Polytheism was dominant, while their monotheism was still a persecuted faith. As an ancient religion, Hinduism inherits religious concepts that include monotheism, polytheism, panentheism, pantheism, monism, and atheism, among others. [148] [149] [150] [151] and his conception of God is complex and depends on each individual, tradition and philosophy. Some in Judaism and Islam reject the Christian idea of monotheism. [71] Modern Judaism uses the term shituf to refer to the worship of God in a way that Judaism considers neither purely monotheistic (although still permissible for non-Jews) nor polytheistic (which would be prohibited). [72] Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article on monotheism The medieval Islamic philosopher Al-Ghazali offered proof of omnipotent monotheism, claiming that there can only be one omnipotent being. For if there were two omnipotent beings, the first would either have power over the second (which means that the second is not omnipotent) or no (which means that the first is not omnipotent); This implies that there can only be one omnipotent being. [110] The word monotheism comes from the Greek μόνος (monos)[14] meaning „alone“ and θεός (theos)[15] meaning „God“. [16] The English term was first used by Henry More (1614-1687). [17] The Qur`an affirms the existence of a single and absolute truth that transcends the world; A unique and indivisible being independent of creation. [105] The Qur`an rejects binary ways of thinking such as the idea of God`s duality by holding that good and evil flow from God`s creative act.

God is a universal God rather than a local, tribal or ecclesiastical God; An absolute that incorporates all affirmative values and does not tolerate evil. [106] Ash`ari theology, which dominated Sunni Islam from the tenth to the nineteenth century, emphasizes ultimate divine transcendence and holds that divine unity is not accessible to human reason. Ash`arism teaches that human knowledge of it is limited to what was revealed by the prophets, and with paradoxes such as God`s creation of evil, revelation had to accept bila kayfa (without asking how). [107] plato.stanford.edu/entries/monotheism/#KabMon Some in Judaism and others in Islam do not consider Trinitarian Christianity to be a pure form of monotheism because of the multifaceted monotheistic Christian doctrine of the Trinity and classify it as Shituf in Judaism and Shituf in Islam. [81] [72] [82] Trinitarian Christians, on the other hand, argue that the doctrine of the Trinity is a valid expression of monotheism, citing that the Trinity does not consist of three distinct deities, but of the three persons who exist substantially (as one substance) within a single deity. [83] [84] Some scholars have interpreted Aztec philosophy as fundamentally monotheistic or panentheistic. This applies to the largest monotheistic religious systems: Judaism, Christianity, Islam and Sikhism. The oldest religion of which we have a clear and authentic account is probably the pure monotheism of the Jews. The monotheistic god is considered unique and fundamentally different from all other comparable beings, such as the gods of other religions.

The concept differs from monism, the doctrine that the universe is born of a basic principle, such as mind, which indicates idealism, or matter, which refers to materialism. Monism claims that there is only one type of reality, while monotheism has two realities: God and the universe. The details of atenist theology are not yet clear. The exclusion of all but one gods and the prohibition of idols was a radical change from Egyptian tradition, but scholars see Akhenaten as a practitioner of monolateral rather than monotheism, since he did not actively deny the existence of other gods; he simply refrained from worshipping anyone other than Aten. [ref. needed] Akhenaten associated Aten with Ra and presented the Eminence of Aten as a renewal of the kingship of Ra. [135] I had the opportunity to read the typescript of a book that [Ram Swarup] had completed in 1973. It was an in-depth study of monotheism, the central dogma of Islam and Christianity, as well as a powerful presentation of what monotheists denounce as Hindu polytheism. I had never read anything like it. It was a revelation to me that monotheism was not a religious idea, but an imperialist one.

I must confess that I myself had been inclined to monotheism to this point. I have never thought that a multitude of gods is the natural and spontaneous expression of a developed consciousness. [172] Most monotheistic systems tend to be exclusive, meaning they do not simply believe in one God; They also deny the existence of gods of other religious denominations. Sometimes a monotheistic religion treats other gods as aspects or incarnations of its supreme god; This is relatively rare and occurred mostly during a transition from polytheism to monotheism, when older gods need to be explained. Philosophers and scholars discuss the merits of monotheism and polytheism. One of the weaknesses they identify with polytheism is the question of the ultimate origin of things in situations where many gods are involved. Monotheism encounters difficulties, researchers say, when it attempts to explain the origin of evil in a universe overseen by one omnipotent and omniscient God.