A Discussion of the Narrations

Divine Creation and Origination

From ʿAlī, Commander of the Faithful (a.s.): “He says to whatever He wishes to bring into existence: ‘Be,’ and it becomes, not with a sound that strikes nor with a call that is heard. Rather, His speech is His action which He originates and forms”.(356)

From Abū Abraham (a.s.) who said: “…And I do not limit Him to an utterance from a mouth’s opening, but rather as He says: “His command, when He wills something, is to say to it ‘Be,’ and it is” (36:82) through His will without any self-deliberation”.(357)

Al-Ṣādiq (a.s.) said: “…So the will for action is its bringing into existence. He merely says to it ‘Be’ and it becomes, without effort or modality”.(358)

From al-Riḍā (a.s.): “…‘Be’ from Him is creation and that by which the created thing comes to be”.(359)

ʿAlī ibn Abraham said: “His treasuries are in kāf and nūn”.(360)

Note: God’s will for creation and origination is equivalent to its existence. His speech is His action and is not defined by word, sound, or call. “Be” (kun) from Him means making and creating, and “it becomes” (yakūn) means being made and created, and all divine treasuries are in this kāf and nūn of “Be.”