Bismillāh
شَهِدَ اللَّـهُ أَنَّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَ الْمَلائِكَةُ وَ أُولُوا الْعِلْمِ قائِماً بِالْقِسْطِ لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ هُوَ الْعَزِيزُ الْحَكِيمُ
Allāh bears witness that there is no god but He, and so do the angels and those who have knowledge; [Allāh is the One who] maintains His creatures with justice. There is no god but He, the Mighty, the Wise.
Sūrat Āl Imrān No. 3 Āyat 18
This noble verse is well known as the Āyat of shahādah, or the Verse of testimony. It beautifully embodies the concept of tawḥīd by affirming the absolute oneness of Allah, the Almighty. The verse begins with the testimony that “there is no God but He,” establishing that none is worthy of worship except Allah (swt). Remarkably, this declaration of tawḥīd is repeated twice within this verse. This is to declare the oneness of Allah by negating any partner to Him, saying: “There is no God but He.” Only He deserves this praise to fulfill the right of His glorification. The verse is completed with His two names: the Mighty, the Wise.
Allāmah Tabātabāi explains the meaning of the word shahādah in Tafsīr al-Mizān. He says that the origin of the word shahādah lies in looking at or seeing. One got knowledge of a thing or an event by being present at the time and place of occurrence and observing it. Later, shahādah was used to describe incidents to others and to bear witness to the knowledge that was gained. For example, when one testifies before a judge, he is describing his observations. After that, it was used for both witnessing at first hand as well as describing what was witnessed. The main purpose for doing this was to preserve reality and truth from being nullified. Thus, shahādah is having knowledge and bearing witness in order to protect the truth.
The Āyat of shahādah identifies three witnesses of tawḥīd :
- Allah (swt) – The first witness of tawḥīd is Allah (swt) Himself. The verse begins with ‘Allah bore witness,’ which means that ‘He knew and made it manifest’. Allah, the Almighty, bears witness to his oneness by establishing qisṭ in His creation. One of the meanings of qisṭ is harmony and balance –al-qisṭ huwa al-ʿadl. This harmony and balance can be observed in the movement of celestial bodies, the balance in the ecosystem, and even the changing of the seasons. It points to the reality that the universe has one creator. The Quran states that had there been more than one creator, the creation would have fallen into disorder and disharmony (Q21:22). Hence, the just manner of His actions and His creation is also a witness to His oneness.
- The Angels – The second group that witnesses the oneness of Allah (swt) is the angels. The testimony of the angels is both verbal and practical. Verbally they are constantly glorifying Allah (swt), and in their actions, they do not obey anyone but Him. Their obedience to Allah (swt) stems from their witnessing of His oneness and justice. The Qur’an describes their obedience in the following manner:
بَلْ عِبَادٌ مُّكْرَمُونَ لَا يَسْبِقُونَهُ بِالْقَوْلِ وَهُم بِأَمْرِهِ يَعْمَلُونَ
“Rather they are [His] honored servants. They do not venture to speak ahead of Him, and they act by His command” (Q 21:26-27) - Those Who Possess Knowledge – The third group who bear witness to the oneness of Allah (swt) is those who possess knowledge. This refers to the prophets, the Imams, and the scholars. Their rank is alongside that of the angels because the verse groups their testimonies together.
The verse shows the importance of knowledge in witnessing tawḥīd. In fact, testimony is only acceptable if it is accompanied by knowledge and witnessing. The Prophet of Allah (s) has said, “When you know something as clear as the sun, then bear witness to it” (Tafsīr al-Kabīr, v7, p169). The people of knowledge witness His signs in His creation and within themselves, which have convinced them of His oneness.
The Qur’an then calls upon the reciter to testify to the oneness of Allah (swt), and to be in unison with Allah (swt), the angels and the people of knowledge. In the famous narration of Ḥadīth Silsilah al-Dhahabiyyah known as the Golden Chain narration, it is narrated from Imam ʿAlī al-Riḍā (a) when he passed through the city of Nishapur. “The statement Lā ilāha illā Allāh is My fortress; whoever enters My fortress is safe from My punishment. With its conditions, and I am one of its conditions.” (al-Ṣadūq, ʿUyūn Akhbār al-Riḍāʾ, v2, p.143–144).
We pray to the Almighty to strengthen our belief in tawhid through the frequent recitation and contemplation of the Āyat of shahāda.
Sources: Āyatullāh Nāsir Makārim Shirāzī (Ed.), Tafsīr-e Namūneh; Allāmah Muhammad Husayn Tabātabā’ī, Tafsīr al-Mīzān; Shaykh Tabarsī, Tafsīr Majma‘ al-Bayān; Fakhr al-Dīn al-Rāzī, Tafsīr al-Kabīr.