Tafseer Surah al Ikhlas (112)

Introduction:

It was also the practice of Allah's Messenger to recite Surah Kafirūn and Surah al Ikhlas in the prayers.

Relationship between Surah al Ikhlas and Surah al Kafirūn:
~At the end of Surah Kafirūn, it is sated that the disbelievers have their own religion, and Allah's Messenger has his own religion, although they seemingly were similar in beliefs and practice, then comes Surah al-Ikhlas to present the pure concept of Tawheed, that the disbelievers rejected to accept.
~Surah Kafirūn begins with Qul [Say!], and Surah Ikhlas begins with Qul (say).
~ Same Nicknames: Al Muqashqishatayn - that which remove kufr

A few other names of surah al Ikhlas:
1 - Surah at-Tafreed - Fard [Individual] - that Allah is Unique, with none is like Him.
2 - Surah at-Tajreed – it removes all false misconceptions about Allah.
3 - Surah at-Tawheed – it unifies all of Allah's attributes. Allah is the One.
4 - Surah al Ma'rifah – if you do not know this surah, you do not really recognize Allah.
5 - Surah as-Samad - this word is exclusively used in this surah of the Qur'an.

Hadith : 

(Surely, for everything is light, and the light of the Qur'an is قل هو الله أحد (

Allah's Messenger said about Surah al Baqarah; “ for everything there is a peak, and the peak of the Qur'an is Surah al-Baqarah.”

 It is an amazing gift, because this surah of the Qur'an is one of the shortest Surahs, yet it is the Light of the Qur'an. 

The polytheists Arabs would use the word Allah for God, but they associated with Him another being. So when Allah's Messenger came with the correct teachings on who Allah was, the polytheists were confused. They started questioning Muhammad:
“Describe for us your Lord.' They would say.
“What’s his lineage?
A polytheist once came to Allah's Messenger and said; everything was created by Allah, then who created Allah?

The Sahabahs' Love for Surah al Ikhlas and its Virtues:

`A'ishah said, "The Prophet sent a man as the commander of war expedition and he used to lead his companions in prayer, and he would complete his recitation with the recitation of `Say: He is Allah, One.' So when they returned they mentioned that to the Prophet and he said, (Ask him why he does that.) they asked him and he said, `Because it is the description of Ar-Rahman and I love to recite it. So the Prophet said, (Inform him that Allah the Most High loves him.)'' ^[1]

A Hadith that mentions this Surah is equivalent to a Third of the Qur'an

Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Sa`id that a man heard another man reciting [قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ ] (Say: "He is Allah, One.'') And he was repeating over and over. In morning came, the man went to the Prophet and mentioned that to him, and it was as though he was belittling it. The Prophet said, (By He in Whose Hand is my soul; verily it is equivalent to a third of the Qur'an.)

Another Hadith Al-Bukhari recorded from Abu Sa`id, may Allah be pleased with him, that the Messenger of Allah said to his Companions, (Is one of you not able to recite a third of the Qur'an in a single night) This was something that was difficult for them and they said, "Which of us is able to do that, O Messenger of Allah'' he replied, ("Allah is the One, As-Samad'' is a third of the Qur'an.)

1: أَحَدٌ اللَّهُ هُوَ قُلْ:  Say, "He is Allah, [who is] One.
 Command to the Messenger to:
1 - Learn for himself.
2 - Teach it to others.
Message of Tawheed, is connected to Da'wah (inviting to Islam).
He: A pronoun used to indicate that they knew who He is that is spoken about.
It is also a reply to the people who asked Allah's Messenger who his god was. So Allah is answering that He is Allah, the One.
أحد - One
The difference between Wahid and Ahad:
1 - Ahad is used exclusively in the Negative sense only.
2 - Wahid is used in the Positive sense only.
However, we notice that Allah uses the word Ahad to describe Himself.
This is strange, because Ahad is usually used in the negative. This Ahad is used to show that there is a uniqueness of the usage of this word when describing Allah in the positive sense instead of the negative. The implication is to affirm His Oneness, and tell that none is similar to Him in that Oneness.
Ahad is a separate word which implies; that One cannot have any comparison, a sole unique entity who does not have an equal or competitor in any way. He does not have a 2nd or affiliate.
So Ahad is different from Wahid.
The people of other religions believe in God as One (Wahid), but they always make the mistake of giving Him attributes of the creation. It is only when you disassociate Allah's attributes from similarity to the creation that you can believe Allah is Ahad.
The main theme of this surah is that Allah is Unique in His Oneness.
Ahad is a name which is unshared. All His names in this Surah are unshared.

Use these 3 steps for any of Allah's attributes, and we see how Allah is unique in His attributes of Perfection." ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع العليم there is no similarity to Him, and He is the Hearing, the Seeing.[2]" 
This is what Bilal bin Rabbah got tortured for, and he would continuously say "Ahadun Ahad".

2:  :الله الصمدAllah is He on Whom all depend.

This ayah emphasizes what has been mentioned in the first ayah.
1 - As-Samad - the one who is enough, whenever they turn to Him, He fulfills and answers all their needs.
2 - The One who is not in need of anyone, and he is always above them, none can overpower him or be above him in status or any attribute.
3 - The One who is free from faults.
4 - He is the Everlasting.
 
3 -لم يلد ولم يولد : He did not give birth, nor was He fathered.
Lam - past tense negation
Lan - future tense Negation.
Lam is used - Past tense removes all forms of birth associated to Allah in the past,
and all these ideas of Allah having daughters who are angels (as the polytheists said), or that He has sons [Jesus, or Ezra] (as Christians and some Jewish sects in Medinah said) - removes their false claims.
Removal of past tense doubts removes all doubts - because the present doubts we have today have been repeated throughout history, so even if someone claims Allah has a son today - this had already been said in the past. So Allah has refuted such a claim by saying that it has never happened
- He has never had a son.
Having a son implies he will have an equal, and that is not possible for Allah.
Allah says; [He is] Originator of the heavens and the earth.  How  could  He  have  a  son  when  He does  not  have  a  companion [sahibah]  and  He  created  all  things?  And He is, of all things, Knowing. [al An'am 6:101]
One word for wife is Sahibah, and another word is Kufuw. And this word is mentioned in ayah 4 of this Surah.
Allah does not share attributes with His creation. If you are born - you had a beginning. This means you are not eternal, so you are not Divine/God.

4 - أَحَدٌ كُفُوًا لَّهُ يكن لَمْ وَ:: and nor was there to Him any equivalent.
Kufuw – (partner), it can also be (equal opposition in battle). Someone who is equal to you in rank, compatible with you, similar in your level. This is why it is used for marriage partners.
So Allah is saying He had no Kufuw - equal in His Ahadiyah (Uniqueness).

In Normal Arabic Grammar Sentence: - wa lam ya kun ahadun kufuwwan lahu (and there is not any equivalent to Him). This is the grammatically normal sequence. The normal grammatical sentence would have placed Allah in the end. But Allah switches the normal phrase, and instead mentions Himself first, showing specificness. There is none (For Him) an equal competitor (kufuw) ahad - anyone.
Ahad is awwal - the One for whom there is no 2nd. And the One who is First.
He has no counterpart; there is none higher than Him. Yet everything of the creation has an equal competitor or one better than him, but there is none competing with Allah in His Uniqueness.

The first part of the surah shows Allah's Oneness.
The second part of surah shows Allah's grace and Mercy upon us.
The third ayah shows that Allah is free from weakness.

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[1] This is how Al-Bukhari recorded this Hadith in his Book of Tawhid. Muslim and An-Nasa'i also recorded it.

[2] [Ash-Shura 42:11]