Tawhid

Tawhid, with other transliterations from Arabic including tawheed, is a basic Islamic belief about the oneness of God. Classical scholars define three subdivisions, but what variously is called an interpretation or an innovation, Tawhid al-Hakimiyah, is important in radical Islamism.

Classic subdivisions

The classical subdivisions are:

1. Tawhid al-Rububiyah: Oneness of Allah’s lordship, or the belief that there is only one God (Allah) and that nothing else is equal to him.
2. Tawhid al-Uluhiyah: Allah is the only One God who is worthy of worship, and that there is nothing to be worshipped, followed, or obeyed except Allah
3. Tawhid al-Asma wa’l-Sifaat: Oneness of Allah’s many names and attributes, without deviation, alteration, or similitude.

Tawhid al-Hakimiya

Jihadist theoreticians argue that a fourth category is especially important today, Tawhid al-Hakimiya, "oneness of Allah’s judgement and legislation. " They point out that the original terms appear nowhere in the Qur'an or Sunnah, but all four are means of teaching, a legitimate form of interpretation (i.e., ijtihad).

Other theologians, especially from the Saudi orthodox, disagree. "judging by what Allah sent down comes under Tawhid al-Uluhiya since it is from the types of worship due to Allah, the One free of all imperfections, and all of the types of worship fall under Tawhid al-Uluhiyah. Then making 'al-Haakimiyyah' a separate category is an innovated matter, which has not been the saying of any of the scholars as far as we know."