QUESTION:
What is your opinion on the narration: “I was a hidden treasure. I wanted to be known; therefore, I created Creation.”
Many scholars acknowledge and sanction this narration. They do not say it is fabricated or an ‘’Israeli’’ (i.e., inserted by Jews) narration like you do.
Please provide evidence to support your claim.
ANSWER:
In the Name of Allah, the All-Beneficent, the All-Merciful.
May Allah bless Muhammad and his Family and damn their enemies.
Indeed, this narration is widely known; however, it is not by any of our Pure Imams (peace be upon them).
This narration found its way into our books from the sources of our opponents. You will find it in their Tafseer (Qur’anic interpretations) book by Al-Razi, concerning the verse in Surah Al-Tharyat:
And I did not create the Jinn and Mankind except to worship Me.
Maqtal al-Hussain, by Al-Khawarizmi, volume 2, page 34
In addition, this narration is found in Futohat Maccya by Ibn Arabi vol. 2, p. 112, and in the History of Ibn Khaldoon vol 1, p, 471. The starting point for this narration originated from the Sufis.
If you review what Al-Alossi says in his Tafseer, you will find him say the following concerning the verse:
And I did not create the Jinn and Mankind except to worship Me’’ – Meaning: to know!
They consider this as a correction, by means of unveiling, regarding the narration of the Prophet (peace be upon him and his pure family), in which he allegedly said: “I was a hidden treasure; I wanted to be known; therefore, I created Creation.’’
In the reference book Al-Anwar Al-Sunnya by Noor Al-Deen Al-Samhodi, it came in this context. In Al-Maqasid Al-Hassana by Al-Sakhawai, the narration is as such:
I was a hidden treasure, I wanted to be known; therefore, I created this creation, and they knew me.
At any rate, this is a widespread narration found in several ‘Sunnis’ sources that lacks a chain of narrators, and as we know, the ‘Sunnis’ claim to be strict and uncompromising when it comes to verifying the chain of narration to confirm a narration’s authenticity.
In our resources, there is a narration by Al-Mufathal Bin Umar Al-Jufa’i, who reported that Imam Al-Sadiq (peace be upon him) said:
Allah’s Al-Mighty Supremacy is beyond measure, his creation will never be able to depict Him, attain his Essence and (or) his Greatness. Nothing can be without Him. Allah is the Light without Darkness, Truth without Misrepresentation, Justice without Oppression, He is who He is, eternally. Allah was when there were no planets, heavens, nights, days, stars, moons, suns, clouds, rain, or wind. Allah then ordained to create a creation that will glorify his Might, exalt his Magnificence and revere his Grandeur
Al-Tawheed by Al-Sadooq p. 129.
The Office of Sheikh al-Habib