1.2 The Intended Meaning of Oneness of Divine Lordship

Know my brother student that Oneness is what distinguishes Muslims apart from those who hold other religious convictions and is divided into three divisions:

a- Oneness of Divine Lordhsip
b- Oneness of Names and Attributes
c- Oneness of Divine Godship

These three divisions are strongly interwoven with each other to the effect that a Muslim cannot be thought of agreeing with one of the three and denying the others as is found among some of the innovators and those given to their whimsical desires.

What concerns us in this lecture is the definition of the first division from among the three which is Oneness of Divine Lordhsip. We may safely say that the intended meaning of Oneness of Divine Lordhsip is: the approval that Allah the All Majestic is the Lord of everything its King, Creator and Provider, and that He is the Giver of Life and the Creator of death, The Distresser and The Propitious, and that He alone is the answerer of supplements given in times of dire urgency for which He holds all commands and in His possession is all goodness, The Able capable of doing anything, in this He has no partner. Inclusive in this is belief in predestination.

1.2 The Intended Meaning of Oneness of Divine Lordship

In the book titled 'The Simplification of The All Mighty The All Praiseworthy'

(تيسير العزيز الحميد): “Oneness of Divine Lordship and Kingship is approving that Allah the All Majestic is Lord of all things its King, Creator and Provider, and that He is the Giver of Life and the Creator of death, The Distresser and The Propitious, and that He alone is the answerer of supplements given in times of dire urgency for which He holds all commands and in His possession is all goodness, The Able capable of doing anything, in this He has no partner and included in this is belief in predestination.”

1.2 The Intended Meaning of Oneness of Divine Lordship

Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah-may Allah show mercy on him- said: “These meanings instruct of Oneness of Divine Lordship along with Oneness of Divine Godship, which is a complete and necessary form of Oneness which the Quran has brought for a variety of reasons which we have mentioned elsewhere like the fact that all moving entities require a will to move and will requires personal intention and that is the God. It is impossible for all created beings to have an intention of its own-if not a lord-just as it is impossible to be self worshiped. And a creating lord does not become the object of supplication, requested from, the intending will of others, and certainly not self worshiped and self willed. Thus the establishment of Divine Godship necessitates Divine Lordship just as the denial of Divine Lordhsip necessitates denial of Divine Godship. And all of the Oneness of Divine Lordship and Godship, even if known by means of natural inclination and disposition and by the lawful divine prophetic message, is also known by necessary parables which are in truth rational measures. However the theologians when they engaged in setting rational standards on Oneness of Divine Lordship, which is something for which none from among the children of Adam have disputed, they disputed over some of its details similar to the dispute of the Magians, Dualists, Naturalists and Fatalists (القدرية) and their like from among the deviant philosophers and Mu’tazilites and all whom are associated with them.

1.2 The Intended Meaning of Oneness of Divine Lordship

As for Oneness of Divine Godship, it is general polytheism that has threatened those who are governed by the belief that there is no Creator save Allah nor Lord save He from among the classes of polytheists as stated by Allah:

[ يُوسُف:١٠٦ ]

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وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلا وَهُمْ مُشْرِكُونَ

))

And most of them believe not in Allah without associating (other as partners) with Him! [12:106]

As we have discussed elsewhere. And here the remarks of Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah end.

Thus Oneness of Divine Lordship is the belief that Allah the All Mighty is the Lord of the Worlds its Creator and Provider and Nurtures it with blessings. That He gives them life and presents them with death is a fact established in their minds and their very nature. The intended meaning of Oneness of Divine Lordship is the firm conviction that this world has a Lord who created it, manages it and organised it in this extraordinary arrangement and that this Lord is Allah the Exalted.