On being the source of perfection:

Imam Ali (as) states in sermon No.1 of Nahj ul Balagha

, meaning All praise is

due to God.
Commentary: A thing is generally praised or deemed praise worthy for its beauty or
perfection, either real or perceived, but the source of all beauty and perfection is God, since
He himself is absolute beauty and perfection, therefore whichever contingent thing
possesses beauty or perfection, does so in a derivative manner, meaning that it has been
endowed with that beauty or perfection by the absolute source or God, and without
receiving this gift from god it would not be possible for any being to be beautiful or good,
because nothing possesses beauty in a primal and non-derivative manner except for God.
God alone possesses beauty or perfection in a primal and non-derivative manner, meaning
that he possesses all perfections essentially without having derived or borrowed it from
some other being. Any being that possesses beauty or perfection in a derivative manner
cannot be the ultimate source of beauty and goodness, however this chain of derivative
beauty or perfection cannot continue indefinitely as infinite regress impossible therefore the
point at which it ends is deemed as the source of all beauty and goodness. According to
Mulla Sadra an effect is a shadow of its cause, and the perfections found in an effect are a
shadow of the perfections that exist in its cause, because an effect derives all its perfections
from its perfect cause, and therefore the existence of a perfection In an effect is sufficient
evidence of the existence of that perfection in a more intensified manner in its cause as well.
Therefore whatever perfection or beauty exists in any contingent being it is a shadow of the
absolute and infinite perfection of God, because all creation is an effect of God, the cause of
all the causes, and this is precisely why all praise reverts to God, because the beauty or
perfection for which a thing is praised is found in a more eminent and intense manner in
God.
On being infinite & unlimited:
Imam Ali (as) states in sermon No.1 of Nahj ul Balagha

,meaning whom the height of

intellectual courage cannot appreciate, and the divings of understanding cannot reach;
Commentary: This phrase of the Imam (as) expresses the finite and limited nature of
human intellect and understanding, because God is an absolute and an infinite entity, He is
limitless, unbounded, and something infinite such as God cannot be encompassed by
anything finite or limited such as the human intellect. God is an unlimited entity because
that which is limited is contingent and originated, and every contingent and originated
existent is an effect, and every effect by its very nature is in need of a cause from which it
derives its being, and therefore subsists through another, dependent upon that other for the
continuity of its existence, but God is an absolutely independent existent, who is free from
reliance or dependence upon any other thing, in fact all other existents depend upon Him for
everything and at all times. No description or words can define the essence and reality of
God because that which is definable and has a definition has an essence and is therefore
limited, and in order to be able to define something we need to comprehend it, but an
infinite God cannot be comprehended by anything finite such as the human intellect,
otherwise He will have to be deemed finite and limited.

On being beyond Time:

