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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Theological Instructions LESSON ELEVEN: ADDITIONAL ATTRIBUTES OF ACTION Introduction The issue of Divine Will is a matter, which has been frequently debated. Various views have been discussed and disputed over, such as whether it is to be considered as an attribute of essence or action, whether it is pre-existent (qadīm) or temporal (hādith) and is it singular or multiple, etc.

These elements and peripheries of the will and especially of the Divine Will are discussed in philosophy. This topic is quite extensive and cannot here be discussed in detail, but we will provide a concise definition of the concept of ‘Will’, followed by a brief discussion on the peripheries of Divine Will. Will The expression ‘Will’ in common use (‘urf) is employed in at least two senses: one is wishing or desiring, and the other is deciding to perform an action.

The first meaning is more extensive compared to the second meaning because the first meaning includes desiring one’s own actions, the actions of others and desiring things in the external world. The second meaning however includes only one’s own actions. Will in the first sense is equivalent to loving (mawaddah) to whatever degree.

In the case of man it is from the accidental and psychical quality (kayf nafsāni) and can be abstracted in an unlimited sense (as a general concept) through the assistance of the intellect. This general concept can be applied to the substantial existents (mawjūdāt jawhariyyah) and even for God, the Supreme, as was discussed previously with regards to knowledge.

From this standpoint we can consider love (hubb), which can be applied for God’s loving in relation to His own essence (or in other words God loving His own essence) as an attribute of essence. Hence the Divine Will means love of ontological perfections, which on the initial level is directed towards the infinite perfection and on the subordinate level is directed towards the perfections of existents, which overflow from the perfections and goodness of the Divine essence.

However the second meaning of Will, which requires the making of decision in order to perform an action, is an attribute of action as it is relate to a temporal decree which has a spatial qualification. Furthermore the Noble Qur’an has also utilised this meaning on several occasions, such as: “All His command, when He wills something, is to say to it ‘Be’, and it is” (Yāsīn:82).