The short answer
Tawhid is the belief that Allah is one, with no partner, in the words of al-Tahawi's creed. The word comes from the root w-h-d, which points to being alone or one. The Quran says "Your Allah is One Allah" (Al-Baqarah 2:163), and Surah Al-Ikhlas opens "Say: He is Allah, the One". Sources: the Quran, and al-Tahawi's creed.
What is tawhid, and what does the word mean?
In short, tawhid is the belief that Allah is one, without partner: al-Tahawi's creed opens its section on tawhid with those words. The word is built on the root w-h-d. The lexicographer Ibn Faris (died 395 AH) says this root points to being alone, and that al-wahid is the one who is alone 5.
Tawheed is the same word spelt another way.
What does the Quran say about the oneness of Allah?
Al-Baqarah 2:163 says it directly:
وَإِلَـٰهُكُمْ إِلَـٰهٌ وَٰحِدٌ ۖ لَّآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
Surah Al-Ikhlas, in four short verses, says the same about who Allah is:
قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ
Ash-Shura 42:11 adds a statement about His likeness:
فَاطِرُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ جَعَلَ لَكُم مِّنْ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَزْوَٰجًا وَمِنَ ٱلْأَنْعَـٰمِ أَزْوَٰجًا ۖ يَذْرَؤُكُمْ فِيهِ ۚ لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِۦ شَىْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
How does al-Tahawi's creed put the oneness of Allah?
Al-Tahawi introduces his creed as an exposition of the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah (the people of the Sunnah and the community), following the school of the jurists Abu Hanifa al-Nu'man ibn Thabit, Abu Yusuf and Muhammad ibn al-Hasan al-Shaybani 4.
Its first section is on the oneness of Allah, and it begins:
Al-Tahawi's creed
إن الله واحد لا شريك له، ولا شيء مثله، ولا شيء يعجزه، ولا إله غيره. قديم بلا ابتداء، دائم بلا انتهاء، لا يفنى ولا يبيد، ولا يكون إلا ما يريد. لا تبلغه الأوهام، ولا تدركه الأفهام، ولا يشبه الأنام، حي لا يموت، قيوم لا ينام
inna llāha wāḥidun lā sharīka lah
Allah is one, without partner.
In our translation, the same passage goes on: nothing is like Him, nothing can render Him incapable, and there is no god other than Him. He is eternal without beginning and everlasting without end. Imaginings do not reach Him, understandings do not grasp Him, and He does not resemble created beings.
We report only what the text says. We do not say which later scholars teach it, and we do not go on to the sections of the creed that deal with other matters.
Is Surah tawhid in the Quran?
Surah Al-Ikhlas is the common name for the surah that begins "Say: He is Allah, the One". Readers also call it surah tawhid or surah al tawhid, because its subject is the oneness of Allah. Its verses are quoted above.
In Sahih al-Bukhari 5013, graded sahih, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that a man heard another man repeating this surah over and over. The next morning the listener told the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, about it, as if he thought it little. The Prophet said that this surah equals a third of the Quran.
1AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 5013
Another report, in Sahih al-Bukhari 7375 and graded sahih, says that 'Aisha, may Allah be pleased with her, said the Prophet sent a man to lead a unit. He finished his recitation in prayer with this surah. When asked why, he said it mentions the qualities of the Merciful, and that he loved to recite it.
2AuthenticSahih al-Bukhari 7375
How does tawhid shape worship?
An-Nisa 4:36 tells people to serve Allah and not to ascribe any partner to Him:
۞ وَٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَلَا تُشْرِكُوا۟ بِهِۦ شَيْـًٔا ۖ وَبِٱلْوَٰلِدَيْنِ إِحْسَـٰنًا وَبِذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَـٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَـٰكِينِ وَٱلْجَارِ ذِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْجَارِ ٱلْجُنُبِ وَٱلصَّاحِبِ بِٱلْجَنۢبِ وَٱبْنِ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمَا مَلَكَتْ أَيْمَـٰنُكُمْ ۗ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يُحِبُّ مَن كَانَ مُخْتَالًا فَخُورًا
In Sahih Muslim 2985, graded sahih, Abu Hurayrah, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said that Allah says: "I am the most free of need of partners from shirk."
Allah goes on to say that He leaves the one who does a deed in which he associates another with Him, and his association. This is our rendering of the hadith's words.
