the Lectures of Nokounam, may his sanctity be preserved (Session 1641)
In this treatise, the exalted concept of the attribute The Form-Giver as one of the Most Beautiful Names of God is examined through the luminous verses of the Holy Quran and profound mystical reflections. This attribute, which manifests the boundless power of God in shaping various levels of existence, encompasses from the primordial nature to the definite natural and spiritual forms. The present writing, with a profound look at the Quranic verses and an elucidation of the concept of Pervasive Identity, endeavours to depict the immediate divine presence in all causes and manifestations of creation. This work, arranged systematically and based on scientific principles, aims to guide the reader towards a deeper understanding of existential unity and the role of humanity in the process of creation.
The attribute The Form-Giver, introduced in the Holy Quran as one of the Most Beautiful Names of God, signifies Gods unparalleled role in granting form to all levels of existence. This attribute not only refers to the apparent creation of beings but encompasses all realms of existence, from primordial nature to defined identities and individual and generic personalities. The concept of bestowal herein signifies the ultimate realisation of existential forms, which flows in all vessels of creation, from the world of primordial nature to the natural realm. It is as if God, like a masterful painter, with the brush of His wisdom, sketches the role of every being upon the tablet of existence, leaving no corner of the universe devoid of this creative act.
The Holy Quran, in numerous verses, emphasises the role of the attribute The Form-Giver in the process of creation and introduces it as a complementary stage following the initial creation. These verses portray the logical sequence of creation: first, the creation of the essence of existence, then the granting of the final form.
هُوَ اللَّهُ الْخَالِقُ الْبَارِئُ الْمُصَوِّرُ لَهُ الْأَسْمَاءُ الْحُسْنَىٰ (Al-Hashr: 24)
He is Allah, the Creator, the Evolver, the Bestower of Forms. To Him belong the Most Beautiful Names.
فِي أَيِّ صُورَةٍ مَا شَاءَ رَكَّبَكَ (Al-Infitar: 8)
In whatever form He wills, He assembles you.
يُصَوِّرُكُمْ فِي الْأَرْحَامِ كَيْفَ يَشَاءُ (Al-Imran: 6)
He shapes you in the wombs as He pleases.
لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَاكُمْ ثُمَّ صَوَّرْنَاكُمْ (Al-Araf: 11)
Verily, We created you, then We shaped you.
These verses depict the creation process as a continuous flow, in which the attribute The Form-Giver plays the final role in bestowing form upon beings. It is as though God, like a wise architect, first establishes the foundation of existence, then, with unparalleled artistry, shapes the form of each being in accordance with divine wisdom.
One of the fundamental concepts in elucidating the attribute The Form-Giver is the immediate presence of God in all causes and effects of creation. Contrary to certain theological viewpoints that conceive creation through hierarchical intermediaries, the Holy Quran emphasises the actual presence of God in all causes. This presence is affirmed by the noble verse:
وَنَحْنُ أَقْرَبُ إِلَيْهِ مِنْ حَبْلِ الْوَرِيدِ (Qaf: 16)
And We are closer to him than [his] jugular vein.
This verse, like a radiant light, reveals the immediate proximity of God to the creatures. It is as if God, like a flowing current permeating all veins of existence, is present in every cause and effect, and no barrier can limit this presence.
The concept of Pervasive Identity emphasises that causes not only do not hinder divine presence but are themselves manifestations of it. It is as though each cause is a mirror reflecting divine light. This view rejects the notion of independent hierarchical intermediaries posited in some theological discourses. God is not distant but present in every hand and every action. Just as in the example of a soup pot, water is present in all parts of the soup, so too God is actually present in all causes and manifestations of creation.
The divine pervasive identity, like an exponential flow, multiplies through various levels of creation. This expansion is analogous to exponential growth in mathematics, where each stage of manifestation encompasses an increasing number of divine manifestations. Each cause, like a branch of the tree of existence, is intertwined with the pervasive divine identity, and with every new branch, this identity expands exponentially.
Human beings, as manifestations of divine creation, play an active role in shaping their own existence. This role requires awareness and insight, as though the human is a painter who, with the brush of free will, inscribes upon the tablet of existence. However, this painting is only possible by avoiding blindness, deafness, and heedlessness. Every incorrect depiction returns to the human and distances them from perfection.
Negligence, ignorance, and polytheism, like dark veils, obstruct the perception of the active presence of the divine Form-Giver in creation. These obstacles prevent humans from reaching the truth and plunge them into the darkness of unawareness. It is as though the human is a traveller who loses their way on the luminous path of existence due to negligence.
The Most Beautiful Names of God, especially the attribute The Form-Giver, like healing medicines, can remedy human spiritual and physical ailments in a suitable vessel. These names flow like clear springs within the heart of man, guiding them towards perfection.
The concept of collective resurrection expresses that human deeds form in relation to all levels of creation, from the Names and Attributes to various realms. Therefore, the judgement on the Day of Resurrection is not individual but collective, considering all effective factors.
لِيَرَوْا أَعْمَالَهُمْ (Az-Zalzalah: 6)
That they may see their deeds.
This verse, like a clear mirror, demonstrates that no deed is performed in isolation; rather, all realmsfrom the Names and Attributes to the material worldparticipate in it.
Divine duty, contrary to the assumption of permanence, changes moment by moment in accordance with varying conditions. This duty, like natural breathing or growth, is a conditional effect that changes at every moment based on existential vessels. It is as if duty is a fluid flow harmonising with the mutable divine circumstances.
The creation of humans is phased and variable, so that each individual exists in different states and conditions at each moment. This diversity is a manifestation of the mutable divine circumstances.
خَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَطْوَارًا (Nuh: 14)
We created you in stages.
This verse, like a divine melody, portrays the diversity and multiplicity in stages of creation and invites humans to reflect on their changing existential conditions.
The interpretation of the attribute The Form-Giver in the light of the Holy Quran shines like a brilliant light, revealing Gods boundless role in shaping all levels of existence. This attribute is present in all vessels of creation, from primordial nature to defined forms, and the divine pervasive identity flows like a pure current through all causes and effects. Humans, as painters of their own existence, can participate in this process consciously and insightfully, provided they avoid negligence, ignorance, and polytheism. The concepts of collective resurrection, variable duty, and phased creation demonstrate the dynamism and diversity of creation and invite humans to reflect on their role in this divine system. It is as if the universe is a vast tableau upon which every being is inscribed by the brush of the divine Form-Giver, and humans, with their insight, can guide this depiction towards perfection.
Supervised by Sadegh Khademi
