Tawhid: Episode 5 | Sheikh Mohammed Mehdi

Summary

The video discusses theological concepts within Islam, contrasting them with other religions, particularly Christianity. It addresses whether God has a son, the unity of God, and refutes polytheism. Using the Quran as the foundation, it emphasizes God's singularity and refutes the idea of multiple gods, using examples from history, such as the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) destroying idols to show the folly of idol worship. The speaker highlights the importance of monotheism, the integrity of the Quran, and God's role as the sole creator and sustainer of the universe.

Takeaways

• 🟢 God is One: The main point is the affirmation of monotheism, stating that God has no children, nor does He share authority with anyone else.
• 🌟 No Multiple Gods: The script explains that if there were multiple gods, chaos would ensue, similar to the conflict seen in human affairs.
• ⚔️ God's Supreme Unity: If there were more than one god, creation would be in disorder, as rival gods would compete for power.
• 👑 Allah's Exalted Nature: Allah is far above anything that humans might attribute to Him, and He is the sole Creator with absolute control.
• 📜 Quran's Authority: The script emphasizes not to exceed what the Quran says regarding the nature of God, reinforcing the Quran's integrity as untampered and divine.
• 💥 Ibrahim's Story: The story of Prophet Ibrahim is mentioned to demonstrate the folly of idol worship, as Ibrahim mocked the idea that lifeless objects could be gods.
• 🔥 Idol Destruction: Ibrahim destroyed the idols to make a point about the absurdity of worshipping powerless entities, leaving only the largest idol and claiming it was responsible.
• 🛡️ Misguidance Tactics: Ibrahim's use of misdirection in the story is described as a method to challenge the idol worshippers' beliefs without outright lying.
• 🙏 Power of Prayer: The script highlights the importance of Dua (supplication) in Islam, especially when facing hardships or challenges, showing complete reliance on God.
• 💡 Truth vs. Falsehood: Believers are encouraged to stand firm in their beliefs and rely on strong, conclusive arguments in the face of opposition, as truth ultimately prevails.

Q & A

What is the main theological argument presented in the script regarding God's nature?

The main theological argument is that God (Allah) does not have a son and there is no other deity alongside Him. The script emphasizes the monotheistic belief in one Creator and refutes the idea of multiple gods or God having a child.

How does the script address the concept of multiple gods?

The script argues that if there were multiple gods, each would claim their own creation, leading to conflict and chaos. This idea is contrasted with the harmony and order in the universe, which is presented as evidence for the existence of only one God.

What analogy does the speaker use to explain why having multiple gods would lead to disorder?

The speaker uses the analogy of two bosses running a business or two captains on a ship. Just as it is impossible for two people to effectively manage a business or navigate a ship without conflict, the universe would not function harmoniously if there were multiple gods.

How does the script refute the idea of God having a son, as believed in Christianity?

The script cites verses from the Quran that clearly state Allah has not taken any son and there is no god alongside Him. It emphasizes the belief in the oneness of God, rejecting any attribution of children or associates to God.

What does the speaker say about the Quran and its integrity?

The speaker affirms that the Quran is in its perfect form and has not been tampered with. It is emphasized that Muslim scholars uphold the Quran's integrity and that the teachings in the Quran should not be exceeded or altered.

How is Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) portrayed in the story mentioned in the script?

Prophet Ibrahim is portrayed as a person of sound judgment who ridiculed the worship of celestial bodies like the sun and stars. The script explains that Ibrahim's actions, such as destroying idols, were meant to demonstrate the absurdity of idol worship and emphasize monotheism.

What lesson is drawn from Prophet Ibrahim’s destruction of the idols?

The lesson drawn is that true believers should disassociate themselves from anything worshiped other than Allah. Prophet Ibrahim’s act of destroying the idols is seen as a demonstration of monotheism, rejecting all false gods.

What form of communication does Prophet Ibrahim use when questioned about the destruction of the idols?

Prophet Ibrahim uses a form of misdirection known as 'Toria,' where he tells the people that the largest idol is responsible for the destruction and suggests they ask the idols if they can speak, thereby mocking their belief in the powerless idols.

How does the script describe the response of the people when confronted with Ibrahim's argument?

The people experience a brief moment of clarity, realizing the absurdity of their beliefs. However, instead of accepting the truth, they quickly revert to their original beliefs and decide to resort to violence by burning Ibrahim in an attempt to defend their gods.

