WAHDÂNIYYAH – وحدانية
Oneness. Unity of Allah. An attribute of Allah that describes to whom has no similar nor equal, or no increase nor decrease and division can be assigned. Being free from dividing and multiplying. The One who is attributed with wahdâniyyah is named Al-Wâhid.
“to deny the existence of the sun, on a cloudless day at noon, when its traces are to be observed and its reflection is to be seen in every bubble on the surface of the ocean, in every shining object on dry land, and in every particle of snow - to make such a denial would be to rave like the deranged. For if one denied and refused to accept the existence of the single, unique sun, he would be compelled to accept the existence of a whole series of minor suns, each real and existent in its own right, as numerous as the drops and bubbles of the ocean, as countless as the particles of snow. It would be necessary to accept that each minute particle contains a haqiqah of huge sun, even though the particle is large enough only to contain itself. It would be an even greater sign of lunacy of dhalâlah to refuse one's assent to the attributes of perfection of Al-Khâliq Zuljalâl, even while beholding the well-ordered universe that is constantly changing with hikmah, that is being ceaselessly renewed in a disciplined manner. This, too, would be like the ravings of a lunatic, since it would then become necessary to accept that absolute Ulûhiyyah is present in all things, even a particle. For every particle of air is somehow able to enter and works upon every flower, fruit and leaf, and unless the particle is an official, it must know of itself the structure and form of all the objects it penetrates and affects. In other words, it must possess all-encompassing ‘ilm and qoudrah.
Every particle of soil is potentially capable of giving rise to all the different seeds that exist. If it is not an official, it must contain within itself ma’nawî equipment and instruments corresponding to all the various trees and plants in the world. Or, to put it differently, one must attribute to the particle such artistry and qoudrah that it is aware of the structure of each of them, knows the forms that each of them is caused to assume, and is capable of fashioning those forms. The same is true with respect to the particle and other realms of creation.
From this, you can understand that in all things there are numerous and manifest proofs of wahdâniyyah. To create all things from one thing, and to make all things into one thing, is a task possible only for the Creator of all things. Pay heed to the sublime declaration: وَ اِنْ مِنْ شَيْءٍ اِلاَّ يُسَبِّحُ بِحَمْدِهِ 1 For if one does not accept Al-Wâhid Al-Ahad, one must accept Ilahs as numerous as created beings.” The Words ( 71-72 )
“THE SECOND PHRASE: وَحْدَهُ 2
This phrase demonstrates an explicit degree in Tawhîd. A convincing and comprehensive argument proving it is as follows:
When we open our eyes when the universe fastens our gaze on its face, the first thing to attract our attention is a universal and perfect order; we see that there is a comprehensive and sensitive equilibrium; everything exists within a precise order and delicate balance and measure.
When we look a little more carefully, a continual ordering and balancing strike our eye. That is to say, someone is changing the order with regularity and renewing the balance with measuredness. Everything is a model and is clothed in a great many, well-ordered and balanced forms.
When we study it even more closely, a hikmah and justice appear behind the ordering and balancing. A hikmah and benefit are considered, a haqq, a usefulness are followed in every motion.
When we study it with even greater attention, what strikes the gaze of our consciousness is the demonstration of a qoudrah within an extreme activity with hikmah, and the manifestation of a most comprehensive ‘ilm which encompasses all things together with all their attributes.
That is to say, this order and balance which are in all beings show us plainly a universal ordering and balancing, and the ordering and balancing show us a universal hikmah and justice; and the hikmah and justice in turn show us a qoudrah and ‘ilm. That is, it is apparent that behind these veils is One Qadîr over all things and One ‘Alîm over all things.
Furthermore, we look to the beginning and end of all things, and we see, particularly in animate creatures, that their beginnings, origins, and roots are such that it is as if their seeds contain all the systems and members of those creatures, each in the form of an instruction sheet and timetable. And again, their fruits and results are such that the meanings of those animate creatures are filtered and concentrated in them; they bequeath their life histories to them. It is as if their seeds are collections of the principles according to which they are created, and their fruits and results a sort of index of the commands of their creation. Then we look to the outer and inner faces of those animate creatures: the disposal of an utterly qoudrah with hikmah and the fashioning and ordering of an utterly effective irâdah are apparent. That is, a strength and qoudrah create; a command and irâdah clothe with form.
Thus, when we study all beings carefully, we observe that their beginnings are instruction sheets of an ‘Ilm, and that their ends are plans and manifestos of a Sâni’; that their outer faces are skilful and beautifully proportioned dresses of artistry devised by One Fâ’il Mukhtar and Murîd, and their inner faces, most well-designed machines of a Qadîr.
This state and this condition, therefore, necessarily and self-evidently proclaims that no time and no place, absolutely nothing, can be outside the grip of disposal of one single Sâni’ Zuljalâl. Each thing and all things, together with all of their shuûn, are organized and directed within the grip of disposal of a Qadîr Al-Murîd; they are made beautiful through the ordering and graciousness of a Rahmân Ar-Rahîm; and they are embellished with the adorning of a Hannân Al-Mannân.
Indeed, for anyone who is intelligent and has eyes in his head, the order and equilibrium, and ordering and adorning that there are in the universe and in the beings within it demonstrate, at the degree of wahdâniyyah, One Who is Single, Wâhid, Ahad, Qadîr, Murîd, ‘Alîm and Hakîm.
Assuredly, there is a unity in everything, and as for unity, it points to one. For example, the whole world is illuminated by one lamp, the sun; in which case, the Owner of the world is One. And, for example, all the animate creatures on the earth are served by air, fire, and water, which are the same. Since this is so, the One Who employs them and subjugates them to us is also One.” The Letters ( 273 - 274 )
“ذَاكَ الْعَالَمَ الْكَبِيرَ...الخ The great ‘âlam, which is called the universe, and the small ‘âlam, which is its miniature sample and is called man, point to evidences of wahdâniyyah, both inside man's nafs and outside of it, that are written by the pens of qoudrah and qadar.
There is within man the sample, on a very small scale, of the orderly art which is in the universe. And as the art which is in the vast sphere testifies to As-Sâni’ Al-Wâhid, so the microscopic art which is on a tiny scale in man points to As-Sâni’ and demonstrates His wahdah. Moreover, as man is a Rabbânî meaningful missive, and a well-composed ode written by qadar, so is the universe a well-composed ode of qadar written by that same pen, but on a vast scale.
Is it at all possible that anything other than Al-Wâhid Al-Ahad could have a hand in placing the stamp of wahdah on men's faces, which, although they resemble one another, all have their distinguishing marks; and have a hand in setting the seal of wahdâniyyah on the universe, all of whose creatures co-operate, helping and supporting one another? Could anything interfere in this?” The Letters ( 275 )