عَمَُّْ ْ اَلْاِخْلَاص
قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ﴿۱﴾
﴾1﴿ Qul huwal laahu ahad
﴾1﴿ Say, Allah is One, the Absolute
Khatib Shirbini and Mufassir Al-Alusi have recorded twenty-two names for this surah.
Relevancy:
This surah connects with the previous surah in four ways:
In the previous surah, worldly and eternal punishment was mentioned. In this surah, the means of salvation from that punishment is explained—pure monotheism (Tawhid Ikhlas).
The previous surah mentioned a great blessing for the believers—the destruction of a major enemy and the removal of obstacles. In this surah, the way to express gratitude for that blessing is mentioned, which is calling to pure monotheism.
The previous surah spoke about the destruction of Abu Lahab and his wife. In this surah, the reason for their destruction is indicated—their denial of Tawhid.
In all previous surahs, countless divine sciences and rulings were mentioned. This surah summarizes and establishes the foundation of all of them, which is pure monotheism (Tawhid Ikhlas). This highlights that the ultimate purpose of the revelation of the Qur’an is Tawhid.
Claim of this surah:
This surah establishes the oneness of Allah in His essence and attributes by declaring His absolute purity from all defects and deficiencies.
Summary of the surah:
In the first verse, the oneness of Allah’s essence and His role as the Creator is established.
In the second verse, the oneness of His affirmative attributes (صفات ثبوتیه) is affirmed.
In the third and fourth verses, the oneness of His negating attributes (صفات سلبیه) is emphasized, declaring Him free from all deficiencies and imperfections.
This surah alone is sufficient for recognizing Allah Almighty, which is why it is also called "Surah Al-Mufarridah" (The Distinct Surah).
[1] Reason for Revelation (Asbab al-Nuzul)
In Musnad Ahmad, a hadith narrated by Ubayy ibn Ka‘b (may Allah be pleased with him) states that the polytheists asked the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace):
"Tell us the lineage of your Lord."
In another narration, they asked:
"Describe to us the attributes of your Lord."
In response, this surah was revealed.
The Significance of "قُلْ" (Say)
Ibn Qayyim mentions that "قُلْ" conveys an important meaning:
It signifies that this surah is Allah Himself informing us about His Tawhid (Oneness).
In other words, Allah is commanding us to proclaim His Tawhid in this specific way.
The Meaning of "هُوَ" (He)
The strongest interpretation is that since this surah was revealed in response to the polytheists' question, the pronoun "هُوَ" (He) refers to the Divine Essence (ذات) that they inquired about.
The Name "اللَّهُ" (Allah)
"اللَّهُ" is the proper name of Allah’s essence.
All other divine names mentioned in Shariah are descriptive attributes (Asma’ Sifatiyyah).
Although they are exclusive to Allah, the name "Allah" uniquely refers to His essence (ذات).
Since the surah defines Allah's essence, the name "Allah" is explicitly mentioned at the beginning.
The Meaning of "أَحَدٌ" (Ahad - Absolute Oneness)
The word "أَحَدٌ" (Ahad), when used in an absolute descriptive sense, is exclusive to Allah—as seen in this surah.
Difference between "أَحَدٌ" (Ahad) and "وَاحِدٌ" (Wahid):
1. Ahad is never used to indicate numbers, unlike Wahid.
You cannot say "أَحَدٌ، اثنان، ثلاثة" (one, two, three).
But you can say "وَاحِدٌ، اثنان، ثلاثة" (one, two, three).
2. Ahad is used exclusively for Allah when describing absolute oneness, while Wahid can be used for both Allah and created beings.
You cannot say "رَجُلٌ أَحَدٌ" (a man is Ahad).
But you can say "رَجُلٌ وَاحِدٌ" (a man is Wahid).
Thus, "أَحَدٌ" in this surah signifies that Allah is absolutely unique and indivisible in His essence and attributes.
Note: This Verse Establishes the Oneness of Allah as the Creator (توحید خالقیت) and Refutes All Materialistic and Dualistic Beliefs
This verse is structured in the most precise and logical order to refute different groups who deny divine creation:
Refutation of Atheistic Materialists (دهریه) – Those Who Deny Any Cause for Creation
Some misguided sects claim that things come into existence by themselves and continue to exist naturally without a creator.
In ancient philosophy, such thinkers were called "Ashab al-Tafrah" ( أصحاب الطفرة).
The word "هُوَ" (He) refutes this view because all human minds and hearts inherently recognize a cause for existence—some acknowledge it willingly, while others reject it outwardly but accept it subconsciously.
Thus, "هُوَ" refers to the One who brings all things into existence.
Refutation of Those Who Believe in a Creator but Attribute Creation to Material Causes
Some accept that there is a "mujid" (creator) but falsely claim that the cause of creation is "matter", or "nature", or "hyle" (primary substance), or "eternal time" (دهر), or "the movement of celestial bodies".
The word "اللَّهُ" (Allah) refutes these beliefs, affirming that the true Creator is Allah alone, not material or natural forces.
3. Refutation of Those Who Associate Partners with Allah in Creation
The word "أَحَدٌ" (Ahad) rejects all false theories that claim Allah has partners in creation:
Some misguided philosophers (who, in reality, are ignorant) say Allah only created the "First Intellect" (العقل الأول) because He is One, and only one thing can proceed from one. They claim:
The First Intellect then created the Second Intellect and the First Heaven,
Until the "Active Intellect" (العقل الفعّال) became the true creator of everything.
This is a false and blasphemous belief, rooted in ancient Greek philosophy.
Zoroastrianism (مجوس) also promotes a dualistic belief, saying:
The creator of good and light is Yazdan (Allah).
The creator of evil and darkness is Ahriman (Shaytan).
Some from the Mu‘tazilah sect falsely claim that:
Allah creates only His own actions and the actions of humans that are beyond their control.
However, humans themselves are the creators of their voluntary actions.
The Word "أَحَدٌ" (Ahad) Rejects All These False Beliefs
"أَحَدٌ" affirms that Allah alone is the absolute Creator of everything, without any partner in creation.
It nullifies all false ideologies that attribute creation to other forces or entities.
Pure monotheism (Tawhid) is the foundation of Islam and the Qur'an, and this verse is a powerful declaration of it.