transcendence: Being “beyond being,” The Good is utterly transcendent, much like the Islamic concept of Allah being unlike His creation (Laysa kamithlihi shay’un, Qur’an 42:11). It cannot be fully grasped by the senses or limited by the physical world.
- Ultimate Authority: It is the standard against which all morality, truth, and existence are measured, making it the supreme Authority deserving of obedience (submission).
2. ☯️ Ancient Chinese Philosophy: The Unborn Tao
In Chinese philosophy, particularly as articulated in the Tao Te Ching by Lao Tzu (traditionally 6th century BCE), the concept of the Tao (“The Way” or “The Path”) speaks of an ultimate, singular reality that precedes and governs the universe.
The Primal Unity
- The “One Behind the Tao”: The Tao itself is often described as the great cosmic flow or principle of order. However, the deepest reality is the Nameless or the Unmanifest source of the Tao.
Tao Te Ching, Chapter 1 (Excerpt): “The Way [Tao] that can be told is not the eternal Way; The name that can be named is not the eternal Name. The nameless is the origin of heaven and earth.”
- The Source of All Things: Chapter 42 states that “The Tao gave birth to the One; The One gave birth to the Two; The Two gave birth to the Three; The Three gave birth to the ten thousand things (all of creation).” This establishes a clear chain of creation originating from a single, nameless source.
- Ultimate Emptiness: The Tao is not a thing or a being, but an ultimate, empty (non-dual) field of potential that produces all being. It is the Uncaused, from which all causes flow.
Alignment with Tawhid
The Nameless Source behind the Tao reflects Tawhid through:
- Namelessness and Formlessness: It emphasizes that the ultimate reality cannot be captured by language or form, mirroring the Islamic emphasis on Allah’s absolute distinction from creation.
- Singular Origin: Everything in the cosmos, no matter how diverse (the “ten thousand things”), ultimately stems from the One.
- Eternal and Unchanging: The ultimate Tao is the “eternal Name,” reflecting God’s eternal nature (Al-Awwal – The First, Al-Akhir – The Last).
How Corruption Separates Us from the Pure Truth
Over time, political power, storytelling, myth-making, and cultural influence distorted the original message. Saints, prophets, nature, spirits, and even human reason were elevated to objects of worship. Polytheism, trinity doctrines, idol worship, and the deification of humans emerged — not because people stopped believing in God, but because they added partners beside Him.
Islam calls this shift shirk — associating others with God. It is the spiritual equivalent of dividing Infinity. Tawheed, therefore, is not adding a new theology to the world, it is peeling away human additions to return to the Original.
Omnism, Perennialism, and the Single Source
Today, many people view all religions—a philosophy sometimes called Perennialism or Omnism—as different paths ultimately leading to the same truth. Muslims appreciate the spiritual intention behind this view: the recognition that there has always been One Source.
Islam agrees with part of this universal worldview, affirming the existence of a single, continuous spiritual legacy that began with the Creator:
✅ Where Islam Agrees (The Universal Heritage)
- Yes — God has sent guidance to every nation and time, establishing a universal ethical and moral law.
- Yes — Divine truth, rooted in the recognition of a Supreme Creator, has echoed across cultures.
- Yes — There is an original, universal spiritual heritage (the Fitrah).
⛔️ Where Islam Gently Corrects (The Corrupted Streams)
- Not all current religions remain in their original, pristine form of Tawhid.
- Not every doctrine today accurately reflects God’s absolute, unparalleled Oneness.
- Some paths—due to human innovation or deviation—lead away from the original, singular Source.
In essence: The streams were originally pure, but the rivers became muddied by human addition and alteration.
Islam honors the universal beginnings of all authentic spiritual traditions while inviting humanity back to the final, uncorrupted message of the One God:
One God. No intermediaries. No partners. No division.
🔑 The Significance of Tawhid: A Final Reflection
Tawhid is more than theology; it is the essential framework for human existence and liberation. It grants dignity by freeing the soul from worshiping anything less than the Infinite, allowing us to refuse to bow to the false idols of money, status, or human desires. This singularity of focus brings unity by compelling us to recognize all human beings as creations of the One Lord, grounding our meaning in the wisdom and love of the Creator, and establishing inner peace through dependence on One, not many.
When the heart truly knows one Master, the soul ceases kneeling to the ephemeral demands of the world. Strip away the cultural layers, the symbolism, and the institutional accretions of history, and humanity rediscovers the Same Eternal Message: God is One; He created you, loves you, guides you, and calls you to worship Him sincerely and directly. This is the Tawhid proclaimed by Abraham, Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (peace be upon them all)—not four separate paths, but one unbroken path returning humanity to the One Source. As the purest language of the heart, Tawhid is the end of confusion and the beginning of clarity, a truth that never changed even when the world did. The call of Islam is simply a call to return to the One, and in that return, we find that He was always calling us—from the very beginning of our existence.
