The Testimony of the Two Sublime Far-reaching Realities: Contingency and Coming into Being Ex Nihilo

‘Let us now move forward! For we must look at the totality of the universe, so that we might attain to another of the endless degrees of faith. We must listen to what its totality says, thereby perfecting and illuminating the lessons that we took from its basic elements and parts.’ He looked through the far-reaching, all-encompassing binoculars that he had taken from the Qur’ān.

He saw that this universe is so meaningful, magnificent and harmoniously ordered, so that it appears to be a corporeal book of The Glorified One, and a physical Qur’ān of the Divine One (Ar-Rabb), an ornamented palace of the Eternally Besought One (Aṣ-Ṣamad), and a perfectly harmonious city of the Merciful One (Ar-Raḥmān).

Every chapter, verse and word of this book, and even each of its letters, sections, chapters, pages and lines, the continual, meaningfully [significant] erasure and confirmation of each of these, and the wise alterations and transformations that occur to them, all of these manifest most clearly and by consensus the existence of one All-Knowing, and Almighty, an Author and Artist Possessing Majesty, and a Writer Possessing Perfection, acutely aware of all things in all things, knowing all things and the connections and relationships between all things.

Through each of its basic elements, species, parts and particulars, inhabitants, contents, incomings and outgoings, and the beneficial transformations and wise renewal that it undergoes, each of them also manifests, by agreement, the existence and unity of an exalted Master and matchless Creator working with limitless power and endless wisdom. The testimony of the two sublime far-reaching realities befitting 

the sublimity of the universe proves the sublime testimony of the universe.

[Contingency and coming into being ex nihilo existentiation]

The First Reality

[These are] the realities of contingency (imkān) and coming into being ex nihilo (ḥudūth), which were discerned by the ingenious scholars of creed (usūlu’d-dīn) and theology (‘ilmu’l-kalām) as well as the Islāmic philosophers (ḥukamā'), and established with a limitless number of proofs. They say, ‘since this world and everything in it undergoes change and transformation, it must then be transient and existentiated ex nihilo - it cannot be beginninglessly eternal.

Since it is existentiated ex nihilo (ḥādith) there is no doubt that there is an Artful Maker (Aṣ-Ṣāni‘) Who brings it into existence. Since all things are evenly balanced in not having, in their own essences, any quality that brings about their own existence or nonexistence, there is no doubt that neither of them can be either necessarily existent or beginninglessly eternal.

Since the impossibility (muḥāl) and absurdity (bāṭil) of things having created one another through circular causation (dawr) or infinite regress (tasalsul) has been proven with conclusive proofs, it most definitely and without doubt entails the existence of a Necessary Being (Al-Wājibu’l-Wujūd), for Whom having a compeer (naẓīr) or an equal (mithl) is an impossibility (mumtani‘) and absurdity (muḥāl), but all that is other than Him is possible (mumkin) - and all besides Him, without exception, is His creation (makhlūq).’ 

Yes, the reality of coming into being ex nihilo (ḥudūth) has overwhelmed created beings. Most of it is observable to the eye, and the other dimension of it is seen by the intellect. For a world dies in front of our eyes every year in autumn, such that a hundred thousand species of plant and tiny animals die with it, each species of which has a limitless number of individual members, each of which is like a living universe unto itself.

Yet they die in such a harmonious fashion; they deposit their spring replacements in the form of kernels, seeds and little eggs on which their propagation and amassing depends, and which are miracles of Mercy and Wisdom and marvels of Power and Knowledge. These species submit the record of their actions to them, as well as the schedule of the tasks which they carry out, depositing this with the wisdom of the Preserver, Possessor of Majesty (Al-Ḥafīẓu Dhu’l-Jalāl) as a trust, and under His protection, they then die. Those decease d trees and roots, and a group of the departed animals are brought back to life in spring, quite as though they are a hundred thousand examples, samples and proofs of the Greatest Gathering. And some of them are brought to life and are resurrected, as replacements of the previous group thereof, replicas that resemble them fully.

The creatures and existents of the previous spring spread the pages of their actions and the tasks they carried out - like advertisements - and manifest a representation of the verse وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ . (a)

A whole world of species of plants and animals dies every autumn and every spring. A fresh, moist world then springs into existence. And within that death and coming into being ex nihilo,

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a When the pages are spread out. (Qur’ān, at-Takwīr, 81:10) 

the passing away and coming into being ex nihilo of manifold species comes to pass in abundance and in perfect order and regularity. The world becomes as if a guest-house, in which all life-endowed creatures are being hosted - a world to which come travelling kingdoms (a) and roaming domains, which carry out their tasks, and then depart.

