Document Type : Original Article
Authors
1 "Assistant Professor and faculty member at the Faculty of Religious Knowledge and Islamic Thought, University of Tehran
2 Faculty member of the Islamic Studies Department at Allameh Tabataba'i University
Abstract
One of the objectives of the Holy Qur'an is to recognize and know God. To this end, it refers to divine attributes in various instances. However, due to the focus of interpreters on achieving Qur'anic knowledge and uncovering the divine intent of the verses, the semantics of divine attributes have received less attention. This neglect has sometimes led to overlooking the Qur'an's goal of understanding divine attributes, and in other cases, it has resulted in misunderstandings in comprehending these attributes.
This research employs a descriptive-analytical method to comparably examine two of the divine attributes in the Qur'an that are central to proving God's oneness. The findings indicate that the term "أحد" (Aḥad) signifies the simplicity of the essence of the Almighty, and God is free from any components and inward multiplicity. The term "واحد" (Wāḥid), on the other hand, has a broader semantic scope compared to "أحد" and conveys the meaning of negating multiplicity and external plurality regarding God.
Through the comparison of these two terms, it becomes clear that both "أحد" and "واحد" are indeed necessary and complementary in describing God's uniqueness and oneness; for by negating inward multiplicity and affirming the simplicity of God,
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