Al-Ikhlâs ( The Purity)

Surah Ikhlas (Chapter 112) of the Glorious Qur'an, is the touchstone of theology. 'Theo' in Greek means God and 'logy' means study. Thus Theology means study of God and to Muslims this four line definition of Almighty God serves as the touchstone of the study of God. Any candidate to divinity must be subjected to this 'acid test'. Since the attributes of Allah given in this chapter are unique, false gods and pretenders to divinity can be easily dismissed using these verses.

 In the name of God, Most Gracious, Most Merciful

  Say: He is Allah, the One and Only! 
  Allah, the Eternal, Absolute; 
  He begetteth not nor is He begotten. 
  And there is none like unto Him.
                           
-  translation by Abdullah Yusuf Ali


Al-Ikhlâs is sûrah (chapter) 112 of the Qur'ân, and is said to be one of the earliest revelations that the Prophet Muhammad received from archangel Gabriel.

The Arabic root of the word ikhlâs is kh-l-s which means to be purified, refined, or to express loyal. The very concept of refining and purifying signifies the burning away of all impurities, leaving nothing but the very essence of that which was sought, Allah, the ultimate recipient of our utmost loyalty and sincerity.

Such a purification is the burning away of all of the worldly misunderstandings, concerns and desires that separate us from the One; the One and Only upon whom we depend, the One and Only who is our foundation rock, the Eternal One and Only.

As a further testimony to the unity of the One who has created all of mankind, note the striking similarity in the Bhagavad-Gita written in India a thousand years earlier:

You are the One Creator of all the worlds, 
and of that which moves and that which does not move,
You alone are fit for worship, You are the highest Teacher,
In all the worlds there is none equal to You.
                               
- Bhagavad-Gita 11:43