The necessity of the existence of the Possessor of Majesty, His limitless power, and His endless wisdom appears to the intellect self-evidently, like the sun. He existentiates and originates our living worlds, and the creations endowed with tasks befitting them, with perfect knowledge, wisdom, balance and equilibrium, regularity and order. With power, He employs them; for Lordly (Rabbānī) purposes, Divine (Ilāhī) objectives, and Gracious (Raḥmānī) services, He compassionately puts them into service. Let us then conclude this theme, entrusting further questions related to existentiation ex nihilo (ḥudūth) to The Book of Light, and to the books of the verificationist scholars (muḥaqqiqīn) of theology (kalām).

[Let us look now to] ‘contingency’; it too has encompassed and overwhelmed the universe. For we see that all things, whether universal or particular, great or small - every existent thing - from the heavens down to our earth, and from particles to planets, has been sent to the world with a particularised essence, a specific form, a differentiated individuality, particular attributes, wise qualities, and advantageous physical systems.

The fact of the matter is that the bestowal upon these essences and quiddities of their specific particularity in preference to the limitless existing possibilities is a reality emanating

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a. That is, animal, vegetable and mineral kingdoms. 

from the reality of contingency, that forms one of the wings of the universe’s great testimony - as are all of the other of its indications, proofs, and testimonies - moreover, their being dressed in the particular form befitting them, with its embellishments and distinguishing characteristics in preference to as many possibilities and potentialities as there are forms; and moreover, the particularisation of the individuality suited to each volatile existent thing, in preference to as many possibilities as there are members of its genus; moreover, the instilling of the particular attributes appropriate to the interests of each formless creation as it wavers in the midst of as many possibilities and potentialities as there are types and degrees of attribute; moreover, their being invested and equipped with wise attributes and physical systems that are of help to these aimless creatures, bewildered and forlorn amongst the limitless possibilities and potentialities of roads down which the particularisation of their existences could go.

Doubtless, these are all indications, proofs and testimonies to the necessity of the unitive existence of a Necessary Being (Al-Wājibu’l-Wujūd) Who specifies, causes one possibility to preponderate over another, particularises, and existentiates.

These testimonies are as numerous as the number of universal and particular possible beings, and the possibilities for the actual quiddities, individuated identities, forms and appearances, attributes, and circumstances of each being. They testify to His limitless power, His endless wisdom, and to the fact that nothing and no action whatsoever is hidden from Him. Nothing debilitates Him - and for Him, the greatest matters are as easy as the smallest. He can create the season of spring 

as easily as He creates a tree; and He can create a tree as easily as He creates a fruit kernel. [There is no doubt that] all of these indications, proofs, and testimonies emanate from the reality of contingency, and form one of the two wings of this universe’s great testimony.

We have abridged this very long story here, entrusting it to the other parts of The Book of Light, and especially The Twenty-second and Thirty-second Words, as well as The Twentieth and Thirty-third Letters, in which we have wholly established and clarified two wings of the universe’s testimony with its two realities.

The Second Reality that establishes the second wing of the great universal testimony emanating from the totality of the universe:

Within these constantly fluctuating, tumultuous upheavals and transformations, the reality of synergy and cooperation (ta‘āwun) is observed in creatures - a reality which is totally far beyond their capabilities - as they seek to preserve their existence and their functions, as well as their lives if they are animate beings.

There are many instances that take place through Divine subjugation and the Merciful use of the reality of synergy. Take for example the elements in their supporting life-endowed beings, and most especially the clouds in their succouring plant-life; the plants in their coming to the aid of animals, and the animals in their assisting human beings.

Consider the kawthar-like breast milk as it endeavours to nourish the young. Consider life-endowed beings’ receiving their many needs and their provision into their hands 

whence they had never anticipated - and which was beyond their own abilities to procure. Even food particles, as they strive to repair the body’s cells. All of this directly indicates the universal and compassionate Lordship (rubūbiyyah) of the Lord of the Worlds (Rabbu’l-‘ālamīn), Who directly operates the entire universe as if it were a palace.

Yes, there is no doubt that the beings that are in themselves inanimate, unconscious and unpitying, are driven along in their conscious and compassionate attitudes towards one another by the power, mercy and command of a Compassionate, Wise Lord Possessing Majesty (Ar-Rabbu’r-Raḥīmu’l-Ḥakīmu Dhu’l-Jalāl).

