Islamic Doctrine - Tawhid and Fitra

In this series of essays I will cover major aspects of Islamic doctrine as they affect the West, and in a rough order of importance.  While these doctrines are part of core Islamic beliefs, not every Muslim adheres to them.  But pious ones do, and it is they who have maintained the spirit of Islam for fourteen centuries and will carry it on into the far distant future.  The less pious are aware of their position in the pecking order of true belief and will respect those who are more pious.  This has far-reaching consequences which I will come to later.

First a couple of definitions.

• Islam means submission to the will of Allah.  It doesn’t mean ‘peace’ even though they share the same root.  Peace is obtained when everyone on earth submits to the will of Allah.  In practical terms the nearest anyone gets to this is in the cemetery.
• A Muslim is one who submits to the will of Allah.

On this occasion I discuss the doctrine of the greatest importance to Islam itself, tawhid and its related concept of fitra.

Loosely translated, tawhid means ‘monotheism’ but this initially related to Islam’s contrast with religions prevalent at the time of Muhammad, which were for the most part polytheistic – still a target of Muslims’ invective in relation to Hinduism.  Conceptually it means the ‘oneness’ of Islam’s absolute and uncompromisingly indivisible monotheism, a single divine authority over man.  This God actively creates, maintains and destroys, existing as a ‘master-truth’ rather than a belief.  It is truth, immanent, universal and inescapable, that transcends the world. 

Because tawhid is universal, everyone, without exception, is born into it in a state of what is known as ‘fitra’, the innate inclination towards the pure state of tawhid. As the former Cat Stevens, quoting Muhammad, says, “Every child is born with an original, pure nature. It is only his parents who make him a Christian or a Jew.”  So when people convert to Islam, they are considered to be ‘reverting’ to their original state of fitra.  The way to Islam is thus depicted as natural, almost obvious, rather than rebellious or exotic.

Apostasy is accordingly regarded as a fundamental attack on reality which must be suppressed at any cost.  That, in itself, is one of Islam’s strengths.  As influential cleric Yusuf Qaradawi says, "If the penalty for apostasy was ignored, there would not be an Islam today; Islam would have ended on the death of the prophet."

Above all, tawhid is what Muslims not so much believe in, as know.  It is what motivates their desire to proselytise and dominate.  Compared with Western culture’s ability to maintain several world views in balance and resolve them by democratic means, Islam’s appears monomaniacal and tyrannical.  

My next essay will cover Islam’s ‘essentialism’ and why, 1400 years later, it hasn’t moved an inch.