Tawhid lesson 2 Lesson objective understand the concept

Tawhid lesson 2 Lesson objective understand the concept of Tawhid and God’s role as creator, judge and guide by looking at • the Power of God, • God’s control over the end of the world • His immanence • His mercy and compassion

Keywords Compassion – sympathy and understanding Mercy – forgiveness Vice-regent – steward Al qadr – God’s control of everything

Starter What were the 3 main topics that we looked at last lesson? • Introduction to belief in tawhid • Implications of Tawhid in a muslims life • God as Creator On your worksheet, try to write down as many things as you can for each section without looking at your notes from last lesson

99 Names of Allah • Try to list 20 words that you would use to describe God. If you don’t believe in God, try to think of words that other people might use. Start your list like this…’ Words that I might use to describe God are…’

99 Names of Allah • • Pick 10 of the names and explain them in your own words Choose the 10 names that you like the most and create a poster. Your poster should have the title ‘Some of the 99 Names for God’. You should include the English and the Arabic translations and your own explanations

Al qadr The power of God has implications for all humans and their freedom Al qadr – predestination God controls everything

The Power of Allah • If there is only one God he must have complete power over what he has created • God is omnipotent – the absolute • Muslims submit to the will of Allah because they recognise that He is more powerful and far greater than them. • Allahu Akbar – God is Great

Muslim beliefs in the power of God can be sub-divided 1. God does not depend on anything else. 2. God is omnipotent – in control of everything 3. God has a plan and the power to make it happen 4. God knows everything 5. God can change what is going to happen 6. God is infinite – He contains the possibility of all things in himself

God’s control of the end of the world • If Allah is the creator and omnipotent, then He is the only one who will command the end of the world. • If Allah is perfect and omniscient, then He is the only one in any position to judge human beings and decide on their final destiny

Surah 1 God is ‘ master of the day of judgement’

God’s Immanence So far Tawhid has focussed on the transcendence of God. Many elements of the Quran focus on His immanence: “We are nearer to man than his jugular vein”. Surah 50: 16

As well as how close Allah is to his people, the main concept of immanence is that God is part of the universe He has created. “Withersoever ye turn there is the presence of God”. Surah 2: 115

The great mystery of God as revealed in the Quran is that he is both transcendent and immanent “Yet God is also immanent in the light of His transcendence…. that is why the Prophet taught that the highest form of Tawhid is to see God before, in and after all things”. Seyyed Hossein Nasr

The Mercy and Compassion of God Every Surah except surah 9 begins by declaring the mercy and compassion of God “In the name of Allah, the most merciful and compassionate…” This cannot be worked out just from Tawhid but by the revelation of Allah in the Quran

• The quran teaches that God made Adam to be his vice-regent on earth “thy lord said to the angels, ‘I will create a vice-regent on earth’… and He taught Adam the nature of all things”. Surah 2: 30

As a result Muslims believe that humans are on earth to rule the earth on God’s behalf and make the earth the sort of place that God wants it to be. This is a massive job and therefore, God must show compassion and mercy and help guide his people in this role

Muslim teaching is that God did not leave His people alone in this task; He sent prophets with his word to to show them how to be His vice-regents Another teaching in the Quran about Allah’s compassion and mercy is that if people are not perfect and fail in their attempt to be vice-regents, God will be merciful in certain conditions

“With my punishment I visit whom I will; but My mercy extendeth to all things. That mercy I shall ordain for those who do right, and practise regular charity and those who believe in Our signs” Surah 7: 156

• Many Muslims take this to mean that God will be merciful and forgive muslims who try their best, but commit sins. Allah is omniscient and knows is a person has truly tried their best and had the correct Niyyah. • This is another reason for going on Hajj to confess sins at Arafat because it is God’s mount of Mercy

Plenary - Keyword quiz Predestination al qadr Hell Jahannam judgement day Yawmuddin Forgiveness Mercy Sympathy and understanding Compassion Unity of Allah Tawhid Belief in more than one God Polytheism Belief in one God Monotheism Comparing God or associating something else with God Shirk Worship of false gods Idolatry Statement of belief in the unity of Allah Shahadah I will read out some definitions of words we have learnt over the last few lessons. Write down the words I am talking about.