Polytheism
There are two meanings for polytheism in Maqayis-0l- Loghata, the first is association and partnership and its core is opposite “individuality”. The second meaning is long and straight but the first meaning is more common in this straightness. The second meaning too has some special words like “Shirak” (shoe laces) and “Sharak” or those small paths that branch out from the real path or it may mean the middle of a straight path. These meanings also infer to “Sharaka’ or the net of the hunter. Some linguists (Grammarians) insist that the meaning of both revert to the first but this claim is not without objections and there is no point to insist on it. (1)
In the Qura’n, the word “Shirk” is used to for making partners in God’s existence, His attributes, His management of the creations and His Godship and worship.
The first, “Shirk Azeem” means to declare someone as a partner for God; the second meaning relates to the small kind of polytheism wherein one relies on others also together with God. This is also called hypocrisy. (2)
The origin of “Wahid” (Alone) is Wahdat (unprecedented). Raghib has said in Mafuradat: “It means something that has no parts, and then this was widened and used for things that have uniqueness. He then adds, “the word “Wahid” is whole and is used in six different meanings:
Wahid used for nouns like humans and horses being animals are one; Zed and Omar being humans are one too.
2. Wahid in singular like one person or one tree.
3. Wahid meaning unique and un-precedent
4. Wahid that cannot be divided
5. Wahid in numbers like we say, one, two three etc
6. Wahid that is the origin of any line so when we use it for God it means this is something that cannot be divided.(3)
The word: Ahad “has the same foundation and attributes and is used for Wahid. For some people the meaning of both the words is the same and some feel they are different. Ahad is that entity that cannot be discerned in the mind as related to numbers like one tow three etc. So when we say “Ahad” has not come then it means no one has come but when we say “Wahid” has not come it means others have come. (4)
Some have raised the argument that “Ahad” is used against the whole and “Wahid’ is used against many but their usage in the Qura’n tells that they have the same connotations. By the grace of God we will explain this issue in the coming pages.