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In the Qur’anic worldview, tawḥīd—the absolute oneness and uniqueness of G-d—is not merely a theological proposition, but the foundational principle upon which human freedom, moral responsibility, and rational integrity rest. Nowhere is this more powerfully illustrated than in the Qur’an’s account of Ibrameem (Biblically, Abraham), whom Islam presents not only as a prophet, but as the second father and imam of mankind. As an imam, Ibraheem stands as the divinely appointed model of rational excellence and moral clarity for all nations. Consequently, the truths to which he was guided and the stances he adopted before his people were not confined to his own personal spiritual and intellectual journey, but were established on behalf of the human family as a whole.

When Ibraheem declared, as given in the Qur’an (6:78), “O my people, I am free from what you associate”, he was not merely asserting his own spiritual independence. He was inaugurating a universal liberation—freeing the human intellect and soul from subjugation to false gods, mythological worldviews, and unjust authorities. His rejection of shirk (associating partners with G-d; ascribing to creation attributes of The Creator) was simultaneously a rejection of every system that claims ultimate authority over human purpose, obedience, and meaning apart from Allah. In this sense, Ibraheem emerges in the Qur’an not only as a prophet of belief but as a liberator of consciousness, guiding humanity toward the vision of the true Kingdom of G-d as it is meant to be realized in human society.

This declaration of freedom is inseparable from his affirmation: “On the contrary, your Lord is the Lord of the heavens and the earth—He who originated them both—and upon that truth I bear witness” (21:56). Here, Ibraheem grounds tawḥīd in a profound cosmological and metaphysical insight: the universe is not self-subsisting, nor self-explanatory, but originated, ordered, and sustained by a single transcendent Cause.

The Qur’an employs two primary Divine Names to describe Allah’s creative act. The first, Al-Khāliq (The Creator), emphasizes G-d’s continuous act of bringing all things into existence, moment by moment, and assigning to each created entity a distinct configuration of properties, capacities, and purposes. Creation, in this sense, is not a closed event of the past, but an ongoing reality. G-d is perpetually engaged in the unfolding of existence, shaping life within the womb, guiding development through successive stages, and sustaining the totality of the cosmos in every instant.

The second Name, Al-Fāṭir (The Originator), highlights a more foundational dimension of creation. It refers to G-d as the One Who brings things into existence for the first time and inscribes within them their original nature—what the Qur’an calls fitrah. When Ibraheem speaks of G-d as the Originator of the heavens and the earth, he affirms not only that the universe has a beginning, but that it possesses an inherent order and orientation conforming to divine wisdom. Origin, in this sense, refers as much to essence and purpose as it does to temporal beginning.

The Qur’an extends this principle directly to human existence: humanity, like the rest of creation, is endowed with a divinely given nature. This fitrah defines human purpose, moral capacity, and intellectual orientation. To live in harmony with tawḥīd is therefore to live in harmony with one’s own original nature. As Ibraheem’s reasoning unfolds, he comes to recognize that just as the heavenly bodies operate according to laws beyond themselves, human beings are likewise meant to align their lives with the higher law(s) of their Originator.

This realization is crystallized in his declaration, “Indeed, I turn my whole self toward Him who originated the heavens and the earth.” (6:79) The Qur’anic language here—wajjahtu wajhī—is rich in meaning. While literally referring to turning one’s face, the term wajh encompasses intention, identity, direction, and purpose. Since Allah is not located in space or bound by physical direction, turning toward Him cannot be a bodily act. It is instead an existential reorientation: the alignment of intellect, heart, will, and action with the divine purpose embedded within human nature.

Thus, Ibraheem’s act of “turning” signifies a complete reconciliation between human life and divine order. It represents the moment in which the human being consciously submits to the reality that governs the universe itself. In doing so, Ibraheem frees himself from mythological explanations of existence, from political idols masquerading as gods, and from every form of domination that rests upon false metaphysical assumptions.

