Critiquing Islam 2.0

Islam’s Illusion of Oneness

Why the Quran and Hadith Contradict Monotheism

For centuries, Islam has marketed itself as the epitome of monotheism. Muslims insist that their faith is the pure worship of one God, Allah, devoid of the complexities that they criticize in Christian Trinitarian theology. “Allah is one,” they say, “He has no partner, no son, no equal.” On the surface, this sounds pristine, uncomplicated, and appealing. But a close inspection of Islam’s most authoritative sources—the Qur’an and Hadith—reveals a far more tangled picture. In practice and in text, Islam’s claims of monotheism fall short.

This deep dive will examine the three pillars of Islamic monotheism—Oneness of Allah, Oneness of worship, and Oneness of attributes—and demonstrate, using only the religion’s own sources, why these claims collapse under scrutiny.

1. Oneness of Allah: A Singular God or a Multiplicity in Disguise?

Islam teaches that Allah is uniquely one, incomparable, and indivisible. Yet, even a cursory reading of the Qur’an exposes contradictions that challenge this assertion.

1.1 The Plural “We” in the Qur’an

One of the most immediate inconsistencies is Allah’s frequent use of the plural pronoun “We” instead of “I.”

Consider these examples:

“The Messiah, son of Mary, was no more than a messenger. Many messengers had come and gone before him. His mother was a woman of truth. They both ate food. See how We make the signs clear to them, yet see how they are deluded from the truth!” (Surah 5:75)

“Have they not seen how many peoples We destroyed before them? We had made them more established in the land than you. We sent down abundant rain for them and made rivers flow at their feet. Then We destroyed them for their sins and replaced them with other peoples.” (Surah 6:6)

The plural “We” appears repeatedly. Muslim apologists argue that this is the “plural of majesty,” a rhetorical device meant to glorify Allah. Yet even if one concedes this point, it immediately raises questions: Why does a singular God require a plural form for grandeur? Why not simply declare singular supremacy with “I”? If plurality is a rhetorical necessity, it implicitly acknowledges the conceptual appeal of a multiplicity—contradicting the insistence on absolute singularity.

1.2 The Hypothetical Partner: Surah 21:17

Further complication arises when Allah speaks of a hypothetical partner in Surah 21:17:

“Had We intended to take a pastime (i.e., a wife or a son), We could surely have taken it from Us, if We were going to do that.”

Who is this “Us” from whom Allah could hypothetically take a spouse? A literal reading suggests a potential divine partner. Even if read metaphorically, the verse hints at conceptual multiplicity: if a singular God must entertain a hypothetical pool of partners, the absolute uniqueness of Allah is thrown into question.

1.3 Allah “Praying” for Muhammad (Surah 33:43)

Perhaps the most startling example is found in Surah 33:43, where Allah is described as praying for His messenger:

“He is the One Who showers His blessings upon you—and His angels pray for you—so that He may bring you out of darkness and into light. For He is ever Merciful to the believers.”

The Arabic word yusalli is often translated as “send blessings” or “pray.” While Muslim scholars insist it means “invoke blessings,” the literal meaning is akin to praying. Why does an all-powerful, self-sufficient deity require prayer at all? Who is He praying to? Why do the angels also perform the same act if Allah alone is omnipotent? The theological implications are striking: a God who relies on intercession and prayer is no longer a purely singular, self-sufficient deity.

2. Oneness of Worship: Muhammad as Co-Center of Faith

Islam claims that worship belongs solely to Allah. The Shahada—the central declaration of Islamic faith—states:

“There is no God but Allah, and Muhammad is His messenger.”

At first glance, this appears straightforward: worship Allah alone. But the phrasing immediately entangles Muhammad in the equation. Muslims are required not only to believe in Allah but to affirm Muhammad as the authoritative intermediary. The Qur’an reinforces this connection:

“Whoever obeys the Messenger has truly obeyed Allah…” (Surah 4:80)

From the outset, the link between worship and obedience to Muhammad is inseparable. In practice, the Prophet functions as a co-center of faith, without which obedience to Allah is incomplete.

2.1 Love of the Prophet Above All Else

The Hadith literature strengthens this claim. Sahih Al-Bukhari records:

“By Him in Whose Hands my life is, none of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father and his children.” (Book 2, Hadith 7)

“None of you will have faith till he loves me more than his father, his children and all mankind.” (Book 2, Hadith 8)

“Whoever possesses the following three qualities will have the sweetness (delight) of faith: The one to whom Allah and His Apostle becomes dearer than anything else…” (Book 2, Hadith 9)

The implication is clear: Islamic worship is not exclusively directed to Allah; it is inseparably tied to Muhammad. Elevating a mortal’s importance to the level of divine compliance represents a subtle form of polytheism in practice, even if theology formally forbids associating partners with Allah (shirk).