What is emphasized as the 'weapon' of believers when facing challenges, according to the script?

The script emphasizes that the biggest 'weapon' of believers is 'Dua' (prayer) to Allah. Believers rely fully on Allah and turn to Him in prayer during difficult situations, as opposed to relying on material means or violence.

Outlines

00:00

🙏 The Oneness of God and Refuting Polytheism

The speaker discusses a common theological issue between Islam and Christianity, specifically the Christian belief in God having a son. According to the Quran, God (Allah) has no offspring, and there is no other God besides Him. The idea of multiple gods would lead to chaos and conflict, as each god would claim their own domain. The speaker compares this hypothetical situation to a business with two bosses, highlighting that unity and harmony are necessary for order. This is used to illustrate the monotheistic belief in one supreme Creator, emphasizing that only Allah oversees all creation and maintains universal harmony.

05:01

📖 The Integrity of the Quran

This paragraph emphasizes the Quran's divine preservation and integrity, as believed by Islamic scholars. It dismisses claims that the Quran has been altered, asserting that the text has remained in its perfect form. The speaker mentions that if there were any discrepancies in the Quran, prominent Islamic scholars would have addressed them. Furthermore, the Quran states that if there were multiple gods besides Allah, the universe would be in ruins, reinforcing the notion that Allah is the sole creator and sustainer of the universe.

10:02

🔥 Ibrahim's (Abraham's) Stand Against Idol Worship

The speaker recounts the story of Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) from the Quran, where he mockingly questioned the idols worshipped by his people. Ibrahim demonstrated sound judgment and ridiculed the idea of worshipping lifeless objects like the sun, moon, and stars. In a bold act of defiance, he destroyed the idols except for the largest one and used a form of misdirection (Toria) by suggesting that the biggest idol was responsible for the destruction. This story serves as a lesson in rejecting false deities and upholding the worship of one true God.

15:02

🔥 The Consequences of Rejecting the Truth

After Ibrahim destroyed the idols, his people had a moment of clarity, realizing that their worship was misplaced. However, instead of embracing the truth, they reverted to anger and decided to punish Ibrahim by burning him. This reaction mirrors how people often respond violently when they lose an argument or face the truth they are unwilling to accept. Ibrahim's steadfastness in worshipping the one true God is contrasted with the futility of idol worship, which offers no real benefit or protection to its followers. The speaker emphasizes that, ultimately, believers rely on Allah for protection, and that their prayers (Dua) are the strongest defense.

Keywords

💡God's Son

The concept of whether God has a son is central to the video's theme, contrasting the Islamic and Christian beliefs. In Islam, God is not seen as having any offspring, which is emphasized in the video when the speaker references the Quran stating that God has not taken any son.

💡Monotheism

Monotheism, the belief in one God, is a foundational concept in the video. It highlights the Islamic teaching that there is only one Creator, rejecting any notion of multiple gods. The video underscores this by explaining that the universe's harmony is due to the presence of a single God, as opposed to the chaos that would result from multiple gods.

💡Polytheism

Polytheism, or the belief in multiple gods, is rejected in the video. The speaker describes scenarios where, if there were multiple gods, they would be in conflict with one another. This leads to the argument that the harmony of the universe reflects the existence of only one supreme Creator.

💡Quran

The Quran is frequently referenced in the video as the ultimate authority in understanding God from the Islamic perspective. The speaker advises not to exceed what is stated in the Quran when explaining the nature of God, reflecting its central role in Islamic theology and practice.

💡Ibrahim (Abraham)

The prophet Ibrahim is mentioned in the video as a figure of wisdom who mocked idol worship. His story is used to illustrate the importance of monotheism and the rejection of idols, showing his dedication to the one true God through his destruction of idols in his community.

💡Idols

Idols represent false gods that people mistakenly worship, and their destruction is symbolic in the video. Ibrahim's destruction of idols is a rejection of associating any object or being with divinity, reinforcing the video’s theme of strict monotheism.

💡Tawhid

Tawhid, or the oneness of God, is a central theme in the video. It emphasizes that Allah has no partners, associates, or equals. The speaker stresses that the unity and harmony of the universe prove the existence of only one Creator.

💡Misguidance

Misguidance refers to following false beliefs, particularly worshiping idols or believing in multiple gods. The speaker discusses how people are led astray by worshiping things that neither benefit nor harm them, instead of worshiping the one true God.

