Meaning & Explanation
Al-Wahid is the One and Only - there is no second to Him. He is One in His essence, One in His attributes, and One in His actions. There is nothing comparable to Him, and He has no partner, equal, or rival in anything.
Quran References
2 versesContext: Declaring the Oneness of Allah
وَإِلَٰهُكُمْ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ لَّا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ الرَّحْمَٰنُ الرَّحِيمُ
“And your god is one God. There is no deity except Him, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful”
Context: Prohibition of polytheism
وَقَالَ اللَّهُ لَا تَتَّخِذُوا إِلَٰهَيْنِ اثْنَيْنِ إِنَّمَا هُوَ إِلَٰهٌ وَاحِدٌ
“Allah has said: Do not take two deities. He is only one God”
Exemplifying Story
quranIbrahim Destroys the Idols
Reference: Surah Al-Anbiya 21:51-67
Ibrahim grew up among idol worshippers. One day, while his people were away at a festival, he took an axe and smashed all the idols except the largest. When they returned outraged, he said: "Ask the big one if he can speak." They admitted: "You know these do not speak." Ibrahim declared: "Do you then worship besides Allah that which does not benefit you at all or harm you?" He proved through logic and action that Al-Wahid alone deserves worship - false gods cannot even defend themselves. For this, they tried to burn him, but Al-Wahid saved him.
Al-Wahid alone has power and deserves worship. Everything else we might worship is powerless. Ibrahim's courage in declaring tawheed cost him everything worldly but gained him everything eternal.