About Islam Part 1: The God Concept

Originally presented in video format – now adapted as a written blog post for deeper reflection.In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the Worlds. It is He who created us in truth, so that we might identify the truth through His guidance sent with His Prophets and Messengers, the last of whom was Muhammad, the son of Abdullah (peace and blessings be upon him and his family). As to what follows:I’m launching this series to give a clear, birds-eye view of Islam’s foundational principles. This isn’t feel-good motivational content or emotional preaching. It’s a straightforward, non-polemical explanation aimed at non-Muslims who want to understand what Islam actually teaches, and at thinking Muslims who want to see how the pieces fit together logically and ethically.The series will cover five core areas in short form first, with deeper expansions later, insha’Allah:

• The God-concept in Islam
• The role of Prophets and Messengers
• The role of Scriptures
• The ethics, morals, and values in the Qur’an
• The lifestyle of the Muslim

We begin with the most important foundation: the God-concept.

Why Start Here? Methodological Notes

Before diving in, a quick note on approach. I’m a graduate in religious studies, so I’m deliberate about methodology. Everything here draws primarily from the Qur’an (with occasional reference to the Bible for context), the established customs of Muslim life, and the ethical implications that flow from the sources. This is not a deep dive into classical scholarly terminology, intra-Muslim debates, or legal schools. Traditional labels like “Tawhid” (which doesn’t actually appear as a label in the Qur’an or Hadith) are set aside because they’re unnecessary for the average person. The goal is clarity and appreciation of Islam’s core values, not academic jargon. I won’t overload you with constant verse citations; instead, I’ll highlight the big ethical themes and demonstrate with key examples.One crucial premise: Islam is, and has always been, a communal religion. While it deeply nurtures your personal relationship with God, it is not primarily individualistic or “spiritualist” in the modern Western sense. Your individual faith serves the community, and the community serves the individual. This communal nature shapes everything that follows.

The God-Concept in Islam: Creator, Sustainer, and Intimate Lord

In Islam, God is the sole Creator of the heavens and the earth and everything between them. This idea isn’t new; it’s the foundation of monotheism across the Abrahamic traditions. Humans have always asked, “Where did all this come from?” The answer points to a Creator.But the Qur’an goes further. Allah is not a distant “clock-maker” God who winds up the universe and walks away. He is the active, ongoing Nourisher and Sustainer of creation. He creates constantly and renews it moment by moment. He is described as “the Living, the Self-Subsisting” – the source of all life and the One who intimately sustains it.This makes Allah both supremely transcendent and intimately close. The Qur’an says He is “closer to him than his jugular vein” (50:16) and “with you wherever you are.” He is the all-powerful, omnipotent Designer who holds the cosmos together, yet He is personally involved in your life. This balance – supreme majesty and personal nearness – is a hallmark of the Islamic view of God.

One God for Everyone – The Ethical Heart of Monotheism

Islam insists on absolute monotheism: there is only one God. This isn’t unique to Islam (Judaism and Christianity share the basic premise), but the implications are taken with utmost seriousness. Because there is only one God, He is the God of everyone – including those you may oppose or who oppose you. When you pray for justice or help, you must remember that the same God hears the prayers of those on the other side. You don’t get to claim God as “your God” who will automatically avenge your enemies while ignoring theirs. This forces a profound ethical outlook: the road to Paradise is through justice. Oppressing others, wronging people, or perpetuating injustice is effectively placing yourself against God Himself. God sides with the oppressed. This is why justice is the central theme running through the Qur’an and the stories it tells.

Addressing Common Misconceptions

Since Islam emerged in a world that already included Christianity (about 600 years after the time of Jesus), the Qur’an directly addresses certain developments in Christian doctrine. It firmly states that God does not have children. He is not “the Father” in the sense that implies biological or literal sonship. Jesus (peace be upon him) is honoured as a great prophet and Messiah, created by God’s command in the same way Adam was created – without father or mother in the case of Jesus, and without parents in the usual sense for Adam. The Qur’an rejects the Trinity and any notion that God has offspring.God is not diminished or divided. He is One, unique, without partners, without comparison.

How Do We Know God?

We don’t fully “know” God in the sense of comprehending His essence – He is beyond mental comparison. But we know about Him through three avenues the Qur’an appeals to repeatedly:

1. The external universe (signs all around us),
2. Our internal intuition,
3. Revelation.

The Qur’an says:
“We will show them Our signs in the universe and within themselves until it becomes clear to them that this [Qur’an] is the truth. Is it not enough that your Lord is a Witness over all things?” (41:53)Even deeper, the Qur’an points to a primordial covenant. Before we were born into this world, God brought forth the souls of humanity and asked, “Am I not your Lord?” We all testified, “Yes, You are! We testify.” (7:172) We also accepted the “Trust” of moral responsibility that even the heavens, earth, and mountains feared to bear (33:72).This creates an innate, pre-existent knowledge of God within every human being. When the Qur’an calls people to faith, it often uses the word “remember” – because it is reminding us of something we already know deep down, something imprinted on our souls from before birth.

Why This Matters

Understanding the God-concept in Islam isn’t abstract theology. It shapes how we live: with justice, accountability, humility, and constant awareness that the same Lord who sustains the stars also sustains every breath we take. It calls us to treat others fairly because they, too, belong to the One God. This is just the beginning. In future parts we’ll explore how God guides humanity through Prophets and Messengers, the purpose of Scripture, the ethical framework of the Qur’an, and what a Muslim lifestyle actually looks like in practice.If you’re a non-Muslim curious about Islam, or a Muslim who wants to see the bigger picture beyond slogans and emotions, I invite you to follow the series. Drop your thoughts or questions in the comments – I read them.May Allah guide us all to what is true and just. Peace and blessings upon all who follow guidance.

Coach De Bruyns

Share this post if it helped clarify the Islamic view of God. Next up: The Role of Prophets and Messengers.