3AuthenticSahih Muslim 2985
Yunus 10:106 and 10:107 speak about the things a person might turn to instead of Allah, which can neither profit nor harm, and about who alone can remove harm:
وَلَا تَدْعُ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ مَا لَا يَنفَعُكَ وَلَا يَضُرُّكَ ۖ فَإِن فَعَلْتَ فَإِنَّكَ إِذًا مِّنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ وَإِن يَمْسَسْكَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ فَلَا كَاشِفَ لَهُۥٓ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ وَإِن يُرِدْكَ بِخَيْرٍ فَلَا رَآدَّ لِفَضْلِهِۦ ۚ يُصِيبُ بِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلرَّحِيمُ
What are the common mix-ups about tawhid?
- Trust and means. Some people think that taking medicine or any other practical step conflicts with trusting Allah. For trust in Allah, see the Tawakkul lesson.
- Associating partners. An-Nisa 4:36, quoted above, tells people not to ascribe any partner to Allah. The Shirk lesson explains associating partners with Allah, with its sources.
I first heard the word tawhid in a Saturday class, written in big letters on a whiteboard. The teacher asked us what it meant, and the room went silent. By the end he had us explain it to the person next to us in one sentence. Mine was not very good.
Try it: three questions
Pick an answer; each one explains itself.
1Which root is tawhid built on, and what does it point to?
Answer: w-h-d: being alone or one. The root w-h-d points to being alone or singular, according to the lexicographer Ibn Faris.
2What does Sahih al-Bukhari 5013 say about Surah Al-Ikhlas?
Answer: It equals a third of the Quran. The hadith reports that the surah equals a third of the Quran. Source 1
3Why did the man in Sahih al-Bukhari 7375 always end his recitation in prayer with Al-Ikhlas?
Answer: It mentions the qualities of the Merciful. When asked, he said it mentions the qualities of the Merciful, and that he loved to recite it. Source 2
Sources
Every claim on this page comes from one of these. Gradings are reported with the scholar's name; we do not grade hadith ourselves.
- 1
Abu Said al-Khudri narrated that a man heard another man reciting Qul huwa Allahu ahad over and over, mentioned it to the Prophet next morning as if he thought it little, and the Prophet said, by Him in whose hand is his life, that this surah equals a third of the Quran.
Sahih al-Bukhari 5013 Book 66, Hadith 35
Authentic: in Sahih al-Bukhari
- 2
Aisha reported that the Prophet sent a man to command a unit; he led his companions in prayer and finished his recitation with Qul huwa Allahu ahad. When asked why, he said it mentions the qualities of the Merciful and he loved to recite it. The Prophet told them to tell him that Allah loves him.
Sahih al-Bukhari 7375 Book 97, Hadith 5
Authentic: in Sahih al-Bukhari
- 3
Abu Hurayrah reported that the Prophet said that Allah the Blessed and Exalted says: 'I am the most free of need of partners from shirk; whoever does a deed in which he associates someone else with Me, I leave him and his shirk.'
Sahih Muslim 2985 Book 55, Hadith 58
Authentic: in Sahih Muslim (Muslim); sahih (Al-Albani); sahih (Ibn 'Uthaymin)
- 4
Al-Tahawi introduces his creed as an exposition of the creed of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama'ah. Its first section says Allah is one without partner, and nothing is like Him.
Abu Ja'far Ahmad ibn Muhammad al-Tahawi, al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya (Matn al-'Aqida al-Tahawiyya), text as edited and checked by Husayn Sa'd Fuqara, published on Arabic Wikisource Read on Arabic Wikisource, an electronic text, not compared with a print edition. Record: scholarly-tahawi-tawhid.
- 5
The root w-h-d points to being alone or singular, and al-wahid is the one who is alone.
Ahmad ibn Faris (d. 395 AH), Mu'jam Maqayis al-Lughah, ed. 'Abd al-Salam Muhammad Harun, 2nd edition, Mustafa al-Babi al-Halabi, Cairo, 1389 to 1392 AH / 1969 to 1972 (shamela.ws numbering follows the print), vol. 6, pp. 90 to 91, entry 'whd' Read on shamela.ws, 23 October 2026. Record: scholarly-ibnfaris-wahd-root.
- Q
Quran Arabic and English for Al-Baqarah 2:163, Al-Ikhlas 112:1 to 4, Ash-Shura 42:11, An-Nisa 4:36 and Yunus 10:106 to 107.
Tanzil Project Uthmani text, CC BY 3.0. English: adapted from Marmaduke Pickthall's translation (1930), modernised and checked against modern translations.
Next
- Who is Allah? The one God in Islam, in the Quran's wordsBelief
- The 99 names of Allah: meanings, sources and a learning guideBelief
- ShirkAssociating partners with Allah
- TawakkulTrust in Allah
- Shahada: meaning, Arabic and contextThe testimony of faith
For your own situation, ask a scholar you trust.
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