Unity of God — Page 21
21 and the Teachings of Muhammad s as evidence. He expounded upon its evils through arguments. For example, it is mentioned in the Holy Quran regarding shirk : 7 ٌ اَحَد لَّہٗ کُفُوًا ۡ یَکُن ۡ لَم َ یُوۡلَدۡو ۡ یَلِد ۡ ۙ۬ وَ لَم ۡ اللّٰہُ اَحَد ٌ ۚاَللّٰہُ الصَّمَد ُ ۚلَم َ ہُو ۡ قُل In these verses, four kinds of shirk have been described, each one followed by a refutation: One , assuming a partnership in His Oneness by declaring the existence of another entity like Him. This is wrong because ْ اَ حَد اللّٰہ َ ُو ہ Allah is One and has no partner. Two , assuming a partnership in His attributes is incorrect because ْ اللّٰہُ الصَّمَد [Allah as] Samad is the One upon whom everything depends for their survival, and the support of God Almighty is manifested through His attributes. Even to think that other beings are essential to the survival, subsistence, or functioning of the world amounts to shirk. Three , assuming a partnership in His eternal existence. To believe that God lived only in the past and was succeeded by progeny is also shirk. It ascribes an imperfection to God; namely, that He is mortal. 7 Sūrah Al-Ikhl ā s , 112:2-5: ‘Say, ‘He is Allah, the One; Allah, the Independent and Besought of all. He begets not, nor is He begotten. And there is none like unto Him. ’’ [Publishers]