God is Ahad (Echad) “One”

The Shema is one of the central declarations of faith in Judaism and is to be recited daily by observant Jews and during important religious services. It is found in the Torah, specifically in Deuteronomy 6:4, and begins with the words: “Shema Yisrael, Adonai Eloheinu, Adonai Echad,” which translates to “Hear, O Israel: the Lord is our God, the Lord is One.” The key word here is “echad,” meaning “one” in Hebrew, which emphasizes the indivisible unity and singular nature of God. The concept of “echad” in the Shema is foundational, reinforcing the belief in the oneness of God—absolute, unique, and unlike any other being. This powerful statement underpins the core tenet of monotheism in Judaism, rejecting polytheism and affirming that God is the only divine power, with no equals or divisions.

⁴ Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is One. ⁵ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶ These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts. ⁷ Impress them on your children. Talk about them when you sit at home and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up. ⁸ Tie them as symbols on your hands and bind them on your foreheads. ⁹ Write them on the doorframes of your houses and on your gates. (Deuteronomy 6:4-9)

The Shema’s declaration of God’s oneness in Judaism closely parallels the message conveyed in Surah 112 of the Quran, known as Surah Al-Ikhlas. This surah is one of the most profound affirmations of monotheism in Islam. It begins with the verse, “Qul Huwa Allahu Ahad,” which translates to “Say, He is God, the One.” The use of the word “Ahad” in this verse is strikingly similar to the Hebrew “echad” found in the Shema, as both words emphasize the singular, unique, and indivisible nature of God.

[112:1] Proclaim, “He is the One and only GOD.
[112:2] “The Absolute GOD.
[112:3] “Never did He beget. Nor was He begotten.
[112:4] “None equals Him.”

 قُلْ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ أَحَدٌ
 ٱللَّهُ ٱلصَّمَدُ
 لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ
 وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌۢ

Verse	Arabic	Transliteration	Translation
1	قُلْ هُوَ اللَّهُ أَحَدٌ	Qul huwa Allahu ahad	Proclaim, “He is the One and only GOD.
2	اللَّهُ الصَّمَدُ	Allahu assamad	“The Absolute GOD.
3	لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ	Lam yalid walam yoolad	“Never did He beget. Nor was He begotten.
4	وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُ كُفُوًا أَحَدٌ	Walam yakun lahu kufuwan ahad	“No one equals Him.”

“Ahad” in Arabic, like “echad” in Hebrew, denotes absolute oneness without any divisions, partners, or equals. Surah Al-Ikhlas serves as a succinct yet comprehensive expression of tawhid, the oneness of God, which is a fundamental belief in Submission. By affirming that God is “Ahad,” the surah emphasizes that there is no other being like Him—He is beyond comparison, unique, and singular in essence and existence.

Both the Shema and Surah Al-Ikhlas share a powerful commonality. They both unequivocally proclaim that God is one, emphasizing His uniqueness and the impossibility of any partners or counterparts. This shared emphasis on the oneness of God reflects a deep-rooted aspect of monotheistic belief in both Judaism and Islam, highlighting a core theological connection between the two faiths. The use of “echad” in the Shema and “Ahad” in Surah Al-Ikhlas serves as a reminder of the indivisible, transcendent, and unparalleled nature of God, inviting believers in both traditions to maintain a pure and undivided devotion to the one true God.

Therefore, strict monotheists hold that God is absolutely one, indivisible, and has no partners or divisions. God is a singular entity that cannot be divided into multiple persons. They reject the idea of God manifesting as multiple persons or taking human form, which fundamentally separates their understanding of monotheism from the Trinitarian concept in Christianity.

Trinitarians Attempt to Redefine God’s Oneness

In contrast to monotheists, Trinitarians believe that God is one being consisting of three co-equal, co-eternal persons: the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ), and the Holy Spirit. Each person is distinct, yet they all share the same divine essence, meaning they are fully and equally God. This belief attempts to maintain God’s oneness while also affirming the divinity of Jesus and the Holy Spirit.

So how do Trinitarians attempt to reconcile their understanding when their doctrine from a plain text reading blatantly contradicts the Shema and the basic tenets of monotheism? To overcome this hurdle, Trinitarians interpret the concept of “one” (or “echad” in Hebrew) as used in Deuteronomy 6:4 to mean one composite or one complex unity rather than an absolute singularity. They claim that the use of “echad” allows for the understanding of God as a unified being with multiple persons—namely, the Father, the Son (Jesus), and the Holy Spirit—within one divine essence.