💡Tawriyah

Tawriyah, or misdirection, is a concept mentioned when discussing how Ibrahim used a form of rhetorical misdirection to make a point about idol worship. He placed the blame for the destruction of idols on the largest idol, challenging the people to think critically about their beliefs.

💡Dua (Supplication)

Dua is highlighted as the most powerful tool a believer has. The speaker emphasizes that believers should rely on supplication to God in times of need, demonstrating faith and reliance on Allah's power rather than material or worldly means.

Highlights

Discussion on the theological question of whether God has a son in Christianity.

Explanation of the Islamic belief that Allah has not taken any son as per the Quran.

Argument against the existence of multiple gods, suggesting if there were, they would compete for control, leading to chaos.

Reference to harmony in the universe as evidence of a single Creator.

Analogy comparing multiple gods to multiple bosses in a business, illustrating the need for a singular decision-maker.

The idea that multiple gods would cause conflicts, similar to wars between humans, disrupting the natural order.

Emphasis on not exceeding what is stated in the Quran when discussing the nature of God.

Refutation of claims that the Quran has been altered, affirming its authenticity according to Islamic belief.

Mention of the Quran’s argument that multiple gods would result in the ruin of the heavens and Earth.

Introduction of the story of Ibrahim (Abraham) as a youth and his confrontation with idol worship.

Ibrahim's act of destroying idols to demonstrate his rejection of polytheism and association with only one God.

Use of 'misdirection' by Ibrahim, a concept called 'Toria' in Islam, when he placed blame on the largest idol.

Misdirection in Islamic context can be used to protect lives or resolve conflicts, but not to lie outright.

Description of how idol worshippers reacted with violence after losing the argument, attempting to burn Ibrahim.

Highlight of the belief that Allah protected Ibrahim from the fire, symbolizing the power of divine reliance.

Transcripts

[Music]

