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AKC 5 General – Spring Term 2009 – Dead or Alive: the search for God inside and outside the Church
16/02/09
AKC 5 – 16 FEBRUARY 2009
GOD IS ONE: THE NOTION OF TAWHID IN ISLAM
MR CAROOL KERSTEN, DEPT OF THEOLOGY AND RELIGIOUS STUDIES, KCL
Experience, religious experience, experiencing God:
A few words on ‘experience’ in this lectures series on ‘experiences’ of God in various religious traditions.
Scholars of Religion are problematising many assumedly self-evident and conventional terms used in
religious studies. ‘Experience’ is one of them. The problem is exacerbated when speaking of experiences
of a transcendental entity like God. In addressing ‘religious experiences’ there is a tendency not to
delineate carefully between the broad array of religious experiences (feelings, moods, dispositions, states
of consciousness) and so-called ‘mystical experiences’. It is important that in spite of the assumed
‘immediacy’ of experiences, we do not have access to such experiences, other than our own. We can only
take note of reports on such experiences. These reports have to be communicated, usually through
language. Key source for monotheist religions like the Abrahamic traditions: scripture.
Islam:
Embedded within the context of Near Eastern religious traditions, moving from polytheism via henotheism
toward the monotheist tradition originating in the Semitic world. The Prophet bringing the new mission
known as Islam. Muhammad, regarded himself as completing a sequence of ‘breakings-in’ of the
Transcendent into the world through revelation, and is therefore referred to as the ‘seal of the prophets’
(khātim al-anbiyā’). Starting with Adam and what is called the ‘primordial covenant’ between this first
man and his Creator.
Throughout human history this covenant was frequently broken by man and repeatedly renewed by God.
Milestones: Abraham, (hanif, is neither Jew, Christian or Muslim, starting point of a discernible notion of
‘Abrahamic’ religions); Moses; Jesus; Muhammad. Islam no claim to bringing something radically new,
but: (1) final reminder of man being duty-bound to God through these covenants’ (2) correcting alleged
corruptions introduced in Judaism and Christianity. This is not only reflected in the alternative name for
the Islamic Scripture, Qur’an, -- dhikr or ‘remembrance’.
Differences with Judaism and Christianity:
Muhammad as final prophet; key notion: in response to Christian Trinity: a re-articulation of the belief in
One God i.e. no partners and indivisible: TAWHID
Exemplified in Creed: ‘I witness that there is no God but God; I witness that Muhammad is his Messenger’
Whereas in Judaism the real name of God is unmentionable, in Islam you cannot invoke God’s name
enough (Dhikr Allah).
‘Experiences’ and ‘notions’ of God in Islam:
This brings us then to the ‘specifics’ of Islam as one of the traditions within these broader fields of
Abrahamic religions. A lot of what we can call ‘typically Islamic’ is part of a longer and broader tradition,
but refracted through the cultural features of the society in which Islam first appeared; seventh-century
Arabia: Introduces this grand narrative of monotheism to the Arabs.
Qur’an revealed in Arabic, becomes Sacred Scripture and wellspring for Islamic notions and experiences
of God:
Notion of Tawhid: One of earliest revelations: Sura Ikhklās or Chapter of ‘Sincerity’ (S112)
99 beautiful names of Allah: provide material for Islamic spiritual tradition known as Sufism, but also
raised difficult theological questions as they refer to the so-called attributes of God. In addition there are
anthropomorphic descriptions of God.
These diverse aspects used to illustrate the comprehensiveness of God can be grouped under two major
characterizations: (1) God’s majesty (mysterium tremendum et fascinans) – Throne Verse (2:255)’ (2)
God’s benevolence and mercy (rahmani, rahim); intimately connected to man: ‘nearer to him than his
jugular vein’ (50:16); Light Verse (24:35)
Even this rich scriptural source falls short to capture in human language the comprehensiveness of a
Transcendental God and humankind’s desire of establishing a relationship
Within Sufism this has resulted in the employment of ecstatic language (Shath) i.e. expressions of
achieving a sense of union or even self-identification with God (Abu Yazid Al-Bistami; Al-Hallaj). Or
philosophical elaborations such as the ‘Unity of Being’ (Wahdat al-Wujud ), theorised by Ibn al-Arabi; AlJili, and others). From the 13/14th century onward: backlash by liberal scripturalists (Ibn Taymiyya;
Sirhindi, Shah Walilullah, Ibn Abd al-Wahhab)
Experiencing God through Action (Good Works):
Aside from its own doctrinal positions, Islam is also characterised by its practices. If there is such a thing
as the essence of a religion, then in the case of Islam this is exemplified by the so-called FIVE PILLARS.
Four out of five constituting things you do rather than believe:
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
Shahada (Creed)
Salat (Prayer, 5 times daily)
Zakat (Almsgiving, taxed annually)
Saum (Annual fasting during month of Ramadan)
Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca, once in a lifetime)
These are all activities that emphasise man’s relationship with God; it is the way for the individual Muslim
to recall and become conscious of (dhikr) that covenant with God.
Further Reading:

Adonis (2005) Sufism and Surrealism. Translated from the Arabic by Judith Cumberbatch. London:
Saqi Books [1995]

