The very first article of faith is belief in Allah: that He is One, the only true God, the Creator and Sustainer of everything, with no partner and nothing like Him. This is called Tawḥīd, the oneness of Allah, and it is the heart of Islam.
Allah is One
Tawḥīd means we worship Allah alone. He was not born and He gives birth to none; He needs nothing but everything needs Him. He has no equal and no partner in creating or ruling the universe.
- He alone created the heavens, the earth, and every living thing.
- He alone deserves our worship, love, and obedience.
- Nothing shares in His power or knowledge.
Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ
This short sūrah sums up Tawḥīd. It teaches that Allah is One (Aḥad), the Eternal (aṣ-Ṣamad) whom all creation depends upon, who was not born and did not give birth, and to whom nothing is comparable (Sūrah al-Ikhlāṣ, 112:1–4). Learning it helps a Muslim describe their belief in a few pure lines.
Some of His Beautiful Names
Allah has many beautiful names (al-Asmāʾ al-Ḥusnā) that describe Him:
- Ar-Raḥmān — the Most Merciful, whose mercy covers all.
- Ar-Raḥīm — the Especially Merciful to believers.
- Al-Khāliq — the Creator of all.
- Al-ʿAlīm — the All-Knowing.
We begin almost everything with Bismillāhir-Raḥmānir-Raḥīm, remembering that He is Most Merciful.
Living Tawḥīd
Belief in Allah is not only in the mind; it shapes the heart. We turn to Him in prayer, thank Him for His gifts, and trust that He is wise and kind. Reflecting on the sky, the sea, and our own bodies reminds us of the One who made them.