It must be noted however that when an attribute of action...

It must be noted however that when an attribute of action for God is abstracted from the relationship that exists between God and a material existent, it is conditional upon time and space. However this condition is limited to the material side, the other side being free from and exalted far beyond such limitations. For example, to provide sustenance for a need, which is confined to time and space, is a characteristic attributed to the need and not to the Sustainer.

The Holy Divine essence is beyond any frame of time or space. This point requires special attention and is the key for many difficult issues and problems, which arise between the scholars of polemics, when trying to understand the attributes of essence and action. a.

Creatorship (khāliqiyyah) Having established necessary existence as the first cause for the appearance of possible existents, the concept of creatorship can be abstracted and applied to the necessary existent, and the concept of creation applied to the possible existents. The concept of creator, which is abstracted on the basis of the existential relationship, is equivalent to the cause that bestows existence.

All of the possible existents, which are in need of this cause, are thus regarded as the creation. The word ‘creation’ can at times be used in a limited way, such as when it defines material existence as compared to the concept of ‘primordial innovation’ (ibdā’) where the existents, which are prior to matter are also considered. To bring into existence can be divided into primordial innovation and creation.

The ability of God to create can never be compared to human activity, which requires movement and the utilisation of equipment, which pertains to action. The achievement of this action is known as the result of this action. It is not the case that ‘creating’ is one thing and ‘being created’ is something else, because God transcends motion and the peculiarities of bodily existence.

If God’s ‘creating’ has a real referent of a concept (misdāq ‘ayni) in addition to His essence, it would have been counted as possible existence and the created thing from among His creation and the discussion of creation would have been repeated (in relation to it). Rather attributes of action are concepts abstracted by a special comparison between God and His creation and consistence of it due to the intellect. b.