Introduction
The people of knowledge divided Monotheism into different categories. They proposed different categorisation, albeit all delivered the same meanings i.e., they differed only in the names they assigned to each category. This difference of opinion is because categorisation of monotheism is concluded based on studying and analysing the divine texts as it was not explicitly mentioned by the Legislator.

The preponderant opinion is to divide monotheism into the following three categories:
1. Oneness of Allah’s Lordship,
2. Oneness of Allah’s Divinity,
3. Oneness of Allah’s Names and Attributes.
This is based on the Statement of Allah (interpretation of meaning), "Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them, so worship Him (Alone) and be constant and patient in His worship. Do you know of any who is similar to Him? (Maryam: 65) wherein the three categories are indicated:
- Oneness of Allah’s Divine Lordship: Lord of the heavens and the earth, and all that is between them.
- Oneness of Allah’s Divinity: So worship Him (Alone) and be constant and patient in His worship.
- Oneness of Allah’s Names and Attributes: Do you know of any who is similar to Him?
This categorisation has always been cited in the work of scholars since the issues of creed started to be documented and discussed in writing.
Ibn Battah said, “The foundation of believing in Allah that the creation is obliged to adopt is based on three things:
Firstly: One should believe in Allah’s Lordship so that he can distinguish himself from the people of negation (i.e., those who negate Allah’s Names and Attributes) who do not affirm the existence of the Creator. [28] This is the monotheism of Lordship
Secondly: One should believe in Allah’s Oneness so that he be different from the polytheists who admitted the existence of the Creator but associated partners with Him in worship. [29] This is the monotheism of Worship.
Thirdly: One should believe that Allah has Attributes which are not possible for Him to be without, such like Knowledge, Omnipotence, Wisdom, and all the attributes which He described Himself with in His Book. This is because we know that many people who affirm Allah’s Oneness in general may associate partners with Him in His Attributes. [30] This is the monotheism of names and attributes. [31] Al-Ibaanah, 6/149.
Ibn Baaz said, “This division is taken from study and analysis. When the scholars analysed the texts of the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Messenger (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), this became clear to them. Some of them added a fourth category, which is Oneness of Following. All of that is derived from study and analysis.” [32] Majmoo’ Fataawa wa Maqaalaat Mutanawi’ah, 6/215.
Bakr Aboo Zayd said, “This categorisation that is based on the study and analysis of divine texts that the scholars of the righteous predecessors conducted was indicated by Ibn Mandah, Ibn Jareer At-Tabari and others. It was acknowledged by Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn al-Qayyim. It was also acknowledged by Az-Zubaydi in Taaj al-‘Aroos, and our Shaykh Ash-Shanqeetee in Adwaa’ al-Bayan, and other scholars, may Allah have mercy on all of them. This study and analysis covered all of the divine texts, which is a process that is practised by the scholars of each discipline. For example, grammarians studied the speech of Arabs and concluded that a speech is divided into a noun, verb and letter, although it is noted that Arabs never made such categorisation, and of course no one ever blamed the grammarians for their observation. The same is applicable to the other types of study and analysis.” [33] At-Tahtheer min Mukhtasaraat As-Sabooni fee at-Tafseer, p 30.
The relationship between the three categories of monotheism is interlinked; thus, each category is either all-inclusive, or integrated into another, or established accordingly by necessity. They are indispensable from each other and represent altogether the pillars of monotheism that people are obliged to believe in because failing to believe in either category will cause deviation in one’s belief of monotheism. This is to say, the Oneness of Allah’s Lordship necessitates the Oneness of Allah’s Divinity, and the Oneness of Allah’s Divinity incorporates His Oneness in Lordship, and the Oneness of His Names and Attributes is inclusive of the other two categories. In other words, believing in the Oneness of Allah’s Lordship while knowing that Allah, Exalted be He, is the only Lord, He has no partner in His Lordship, necessitates acknowledging that worship should be to Allah alone because the one who deserves our worship must be none but the Lord, the Creator, the King, and the Controller. Knowing that all these qualities are exclusive to Allah alone, it becomes inevitable to believe that He is the only One who is worthy of worship.
Often, the Quran couples the parts that talk about Allah’s Lordship with the parts that invite people to believe in the Oneness of Allah’s Divinity. For example, Allah, Exalted be He, said, "O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous. Who has made the earth a resting place for you, and the sky as a canopy, and sent down water (rain) from the sky and brought forth therewith fruits as a provision for you. Then do not set up rivals unto Allah (in worship) while you know (that He Alone has the right to be worshipped).” (Al-Baqarah: 21-22)
The Oneness of Allah’s Divinity is integrated into the Oneness of Allah’s Lordship because whoever worships Allah and does not associate anything with Him necessarily believes that Allah is his Lord, His Owner, and that there is no Lord except Him.
The Oneness of Allah’s Names and Attributes includes the other two categories of monotheism, because it is based on the Oneness of Allah in His Beautiful Names and Lofty Attributes, which no one is entitled to except Him, Exalted Be He. The following are some examples of such Names: The Lord, the Creator, the Provider, and the King – which refer to the Oneness of Allah’s Lordship – and The Oft-Forgiving, the Most Merciful, and the Accepter of Repentance – which refer to the Oneness of Allah’s Divinity. [34] Badaa’i al-Fawaaid, 4/1544, Zaad al-Ma’aad, 4/187, al-Kawaashif al-Jaliyyah ‘an Ma’aani al-Waasitiyyah by As-Salmaan, p 292, Mu’taqad Ahl as-Sunnah wa al-Jamaa’ah fee Tawheed al-Asmaa wa as-Sifaat by Muhammad at-Tameemee, p 40.