This liberation is grounded in rigorous rational reflection. Observing the star, the moon, and the sun, Ibraheem rejects each as a possible deity—not because of their grandeur, but because they “set.” Their setting signifies contingency, impermanence, and susceptibility to non-existence. From this observation, Ibraheem implicitly articulates a powerful metaphysical argument: anything that can cease to exist does not possess existence by necessity. If it exists at all, its existence must have been bestowed upon it by something other than itself.

Extending this reasoning, our second father arrives at the conclusion that the universe as a whole—comprising time, space, matter, and energy—cannot be self-caused. If it began to exist, then its Cause must transcend the categories that define it. That Cause must be eternal, non-spatial, non-material, and unlimited in power. Furthermore, such a Being must be One Alone. The notion of multiple unlimited, eternal beings is logically incoherent, for absolute power and will cannot be shared without contradiction.

This line of reasoning leads inexorably to the affirmation at the heart of tawḥīd: there exists One, and only One, Being who is necessary in existence, absolutely unique, and utterly unlike anything in creation. It is this Being alone who deserves worship, obedience, and ultimate devotion.

In light of this, Ibraheem’s rejection of “that which sets” is not merely a critique of ancient star-worship. It is a timeless indictment of every system—religious, political, or ideological—that claims ultimate authority while remaining contingent, finite, and dependent. Tawḥīd, as the Qur’an presents it, is therefore not only the affirmation of G-d’s oneness, but the intellectual and moral foundation of human freedom itself.

Through Ibraheem, the Imam of mankind, the Qur’an teaches that to recognize the Oneness of G-d is to also recognize the true nature of reality, the true purpose of human existence, and the falsehood of every claim to sovereignty that competes with the King of the heavens and earth. Tawḥīd liberates the mind from myth, the soul from fear, and society from oppression, guiding humanity toward the order and harmony intended by the Originator of the heavens and the earth.

Prophet Muhammed in Scripture

To truly know Prophet Muhammed, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, we must begin where the Qur’an itself begins: not with Arabia in the 7th century, not with a single people or geography, but with Scripture as a continuous, unfolding process. The Prophet does not enter history as an isolated religious figure. Rather, he emerges within a vast and ancient stream of revelation that stretches from the first human being.

This perspective is essential. Islam does not ask us to think of Muhammed the Prophet outside of Scripture, but within it—firmly embedded in the same river of prophethood that carried Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all).

The Stream of Prophethood

Revelation moves like water. It flows from the heavens—as rainwater or rivers from mountains—descends into human life and history, and carries humanity toward a destined end. In this sense, prophethood is not merely manifested through a group of individuals, at random places and times—it is a progressive movement in the human soul, that has as its aim the guidance of humanity toward alignment with G-d’s Will.

Islamic tradition teaches that Adam is the first prophet and the father of humanity. Noah (Nuh) is the next major prophetic figure, through whom the world is restarted after corruption overwhelms it. The flood narrative—shared across Scripture—represents divine purification: a cleansing of moral decay and a renewed beginning for life itself.

From Noah’s descendants emerges Abraham (Ibraheem), whom the Qur’an describes not merely as a prophet, but as the Imam of humanity. He represents a decisive shift in human development. Adam embodies the natural human being: male and female, endowed with instinct, curiosity, imagination, and moral capacity. Abraham, however, represents the educated intellect—the human being who becomes consciously aware of humanity’s unique role, purpose, and destiny in the cosmos. Allah shows him not only how to worship, but why humanity exists. This vision is referred to as the Promised Land in the Hebrew Bible, and the Kingdom of G-d or Kingdom of Heaven in the New Testament. Though often misunderstood as a physical territory, the Qur’an reframes this vision as a moral and spiritual destiny rather than a geographic entitlement.

