Some philosophers regarded the first creation or...

Some philosophers regarded the first creation or manifestation as the intellect for it is immaterial and is not limited to space and time. (4) The Law of the Noblest Contingent From the time of Aristotle, a law was accepted by philosophers known as the law of the Noblest Contingent; Muslim philosophers, whether the peripatetic, the illuminists as well as the transcendental metaphysics all regarded this law with special attention.

The meaning of the law of the Noblest Contingent, in a nutshell, is that there is no leap in the cone of creation be it in the bow of descent or ascension. This means in the bow of descent until and unless the Noblest Contingent doesn’t exist the less noble contingent cannot come into existence for the leap is impossible.

Similarly, in the bow of ascension, unless and until a contingent fulfils the perfection of all the previous contingents, cannot elevate to a higher stage for leaping is impossible. The conclusion of this law is that the first manifestation of God must be the noblest of His creation. Now the question is what is and who is the Noblest Creation of God?

Numerous ahadith introduce the first manifestation of God as ‘the light of the lights’, ‘the light of Muhammad’, ‘water’, ‘the pen’, ‘the manifest Imam’, ‘the intellect’ and similar expressions which are different names for one reality that is by definition the noblest manifestation of divine attributes and for whose sake the rest of creation appeared. According to ibn Arabi, he is the perfect man who is the manifestation of the greatest name of God and all His attributes of beauty and glory.

Ibn Arabi asserts that this is none other than the reality of Muhammadian. (5) It is narrated from (S) to have said about himself that ‘I am Qotham’ which means ‘I am the owner of comprehensiveness and the collection of all goodness’.

(6) It is for this reason that in the supplication of the night of Mab’ath it is narrated with respect to the Prophet of Islam (S): “O Allah, Surely I ask You by Your greatest manifestation in this night and in this great month and Your most honoured messenger.” Ibn Arabi in his mystical encyclopedia states that the first creation who is the nearest to God is the reality of Muhammad who is known as the intellect and is the master of the entire world and the first who appeared in the world of contingents.

He furthers that the nearest to Him is Ali ibn Abu Talib (a.s) the Imam of the world and the secret of all the prophets.