Trinitarians support this interpretation by pointing out that “echad” can sometimes be used to indicate a collective unity. For example, when describing marriage in Genesis 2:24 it states:

²⁴ Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one (echad) flesh. (Genesis 2:24)

Here, “echad” is used to describe the union of two individuals becoming one, suggesting a form of unity that encompasses multiple entities.

In another example, when the spies return from the land of Canaan, they bring back a single cluster of grapes, described as “echad.” This verse is sometimes used to suggest that “echad” can mean a unified group of many elements (i.e., grapes) in one cluster.

²³ When they reached the Valley of Eshkol, they cut off a branch bearing a single cluster of grapes. Two of them carried it on a pole between them, along with some pomegranates and figs. (Numbers 13:23)

Also, during the story of the Tower of Babel, the people are described as being “one (echad) people,” emphasizing unity among a group of individuals.

⁶ The Lord said, “If as one people speaking the same language they have begun to do this, then nothing they plan to do will be impossible for them. (Genesis 11:6)

Based on these examples, Trinitarians argue that the word “echad” in Deuteronomy 6:4 (“The Lord our God, the Lord is one”) does not necessarily indicate an absolute singularity but can also imply a unified, complex oneness. This interpretation allows them to reconcile the concept of God as one with the belief in three co-equal, co-eternal persons in the Godhead, which forms the basis of Trinitarian doctrine.

Basic Hermeneutics

When studying scripture, a fundamental principle of interpretation known as hermeneutics is to avoid using the meaning of a multi-meaning verse to explain clear and straightforward concepts. This principle is highlighted in the following verse of the Quran.

[3:7] He sent down to you this scripture, containing straightforward verses—which constitute the essence of the scripture—as well as multiple-meaning or allegorical verses. Those who harbor doubts in their hearts will pursue the multiple-meaning verses to create confusion, and to extricate a certain meaning. None knows the true meaning thereof except GOD and those well founded in knowledge. They say, “We believe in this—all of it comes from our Lord.” Only those who possess intelligence will take heed.

هُوَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَنزَلَ عَلَيْكَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ مِنْهُ ءَايَـٰتٌ مُّحْكَمَـٰتٌ هُنَّ أُمُّ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ وَأُخَرُ مُتَشَـٰبِهَـٰتٌ فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ فِى قُلُوبِهِمْ زَيْغٌ فَيَتَّبِعُونَ مَا تَشَـٰبَهَ مِنْهُ ٱبْتِغَآءَ ٱلْفِتْنَةِ وَٱبْتِغَآءَ تَأْوِيلِهِۦ وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُۥٓ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱلرَّٰسِخُونَ فِى ٱلْعِلْمِ يَقُولُونَ ءَامَنَّا بِهِۦ كُلٌّ مِّنْ عِندِ رَبِّنَا وَمَا يَذَّكَّرُ إِلَّآ أُو۟لُوا۟ ٱلْأَلْبَـٰبِ

The key takeaway is that individuals should use clear teachings from straightforward scripture verses to better understand the verses that may be understood in multiple ways rather than the other way around. This method avoids the pitfalls of reinterpreting explicit texts with ambiguous ones, ensuring a more accurate and faithful understanding of the scriptures.

Secondly, our exegesis of God’s words and theology needs to be without contradiction. If an understanding of one verse causes a contradiction in another passage, then it means our interpretation needs to be revised to eliminate the contradiction.

[4:82] Why do they not study the Quran carefully? If it were from other than GOD, they would have found in it numerous contradictions.

 أَفَلَا يَتَدَبَّرُونَ ٱلْقُرْءَانَ وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ ٱللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا۟ فِيهِ ٱخْتِلَـٰفًا كَثِيرًا

Ahad & Wahed in Quran

Based on these rules of thumb of interpretation, how can we address the Trinitarian claim that “Ahad” or Echad in Hebrew means one in unity and not one in the absolute sense? In the context of the Quran, the argument is quite easy to refute. In addition to the word Ahad, as used in Sura 112, the Quran also uses the term “Wahed” ( وَاحِد ), which means “one” and is also one of the names of God.

[39:4] If GOD wanted to have a son, He could have chosen whomever He willed from among His creations. Be He glorified; He is GOD, the One, the Supreme.