God cannot be confined within a specific time frame or period because He is not a temporal
being. If a time frame is assigned for God such that if it is asserted that he came into being
at T1,so the time prior to T1 would become vacant of the Divine Essence and this is
inadmissible because God is omnipresent and therefore cannot be absent at anytime and
from anywhere, since no time or place can be devoid of his being. Similarly if a certain time
period is assigned for his end, so the time subsequent to the end time would become vacant
of his being and the same objections as have been mentioned above will hold true. All
temporal existents are contingent and created beings and are therefore effects in need of a
cause, because all temporal beings come into being from non-being and all things that come
into being from non-being are effects that depend upon some cause for deriving their being,
therefore God cannot be a temporal being because that would render God an effect of some
prior cause and therefore dependent upon it for His existence. Time is itself an originated
being and therefore a creation of God, and because it is created and originated it is finite in
nature and nothing finite can encompass anything infinite due to a lack of capacity.
According to the Imam Ali (as) creation is a manifestation of His attributes and qualities such
as the attribute of divine omnipotence and mercy etc. therefore every aspect of creation is a
manifestation of some attribute of God.
On the identity of the essence & attributes:
According to Imam Ali (as) divine unity entails a negation of attributes. The attributes of God
would either be identical to the divine essence or they will be distinct and separate from the
divine essence, if the attributes are held to be distinct from the divine essence, so this would
be equivalent to asserting that God is a composite being consisting of an essence and
attributes, and like all composite entities or existents God also would have internal causes,
which are the individual component parts that it is made up of, and an external efficient
cause that effects the combination or the composition, and this would render God an effect
of some other agent or cause and hence dependent upon that agent or efficient cause for its
existence. It would also render God dependent upon its internal causes for its composition.
Secondly if the attributes are held to be distinct from the essence so these attributes will be
either eternal or originated and non-eternal, if they are deemed to be eternal then this would
entail the existence of multiple eternals, meaning the divine essence and his attributes,
however if he held to be originated and non-eternal, given that the divine essence is eternal,
so the divine essence prior to the origination of the attributes of knowledge, power, sight
and life, would be held to be devoid of knowledge, power, life etc., and would therefore
imply that God in order for possessing power, life, and knowledge is dependent upon His
attributes which are distinct from His essence, and the subsequent acquisition of these
attributes would also imply a change in the divine essence or a movement from prior
imperfection to a subsequent perfection, however God cannot be a mutable entity, because
all mutable or changeable things either move from imperfection towards perfection, in case
of progression, or from perfection to imperfection, in case of regression, and both these
alternatives are impossible for God because they both imply either a prior or a posterior
imperfection in the divine essence, which is inadmissible. Therefore the attributes are
identical to the divine essence.
On divine In-corporeality:

Imam Ali (as) states that God is directionless and therefore cannot be pointed at, because
things that can be pointed at have a certain direction and therefore occupy a certain space,
are corporeal and therefore are composite beings, and like all composite entities or existents
God also would have internal causes, which are the individual component parts that it is
made up of, and an external efficient cause that effects the combination or the composition,
and this would render God an effect of some other agent or cause and hence dependent
upon that agent or efficient cause for its existence. It would also render God dependent
upon its internal causes for its composition, therefore God must necessarily be incorporeal.
On the divine being limitless:
Imam Ali states that that which is limited cannot be God because all limited beings are
contingent beings and every contingent existent is dependent upon an external determinant
for preferring the possibility of its existence over the possibility of its non-existence, and this
external determinant is therefore the cause of the existence of the contingent thing,
therefore if God were to be limited, he would then also have to be accepted as being
contingent in which case he would become an effect dependent upon a cause or an external
determinant for its existence, and if this is so He would no longer be the first existent or the
cause of all the causes. If God were to be limited He would either be limited by time or
space, but God cannot be confined within a specific time frame or period because He is not a
temporal being. If a time frame is assigned for God such that if it is asserted that he came
into being at T1,so the time prior to T1 would become vacant of the Divine Essence and this
is inadmissible because God is omnipresent and therefore cannot be absent at anytime and
from anywhere, since no time or place can be devoid of his being. Similarly if a certain time
period is assigned for his end, so the time subsequent to the end time would become vacant
of his being and the same objections as have been mentioned above will hold true. All
temporal existents are contingent and created beings and are therefore effects in need of a
cause, because all temporal beings come into being from non-being and all things that come
into being from non-being are effects that depend upon some cause for deriving their being,
therefore God cannot be a temporal being because that would render God an effect of some
prior cause and therefore dependent upon it for His existence. Time is itself an originated
being and therefore a creation of God, and because it is created and originated it is finite in
nature and nothing finite can encompass anything infinite due to a lack of capacity. God
cannot be confined or limited by a certain space because if God is assumed to be present at
a particular place or space so all the other spaces will have to be admitted to be vacant of
His presence, and secondly if He were to occupy a certain space so he would necessarily
have a body and be corporeal, and like all corporeal things He too will be composite in
nature and like all composite entities or existents God also would have internal causes,
which are the individual component parts that it is made up of, and an external efficient
cause that effects the combination or the composition, and this would render God an effect
of some other agent or cause and hence dependent upon that agent or efficient cause for its
existence. It would also render God dependent upon its internal causes for its composition,
therefore God must necessarily be incorporeal. That which is limited is rendered limited by
something, meaning that it is always something that imparts limit to another by confining it,
but if this were to be the case then God would no longer remain omnipotent. God cannot be
contained by anything because nothing finite can contain something infinite due to a lack of
capacity.
God is not originated:

