Al-Ahad
Allah is Al-Ahad, He is incomparable, unequalled, and indivisible. Al-Ahad is the One who was, is, and will ever remain alone. No one can ever be equal to Him in essence of all His beautiful attributes!
From the root a-h-d which has the following classical Arabic connotations: to be one to be the only one, one alone, sole to unite, unify.
Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One (Quran 112:1)
For your god is one God, so to Him submit. And, [O Muhammad], give good tidings to the humble [before their Lord] (Quran 22:34)
One of the worse things is to make associations with Allah. Here’s passage from Quran regarding this:
And they say, “The Most Merciful has taken [for Himself] a son.” You have done an atrocious thing. The heavens almost rupture therefrom and the earth splits open and the mountains collapse in devastation. That they attribute to the Most Merciful a son. There is no one in the heavens and earth but that he comes to the Most Merciful as a servant. He has enumerated them and counted them a [full] counting. And all of them are coming to Him on the Day of Resurrection alone. Indeed, those who have believed and done righteous deeds – the Most Merciful will appoint for them affection. (Quran 19:88-96)
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Name |
Al-Ahad |
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Al-Ahad in Arabic |
ٱلْأَحَد |
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Arabic root |
أ ح د |
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Meaning in English |
The One, The Only One, The Unique, The Incomparable |
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Meaning in Urdu |
ایک |
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Appearance in the Quran |
Mentioned once |
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Tasbeeh |
A place will be built in paradise for those who recite Al-Ahad ten times, if anyone recites Al-Ahad twenty-two times, two palaces will be built for him in paradise, and for those who write thirty-three times, three palaces will be built for him in paradise |
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Asma Ul Husna with a similar meaning |
Al-Waahid |
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Al-Ahad Pronunciation |
Al A-h-a-d |
The Arabic root of أ ح د has the following connotations—to be sole, one, and the only one. The Quran mentions two names that confirm and describe the significant concept of Tawhid (one of Allah). These two names are Al-Ahad and Al-Waahid.
There should never be any doubt in the heart of a believer about Allah's oneness. Allah is one—He has no companion, He is the most supreme, and He can never be undermined, divided, or duplicated. This is the basic foundation of faith for every believer, and without a clear belief in Tawhid, one can not be considered a Muslim.
The concept is also reinstated in the Shahadah where a believer proclaims his faith by saying “la ilaha illa allah” which translates to “I testify that there is no God but Allah”.
To believe in Allah's oneness is to also believe that Allah holds the supreme power and is the one who provides us with life, manages our affairs and takes away the life he provides us as He wills. It is also to believe that Allah existed before everything else and will continue to exist—he is infinite and the most powerful.
Allah says in the Quran:
"Say, “He is Allah, [who is] One," — (112:1)
Allah also says in the Quran:
"There is no one comparable to Him." — (112:4)
The above two verses reinstate the core belief of every Muslim that Allah is one; there is no partner or companion ever to be associated with him. The Hadith of the beloved Prophet (ﷺ) has also signified the importance of the blessed name and concept of Allah's oneness.
Hanzalah bin 'Ali narrated that Mihjan bin Al-Adra' (رضی الله عنهم) narrated to him that the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) entered the masjid. There was a man who had finished his prayer and he was reciting the tashahhud. He said:
O Allah, I ask of You, O Allah, as You are the One, the Only, the Self-Sufficient Master, Who begets not nor was He begotten, and there is None equal or comparable to Him, forgive me my sins, for You are the Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: "He has been forgiven," three times. - (Sunan an-Nasa'i 1301)
Another Hadith highlights the benefit of reciting Al-Ahad:
Sa'īd b. al-Musayyib reported in mursal form that the Prophet said, "If anyone recites ten times 'Say, He is God, One,' a palace will be built for him in paradise because of it; if anyone recites twenty times two palaces will be built for him in paradise because of it; and if anyone recites it thirty times three palaces will be built for him in paradise because of it." 'Umar b. al-Khattāb said, "I swear by God, messenger of God, that we shall then produce many palaces for ourselves;" to which he replied, "God's abundant grace is even more comprehensive than that." – (Mishkat al-Masabih 2185)
One of Allah’s 99 blessed names – Al-Ahad, carries divine significance as the name emphasizes the concept of Allah's oneness – tawhid. Tawhid is the basic foundation of the Islamic faith.
Recitation of Al-Ahad can help Allah’s forgiveness and earn a place in Jannah.
One can use this name by including it in their daily dhikr routine and invocating it in their five daily prayers. The recommended way to recite Al-Ahad is to make it a part of your daily dhikr or tasbeeh so you can remain consistent with your recitation.
Remember to recite the name 10 times to earn a place in Jannah, 22 times to two palaces, and 33 times to earn three palaces.
To maintain consistency in dhikr, adopt a routine where you recite it simultaneously every day. Preferably, this should be after each of your five prayers. However, you can also do it while running your chores or during self-reflection and solitude. There does not have to be a specific time to indulge in Allah's remembrance; you should do it whenever it seems convenient.
Ahad is also a Muslim Arabic name for boys. Ahad, meaning unique, is a common name in the Muslim world. One can also name their child to seek blessings for the child from Allah.
Al-Waahid is another one of Allah’s blessed 99 times, and it has the same meaning as Al-Ahad. Al-Waahid translates to the One, the Single, the Only One. The Arabic root و ح د has connotations that emphasize the following – to be one, to be unique, and singular.
Al-Waahid has been mentioned in the Quran. Allah says in Surah Ar-Ra’d:
Ask them: "Who is the Lord of the heavens and the earth?" (They will) say: "God." Say: "Then why do you take protectors besides Him who have no power over their own gain or loss?" Say: "Can a blind man and one who can see be equal? Or will darkness and light be the same? Or, have those they have appointed equal of God created, as He has created so that the (two) creations look alike to them?" Say: "God is the creator of everything. He is One, the omnipotent."
— (13:16)
Al-Waahid has also been mentioned in Surah Zumar:
"Say, [O Muhammad], “I am only a warner, and there is not any deity except Allah, the One, the Prevailing." — (Qur'an 38:65)
Al-Waahid, similar to Al-Ahad, emphasizes the concept of Tawhid – the oneness of Allah.
The name serves as a reminder for the believers to never associate any partner or companion with their Lord as He is one. Therefore, one should be mindful of committing the great sin of shirk by associating any partners with Allah.
Allah warns the believer about committing shirk in Surah Nisa:
"Allah forgives not that partners should be set up with Him, but He forgives anything else, to whom He pleases, to set up partners with Allah is to devise a sin most heinous indeed" (4:48).