Speech

The Process of Creation
A Qur'anic Perspective

by Dr Israr Ahmad

 

It is a matter of consensus among the noted theologians that the “speech” is an attribute of the “speaker”. It is on this basis that Allama Iqbal has referred to the Qur'an as being “like God” --- a Divine similitude. And regarding the attributes of Allah it is also a matter of consensus and an accepted axiomatic truth that like the Being of Allah, His attributes also possess an absolute degree. As regards the relationship between the “Being” of Allah and His “attributes”, the only acceptable solution to this seemingly intractable problem is that the attributes are “neither identical nor apart from” the Divine Being. This is the only possible resolution of the issue that must be accepted, irrespective of how contradictory it may appear. Consequently, the Divine Word (or the verbal imperative of) “Be!” that was pronounced by Allah and that became the starting point of the process of creation, was in the beginning also necessarily “absolute” and “infinite”. By extension, this Divine Imperative was also beyond all the categories of quantity, quality, time and space. This word “Be!” began to devolve through stages, as a result of which the passage from “Necessity” to “possibility” and from “Eternity” to “contingency” began, all designed Intelligently sans any possibility or probability of accident or coincidence.

It logically follows that the attribution of the process of devolution and descent is not to the Being of Allah but to the Divine Word “Be!” It is for this reason that Shaikh Ahmad Sirhindi has identified the sum total of all the realms of existence and all temporal creatures as being the “shadows” of the Names and Attributes of Allah.

At this stage in the discussion, reference to the opening verses of the Gospel of John is quite pertinent and interesting even though it is plainly clear that these verses are more the reflection of a sharpened theological intellect than the revealed words of Divine Speech.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not anything made that was made.” [John, 1:1-3(KJV)]

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Just as the term kalimah is a significant and fundamental term of the Qur'an, the term amr is also a profound and oft-used Qur'anic locution. The term amr is sometimes used in the sense of “concern” or “affair”, sometimes in the sense of “command” or “judgment”, sometimes in the sense of “control” or “authority”, while at other times in the sense of any “talk” or “matter” (particularly in the Urdu language). In addition to this variety of meanings, the word amr carries a specific and special meaning in the Qur'an where it is used in contrariety to the word khalq, or at least in contrast to it. In Surah Al-A'raf [7:54], the conjunctive “and” is placed between khalq and amr and both are collectively identified as being under the dominion and control of Allah. But, surely, at the same time it establishes and puts in bold relief distinct separation and contrariety between the two terms.

“…..behold! The khalq and amr (belong) to Him. Hallowed is Allah, the Lord of all the worlds.” [Al-A'raf, 7:54]

Two points of great significance need to be understood regarding the term amr:

a)   Without any exception, all the Qur'anic ayaat that refer to the process initiated by the Divine Kalimah “Be!” whereby “it becomes instantaneously” use the term amr --- the term khalq is not used in any of these ayaat. In other words, nowhere in the Qur'an does it say anything to the equivalent of “…..and when He wills a thing (khalq) to be, He but says unto it, “Be!” --- and it is.” It is beyond the resplendence of the Qur'an that this exclusive use of the term amr in conjunction with the Divine Word “Be”--- to the exclusion of the term khalq --- is a mere accident without a real and significant reason.

b)   The term amr is intimately related to the term rooh. In the words of the Qur'an:

i.                    “And they ask you about the rooh. Tell them that the rooh is from the amr of my Lord…..” [Al-Isra, 17:85]

ii.                  “He causes the angels to descend with the rooh that is from His amr upon whomever He wills of His servants.” [Al-Nahl, 16:2]

iii.                “He bestows the rooh that is from His amr upon whomever He wills of His servants. [Al-Momin, 40:15]

iv.                “And thus We have revealed unto you (O, Muhammad a) a rooh that is from Our amr.” [Al-Shura, 42:52]

Concerning the first ayah quoted above [Al-Isra, 17:85], some interpreters are of the opinion that the term rooh refers to Divine Revelation, but the majority opinion is that it refers to the human spiritual soul. In the second [Al-Nahl, 16:2] and third [Al-Momin, 40:15] ayaat quoted above, the term rooh definitely refers to Divine Revelation that came to the prophets. In the fourth ayah [Al-Shura, 42:52], the term rooh refers specifically to the Divine Revelation (the Qur'an) that was sent to Prophet Muhammad (pbuh). But, generally speaking, according to the majority school of thought it refers to the human spiritual soul. Whatever the case may be regarding the specific meaning of the term rooh, the point to note is that it has a close and intrinsic relationship with the term amr.

Source:  The Process of Creation

 to be continued  . . . .