Consider the testimonies of such greatly sublime realities as the ‘universal synergy and cooperation’ (ta‘āwun) that takes place in the universe, and the ‘universal equilibration’ and ‘comprehensive preservation’ taking place with perfect regularity, starting from the planets, and ending with the organs, physical systems and atoms of life-endowed creatures.

Look at the ‘adornment’ that moves its pen within all things, starting from the adorned gilded face of the heavens and the adorned face of the earth, and ending with the beautifully embellished faces of flowers.

[Look at] the ‘arrangement’ governing all things, starting from the Milky Way and the solar system, and ending with fruits such as corn and pomegranate; and the ‘commissioning’ that gives all things their tasks, starting from the sun, the moon, the elements, and the clouds, and ending with the honeybees.

All of this indeed establishes and forms the second wing of the universe’s testimony, commensurate with the sublimity of those great realities. Since The Book of Light has established and clarified these realities, so here we will suffice ourselves with this short indication.

In ‘The Eighteenth Level’ of ‘The First Station’ the following has been mentioned, as a short indication of the lesson of faith that the traveller took from the universe:

لاَ إِلَهَ إِلاَّ اللهُ الوَاجِبُ الوُجُودِ الْمُمْتَنِعُ نَظِيرُهُ الْمُمْكِنُ كُلُّ مَا سِوَاهُ

الوَاحِدُ الأَحَدُ الَّذِي دَلَّ عَلَى وُجُوبِ وُجُودِهِ فِي وَحْدَتِهِ هذِهِ الكَائِنَاتُ الكِتَابُ

الكَبِيرُ الْمُجَسَّمُ وَالْقُرْآنُ الْجُسْمَانِيُّ الْمُعَظَّمُ والقَصْرُ الْمُزَيَّنُ الْمُنَظَّمُ وَالْبَلَدُ

الْمُحْتَشَمُ الْمُنْتَظَمُ بِإِجْمَاعِ سُوَرِهِ وَآيَاتِهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ وَحُرُوفِهِ وَأَبْوَابِهِ وَفُصُولِهِ

وَصُحُفِهِ وَسُطُورِهِ وَاتِّفَاقِِ أَرْكَانِهِ وَأَنْوَاعِهِ وَأَجْزَائِهِ وَجُزْئِيَّاتِهِ وَسَكَنَتِهِ

وَمُشْتَمِلاَتِهِ وَوَارِدَاتِهِ وَمَصَارِفِهِ بِشَهَادَةِ عَظَمَةِ إِحَاطَةِ حَقِيقَةِ الْحُدُوثِ

وَالتَّغْيِيرِ وَالإِمْكَانِ بِإِجْمَاعِ جَمِيعِ عُلَمَاءِ عِلْمِ الْكَلاَمِ وَبِشَهَادَةِ حَقِيقَةِ

تَبْدِيلِ صُورَتِهِ وَمُشْتَمَلاَتِهِ بِالْحِكْمَةِ وَالاِنْتِظَامِ وَتَجْدِيدِ حُرُوفِهِ وَكَلِمَاتِهِ

بِالنِّظَامِ وَالْمِيزَانِ وَبِشَهَادَةِ عَظَمَةِ إِحَاطَةِ حَقِيقَةِ التَّعَاوُنِ وَالتَّجَاوُبِ

وَالتَّسَانُدِ وَالتَّدَاخُلِ وَالْمُوَازَنَةِ وَالْمُحَافَظَةِ فِي مَوْجُودَاتِهِ بِالْمُشَاهَدَةِ وَالْعَيَانِ

There is no god but Allāh, the Necessary Being, the peer of Whom

cannot possibly exist. Everything other than Him is only possible.

He is the One, the Singular. By the consensus of their chapters,

words, letters, sections, pages and lines, and the agreement of their

pillars, species, 

parts, particulars, inhabitants, contents, incomings

and outgoings, these creations of the Great Corporeal Book,

and the Exalted Physical Qur’ān, and the Ornamented, Orderly

Palace, and the Magnificent Well-Ordered Country demonstrate

the necessity of His unitive existence, by the testimony of the

sublimity of the all-encompassing realities of ex nihilo existentiation,

change, and contingency, by the consensus of all the scholars of

theology, and by the testimony of the replacement of its forms and

contents with wisdom and regularity and the orderly and balanced

renewal of its letters and words by the testimony of the sublimity

of the all-encompassing realities of synergy and cooperation,

conformity, support, interconnection, equilibrium and preservation

within his creations, all of which is eye-witnessed.