The Process of Creation
A Qur'anic Perspective
by
Dr Israr Ahmad
The
Qur'an identifies the verbal imperative of Allah i.e. “Kun” or “Be!” ---
The kalimah of Allah --- as being the basis and catalyst through which
initiated the process of Genesis or the Event of Creation. In the Words of the
Qur'an:
“…..and
when He wills a thing (amr) to be, He but says unto it, “Be” --- and it
is.”
[Al-Baqarah, 2:117]
“…..when
He wills a thing (amr) to be, He but says unto it, “Be” --- and it is.”
[Aal-e-Imran, 3:47]
“…..Glory
be to Him; when He wills a thing (amr) to be, He but says unto it, “Be”
--- and it is.”
[Maryam, 19:35]
“…..and
when He wills a thing (amr) to be, He but says unto it, “Be” --- and it
is.”
[Al-Momin, 40:68]
These
four ayaat and numerous others addressing the same theme practically
manifest an identical meaning, and the conclusion to be derived from them is
that, whenever Allah decides on a matter, it is sufficient for Him to utter the
verbal imperative “Kun” (i.e. Be!) and the matter is done --- the “Word
of Allah” is all that is needed in order to bring a thing or event into being.
But there are two more ayaat that discuss this matter in somewhat
greater detail:
“Whenever
We Will anything to be, We but (have to) say unto it “Be” --- and it is.”
[Al-Nahl, 16:40]
“The
(nature) of His amr is such that when He wills a thing to be, He but
says unto it, “Be” --- and it is.”
[Yaseen, 36:82]
The
relationship between the “kalimah of Allah” and bringing of a thing or
event into being has a direct bearing on the issue of interpreting the meaning
of “kalimah”. The Qur'an repeatedly refers to the legal injunctions,
individual and social moral decrees, juridical decisions, and ordained laws set
by Allah as the kalimaat or “Words” of Allah, as all of these matters
are indeed the outcome of the “Word of Allah”. However, it is entirely possible
that the reference to the “Words of my Lord” and the “Words of Allah” as being
“limitless” in the following two ayaat refers to things and matters in
the created order. Just as the Knowledge and Wisdom of Allah is limitless, it
is entirely possible that this “inexhaustibility” is partially reflected in the
domain of created order. If this interpretation is accepted then every single
created being would represent the manifestation of a Divine Imperative “Be”!
The two ayaat are as follows:
“Say:
If all the sea were ink for my Lord’s words, the sea would indeed be exhausted
before the words of my Lord are exhausted! And (thus it would be) if we were to
add to it sea upon sea.”
[Al-Kahf, 17:109]
“And
if all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea (were) ink, with seven (more)
seas yet added to it, the words of Allah would not be exhausted, for verily
Allah is Mighty, Wise.”
[Luqman, 31:27]
Not
withstanding the general rule outlined in the above two ayaat, out of
the innumerable and limitless creations that Allah has brought into being, the
Qur'an explicitly refers to only Prophet Isa (pbuh) (Jesus Christ) as being the
“Word of Allah”. In Surah Aal-e-Imran [3:39], the Qur'an describes
Prophet Yahya (pbuh) (John the Baptist) as being one who would “…..confirm the truth
of a Word from Allah”. And a little later in the same Surah [3:45], the Qur'an
uses the following words to describe Prophet Isa (pbuh) in the context of the glad
tidings that the angel came to give to Maryam regarding the virgin birth of a
noble child: “O Maryam! Allah sends you glad tidings of a Word from Him.” And
Surah Al-Nisa [4:171] offers even greater details regarding the relation
of the “Word” of Allah and Prophet Isa (pbuh):
“…..Verily,
the Messiah --- Isa the son of Maryam (Mary) - -- is the messenger of Allah and
His word that He bestowed upon Maryam…..”
The
reason for this appears to be the fact that along with the “creation” and
“fashioning” of everything, Allah also has an established procedure regarding
the “apportioning” and “guiding” of everything:
“Extol
the limitless glory of the Lord’s name, the glory of the All-Highest who
creates (everything), and thereupon forms and fashions it in accordance with
what it is meant to be, and who determines (and apportions) the nature (of all
that exists), and thereupon guides it (towards its fulfillment).”
[Al-Aala,
87:1-3]
It
is this very “apportioning” and “guiding” that manifests in the realm of
inanimate matter in the form of the “laws of nature” or “physical laws”. Beyond
the realm of inanimate matter, in the realm of plants “biological laws” are
added to the “physical laws” to “determine” and “guide” this realm of Allah’s
creation. Further still, in the animal world, the element of “natural instincts”
is added to the aforementioned physical and biological laws to govern the
growth and development of the animal kingdom and similar species. Further yet
in the human realm, the dimension of ratiocination or the “rules of logic” is
added to the aforementioned three elements to “determine” and “guide” the human
being --- and beyond the domain of ratiocination or rationality there is
nothing but “Divine Revelation”. The functioning of the entirety of creation
depends on these laws and the specific realm to which a specific portion of
creation belongs --- this normal functioning of the created order does not
require any additional Divine Word “Be!”
But
wherever there is a need to alter the normal functioning of the created order
--- to alter the normal chain of “cause and effect” in order that a special
Divine Decree be enacted --- then there is the need for a new Divine Word “Be”.
In common parlance, in the case of the breakage of the normal chain of cause
and effect (usually called a non-natural or miraculous happening), a new Divine
Word “Be!” is inserted, so to say, at the point where one of the links in the
normal chain of causation is missing.
The virgin birth of Isa d (Jesus)
is an illustration of this very process where the Divine Word replaced a
missing link in the chain of causation by virtue of which a woman would get
pregnant under normal circumstances. According to the normal physical
and biological laws the birth of an individual requires both the male and
female contribution towards a fertilized ovum which then develops into a human
child. But in case of the birth of Isa (pbuh) (Jesus), the contribution of the
father is completely missing --- meaning that one of the links in the normal
chain of the causal factors of human birth is not there --- and it is this
missing link which is replaced by the Divine Word “Be!” Consequently, it is for
this very reason that Isa (pbuh) (the son of Maryam) is referred to in the Qur'an as
“…..a Word from Allah”, “…..a Word from Him”, “His Word”.
to be continued . . . .
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