of Nokounam Session 1111
The discourse on Tawhid is akin to a radiant sun shining in the firmament of gnosis, dispelling every darkness from the realm of heart and intellect. The Holy Quran, this Divine Word, in its verses, bars the path against any deviation from the course of Tawhid and, with lucid expression, elucidates the position of the righteous servants of God within the framework of servitude and not divinity. Verses 74 and 75 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, through an invitation to repentance and seeking forgiveness and clarification of the status of Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother Mary (peace be upon her), reflect the truth of Tawhid like a clear mirror. This treatise, by reflecting upon these verses and analysing the content of the religious scholars lectures, endeavours to present these teachings with a clear and dignified expression to the readers. The objective is not solely to explicate the Quranic concepts but also to deepen the Tawhidic perspective and rectify theological deviations that occasionally arise among the followers of the Abrahamic religions.
The Holy Quran, in verses 74 and 75 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, emphatically underscores the fundamental principle of Tawhid. These verses, inviting the People of the Book to repentance and seeking forgiveness, negate any deity besides the One God. The Divine Word, like a sharp sword, severs every form of polytheism and deviation from the path of Tawhid and states:
"Will they not then repent to Allah and ask His forgiveness? And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful."
This verse, like a celestial call, summons humanity to return to the One God and, by emphasising the attributes of Forgiving and Merciful, opens the door of hope for sinners. The principle of La ilaha illa Allah, which is also referenced within the lectures, constitutes the cornerstone of the Quranic invitation that deems every deity other than God invalid. This principle, not only against the People of the Book but for all humanity, is akin to a blazing torch distinguishing the path from error.
The Holy Quran, in verse 75 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, with clear expression, clarifies the status of Jesus (peace be upon him) and his mother Mary (peace be upon her):
"The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger; messengers had passed on before him. And his mother was a truthful woman. They both used to eat food. See how We make the verses clear to them; yet see how they are deluded away (from the truth)."
This verse, by emphasising the prophethood of Jesus (peace be upon him) and the veracity of Mary (peace be upon her), negates any divine status attributed to them. The phrase they both used to eat food stands as a manifest sign affirming their human nature. Eating food signifies human needs incompatible with divine essence. This expression invalidates any belief in the Trinity or divinity of Christ and situates him among Ibdullh a-linthe righteous servants of God.
The lectures, with profound insight, refer to theological deviations among some followers of the Abrahamic faiths. In Christianity, the belief in the Trinity and the divinity of Jesus (peace be upon him), and in certain Islamic sects, exaggeration in the status of the Imams (peace be upon them), have emerged as thorns on the path of Tawhid. These deviations, sometimes intensified under external influences such as colonialism, include beliefs in the divinity of Ali (peace be upon him) or Zainab (peace be upon her), which are akin to the divinity of Christ, and are severely rejected by the Holy Quran. These aberrations are observed not only among the People of the Book but also within some Islamic groups that, through exaggeration in the rank of righteous servants, have strayed from the path of Tawhid.
The lectures, referring to these deviations, emphasise that any attribution of divine status to anyone other than God constitutes disbelief and polytheism. This perspective, supported by Quranic verses, condemns any exaggeration and stresses the necessity of returning to Tawhid.
Section One, focusing on verses 74 and 75 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, emphasised the principle of Tawhid and the rejection of all forms of polytheism. These verses, by inviting repentance and forgiveness and clarifying the human status of Jesus (peace be upon him) and Mary (peace be upon her), close the door on all theological deviations. The lectures, critiquing exaggeration in Abrahamic religions, underline the necessity to preserve Tawhid and respect the righteous servants within the framework of servitude. This section forms a solid foundation for subsequent discussions.
The Holy Quran regards the prophets and divine saints as torches that illuminate the path to God. The lectures refer to the status of Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) as Misbah al-Huda (Lamp of Guidance) and Safinat an-Najat (Ship of Salvation). These expressions, rooted in Islamic traditions, indicate the role of the Imams (peace be upon them) in guiding humanity towards Tawhid. The referenced hadith states:
Indeed, Hussain is the lamp of guidance and the ship of salvation.
This metaphor beautifully likens Imam Hussain (peace be upon him) to a lamp that dispels the darkness of ignorance and a ship that delivers humans from the waves of misguidance to the shore of salvation. Nonetheless, the lectures emphasise that this status never implies divinity but is always defined within the bounds of servitude to God.
Verse 74 of Surah Al-Ma'idah, with an invitation to repentance and seeking forgiveness, stresses the infinite mercy of God. This call resembles rain that irrigates the parched earth of hearts. The lectures, citing this verse, emphasise that no sin, not even polytheism, is beyond the scope of divine forgiveness if repented from. This viewpoint challenges some erroneous theological perspectives that claim limits to divine forgiveness. The Quranic phrase And Allah is Forgiving, Merciful acts as a key that opens the doors of divine mercy.
The lectures, referring to the possibility of repeated repentance, add: Even if you fail in repentance a hundred times, return again. This expression, rooted in mystical literature, underscores the vastness of divine mercy and invites humans to return to God even after multiple transgressions.
The lectures criticise certain views within religious sciences that assert God does not forgive some sins, emphasising the vastness of divine mercy. This critique addresses some limited interpretations of divine forgiveness incompatible with Gods attributes of Forgiving and Merciful. The Holy Quran explicitly declares that God even forgives polytheism if repented from, which exemplifies the boundlessness of divine mercy.
This perspective acts like a breeze clearing the dust of fanaticism and ignorance from the mind, guiding humanity towards hope and return to God.
Section Two, focusing on the guidance role of righteous servants and the call to repentance, underscored the exalted status of prophets and Imams (peace be upon them) in leading humanity towards Tawhid. This section, through clarification of infinite divine mercy and critique of erroneous views on forgiveness, paves the way for reforming beliefs and returning to the path of Tawhid.
The lectures, with eloquent expression, emphasise respect for all creatures as Gods creations. This respect manifests as a reflection of Tawhid, expressed in greeting all beings, from stones and plants to humans and animals. This view is rooted in the Tawhidic perspective that regards all creatures as mirrors of Gods power and wisdom.
The text refers to the phrase As-salamu alaykum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh (Peace, mercy, and blessings of God be upon you), stressing that this greeting is not confined to humans but extends to all creations. This outlook acts as a bridge connecting the human heart to the Creator of all.
The lectures clearly explain the concepts of tawalli (love and allegiance to Gods friends) and tabarri (disassociation from Gods enemies).