ald one of the things that we contain

end with when it comes to the other

humongous religion in this world that

being

Christianity is the issue of whether

God begets or has a child of some

kind does God have a son or not is the

question that they bring

about now previously to this we

mentioned about the idea of children in

the previous lesson but we go on to look

at that God has never taken anyone's a

son Allah says in the

Quran Allah has not taken any son

whatsoever and also there is no other

God with him God is not sitting with

another God that they sit together and

decide on how things take place he says

then

if that is the case each would have

claimed their own creation some order

said listen I'm the god of the wind for

all those that adhere to this as you

have in some religions where I have a

God for each and every single thing that

exists then he

says and what would happen they would

try to overcome each other no wants to

be just another God each one wants to be

the God and then he says

subh that Allah is exalted Allah is

above what they ascribe to Allah or

describe to Allah

now we need to understand

that there is one Creator and no other

it's not like there is parallel worlds

and each parallel world a bit like a

Marvel Universe where each one has its

own rules and there's some other person

that or or or being or entity that

dictates the terms of what takes place

each creation belongs to one Creator

they all have the thumb print of that

Creator obviously when I say Thum print

we don't mean the word literally and the

other thing

is otherwise you would literally have

wars between the gods and this is what

they talk about you know it's like

someone is trying to make a game or make

some Blockbuster movie where the gods

are at war with each other the gods if

there was multiple gods and that

actually existed you wouldn't have the

Harmony in the world that you have today

as in the universe and instead see the

conflict that you see between men you

know as the African proverb says when

elephants fight ants get crushed so when

these countries and these leaders are

fighting many people are being massacred

could you imagine the gods were at war

with each other what would happen to the

universe you'd see planets being flung

from one place to another it would be

something like like that and things

wouldn't work and then there'd be

alliances you know these two gods are up

against them three gods or whatever it

will be something that is like I said

out of a movie or out of a book or in a

game even if you have a business two

bosses never work I've dealt with this

all the time you know when they have two

bosses running a business there's always

got to be someone that has that final

say two bosses never work because each

one might want to run the business in a

certain direction where the other person

doesn't uh see the or have the same

vision in doing so in life it teaches

you you can't have two captains and on

airplane or a ship there has to be that

one decision maker whose decisions are

final it doesn't work in in in any

structure

whatsoever and just we go back to the

idea of there be one person or one

entity that is above all and Allah is

far above everything that anyone

alleges was asked about the description

of

Allah he

mentioned one thing he said do not

exceed beyond what is stated in the

Quran whatever the Quran says do not

exceed beyond that some

people neglect the Quran they let tend

some human beings obviously our Scholars

put the Quran in the Forefront and its

integrity and then you have random

people that try and dismiss the Quran

and make it as if it's some book that's

that's uh that can be attacked or some

book that's in TS or some book that has

been altered God forbid our Scholars all

of the belief that the Quran is in its

perfect form has not been tampered with

and this is why when the imams if it and

this is an actual challenge if the imams

believed that the Quran had been

tempered with I know this is a side note

but it's important they would have

mentioned it the the IM wouldn't tell

you oh don't exceed what's in the Quran

but you know the Quran the real one not

this fake one he would have actually

mentioned that this but the fact that

he's mentioning

the Quran it's the one that is the one

that's with us he says do not exceed

what's in the Quran when it comes to

understanding God and the Quran

says that if there was had been in the

heavens and the Earth God's other

besides

Allah he said they would be ruined the

heavens and the Earth would be ruined

just as I mentioned just as you can see

humans with through conflict have

destroyed the Earth all the problems we

have in the earth you see the Earth

isn't like it used to be obviously from

what human destruction is do you imagine

the universe was in this state it' be in

this

destruction once again Allah is exalted

from what they describe God mentions so

from this is something very clear that

he above everything people allege or

attribute to him now we're going to turn

to a

story that a lot of people have heard

and have heard in a different way Allah

mentions in the Quran that

ibraim was I'm not going to read the

Arabic text it's going to be because

it's in verses 51 to 70 what we're going

to refer to but it's Allah mentions

first that ibraim was some of sound

judgment and this is ibraim as a youth

this is important because some people

will attribute that when he saw the sun

the verse in the Quran he saw the moon

he saw the stars and he said this is my

Lord they say ibraim was Sage he was a

simpleton and this is God

forbid uh far from True ibraim was

saying this mockingly cuz Allah says he

is someone of sound judgment so Allah is

explaining that he someone of sound

judgment for him to make these claims he

is ridiculing what they follow how could

you follow this and how could you follow

that but this isn't the story we're

talking about he mentions in this

story

that Allah mentions his father and when

we say his father Allah mentions

ABA ABA is the one that raised him now

we would accept this to be his birtha if

there wasn't

narrations that negate this firstly we

know the narrations that the prophets

are all

begotten by Believers that a prophet's

not begotten by a

non-believer unlike what other sects may

say that they say that our Prophet

Muhammad sallallah alai Ali wasam was

born born to polytheist parents but we

totally negate that one is not meant to

follow in the footsteps of their father

in fact even if you are born a Muslim

you're supposed to investigate that what

you follow is correct not just all right

my parents are Muslim this is what I

will follow so ibraim schemed at this

point to destroy their Idols when they

left and he mentioned to them something

around about thing just to bring it to

their attention when they left and they

returned they found he had destroyed all

their Idols except the largest one when

they asked who destroyed our Gods who

did this with our Gods cuz they referred

to them as

Gods because they see them they depict

these Idols as actual Gods themselves if

I was to walk into a shop and if if it's

owned by a Buddhist or or a Hindu

sometimes will see for example a statue