 لَّوْ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ أَن يَتَّخِذَ وَلَدًا لَّٱصْطَفَىٰ مِمَّا يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَآءُ سُبْحَـٰنَهُۥ هُوَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْوَٰحِدُ ٱلْقَهَّارُ

[38:65] Say, “I warn you; there is no other god beside GOD, the One, the Supreme.

 قُلْ إِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ مُنذِرٌ وَمَا مِنْ إِلَـٰهٍ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ ٱلْوَٰحِدُ ٱلْقَهَّارُ

Echad in the Old Testament

Stripped of conjecture and linguistic gymnastics, echad—translated as “one”—bears no trace of division or plurality in its essence. The biblical insistence on the singularity of God, as declared in Deuteronomy 6:4 (“Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one”), offers no refuge for notions of compound unity. Instead, it proclaims a solitary and indivisible deity, a profound monotheistic assertion underscored throughout the Hebrew Scriptures.

As noted above, proponents of Trinitarian theology argue that echad implies a “compound unity” by pointing to instances where the term modifies collective nouns—such as “one herd” or “one cluster of grapes” (Numbers 13:23). However, as the text illuminates, the plurality resides not in the word echad itself but in the collective noun it describes. The word “one,” in both Hebrew and English, remains steadfast in its singular meaning: one and no more. When Genesis 2:24 declares, “The two shall become one flesh,” it does not suggest the obliteration of individual identity but rather the union of two into a single entity—a metaphorical unity, not a numerical conundrum.

The biblical authors wield echad with precision, as in Ezekiel 33:24, where Abraham is described as “one man” (echad). Likewise, Isaiah 51:2 calls Him “alone” (echad), leaving no ambiguity about its intended meaning. This numerical singularity is further emphasized in Ecclesiastes 4:8, which declares that “one and not two” is the fundamental essence of the word.

To argue that echad accommodates a plurality within God is to commit what the text identifies as a “linguistic fallacy.” The Trinitarian assertion that echad inherently implies a composite oneness—akin to “one trinity” or “one United States”—is a sleight of hand that transfers the plurality of the collective noun onto the adjective. The truth, rooted in both scripture and language, is far simpler: echad means “single” or “only one.” This is consistent with how the spies of Numbers 13:23 report carrying “a single [echad] cluster of grapes,” an unmistakable reference to an undivided whole.

Even in Mark 12:28-34, when a Jewish scribe approached Jesus to inquire about the greatest commandment, Jesus echoed the Shema, declaring, “Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one.” The scribe, affirming this truth, responded with clarity, and Jesus commended him for his understanding. Had the scribe’s perception required correction—if he had misunderstood the profound unity and singularity of God—Jesus would have set the record straight. Instead, Jesus affirmed the scribe’s insight, underscoring the unshakable foundation of monotheism that binds both the Hebrew Scriptures and His own teachings.

²⁸ One of the teachers of the law came and heard them debating. Noticing that Jesus had given them a good answer, he asked him, “Of all the commandments, which is the most important?” ²⁹ “The most important one,” answered Jesus, “is this: ‘Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. ³⁰ Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ ³¹ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these.” ³² “Well said, teacher,” the man replied. “You are right in saying that God is one and there is no other but him. ³³ To love him with all your heart, with all your understanding and with all your strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.” ³⁴ When Jesus saw that he had answered wisely, he said to him, “You are not far from the kingdom of God.” And from then on no one dared ask him any more questions. (Mark 12:28-34)

Critics might suggest that if God were truly singular, the Hebrew Bible would use the word yachid, meaning “solitary” or “isolated.” However, yachid often conveys connotations of “lonely” or “only-begotten,” making it unsuitable to describe the richness of the divine. Instead, the biblical authors employ echad to affirm God’s singularity while preserving the fullness of His nature. Deuteronomy 4:35 states, “There is no one else besides Him,” and Nehemiah 9:6 declares, “You are Jehovah alone.” These verses dispel any lingering ambiguity: the God of Israel is one, unrivaled, and indivisible.

Conclusion

To the first-century Jew, steeped in the Old Testament’s poetic rigor and mathematical simplicity, the concept of echad as anything but singular would have been unthinkable. The linguistic and theological evidence converge on this immutable truth: God is one—singular, undivided, and alone. Attempts to read plurality into echad are not only linguistically untenable but betray the profoundly monotheistic spirit that breathes through every line of the Hebrew Scriptures. Here, in the resounding clarity of echad, lies the unassailable cornerstone of biblical monotheism.

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