Semantic analysis of the concepts of tawḥīd and shirk in the arabic language

This study examines the concepts of tawḥīd and shirk, which occupy a central place in Islamic thought, within the framework of semantic analysis in the Arabic language. Tawḥīd denotes the oneness of God (Allah, Exalted is He) in His essence, attributes, and acts, whereas shirk represents an understanding that undermines this unity by associating partners with God. The research analyzes the origins, lexical and terminological meanings, historical backgrounds, and counterparts of these two concepts in different religious traditions, drawing on classical Arabic lexicons, the Qur'an, ḥadīth, and exegetical works. Methodologically, both diachronic and synchronic approaches of semantic analysis are employed to trace the historical developments and semantic expansions of the concepts. The notions of tawḥīd and shirk are comparatively evaluated, their semantic fields in the Qur'an are identified, and exegetical interpretations of these fields are examined. Furthermore, their usage among the pre-Islamic Arabs of the Jāhiliyyah period and within the scriptural traditions of the People of the Book is also investigated. The study concludes that although no radical semantic shift occurred in the meanings of these two concepts over the course of history, they encompass broad and multi-dimensional semantic domains. The thesis aims to serve as a source for further research in the field of Islamic Studies.