Scripture, Power, and Misuse

This distinction matters deeply in our modern world. Much of today’s global conflict—including the suffering in Gaza—rests on distorted readings of Scripture that claim divine authorization for dispossession and genocide. The Qur’an explicitly rejects such claims. Allah never grants the inheritance of Abraham to oppressors, nor does He sanctify injustice under the guise of covenant. On the contrary, the Qur’anic criterion is clear: moral righteousness, not lineage or land, determines divine favor.

Abraham’s Prayer and Its Fulfillment

After Abraham and his son Ishmael (Isma’il) raise the foundations of the Ka‘bah, they make a profound supplication:

“Our Lord, raise among them a messenger from among themselves, who will recite to them Your ayaat, teach them the Book, and the Wisdom, and purify them.” (Qur’an 2:129)

Centuries later, Allah declares:

“Just as We sent among you a Messenger from among yourselves, reciting Our verses to you, purifying you, and teaching you the Book and the Wisdom.” (Qur’an 2:151)

Here, the Qur’an draws an unmistakable line: the prayer of Abraham is answered in Muhammed the Prophet ﷺ, who summarized his mission in these same terms, when he said, “I am the answer to my father Abraham’s dua.” (Musad Ahmed). According to the verse of the Qur’an we just cited, his work can be understood through four foundational functions:

1. Recitation – placing the Word of G-d directly into the hands of humanity.

2. Purification – cultivating moral discipline and spiritual refinement through obedience.

3. Teaching the Book – educating people in the meanings, themes, and guidance of revelation.

4. Teaching Wisdom – forming sound reasoning, judgment, and ethical insight.

Every aspect of the Prophet’s life—his worship, leadership, law, mercy, and struggle—flows from these four tasks.

From Geography to Universal Destiny

In the New Testament, Christ Jesus prayed, “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” He was not praying for destruction, but for alignment—for human society to reflect the divine order found throughout the universe. Prophet Muhammed completes this trajectory by universalizing Abraham’s vision completely. The Qur’an is not bound to a single land, people, or era. Wherever human beings submit to G-d’s guidance—individually, in families, and as communities—that place becomes sacred ground.

In Islamic language, this reality is not called the Promised Land or the Kingdom of Heaven. It is called the Balanced Community—a community founded upon, and imbued with, both spiritual and rational excellence, and the Best Community Evolved for the Benefit of all People of the earth—a society rooted in faith in Allah, moral responsibility, and justice for all.

Prophet Muhammed in Scripture

Seen in this light, Prophet Muhammed ﷺ is not a rupture in sacred history, but its culmination. He stands firmly within Scripture, affirming its truths, correcting its distortions, and opening its promise to all humanity. Through him, the vision first shown to Abraham becomes accessible to every people, in every land, at every time.

To follow Muhammed the Prophet, therefore, is not merely to adopt a new religious identity—it is to step consciously into the ancient stream of revelation and walk toward the destiny for which humanity was created.

And that journey, the Qur’an teaches us, is always renewable. What was once established in Madinah can be rebuilt again—starting with the heart, extending to the home, and culminating in a community that lives by G-d’s guidance.

And Allah Knows Better 

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Al-Islam and Black America

As African Americans entered “Islam proper,” did we lose something essential—our energy for social progress, institution-building, and collective vision? Is it true that when we were under a set of improper beliefs, we were also at the forefront of building schools, businesses, and a strong sense of identity for our people, but now, after having become Muslims with correct creed and a proper connection to Prophet Muhammed ﷺ, and the world community of Islam, our community’s social momentum has declined? Does correct access to the Qur’an and Sunnah take us away from putting our people’s needs in the forefront? Or, more specifically, what can we derive from the Qur’an and the Sunnah that directly meets the needs of Black America? Or even more significant, is concern for our ethnic group even permissible for Muslims of African descent? These questions, and others like them, have become unavoidable for Black American Muslim communities within the United States. This is not a side conversation. It is one of the most important conversations African American Muslims can have. In this series of essays, we will attempt to address these and related matters of Islam in the context of Black life.