The Nature of Allah

The Nature of Allah

The Oneness of Allah (Tawhid)

• Tawhid: The belief that Allah is one and cannot be divided, there is no equal to him.
• Shirk: An Islamic term that refers to associating partners with Allah. It is seen as the greatest sin in Islam.

Allah’s Names and Nature

• Muslims refer to 99 names, or attributes, of Allah to understand and relate to him.
• Some of these include: Al-Rahman (The Merciful), Al-Hakim (The Wise), Al-Malik (The King), and Al-Khaliq (The Creator).
• Each name expresses an aspect of His nature.

Omnipotence and Omnibenevolence of Allah

• Muslims believe that Allah is all-powerful (omnipotent) and is able to do anything he wills.
• Muslims also believe that Allah is all-loving (omnibenevolent). Allah is thought to love every one of His creations and His mercy is endless.

Allah’s Knowledge

• Muslims believe Allah is all-knowing (omniscient). He is aware of everything that occurs in the universe, no matter how significant or insignificant it might be.
• This omniscience also extends to knowing what will happen in the future. Allah is thought to have knowledge of all events, no matter when they will occur.

Other Attributes of Allah

• Muslims believe Allah is just and fair (Adl). He will judge humanity fairly based on their actions in this life.
• Allah is also immanent, meaning He is present in the world and participates in history. He listens to prayers and has power over the happenings of the universe.
• At the same time, Allah is transcendent. This means He is beyond human understanding and beyond the limitations of the physical world.