The relationship between God and the Universe in Mulla Sadrâ

The relationship between God and the universe is one of the central topics in philosophy. Many philosophers have taken an interest in this subject and articulated their perspectives. The conception of God they embrace also shapes their understanding of the universe. A primary concern for philosophers has been how God, who is by nature One, unique, and simple, brought into being the universe, which is composite and made of matter. The universe-centered philosophical endeavors of ancient thinkers, alongside later efforts focused on existence, knowledge and values, represent attempts to comprehend the relationship between God and the universe. The methods used by ancient Greek philosophers such as Plato, Aristotle, and Plotinus to establish this relationship provided a foundation for Islamic philosophers to develop their own contributions. Islamic philosophers, including al-Kindī, al-Fārābī, Ibn Sīnā, al-Suhrawardī, Ibn al-ʿArabī, and Mullā Ṣadrā, constructed their philosophical systems with this rich tradition in mind. Within this framework, two prominent theories regarding the God-universe relationship have emerged: emanation (sudūr) and creation (hudūth). The Peripatetic tradition posits that the universe emanates from God's essence, while the theory of creation asserts that the universe was brought into existence from nothing at a specific point in time. These represent two distinct perspectives that have gained significance in exploring the God-universe dynamic. However, the theory of emanation raises the issue of the universe's eternity, while the theory of creation complicates God's relationship with time. It is here that Mullā Ṣadrā's approach offers a resolution to the challenges posed by both theories. His perspective can be described as a novel interpretation of creation or a reinterpretation of emanation. Central to Ṣadrā's resolution are his theories of the fundamentality of existence (aṣālat al-wujūd) and substantial motion (ḥarakat-i jawharī). Through the fundamentality of existence, Ṣadrā prioritizes existence above all else, refining the theory of emanation as it pertains to the superlunary (celestial) realm. Meanwhile, with substantial motion, he addresses the sublunary (material) realm. Accordingly, Ṣadrā adopts emanation for the angelic realm (ʿālam-i malakūt) and creation for the material world of corporeal beings (ʿālam-i mulk). In his understanding of emanation, God's providence, beneficence, generosity, and grace take precedence, while his concept of creation emphasizes a notion of time and motion inherent to existence. Across the entire spectrum of the God-universe relationship as articulated by Ṣadrā—from its initial stage to its culmination—divine grace (fayḍ-i ilāhī) plays an active role at every level of existence. The all-encompassing nature of divine grace permeates his entire philosophical system. Keywords: İslamic Philosophy, Mullā Ṣadrā, God-Universe, Emanation (sudūr), Creation (hudūth).