Lesson Content
Ten sentences, ten proofs
| Arabic | Sentence | Proof of tawhid |
|---|---|---|
| اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ | 1 | He alone is worshipped by right |
| الْحَيُّ الْقَيُّومُ | 2 | Perfect life; self-sustaining, sustains all |
| لَا تَأْخُذُهُ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ | 3 | No drowsiness, no sleep |
| لَّهُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الْأَرْضِ | 4 | Complete ownership |
| مَن ذَا الَّذِي يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِ | 5 | No intercession without His permission |
| يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ | 6 | His all-encompassing knowledge |
| وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَيْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِ إِلَّا بِمَا شَاءَ | 7 | Creation's limited knowledge |
| وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ | 8 | The vastness of the Kursi |
| وَلَا يَئُودُهُ حِفْظُهُمَا | 9 | Preserving them does not tire Him |
| وَهُوَ الْعَلِيُّ الْعَظِيمُ | 10 | His highness and greatness |
Shaykh al-Badr arranges his book differently: la ilaha illa huwa is the claim, and what follows proves it. He counts al-Hayy and al-Qayyum as two proofs, sentence 7 as two, and the Most High and the Most Great as two, so his book speaks of twelve confirming proofs of tawhid. The class follows the ten sentences.
Five names
Alongside the five names, the ayah mentions more than twenty attributes of Allah, affirmed for Him or shown through what is negated from Him (al-Badr).
The three categories of tawhid in the ayah
The ayah moves from the attributes of lordship to the conclusion of divinity: the One who lives, sustains, owns, knows and preserves is the only One who deserves worship. Keep this in mind for every sentence that follows: each one ends in "so worship Him alone".
How to study each sentence
Key points
- Ayat al-Kursi has ten sentences; each is a proof of tawhid.
- Five names: Allah, al-Hayy, al-Qayyum, al-'Aliyy, al-'Azim.
- More than twenty attributes are mentioned.
- All three categories of tawhid are in the ayah; lordship leads to the conclusion of divinity.
Quiz
Test your understanding of this lesson.
Discussion
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