[^6]: N اذا آخترمه الخ; D اذا اختاره.

[^6]: N اذا آخترمه الخ; D اذا اختاره. [^7]: Tawhid, 268-272; MC, 75 sqq., 188 sqq., 193, 210, 228 sqq.; BHA, nos.66-82;FC, nos.19-22; Affifi, 10 sqq., 28-29. Creation its cause, result and true meaning, has always been a moot point with the mutakallimun. The whole position is summarized in a masterly fashion by Wensickk (MC, particularly, 75-78,228-229).

The logical Aristotelian view, that if God was creating the world from eternity, the world itself is eternal, was denied by the formula "Allah was Creator before He created". MC, 193; Fiqh Akabar II, art. 16. The Ithna `Ashari view is clear, that God is continually creating and nothing else can claim eternity. The Isma'lli view differs widely. See FC, nos. 19-22. Ibda', creatio ex nihilo, is something quite different from khalq or bad'.

The creator is the intermediary, not the Unknownable Absolute, mubdi`. This intermediary is the `aqlu 'l-awwal. Ibnu 'l-`Arabi derived much from the Ismi'ili concepts, Affifi, 186. Previous…