ATTRIBUTES OF PERSON AND ACTION

Question: One of the names of Allah is 'Khaliq' i.e., Creator. As Allah was Creator from ever, does it not follow that the created things, i.e., the universe are from ever?

Answer: Allah was not creating from ever. If you study carefully you will find that the attributes of God, as mentioned in the above chapter, may easily be divided into groups:

First, there are those attributes, which can never be separated from the conception of divinity. For example, we say that God is Qaadir (Omnipotent) Aalim (Omniscient) and Hai (Everliving). These are such attributes, which can never be separated from the conception of God, because there never was a time when God was not Omnipotent, Omniscient or Living. He was Qaadir, Aalim and Hai from ever, and will remain Qaadir, Aalim and Hai forever.

Such attributes refer to the person of Allah, and are, therefore, called 'Sifaat-e-Dhat' (Attributes of Person of Allah).

Second there are the attributes, which describe the actions of Allah. For example, we say that Allah is 'Khaaliq' (Creator), 'Raaziq' (Sustainer) etc. These are the Attributes, which describe the actions of Allah, and are, therefore, called 'Sifaat-e-Afaal' (Attributes of Actions of Allah).

These actions were not from ever, and therefore these attributes were not used for Allah, from ever. You know that Allah is 'Mureed". He acts according to His own plan and His own Will. He is not like fire, which burns without any intention or will of it own. Nor is He like the sun, which goes on giving light and warmth without intention and will of its own. Allah works according to His own plan. He created when He wished, and not before that.

It does not mean that God had no power to create. The power to create was there from ever; because the 'Power' is not separate from His Person. But the appearance of that power, and bringing it into effect was not from ever. In short, Allah had power to create from ever, but He did not create from ever. And when He created, He was called Khaaliq; but not before that.

Likewise, when He sustained, He was called 'Raaziq'; when He forgave, He was called 'Ghaffaar'; when He avenged, He was called Qahhaar; when He gave life, He was called 'Muhyi'; when He gave death, He was called 'Mumeet'.