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A
Discussion on God's Attribute of
Creator:
(An English Rendering
of an Urdu Article Appearing in Basharat-e-Ahmadiyya Vol. I,
p. 152-157, by Dr. Basharat Ahmad)
Links Present on
this Page:
From
Dalhousie to Khijar
|| Has
Creation always
Existed? ||
The
Example of the Lamp and its Light is
Inappropriate
|| God
is a Purposeful Being
|| The
Example of Man
|| Attributes
and their Potential
Existence ||
God's
Power to Create has Always
Existed
From
Dalhousie to Khijar:
In the year 1925, to
recuperate from illness, I took 6 months leave from work to
rest at the hill station of Dalhousie (In Himchal Pradesh,
India.). Dalhousie was a popular summer retreat for those
who could afford it. One such person, was a distinguished
lawyer, who held naturalistic views (i.e., he was a follower
of the views of Sir Syed Ahmad Khan, whose views were termed
naturalistic, as he believed, for instance, that angels were
only representations of natural forces.), whom I first met
at the Friday Prayers which were led by Maulana Muhammad
Ali.
Near Dalhousie is a beautiful scenic
area Khijar. Encircled by mountains, is a wonderful green
meadow, with its beautiful grass, which delights the heart
and charms the eye. One is indeed mesmerised by the
greenery. In the middle of the meadow is a small lake,
wherein there is a tiny floating island, which is
enchantingly moved hither and thither by gusts of wind. The
meadow is bordered on all sides by majestic trees, which are
arranged in regular lines. To ones eyes, it appears as if
these trees were marching down from the surrounding
mountains and suddenly stopped at the edge of the meadow, as
if arrested by the beauty of the scene in front of them. In
short, to take the effort to come to Dalhousie and not visit
Khijar was almost inconceivable. So one day, some friends,
including the lawyer mentioned above, and I, went for a
visit. The route was scenic with colourful flowers
abounding. Cool, sweet water from the natural streams, was
also readily available to refresh the weary traveller.
Nevertheless, it was a walk of eleven miles, and, therefore,
it was necessary to spend the way in conversation, so that
the journey would pass easily. Many matters were touched
upon, some of which were of a religious nature. Among these
was one interesting topic, debated between the lawyer and
myself. I cannot recall the exact words used, however, I
will present the meaning in my own words. It is possible
that somebody will find this of some benefit.
Has
Creation always Existed?
My lawyer friend put forward
the argument that creation must be co-eternal with the
creator. Since God's attribute as creator has always
existed, he argued, it follows that creation would also
always co-exist with this attribute. In short, the attribute
of creating is the cause, and creation is the effect, and
where a cause exists, the effect would also be present. For
example, a lamp is a cause and light is its effect. So if
there is a lamp there will be light, or, where a sun exists
there will be sunshine. We cannot say that the light is the
lamp, or, that the sunshine is the sun. We can, however,
definitely say that the light has always existed along with
the lamp and that sunshine has always existed along side the
sun. Similarly, creation has always co-existed along with
the creator. This indeed, he concluded, is what the scholars
and philosophers have written and this has also been
accepted by the late Maulana Shibli (A well-known religious
scholar of that time.).
I replied: First I will answer you,
assuming that your example of the lamp is correct. From your
example you pose that the relation of the creator and
creation is like that of a lamp and its light. But, the lamp
is self-existent, whereas, light has only a contingent
existence. That is to say that a lamp exists in itself,
while light does not have any separate independent
existence. It is like an attribute which is sustained by the
lamp. If the lamp is extinguished, then the light would
vanish. According to this example, the creator is,
therefore, self-existent and creation only has a contingent
existence. So, if anything has any eternal existence it
would be the essence of the creator and not the essence of
creation, as creation does not exist in itself, but is only
like an attribute. As creation does not have an independent
existence, it is meaningless to state that it has in itself
eternally existed.
