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Lesson No 64 LESSONS IN ISLAM Section I ISLAMIC BELIEFS
BISMIL-LAHIR-RAHMANIR-RAHIM (In the name of Al-lah, the Beneficent, the merciful) ONENESS OF AL-LAH (TAUHID) Q. What does the term "Al-lah" mean: Ans. Al-lah is the name of that Being (God) who is wajib-ul-wujud (self-existent) and combines in Him all the perfect Attributes. Q. What does the term "Wajib-ul-Wujud" mean? Ans. Wajib-ul-Wujud is that One whose existence is a must and non-existence impossible. Anyone who is Wajib-ul-Wujud is eternal. He has no beginning and no end. He can never be non-existent; He is self-existent. For, anything which owes its existence to some other agency cannot be Wajib-ul-Wujud. Thus, according to Islamic belief, the Almighty Al-lah is Wajib-ul-Wujud. Nothing else in the world can be self-existent. Q. What do we mean by Sifat Kamaliyah (Perfect Attributes)? Ans. Since the Almighty Al-lah is self-existent and since a self-existent must necessarily be perfect in all respects, the Attributes necessary for the perfect Being must be present in Him. Such Attributes are known as Sifat Kamaliyah (Perfect Attributes). Q. What do we call a Being that exists from eternity to eternity? Ans. Such a Being is called Qadim (eternal). Q. What other objects besides Al-lah are eternal. Ans. The Almighty Al-lah and all His Attributes are eternal. Nothing else is eternal. Q. How did the Almighty Al-lah create the heavens, the earth and other things when nothing else besides Him existed? Ans. Al-lah created the whole universe by His word and might. He did not need anything to make the universe or to create the sky and earth. He could not have been self-existent had He been in need of other things to create the universe. Remember that Al-lah is self-existent. He who is self-existent. One who is self-existent cannot be dependent on other things or persons. Q. Name the various Perfect Attributes of Al-lah? Ans. They are: (1) Oneness; (2) Eternity, or Self-existence; (3) Life; (4) Omnipotence; (5) Omniscience; (6) Free will; (7) Knowledge; (8) Sight; (9) Speech; (10) Creation; (11)Bringing into existence, etc. Q. What do we mean by Oneness as an Attribute? Ans. It means being One. It is a unique prerogative of Al-lah to be One in person as well as in Attributes. Faith in Oneness means faith in the Oneness of Al-lah. Q. What do we mean by the Attribute of Eternity or self-existence? Ans. Eternity means being eternal with no beginning and no end. Self-existence means to be existent in one’s right. Q. What do we mean by something being Eternal? Ans. An Eternal Being is both azali and abadi. Azali is what has no beginning and abadi what is without end. Al-lah is both azali and abadi. This is what we mean by the term "Eternal"
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