The Principle of Tawhid: The Most Fundamental Call in Human History The principle of tawhid lying at the heart of Islam has been the most fundamental and most radical religious call throughout human history. Believing in Allah and worshipping Him alone must stand at the center of a believer's life. Yet history is filled with painful examples of how people have strayed from this pure and simple truth — how, for various reasons, they have deified beings other than Allah, sanctified them, and submitted to them. In Islam, this deviation is called "shirk," and it is defined in the Quran as the only sin that will not be forgiven. The Idols of Noah's People: The First Seeds of Shirk The Quran, in verse 23 of Surah Nuh, presents an important historical record concerning the origins of shirk belief by giving the names of certain figures that the people of our Prophet Noah had idolized: "And they said: Do not ever abandon your gods; do not abandon Wadd, nor Suwa, nor Yaghuth, nor Ya'uq, nor Nasr." These five names are the names of figures considered sacred and deified among the people of that era. According to Islamic sources, these idols were originally righteous individuals who, after their deaths, were memorialized by their people; over time these commemorations transformed into worship, and they were ultimately accepted as deities alongside Allah. These practices, which may have initially been intended for reverence and remembrance, transformed across generations into shirk belief, and people began attributing to these idols the qualities belonging to Allah alone. This process shows how easily the human mind turns toward concrete and visible figures, and how it attempts to overcome the difficulty of worshipping Allah, who is abstract and exalted. But it is precisely at this point that the call of revelation intervenes: believing in Allah and turning toward Him requires establishing a direct and sincere relationship — without need for any intermediary or any mushrik structure. The Message of Revelation: Worship Allah Alone Our Prophet Noah held his people accountable for believing in Allah alone, and he did not deify himself or any other person. His message was exceedingly clear and resolute: "O my people! Serve Allah; you have no deity other than Him." This call is the common message of all the prophets and forms the fundamental pillar of Islam. Islam, which maintains that revelation is a teaching encompassing everything pertaining to human life, calls people to turn toward Allah alone. This call means recognizing Allah's sovereignty in every domain of life, placing His commands at the center of life, and never regarding any person, institution, or idea as superior to revelation. Yet the mushrikeen resisted this teaching of revelation. As seen in Surah Nuh, they defended their own idols and deities, and opposed change. This resistance stemmed not only from their attachment to the idols, but also from their fear of losing the social, economic, and psychological benefits provided by the mushrik system. The Mushrik Mindset: From Concepts to Persons One of the most distinctive characteristics of the mushrikeen is their tendency to understand life and events not through a conceptual framework, but by deifying people and their qualities. This approach is the tendency to define truth not through universal principles and values, but through the authority of specific individuals. In this mindset, what is correct is what certain people say; it is the preferences of individuals, not principles and precepts, that are determinative. This blocks critical thinking and independent reasoning. Instead of understanding the universal message of revelation, people become captive to the interpretations and practices of specific figures. Yet revelation calls people to think, to reason, to question, and to strive to find the truth. In countless verses of the Quran, people are encouraged to use their mental faculties through questions such as: "Will you not use reason?", "Will you not reflect?", "Will you not take heed?" The Authority of Idols in Jahiliyyah Society In jahiliyyah societies, an idea or belief would first be submitted for the approval of the idols or of authorities occupying the position of idols. If this authority granted approval, that belief would be considered legitimate in society. The following words spoken by Pharaoh to those who believed in the call of our Prophet Moses summarize this situation clearly: "Did you believe in Him before I gave you permission?" (Surah Al-A'raf, 123) Here Pharaoh positions himself as the absolute authority, making even the beliefs of his people contingent upon his own approval. This totalitarian approach reveals the political and sociological dimension of shirk. Mushrik practice is not merely a religious deviation — it is also a tool of social control and the struggle for power. Because the members of jahiliyyah society have abandoned revelation, they do not know how to evaluate the thoughts and lives of deified figures according to revelation. Instead, they act through tradition, imitation, and blind conformity. This leads to the stagnation of religious thought and the obstruction of innovation and reform efforts. Modern Mushrik Practice: New Forms of Shirk Today Today, there exist many individuals and communities who identify as Muslim yet actually hold the beliefs and practices of jahiliyyah. This modern mushrik practice manifests itself in the form of sanctifying certain figures and rendering them beyond question. Among these deified figures are hadith imams, madhab imams, Sufi sheikhs, community leaders, jurists, exegetes, mujaddids, descendants of the Prophet (awlad al-rasul), and others like them. The views and teachings of these individuals are sometimes accepted without question — even when they are in clear contradiction with revelation — and are rendered closed to criticism. This situation has several dangerous consequences. First, the universal and dynamic message of revelation becomes imprisoned within the interpretations of historical figures. Second, independent thinking regarding the understanding and practice of religion is blocked. Third, the spirit of critical thinking at the heart of Islam disappears, replaced by blind imitation and traditionalism. In traditionalist circles, the thoughts, actions, and teachings of a certain person or group have become unquestionable. The views of these figures are accepted as absolute truth, and criticizing them is regarded as equivalent to leaving the religion. This attitude is contrary to the principle of tawhid, because the possessor of absolute truth and perfection is Allah alone. The Example of Our Prophet Ibrahim: The Courage to Criticize Idols In the Quran, our Prophet Ibrahim's courageous criticism of his own people's idols is an important example for believers. Our Prophet Ibrahim demonstrated to his father and his people the meaninglessness of worshipping their idols, and questioned their servitude to things made by their own hands that could neither benefit nor harm them. This critical stance drew the reaction of the people against him and even threatened his life. Yet our Prophet Ibrahim was willing to pay this price for the sake of truth and continued his struggle against mushrik practice. Ultimately, his steadfast stance played an important role in the spread of the tawhid belief. Today as well, true believers should follow in the footsteps of our Prophet Ibrahim — criticizing traditional and contemporary idols and those who defend them, and advocating a return to the original message of revelation. This criticism should not be spiteful or disparaging, but constructive and rooted in the pursuit of truth. The True Muslim's Stance: Taking Revelation as the Measure The true Muslim can criticize every kind of personality, thought, and tradition by taking as the measure the Quran — the Book of Allah. This critical stance is not disrespect toward religion; on the contrary, it is a demonstration of devotion to the very essence of religion. Because revelation harbors no concern for sanctifying any individual; rather, it gives people the ability to distinguish right from wrong and encourages them to use that ability. True believers evaluate historical figures, their ancestors and their deeds according to the Quran, and give voice to errors and wrongs. This evaluation does not mean denying or belittling the past; rather, it means reading history with a critical eye, drawing lessons from it, and not repeating the same mistakes. Neither Wadd, nor Suwa, nor madhab imams, nor hadith imams, nor community leaders, nor jurists, nor exegetes, nor mujaddids, nor descendants of the Prophet, nor imams, nor any other figure can take the place of revelation or constitute an authority above it. All of these are human beings; they can err, they can be mistaken. A Call to Transformation in the Light of Revelation Returning to the essence of Islam and building a faith purified of mushrik practice is the most urgent duty of Muslims today. This transformation is not only an individual effort, but also a process of societal reform. In this process, the following are of vital importance:
- Education and Awareness: Muslims must read the Quran directly, understand it, and place it at the center of their lives. They must receive religious knowledge not only from certain authorities, but directly from the sources of revelation.
- Critical Thinking: It is necessary to question traditions, interpretations, and practices according to revelation, and to develop a critical attitude. This criticism must be constructive rather than destructive, and oriented toward the search for truth.
- Strengthening Tawhid Consciousness: The oneness and majesty of Allah — the awareness that no being can be His partner — must be constantly remembered, and it must be ensured that acts of worship and way of life are shaped by this consciousness.
- Transition from Person-Centered Religion to Concept-Centered Religion: Understanding and living religion must take place not through the authority of specific individuals, but through universal values and principles. Return to the Pure Call of Tawhid The most fundamental message of Islam is tawhid: believing in the oneness of Allah and worshipping Him alone. This message is the common call of all the messengers and constitutes the very essence of Islam. Yet throughout history, people have fallen into shirk in various forms, deifying beings other than Allah. A similar situation exists today as well. In modern Muslim societies, certain religious figures have been idolized and rendered beyond question. This situation brings with it a departure from the original message of revelation and a rigidity in understanding and living religion. True salvation lies in returning to the pure tawhid belief — purified of these idols. Taking the Quran — the Book of Allah — as the measure, evaluating every kind of personality, tradition, and practice with a critical eye, correcting wrongs, and finding the right path is the responsibility of believers. Idolization has never been the correct approach — neither in the past nor today. The true believer holds that everything belongs to Allah, and keeps away from idols and the sanctification of individuals. By believing in Allah alone, one finds the right path and continues life with this faith. This call means returning to the essence of Islam, to the pure message of revelation. And this return is the key to individual and societal salvation. May Allah protect us from shirk and grant us patience on the path of tawhid.