The
Example of the Lamp and its Light is Inappropriate:
This example of the lamp and
its light, even though it has been put forward by many great
scholars, and has unfortunately been also accepted by the
religious scholars of Islam (who have tried to reconcile it
with the religious teachings of Islam) is nevertheless
totally inappropriate. "By the grace of God," I continued,
"I will, today, prove the error of this argument." My lawyer
friend perked up with interest on my statement. Listen, I
said, if the relationship of the creator and creation is
similar to that of a lamp and its light then it necessarily
follows that God, too, is evolving for there could be no
change in the light until its cause, that is the lamp
changes. For instance, the more powerful the lamp, the more
powerful its light would be. Only when there is a change in
the lamp can there be a change in the light. In other words,
change in the light is caused by change in the lamp. Now it
is an accepted fact that creation is changing and
progressing under evolution. Thus it follows, the cause,
i.e., the creator, is also changing and progressing under
evolution. When the cause, i.e., the creator, emitted a
lower form of creation, then the creator was also at a lower
stage, and now, as higher forms of creation have emerged,
the creator, too, has progressed to a higher stage, and may
indeed in the future, progress even further. My lawyer
friend appeared quite annoyed at my argument. Regrettably, I
continued, it never occurred to our religious scholars that
this example is totally inappropriate. As they accepted the
principle of cause and effect, the example of the lamp as a
cause and light as its effect, was, therefore, considered
correct by them, even though it is not
appropriate.
God
is a Purposeful Being:
The example of the lamp and
its light was given by people who were primarily concerned
with this world, and who only accepted God as the First
Cause. Their observation of the continuous chain of cause
and effect operating in creation, left them no recourse, but
to accept a first cause. However, they did not allow this
cause to have any purpose or intention. Instead, they
believed this cause to be like a lamp needed for light,
without being aware of any purpose of its own. But, we
(Muslims), believe the first cause to be a Purposeful,
Knowing and Wise Being. Why should we not believe this, when
a special purpose is apparent in the order and arrangement
of the Universe? The fact that each particle in this
universe, both individually and in totality, is so bound in
the straightjacket of the laws of nature, points out that
there is some Wise, Knowing, Purposeful Designer. So we
accept God to be a Purposeful, Knowing and Wise Being, and
we further accept that He has created all creation for some
purpose and intention. Furthermore, as the Quran states,
"fa'alol-lima yurid" (The
Holy Quran 11:107) (He does as He
desires), therefore, all the laws of nature, and His own
actions, operate under the jurisdiction of His will and
intention. An appropriate example of His attribute of being
a creator, therefore, should be given by a being, which in
some small measure also acts purposefully, and possesses
some quantum of knowledge and wisdom. Man, who under his own
will fashions some object, is a more appropriate example of
this attribute. A lamp, on the other hand, emits light
automatically and without any intention on its part, i.e.,
light is emitted from a lamp or a sun, not due to any
conscious intention on their part, but because their very
nature demands that light be automatically emitted from
them.
The
Example of Man:
The sun or lamp, have no will
or desire. Their attribute of giving light is not
subordinate to any intention, but is something automatic.
God's attribute of creation is subordinate to His will, as
the Quran states, "iza arada shaiun ay-yaqula lahu kun
fayukun" (The Holy
Quran 36:82) (when god desires to
create anything He states be and it is). So, if there is any
similitude of God as creator, then it must be a being that
also possesses a will, and such a being is man and not a
lamp or the Sun which do not possess any will. A man has a
specific purpose in mind when he creates a watch. But the
fact that he has once made a watch, definitely does not mean
that he must then, uncontrollably and unintentionally,
continue to automatically make watch after watch, and no
matter how much he desires to cease this activity, be
compelled to continue making watches. We would laugh at such
a picture, for we all know, that the making of watches is
subordinate to a man's intention and desire. This attribute,
therefore, can only find expression as and when intended by
man: He can make a watch if he desires, and if he so
desires, not make a watch. It is definitely not correct to
say, that man's ability to make watches, requires that
watches should at all times and all places be coexistent
with man. In the same way, God's ability to create is
subordinate to His will. Whenever He desires He can create
something and whenever He so desires, He does not need to
create anything.
Attributes
and their Potential Existence:
To sum up, God's attribute of
a creator can in no way require, that without his intention
and beyond his control, things be continuously created.
Therefore, God's attribute of creator does not mean, that
like himself, creation would always be necessary. God has
always existed and his attributes have always existed, too.