Brown, Daniel (2004) A New Introduction to Islam. Oxford etc.: Blackwell Publishing

Denny, Frederick M. (2006) An Introduction to Islam. 3rd edition. Upper Saddle River: Pearson
Prentice Hall

Lari, Sayyid Mujtaba Musavi (1989) God and His Attributes: Lessons on Islamic Doctrine.
Potomac: Islamic Education Center

Rashid, M.S. (1981) Iqbal’s Concept of God. London and Boston: Kegal Paul International

Rippin, Andrew (2006) ‘God’. In: The Blackwell Companion to the Quran/ Edited by Andrew
Rippin. Xofrd etc.: Blackwell Publishing, pp. 223-33

Saeed, Abdullah (2008) The Qur’an: An Introduction. London and New York: Routledge

Sharf, Rober H. (1998) ‘Experience’ In: Critical Terms for Religious Studies. Edited by Mark C.
Taylor. Chicago and London: University of Chicago Press, pp. 94-113

Shehadi, Fadlou (1964) Ghazali’s Unique Unknowable God. Leiden: E.J. Brill

Watt. William Montgomery (1970) Bell’s Introduction to the Qur’an. Edinburgh: Edinburgh
University Press

Zia Ullah, Mohammed (1984) Islamic Concept of God. London etc.: Kegan Paul International
Full details about the AKC course, copies of the handouts, and the Discussion Board can be found on the
AKC website: http://www.kcl.ac.uk/akc. If you have any queries please contact the AKC Course
Administrator (ext 2333 or email [email protected]).
EXAM REGISTRATION: Please reply to the email you have received giving your full name and student
ID number to indicate you want to take the exam BY FRIDAY 27 FEBRUARY.
Please note the AKC Exam is on Friday 27 March 2009 between 14.30 and 16.30.
GLOSSARY:
GOD IS ONE: THE NOTION OF TAWHID IN ISLAM
Islam
Literally: Submission (to God)
Tawhid
Oneness and Absolute Unity of God
Qur’ān
literally: ‘that what is to be recited’; Islamic Scripture
Khatim al-Anbiya
‘Seal of the Prophets’, characerization of Muhammad ibn Abdullah (±570-632CE),
‘Founder of Islam’
hanīf,
‘Primordial monotheist’, neither Jew or Christian
Al-Khalīl
‘Friend of God’, Abrahamm
Mithāq
treaty or covenant
‘Ahd
‘oath’ or covenant
Dhikr
‘remembrance’, alternative name for Qur’an, also in: Dhikr Allah = invoking God’s
name
Sura
A chapter of the Qur’an
Sura Ikhklās
‘Chapter of Sincerity’ (nr. 112)
Rahmān
Benevolent (attribute of God)
Rahīm
Merciful (attribute of God)
Bismi-llahi, ar-rahmani, al-rahim
‘In the Name of God, the Benevolent, the Merciful’
Kalām
‘dialectic’ or ‘discursive theology’.
Mu’tazila.
Islamic school of theology using Greek rationalism
Mihna
‘Inquisition’ favouring doctrine of ‘created Qur’an’
Tawassuf
Islamic mysticism; Sufism
Shath
Rapturous often shocking exclamations made by ecstatic Sufis.
Al-lauh al-mahfuz
‘Preserved Tablet’, the Primordial Qur’an
Wahdat al-Wujud,
Doctrine of the ‘Unity of Being’
Five Pillars of Islam:
Shahada (Creed); Salat (Prayer,5 times daily); Zakat (Almsgiving, taxed annually);
Saum (Annual fasting during Month of Ramadan); Hajj (Pilgrimage to Mecca),
once in a lifetime)
Hasan al-Basri (d. 728CE)
Islamic scholar known for his piety
Ahmad ibn Hanbal (d. 855CE)
Opponent of the Mu’tazila
Caliph a-Ma’mun (d. 833CE)
Patron of the Mu’tazila
Ibn Sina (d. 950CE)
Avicenna. Muslim scholar and philosopher
Abu Yazid Al-Bistami (d. 874CE)
Leading Sufi or Muslim mystic
Al-Hallaj (d. 922CE)
Sufi executed for his rapturous exclamation ‘I am Truth’
(Ana al-Haqq)
Abd al-Jabbar al-Niffari (d. 965CE)
Sufi poet
Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d. 1111CE)
Islamic scholar, author of: ‘The Revivification of Religious Sciences’ [Ihya’ Ulum
al-Din]
Muhyiddin Ibn al-Arabi (d.1240CE)
Sufi philosopher and poet
Abd al-Karim al-Jili (d. 1403CE)
Descendant of the founder of one of the most important Sufi orders even in the
contemporary world, Abd al-Qadir al-Jilani (1007-1166). Al-Jili developed the
concept of the al-Insan al-Kamil or ‘Perfect Man’
Hamza al-Fansuri
Peripatetic Malay Sufi poet
Ibn Taymiyya (d. 1328CE)
Muslim scholar critical of the doctrine of ‘Unity of Being’
Muhammad Ibn Abd al-Wahhab
Founder of the ‘Wahhabi’ movement (Muwahhidun or
Unitarians: ‘Upholders of Tawhid’)