Imam Ali (as) states that God is not originated because every originated being is contingent
in nature and every contingent and originated existent is an effect, and every effect by its
very nature is in need of a cause from which it derives its being, and therefore subsists
through another, dependent upon that other for the continuity of its existence, but God is an
absolutely independent existent, who is free from reliance or dependence upon any other
thing, in fact all other existents depend upon Him for everything and at all times. Every
originated and contingent existent is dependent upon an external determinant for preferring
the possibility of its existence over the possibility of its non-existence, and this external
determinant is therefore the cause of the existence of the contingent or originated thing,
which is inadmissible in the case of God. An originated existent comes into being from nonbeing, but non-being is an imperfection and is therefore far removed from God who is
absolutely perfect. An originated existent cannot be the first being because by its very
contingency it is in need of a cause for its existence, and therefore can never be a Necessary
Being in itself.
Inapplicability of spatial distances with respect to the divine:
Imam Ali (as) states that God cannot be said to be near or far from things in the physical
sense, because in order for the concept of spatial distances to apply to an object, it must
necessarily be corporeal and material in nature, but God cannot be a corporeal being
because all corporeal existents are composite beings, and like all composite entities or
existents God also would have internal causes, which are the individual component parts
that it is made up of, and an external efficient cause that effects or brings about the
combination or the composition, and this would render God an effect of some other agent or
cause and hence dependent upon that agent or efficient cause for its existence. It would
also render God dependent upon its internal causes for its composition, therefore God must
necessarily be incorporeal. Secondly God cannot be a material entity because all material
things are originated, and all originated things are contingent in character and every
contingent and originated existent is an effect, and every effect by its very nature is in need
of a cause from which it derives its being, and therefore subsists through another,
dependent upon that other for the continuity of its existence, but God is an absolutely
independent existent, who is free from reliance or dependence upon any other thing, in fact
all other existents depend upon Him for everything and at all times. Every originated and
contingent existent is dependent upon an external determinant for preferring the possibility
of its existence over the possibility of its non-existence, and this external determinant is
therefore the cause of the existence of the contingent or originated thing, which is
inadmissible in the case of God. An originated existent comes into being from non-being, but
non-being is an imperfection and is therefore far removed from God who is absolutely
perfect. An originated existent cannot be the first being because by its very contingency it is
in need of a cause for its existence, and therefore can never be a Necessary Being in itself.
In addition to this it may be stated that all material things are subject to change and hence
are in a constant state of flux, however God cannot be a mutable entity, because all mutable
or changeable things either move from imperfection towards perfection, in case of
progression, or from perfection to imperfection, in case of regression, and both these
alternatives are impossible for God because they both imply either a prior or a posterior
imperfection in the divine essence, which is inadmissible. All material things are corruptible
but God because He is immutable is also incorruptible, therefore God cannot be a material
entity. Spatial distances apply to things that occupy a certain space but God cannot be
confined or limited by a certain space because if God is assumed to be present at a