Nevertheless, the attributes that are subordinate to His
will and desire, although they have always existed
potentially, are only activated as and when He so wills. The
Quran also tells us this: "iza arada shaiun ay-yaqula
lahu kun fayukun" (The
Holy Quran 36:82) (when He intends
a thing He says be and it is). Because man is a being with a
will and intention, one can perceive that he also possesses
the potential to carry out various deeds. However, these
deeds are only actualised as, and when, he so desires. So,
to believe that the attributes of God, Most Great, whose
will is All-powerful, can only be manifested in an automatic
manner, is to believe that God is a mere constrained being
and this just shows a lack of knowledge of God and the blind
following of irreligious people. In short, by following this
belief, the naturalists, and the unthinking scholars and
philosophers, have mistakenly accepted God as a kind of
cause, which in some automatic manner causes things to
happen. For example, the steam in an engine, without any
intention on its part, is bound to cause motion in the
engine. So, in this example, the movement of the engine and
the presence of steam are bound to occur together. But the
truth is that God acts according to his purpose and
intention, and, therefore, we must accept God as a cause,
that creates an effect as per His desire and intention, and,
not because He was in any way constrained to do so. Take the
example of the man who made the engine for some purpose:
When the engine was not present the man still existed and
his capacity to make the engine existed. So, when he desired
to make the engine, this capacity became activated, and he
made the engine.
God's
Power to Create has Always Existed:
In the same way, God has
always had the potential to create. So when He intended to
bring forth creation, this capacity was activated, and
creation came into being. To sum up, it is totally wrong to
say that creation always co-existed with God. His power to
create did indeed co-exist with Him from eternity and was
activated (and is still activated) as and when He so
intended. The blind following of materialists/atheists in
this matter has caused the naturalists to deny the efficacy
of prayer. Steam in an engine will never hear you, no matter
how much you shriek and cry for it to stop, rather it will
continue to propel the engine, even if it causes the engine
to fall into a ditch and cause the death of people; for it
is bound under the law of physics, which it must fulfil.
But, a human being with a will, listens to us, may have
mercy on us, can reward us, and can act purposefully in this
world to benefit others. So, if God is a Purposeful,
Sovereign, Knowing, Wise, Merciful and a Generous being,
then why should we accept the naturalists view, that He is
beyond the reach of His created human beings: That He keeps
Himself totally away from the affairs of this world and does
not listen to our pleas, and like the steam in an engine, is
a lifeless constrained being, so that whether He exists or
not has no practical import. In short, and I seek the refuge
of God from such views, God is no more than a stone idol, on
which the Quranic statement "Alazi yuniqu bima la yasmao
illa dua'a wa nida'a" (The
Holy Quran 2:171) ("one who calls
out to that which hears no more than a call and a cry") is
applicable. In other words, a person can cry his life out in
front of God, and plea forlornly, but God, poor being can
hear nothing: He, poor thing, is a being without any will or
control, whom fate set up as the first cause. His working is
subordinated to some law, i.e., He is only a lifeless
machine, which without any intention of its own, is
continuously fashioning new creations. Such views can only
be called materialism. By God, would one accept that in
created beings one can find will, knowledge, wisdom,
understanding, planning, control and power, but in the
creator of these beings these attributes are absent. A
purpose is apparent in the fashioning of the entire
universe, which forces us to acknowledge the presence of a
Supreme, Purposeful being. Yet, strangely when we humans
seek to deduce (knowledge of His attributes from the
universe) we tend to overlook that God has a will, and,
therefore, anything that a created being with a will can do,
the creator with a will must certainly be also able to do.
We reduce God in His relationship to His creation to an
automatic cause, and not to His rightful position of a
purposeful willing being. So, we need to remember that God's
attribute as a creator is subordinate to His will.
Therefore, the fact that God's ability to create is eternal
does not necessitate that creation has also been eternally
with Him. Creation only appears when the attribute of
creation is activated under God's intention. "So Praise be
to God, the Lord of all the worlds" ("fa-alhamdu lillahi
rabbil alameen.") (The
Holy Quran 1:1.)
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A
Discussion on God's Attribute of
Creator
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