TAUHEED FROM THE TRADITIONS OF IMAM REZA (a.s.)

Tauheed is one of the most important belief and the purity of this belief is essential. During the life time of Imam Reza (a.s.), many questions were raised about the Unity of Allah which were answered by Imam Reza (a.s.). Today, we shall present a few of those questions and its replies by Imam Reza (a.s.).

One day a denier of God came to Imam Reza (a.s) and said :

“Tell me, how your God is? And where He is?”

Imam (a.s.) said, “What a baseless question is this? Where and how are the qualities of the creatures and not of the Creator. He is the Creator of space and conditions and He is the Maker. How can He have any relation to these things? He is not something that can be perceived by the five senses. Also, nothing can be compared to Him. You deny Him because you cannot perceive Him by fivesenses. And we believe that He is God, for the same reason. If he had been perceptible He would also have become a creature like us. His imperceptibility is the proof of our helplessness and imagination and His perfection.”

He said, “Then tell me, since when did He exist?” 

Imam (a.s.) said, “Tell me, when He did not exist?” He said, “I am asking you and you question me in return?” Imam (a.s.) said, “When you have no knowledge about His non-existence, the question itself is invalid. That since when He exists?”

He said, “What is the proof of His Being?”

Imam said, “Not one, there are thousands of proofs. Observe your body itself, when we are not having control over its height and width and none of its aspects, and we have no control over its benefit and harm, we realize that there is someone else who has created it. Apart from this, the movement of the heavens and the structure of the clouds. The speed of the winds, the proper movements of the Sun, the moon and the stars etc. Are these not proof enough of a wise maker?”

He said, “If He had existed He would have been visible, like all the things of the world are visible.”

Imam (a.s.) said, “Visible are those things, that are created by Him. If He also becomes visible what difference would remain between Him and His Creation? He is such a Being that neither can the eye behold nor the intellect understand.”

He said, “But He should be at some place?”

Imam (a.s.) said, “He is not encompassed at a particular place. Being in a limited space is the quality of a created thing, and not that of the Creator. He is the Creator of space and universe, and not that He Himself is enclosed in space. There is increase and decrease in limited things and His being is immune to increase and decrease. He is not made by synthesis of anything. He hears without ears and sees without eyes.”

He said, “How can it be that He can hear without having ears and see without having eyes? If He has created multi-colored things, He must also have hands.”

Imam (a.s.) said, “Do you think the Creator is like the creatures? Don't look for the qualities of the creatures in the Creator? If He is also perceived with senses like us, what would be the difference between us and Him? According to you our Creator should be like us.” (Uyoun Akhbaare Reza (a.s.) Vol 1, Chp 11, tradition 28)

We end our discussion with the above tradition. There are 51 such traditions in this 11^th chapter of the book Uyoun Akbaare Reza (a.s.). Let us intend to refer to all of them and keep purifying our belief on Tauheed.

Though, the generation has changed, questions have remained the same. There are many people who still carry these questions, our proficiency in answering to their queries through these traditions may help guide someone.