(Monotheism (Tawhid), and the One) in their terminology: that which has no attribute, and from which one thing cannot be distinguished from another, and which cannot be seen. The Monotheism (Tawhid) brought by the Messenger did not entail any of this negation; rather, it entailed affirming divinity for God alone, by testifying that there is no deity but Him, worshipping none but Him, relying on none but Him, allying with none but for His sake, showing enmity to none but for His sake, and acting for none but Him. This entails affirming the names and attributes He affirmed for Himself...
The intended meaning of Monotheism (Tawhid) is not merely the monotheism of Lordship, which is the belief that God alone created the world, as supposed by those among the people of scholastic theology and Sufism who suppose it. These people suppose that if they establish this with evidence, they have established the ultimate goal of Monotheism (Tawhid), and they suppose that if they witness this and become annihilated in it, they have become annihilated in the ultimate goal of Monotheism (Tawhid).
Many of the people of scholastic theology say: Monotheism (Tawhid) has three meanings: He is one in His essence, having no division or part; one in His attributes, having no likeness; and one in His actions, having no partner. The meaning encompassed by this phrase contains that which agrees with what the Messenger, peace and blessings of God be upon him, brought, and that which contradicts what the Messenger, peace and blessings of God be upon him, brought. The truth within it is not the ultimate goal brought by the Messenger; rather, the Monotheism (Tawhid) he commanded is a matter that includes the truth found in this statement, along with an additional matter. Thus, this is among the speech wherein truth has been conflated with falsehood, and the truth concealed.
This is because if a man were to acknowledge the attributes the Exalted Lord deserves, declare Him transcendent above all that He must be declared transcendent above, and acknowledge that He alone is the Creator of everything, he would not be a monotheist, nor even a believer, until he testifies that there is no deity but God, thereby acknowledging that God alone is the Deity deserving of worship, and committing to the worship of God alone with no partner.
The Deity (al-Ilāh) means the deified, the worshipped one who deserves worship; the Deity does not mean: (the one capable of creating). So if an exegete interprets the Deity to mean: the one capable of origination, and believes this is the most specific description of the Deity, and makes the affirmation of this monotheism the ultimate goal in Monotheism (Tawhid)—as is done by those who do so among the scholastic theologians who affirm the attributes, and which they transmit from Abū al-Ḥasan
