Ayah 1
Qul huwwa Allahu Ahad (Say, "He is Allah , [who is] One,)
Qul - Say.
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)
Huwwa - He.
This was not required in the ayah because Allah could say; Qul Allahu ahad - say Allah is One.
However, A pronoun is used when you know who is being spoken about (this is called Sha'n شأن ). Allah is so great, He is already known by the people (as the Originator, Creator, Designer etc.)
So 'He' is an implication that you know this God already, it is not a new God.
2 - It is also a reply to the people who asked Allah's Messenger who his god was?
Man Huwwa, Maa huwwa - who is he, what is he? These are the questions the polytheists asked Allah's Messenger about Allah. So Allah is answering that He is Allah, the One.
3 - Say, He is Allah, Say He is One.
Two sentences have been fused into one ayah. Say, He is Allah, One.
Ahad - One
The difference between Wahid and Ahad:
1 -
Ahad is used exclusively in the Negative sense only.
Wahid is used in the Positive sense only.
i.e. Laysa ahad mawjoodan fee al masjid - there is not One person in the Mosque [it is empty].
Laysa wahid mawjoodan fee al masjid - there is not One in the Mosque [but there are alot (more than one) people in the Mosque].
..wa la yushriku bi 'ibadatihee Ahada - and no-One should associate partners with Him in worship. [al Kahf 18:110]
However, We notice that Allah uses the word Ahad in ayah 1 of surah al Ikhlas, to describe Himself.
This is strange, because Ahad is usually only used in the negative. This Ahad is used to show that there is a uniqueness of the useage of this word when describing Allah - now in the positive sense instead of the negative. By Allah using Ahad, He is implying affirmation to His Oneness, and there being none similar to Him in that Oneness.
Amazing: There is no Arabic literature which ever uses the word Ahad by itself in a positive way - except for surah al Ikhlas.
Ahad comes from - Wahd/Wahada.
Wahd دحو (waw, ha, daal) - one who is individual by himself, his tribe/lineage/origin is not known.
Allah did not use that word for Himself because He does not want to make Himself similar to humans in attributes.
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 to Wahid.
The people of other religions believe in God as One (this is 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 (Unique in His Oneness).
A strong Theme in this surah is that Everything about Allah is Unique in His Oneness. This is why all the attributes of Allah in this surah are Unique for Allah Himself. (i.e. Allah, ahad, as-Samad, lam yaLid, lam yuWlad).
3 -
Allah has some attributes which humans might also call themselves. I.e. Raheem (especially merciful), Ra'oof (compassionate), Baseer [seeing] etc.
If we use one of Allah's attributes, i.e. Allah is 'Aleem - the Knowing.
The Difference between our knowledge and Allah's knowledge is that;
1 - Allah's knowledge is infinite, ours is not.
2 - Allah's knowledge has no limit, ours is.
3 - Our knowledge and attributes are given to us, Allah's attributes -
He owns them, they are His.
Dr. Rafee'uddeen from Pakistan - Allah created the human with knowledge of Himself. The greatest honor the human can have is to be the perfect slave of Him.
But if you do not strive to achieve that goal, you will still be hungry. If you do not fulfill that hunger with obedience to Allah, you will fulfill that hunger through something else. Even if that food of disobedience is disgusting and harmful to your body.
So you are either a slave to Allah, or a slave to the worthless creation. You might know He is One, but is He the One you dedicate your life to? Do you worry that He might not talk to you on Judgment Day out of displeasure? Do you do action so that He will be pleased with you?
Allamah Iqbal poetry on Allah's Oneness/Tawheed:
What used to be something that burned inside the hearts of men, has now turned into something of abstract, philosophical debate.
Tawheed/Allahs Oneness has now become theological debates, whereas there were people before us who would have a strong, practical connection with Allah. Hoping that He will have Mercy on them. So they struggled for His pleasure.
O Allah, make us the true people of Tawheed, and who implement it with their wealth, and lives, and die in a state that you are pleased with.
Ayah 2
Allahu as-Samad (Allah is He on Whom all depend.)
as-Samad - the one who is enough, whenever they turn to Him, He fulfills and answers all their needs and questions in times of need.
When you use the word Samad as a verb - it implies that you turn to them to ask them to fulfill a need.
Masmood - the one to whom people turn to in times of need.
2 - When you make someone your goal, to attain them, to win them, the Ultimate Goal. This is one of the reasons this surah is called surah al Ikhlas - we are seeking the pleasure of Allah.
3 - The One who is not in need of anyone else, and he is always above them, none can overpower him or be above him in status or any attribute.
4 - The One who is free from blemishes or faults.
5 - From the People are those who cannot be overcome in battle, or eloquence, or business etc. They are called as-Samad.
6 - He is incredible and great in His glory. Everlasting. The One who people turn to in times of need.
7 - Samad is used as an adjective - something that is solid with no holes or emptiness inside.
Something Absolute without any flaws. This shows that Allah's Names are not lacking or empty, rather - He has perfect Names, and these Names and Attributes are fulfilled perfectly.
I.e. Someone might be called Jameel/Beautiful, but they might not be beautiful. However, Allah is Perfect in His Names and fulfills them properly - without anything missing in their perfection.
Allah is as-Samad, and He fulfills that role perfectly.
Allah the Absolute is the Only One. This ayah emphasises what has been mentioned in ayah 1.
The reason why these words are mentioned is because the polytheists would describe Allah as the Creator, and the Merciful, but they would not say He is Ahad, or as-Samad.
AL samad - The AL أل signifies Absoluteness.
as-Samad - the one who everyone needs and He needs none Himself.