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Since the material world is Allah's creation, this means that the material world in some way reflects the intention or nature of Allah. The principle quality of God is unity, so it follows that the created world, the real world we live and experience, also comprises a unity. In Islamic thought, this idea is called "wahdat al-wujud," the "unity of the real," and underlies much of the Islamic world view. This unity is expressed in Islamic art and architecture by the symmetrical balance of opposites, of light and dark, of inner and outer, reflecting the idea that the myriad, diverse, and contradictory phenomena of the world are in fact a single pattern or intention of the creator. In political and social theory, this can lead to incredible tolerance of opposing views and religions, but it can also lead to social theories about the perfecting of this unity involving the full islamicization of human society.
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