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Divine Unity . Just one reason why Allah must be One (Wahid). Can there be multiple Gods?. The universe points to the existence of a Single Creator. (Hence Allah’s name of Wahid.)
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Divine Unity Just one reason why Allah must be One (Wahid)
Can there be multiple Gods? The universe points to the existence of a Single Creator. (Hence Allah’s name of Wahid.) But what if someone suggested there could be other gods that choose not to interfere in our universe, but who nonetheless possess equal power? The concept of ‘essential power’ precludes this notion.
Power requires an explanation We see that the concept of Power exists. Why is it that things can occur in the universe? Does anything possess real, essential power? Or does everything obtain the ability to ‘do work’ through something else?
Essential Power Power that is part of one’s very ‘essence’. May be distinguished from power or ability that is derived from elsewhere. Nothing in the physical universe possesses essential power.
Energy? Can we say things occur because energy exists? Does energy possess ‘essential power’? Energy does not exist in its own right, but is a concomitant of other things, such as light, movement, sound and heat. The expansion of previously non-existent space caused heat energy. Everything else, including the physical laws, forces, time and matter arose because of this expansion.
Who is the Prime Mover? Who or what caused this ‘expansion’ to occur, given that there was no physical universe before hand? Materialism has no viable answer. Yet something had to have caused this movement. Movement doesn’t just create itself out of nothing – ‘from nothing, nothing comes’.
Allah’s Name of Qadir Allah possesses the ability to do things, to actuate states of affair. His Name of Qadir – All Powerful - points to this ability. Allah being ‘Qadir’ explains why things occur in the universe.
Allah’s Name of Qadir We now have two alternatives. Either Allah possesses the ability to do things as part of His Essence, meaning He literally IS Power. Or He derives this ability from elsewhere, some source other than Himself.
Allah’s Name of Qadir But if he derives power from elsewhere, the source of that power would be superior to Him. Then that source would be God. Thus, since Allah is a God, He must possess ‘essential power’ Can more than one being possess ‘essential power’? Can there be two gods who possess an equal amount of essential power?
Essential Power equates to Absolute Power If Allah possesses ‘essential power’, as He must, He must be totally free of weakness, impotence and inability Impotence and inability is the opposite of power. Since the union of opposites is absurd, a being Who possesses essential power must possess absolute power. Readings…
Absolute Power There cannot be more than One possessor of Absolute Power. If any other beings possessed any real power at all, their power would represent an impingement on Allah’s Absolute Power, which would be absurd.
Allah’s Name of Wahid Since there can only be One possessor of Absolute Power, the possessor of the Power must be the only God in existence. Allah’s Name of Wahid denotes His Oneness in terms of Unity That is, He is One, as opposed to more than one.
Absolute Power and Deism Since Allah possesses Absolute and Essential Power, there are no degrees in His Power. No act is more difficult for Him than another. Doing all things is as easy as doing one thing. Causing all things in the universe to occur all the time, directly, is as easy for Him as causing only one thing. Thus, His Power has no need of creating a deistic universe. Recall anyway, that nothing has real power. Everything occurs through His Power alone.
Argument summarised • Allah either possesses essential power or He derives limited power from elsewhere. • If He derives limited power from elsewhere, the source of that power is superior to Him. • Therefore, Allah does not derive power from elsewhere, but possesses essential power. • If Allah possesses essential power, he must possess absolute power, free of any weakness or limitation, since the union of opposites is absurd. • If Allah possesses absolute power, there can be no other beings that possess real or essential power. If another being possessed equal power, it would create the absurdity of an encroachment upon Allah’s Absolute Power. • Therefore, Allah is the sole possessor of real power and is the only God in existence.