Definition of Faith & Three Divisions of Tauhid
الْإِيمَانُ وَأَقْسَامُ التَّوْحِيدِ
الْإِيمَانُ شَرْعًا: التَّصْدِيقُ بِالْقَلْبِ وَالْإِقْرَارُ بِاللِّسَانِ. وَالتَّوْحِيدُ ثَلَاثَةٌ: تَوْحِيدُ الذَّاتِ — اللهُ وَاحِدٌ فِي ذَاتِهِ. وَتَوْحِيدُ الصِّفَاتِ — صِفَاتُهُ لَا تُشْبِهُ صِفَاتِ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ. وَتَوْحِيدُ الْأَفْعَالِ — هُوَ الْخَالِقُ الْمُدَبِّرُ وَحْدَهُ.
Translation
Sharia faith: confirming with the heart and pledging verbally. There are 3 types of monotheism: (1) Monotheism of Essence — Allah is One in Essence, without partners; (2) Unity of Nature - His nature does not resemble creatures; (3) Tauhid Af'al — Allah is the only Creator and Ruler.
Commentary
Shaykh Nawawi Al-Bantani (Banten, Java — died in Mecca 1316H) was the most productive Indonesian scholar. His books have become a reference for Islamic boarding schools throughout the Malay world and the Middle East. These three divisions of monotheism summarize all beliefs about Allah.