particular place or space so all the other spaces will have to be admitted to be vacant of His
presence. Confining the divine to a certain space implies limiting the divine being, which is
inadmissible.
On the doctrine of Omnipresence:
Imam Ali (as) states that God is everywhere but not in the sense of being physically present
in all locations or places, because the concept of space only applies to material and
corporeal things, but God is incorporeal because all corporeal things are composite beings,
and like all composite entities or existents God also would have internal causes, which are
the individual component parts that it is made up of, and an external efficient cause that
effects the combination or the composition, and this would render God an effect of some
other agent or cause and hence dependent upon that agent or efficient cause for its
existence. It would also render God dependent upon its internal causes for its composition,
therefore God must necessarily be incorporeal. Secondly God cannot be a material thing
because all material things are subject to change and hence are in a constant state of flux,
however God cannot be a mutable entity, because all mutable or changeable things either
move from imperfection towards perfection, in case of progression, or from perfection to
imperfection, in case of regression, and both these alternatives are impossible for God
because they both imply either a prior or a posterior imperfection in the divine essence,
which is inadmissible. All material things are corruptible but God because He is immutable is
also incorruptible, therefore God cannot be a material entity. Thirdly all things that occupy
space are limited, and that which is limited cannot be God because all limited beings are
contingent beings and every contingent existent is dependent upon an external determinant
for preferring the possibility of its existence over the possibility of its non-existence, and this
external determinant is therefore the cause of the existence of the contingent thing,
therefore if God were to be limited, he would then also have to be accepted as being
contingent in which case he would become an effect dependent upon a cause or an external
determinant for its existence, and if this is so He would no longer be the first existent or the
cause of all the causes. If God were to be limited He would either be limited by time or
space, but God cannot be confined within a specific time frame or period because He is not a
temporal being. If a time frame is assigned for God such that if it is asserted that he came
into being at T1,so the time prior to T1 would become vacant of the Divine Essence and this
is inadmissible because God is omnipresent and therefore cannot be absent at anytime and
from anywhere, since no time or place can be devoid of his being. Similarly if a certain time
period is assigned for his end, so the time subsequent to the end time would become vacant
of his being and the same objections as have been mentioned above will hold true. All
temporal existents are contingent and created beings and are therefore effects in need of a
cause, because all temporal beings come into being from non-being and all things that come
into being from non-being are effects that depend upon some cause for deriving their being,
therefore God cannot be a temporal being because that would render God an effect of some
prior cause and therefore dependent upon it for His existence. Time is itself an originated
being and therefore a creation of God, and because it is created and originated it is finite in
nature and nothing finite can encompass anything infinite due to a lack of capacity. God
cannot be confined or limited by a certain space because if God is assumed to be present at
a particular place or space so all the other spaces will have to be admitted to be vacant of
His presence, and secondly if He were to occupy a certain space so he would necessarily
have a body and be corporeal, and like all corporeal things He too will be composite in
nature and like all composite entities or existents God also would have internal causes,

which are the individual component parts that it is made up of, and an external efficient
cause that effects the combination or the composition, and this would render God an effect
of some other agent or cause and hence dependent upon that agent or efficient cause for its
existence. It would also render God dependent upon its internal causes for its composition,
therefore God must necessarily be incorporeal. That which is limited is rendered limited by
something, meaning that it is always something that imparts limit to another by confining it,
but if this were to be the case then God would no longer remain omnipotent. God cannot be
contained by anything because nothing finite can contain something infinite due to a lack of
capacity. Therefore the concept of physical distances does not apply to God. God is
omnipresent in the sense that he encompasses all realms of existence, meaning all things,
by virtue of His knowledge, by reason of which He comprehends everything, whether it is in
the dark or in light, apparent or hidden, veiled or exposed. He is omnipresent by virtue of His
Might by which subsist all that exists, and from the infinite reach of which nothing can
escape.
On divine agency:
Imam Ali (as) states that God is an agent, meaning that he performs acts such as creation,
guidance, provision of sustenance, reward & punishment etc., but He acts without the using
organs or instruments as humans do, because God is an incorporeal entity and therefore
does not possess organs or bodily parts, nor is he in need of any such instruments or organs
for the performance of his acts. Because to assert that he acts by the employment of his
hands or other bodily parts is to suggest that he is corporeal but God cannot be corporeal
because all corporeal things are composite beings, and like all composite entities or
existents God also would have internal causes, which are the individual component parts
that it is made up of, and an external efficient cause that effects the combination or the
composition, and this would render God an effect of some other agent or cause and hence
dependent upon that agent or efficient cause for its existence. It would also render God
dependent upon its internal causes for its composition, therefore God must necessarily be
incorporeal. He is independent of the use of any tools or instruments for the production of
his acts.
On the meaning of the divine name Basir:
Many may think that the divine name Basir means one who observes everything, therefore
according to this definition basirat becomes a connection between two things namely the
one who observes and the object that is observed, but before the initiation of creation there
was nothing to be seen by God, so was God basir even then, meaning when nothing
existed save for his essence alone? Now if the above definition is assumed to be true then
one would have to admit that God was not basir when before the initiation of creation,
simply because there was nothing to see or observe before creation, but this answer would
leave God an imperfect being, which is inadmissible. Imam Ali (as) solves this issue by
offering an alternative definition of the divine name basir by stating that basir is one
who possesses the ability to see or observe this definition focuses on the ability to observe
rather than the act of observance, and preserves the perfection of the divine being.
On the absence of desire and aspiration in the divine:
God is not a thinking thing because thought is a seeking, a movement, a search for some
solution to an intricate problem or puzzle, but there can be no such seeking or thought in the