or an idol or you see some little gold

figurine with fruits around it or

something they depict these as gods they

do not look at them as anything other

than actual Gods this is my God if you

ask them who's this they'll say this is

my God so they said who did this to our

Gods then a group of people said we

heard a young man called ibraim who was

scheming against them so they bring

ibraim forward

and firstly I need to explain two things

by ibraim destroying the

idols this was an apparent form

ofar ibraim is

disassociating with anyone other than

Allah even when we say we

say this is that we do not associate

with any God and then our

is Allah is the only one we

have Allah is the one we follow and

anyone any God other than God we

disassociate anyone attributes Divinity

to anyone other than God if

they and equal with God we disassociate

from this and this is what our sh is

ibim

was a a manifestation

of he showed how tar is supposed to be

done he took a stance to show I will not

accept other than one Creator so when

they came and they pointed towards him

and they said he is the one that spoke

about this and they brought him forth

this is the second point he used the

form of misdirection which is called TOA

he said said the one that did this was

the biggest Idol he had put the axe

around him to show that he's the one

that did this he said so ask them if

they

speak now in other words what he was

saying if they speak then it was the

biggest that could did this so it's

called misdirection this is what we call

TOA which is something that is used in

times or when someone's for example

doing uh a situation where they have to

if I'm solving a problem between two

people I use forms of Toria so by

mentioning this that I can misdirect

there are certain situations where I'm

allowed to I'm allowed to wear uh

misdirect things to save someone's life

or to save someone from severe

persecution so it becomes part of the

which is part of Islam where

we need to act in a certain way to save

or preserve human life this is performed

by all the sects in Islam not by only us

although we are accused of being the

only ones to do it yet they all do it

and everyone does it in general part of

it is in order to deal with people in a

certain way but you can't lie and

basically blatantly

lie except in those situations

where you're bringing two people

together like imagine a husband a wife

are fought that IM s says this is the

truth when you actually for me to say oh

yes he did say this about you or yes she

said that about you and cause a problem

you're not allowed to do that the other

thing is if if someone's going to be

killed likewise you can't do that either

so or or severely persecuted so there

you have to uh do what's called uh to in

this manner some people tend to use it

for anything and that becomes lying all

over again so in this case Naim was

trying to make a point that what you

Worship in this case being these Idols

is problematic from this point of view

that they don't even react so uh there

was a p purpose for this and he wanted

to make a point now they have a Moment

of clarity

here they went back to themselves they

start blame themselves

um you know what he's

right but it's just a very small opening

a very small moment where you have a

Moment of clarity and you realize you

were wrong it's either you Embrace this

and accept I'm wrong I got to change

which is what a Believer would do or an

unbeliever or someone that's not in

search of truth will quash it have you

ever seen when you're watching a

television show and there's an

interviewer talking to an interviewee

and the interviewee says to the

interviewer something that shows that

the interviewer is is speaking uh

gibberish and then the interviewer has

that moment where I've been caught out

and you think how will he get out of

this but he just shrugs it off dust

himself off like it's nothing and moves

on so when I show my argument and the

argument this is the this is the

argument that will be used against you

and I that they have judgment when

someone

mentions any argument and it's solid and

it's true I can't just brush it away so

ibraim is saying to them that you are

people that are living you are people

that are breathing you are people that

are seeing you are people that are

hearing you worship gods that do not

benefit you do not harm you they do not

benefit you if you need them you pray

they don't answer your prayer they're

not there for for you they don't comfort

you you're worshiping something that's

just sitting in the corner of your house

or Temple you're just looking at it has

no benefit to you at all rather than

worship the creator of the

universe whose benevolence you see all

around you and if you look at these Idol

worshipers they'll say this the gods are

like characters it's like a story book

it has nothing to do with the the god

the only creator of the universe so they

are following someone that cannot

benefit them in any way so when they had

lost the argument what they do you know

when someone is in a position when they

lose the argu you know School schoolyard

arguments the second someone loses you

say to the other person your mom or

something like that cuz they've lost the

argument they got nothing else to say or

they'll punch them they'll they'll

strike them because they've lost they've

got nothing else they result to violence

and this is what they did they said burn

him let's burn him in order to restore

our honor and save our Gods so not only

these Gods useless you are the one

defending these Gods you're the one

defending them take a look at for

example abraha and the story of ABD mutb

the grandfather of when abaha came with

an army of elephants to attack

the the believer went to to abraha and

said your army has stolen my camels I

would like them to return them and

abraha said have you not come to ask for

the defense of the Kaa he said the

camels are

mine the camels are mine but the house

has its own protector it has a master

has God if you notice our biggest weapon

is Dua the biggest weapon of the

believer is praying to God Dua

it is the weapon of the of the prophets

when we are in any issue we turn with du

do you honestly think when the Muslims

are being attacked and killed their

defense is whatever they have now look

what did they have one sword their

relian is on

Allah they fully rely on Allah in

everything in these cases so they

resorted to violence to throwing in the

fire Allah saved them from the fire

because they had no other defense

eventually

eventually in any argument you will fine

the believer always

overcomes the believer's H the

believer's

proof is

always more conclusive it is conclusive

where the unbelievers always you can

catch them out just when they start

speaking

and you could see they're just there to

win an argument regardless of how they

win it they're not there to understand

or to learn or to find the

truth so but with

Allah Allah is one God has no associate

Allah is a living God he's not someone

that relies on us he's someone we rely

upon and this is our creator and this is

our Lord unlike what others have

attributed and alleged towards

[Music]