2.2 Knowledge of God Attributed to Muhammad

Another striking example:

“I was sitting behind the Messenger of Allah… He asked: Do you know where this sets? I replied, Allah and His Apostle know best. He said: It sets in a spring of warm water (Hamiyah).” (Sunan Abi Dawud Book 32, Hadith 34)

Here, Muhammad claims superior knowledge of God’s creation, equating his knowledge with Allah’s. Ironically, the assertion is factually false—the sun does not set in a spring of warm water—further undermining the claim of a purely divine-centered worship.

3. Oneness of Attributes: Jesus and the Quran as Divine Extensions

Islam also complicates monotheism through the attribution of divine qualities to other entities.

3.1 Jesus as the Word of Allah

The Qur’an teaches:

“O People of the Book! Commit no excesses in your religion: Nor say of Allah aught but the truth. Christ Jesus the son of Mary was (no more than) a messenger of Allah, and His Word, which He bestowed on Mary, and a spirit proceeding from Him…” (Surah 4:171)

Here, Jesus is described as the Word of Allah. If Allah’s attributes are strictly singular, how can a Word of God possess creative, divine qualities without introducing multiplicity? The Qur’an itself raises an ambiguity: if Jesus embodies an attribute of Allah, is he eternal or created? If eternal, he rivals Allah; if created, he is less than divine—but still worshiped indirectly through the conflation of attributes.

3.2 The Eternal Quran

The Qur’an itself is often treated as eternal, uncreated speech of Allah. Many Islamic sects consider the Qur’an kalām Allah (Word of God) as divine in nature. If the Word of God is eternal and coexists with Allah, this raises a parallel issue: the “oneness of attributes” is no longer absolute. There is now a divine multiplicity in attributes, even if Allah remains ontologically singular.

4. Comparison with Christianity

Christianity is often criticized for Trinitarian theology, but its worship is coherent within its own framework: the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are understood as one God in three persons. In Islam, Muhammad is elevated practically to a quasi-divine role without any coherent framework to justify this elevation.

In Christianity:

“He who believes in Me, believes not in Me but in Him who sent Me… I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness.” (John 12:44–46)

Jesus’ dual nature—fully God and fully man—is logically framed. Worship of Jesus is consistent with worship of the one God.

In Islam, by contrast: obedience to Muhammad is often equated with obedience to Allah, his blessings are necessary for salvation, and even angels participate in praying for him. These practices implicitly co-worship the Prophet, which undercuts Islam’s claim to strict monotheism.

5. The Practical Implications of This Multiplicity

Hadith superseding Qur’an: In practice, if Muhammad forbids or permits something differently from Allah’s Qur’anic command, his word often takes precedence in the lives of Muslims. This places Muhammad above Allah in operational authority.
Tawhid undermined: Tawhid is meant to ensure God’s unique status. When Allah, His messenger, angels, Jesus, and the Qur’an all share agency, authority, or divine attributes, practical monotheism becomes a mirage.
Polytheistic tendencies: By elevating Muhammad and his directives alongside Allah, Islam effectively operates with multiple centers of spiritual authority—a hallmark of polytheism masked in monotheistic rhetoric.

6. Conclusion: Monotheism or Theological Mirage?

Islam markets itself as the most uncompromisingly monotheistic faith in the world. Yet a deep, no-sugar-coated examination of its own texts reveals serious contradictions:

Allah’s plural pronouns, hypothetical partners, and invocation of blessings challenge the singularity of God.
Obedience and devotion to Muhammad are inseparable from worship of Allah, effectively elevating a mortal alongside the deity.
Divine attributes are attributed to Jesus and the Qur’an, further complicating oneness.

The three pillars of Islamic monotheism—Oneness of Allah, Oneness of worship, Oneness of attributes—collapse under textual scrutiny. Islam’s claim to absolute monotheism is therefore more rhetorical than factual.

The next time a Muslim claims, “We worship one God,” it is worth asking: Which God? The one who prays, the one who blesses, or the one whose messenger’s authority must be obeyed to attain salvation? The answer is not as simple as Islam would like you to believe.

Islam’s oneness is not pure. It is an illusion carefully maintained by rhetoric, ritual, and reverence for a mortal prophet. When examined unflinchingly, it is impossible to reconcile the religion’s most authoritative sources with the claim of absolute, uncompromising monotheism.