Divine Determining – Part 2

* As an introduction to the heavy topic of Qadar, the first few parts in this series will focus on establishing the foundations of belief. This will include discussion on words often taken for granted, such as God, Absolute, All-Knowing Creator. The repetitions that may surface in the discussion should not be brushed away. Rather, they should offer points for contemplation as the subtleties of the topic are often overlooked.

“For, with Him are the keys to the things that are beyond the reach of a created being’s perception: none knows them but He. And He knows all that is on land and in the sea; and not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain in the earth’s deep darkness, not anything: fresh or dry (living or dead,) but is recorded in a clear book.”

Surah An’am (6): 59

Qadar is often understood as something that is decided by God (He decides and Creates)

• In this verse we are learning that Qadar is about God’s knowledge; He knows
  • We observe that things are coming into the universe but nothing in this physical world is responsible for the existence of anything
  • Each day is a NEW creation; The Creator is in need of nothing and from it we learn that He is creating from nothing of this existence

Example: A tree

• We see that the tree grows slightly everyday
  • It may seem that yesterday’s tree is responsible for today’s tree
  • But in reality, every particle that constitutes the tree is constantly changing
    • Each single particle is created at every moment
    • The tree is NOT growing; rather the tree is Grown
    • He creates every moment a new tree from NOTHING

We may assume that today’s existence is dependent on yesterday.

• However, if we introspect we will realise that nothing yesterday has the ability to create or sustain itself
  • How then can it be responsible for tomorrow’s existence?
• Each moment, from yesterday and today, are being constantly created anew from NOTHING
• Yesterday has no reality, apart from the fact that it was given a momentarily existence.

To create from nothing, the Creator’s knowledge must be Absolute (not comprehensible within the limitations of this universe).

• The manifestations of His Absolute knowledge and power is observed in this universe within a limited scope BUT
  • Everything that we observe is the result of His Absolute Knowledge and His Absolute Power

To understand that His knowledge is Absolute, observe the creation around

• For example, the particles that comprise a leaf are all created at the same time as the existence of the leaf
  • At every moment, everything (from the smallest atom to the largest galaxies) is being given existence anew spontaneously without any accidents
    • There is perfect harmony in creation
  • The nature of creation is beyond this universe; Absolute

When I observe an apple, I realise that the apple could not have come into existence as the result of anything of the nature of its component parts

• I cannot attribute the existence of the apple to the knowledge of the farmer as he himself was created
• Everything in this universe is created at the same time for they all are subject to change; they are not self-sustaining. There is nothing within this universe that can be responsible for the creation of the apple
• The Creator is beyond this universe; He is Absolute and Infinite

If something is not infinite, it is bound to be dependent (i.e. not self-subsistent)

• Don’t we observe that everything in this universe is dependent on a Creator for nothing, which is dependent can create a single speck. Anything dependent means it itself needs to be created.

In the way my eye is given existence, a creation out of nothing, I learn about my Creator:

• He Created my eyes with deliberation
• Whether the Creator gives me 2 eyes or 1 eye, it does not signal to an incapable Creator, for in order to be a Creator it must be Absolute.
  • Everything is created with deliberation
  • The variation in creation demonstrates the Creator’s choice
    • Everything is meant to exist as it is
    • Defects do not signify the Creator’s lack of attention to the object or the Creator’s lack of power
      • We should not conjure assumptions without any basis
      • We may or may not understand the wisdom in creation of objects with their variations BUT by investigating them, we observe that the Creator is deliberately creating
        • Deliberately babies are given existence as others given death
        • Everything is coming into existence according to an infinite knowledge through the manifestations of infinite power
        • The Creator KNOWS everything AND the Creator is the only one who has the POWER to create.

Another way of understanding the Creator as Absolute and Infinite:

Change is happening instantaneously

• Time itself is being given existence; it does not have an independent existence
• If there was no act of creation we would not be able to talk about time

Anything that is dependent is bound to be finite

• If it is finite, it has to be given existence
• Only the infinite is independent (logically verifiable)