divine because God is perfect in knowledge and in wisdom and therefore is far beyond the
need to search and seek answers or solutions to problems, as nothing is hidden or concealed
from his all piercing sight, also there can be nothing to which he may aspire to, because
aspiration is always found where there is a lacking of something desired but absent, but
there can be no such desire or aspiration in God because in Him there is absence of nothing
that is good or perfect, all that is good and perfect is eternally present in the divine in a nonderivative manner, in fact He is the aspiration and the desired object of all that exists, since
he is the ultimate destination of all existence and unto him is the final return.
On the divine being beyond movement and rest:
There can be no physical movement in God because all physically moving things are
corporeal, in other words physical movement involves a body, but God cannot be a corporeal
entity because all corporeal things are composite in nature and like all composite entities or
existents God also would have internal causes, which are the individual component parts
that it is made up of, and an external efficient cause that effects the combination or the
composition, and this would render God an effect of some other agent or cause and hence
dependent upon that agent or efficient cause for its existence. It would also render God
dependent upon its internal causes for its composition, therefore God must necessarily be
incorporeal. The concept of rest also cannot apply to God because in order to be at rest a
thing must be corporeal, but as has been stated above that God is incorporeal, secondly
being at rest implies being limited to a certain space which is inadmissible for God because
He is without limits and hence cannot be confined to a specific place because God is an
absolute and an infinite entity, He is limitless, unbounded, and something infinite such as
God cannot be encompassed by anything finite or limited such as material space, and also
because God is an unlimited entity because that which is limited is contingent and
originated, and every contingent and originated existent is an effect, and every effect by its
very nature is in need of a cause from which it derives its being, and therefore subsists
through another, dependent upon that other for the continuity of its existence, but God is an
absolutely independent existent, who is free from reliance or dependence upon any other
thing, in fact all other existents depend upon Him for everything and at all times.
On divine foreknowledge:
Imam Ali (as) states the God knows things before they actually come into existence, because
divine knowledge is unlike human knowledge which is dependent and temporally originated
in nature, because in human beings knowledge is a function or a relation between the thing
known and the knower, and therefore cannot a arise in absence of either the knower or the
known, therefore in order to know something Man is dependent upon the object that is to be
known for it to be in some form or way present to it for knowledge to arise within the human
soul. However knowledge in the divine is independent of the actual presence of the known
object, in other words divine knowledge is independent of the actual existence of things and
is there in the divine essence before things actually become existent. Secondly in humans
knowledge is something temporally originated meaning that it comes into existence from
being previously non-existent, in other words prior to its realization Man is said to be
ignorant and therefore its subsequent realization in the human soul causes Man to move
from imperfection and potentiality towards perfection and actuality in epistemic terms,
however in God there can be no presence of imperfection or ignorance, therefore divine
knowledge is eternal in character. Thirdly knowledge in man is additional to his essence and

therefore it is not essential or necessary for man to always possess knowledge as man can
be ignorant as well, but knowledge in the divine is identical with the divine essence and
therefore can never leave God because it is one with the essence of God, meaning that to be
God and to be knowledgeable is the same thing, or a God without knowledge is no God.
However it could be asked that how did God possess the knowledge of things prior to their
coming into being, well this is so because God possesses the knowledge forms of all things
in his knowledge.