The First Created Thing

بِسۡمِ ٱللهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَـٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ

Shaykh ‘Utsman Nuri Tufbas wrote, in “The Prophet Muhammad Muswthafa the Elect (s.a.w.)”, Sayyidina Jabir ibn ‘Abdullah al-Answari (r.a.) is reported to have one day asked the Prophet (s.a.w.), “May my father and mother be ransomed for you, Messenger of Allah!  Could you please tell me what the first created thing was?” 

“The first thing Allah created was the Light of your Messenger from His Own Light.” 

Shaykh Muhyi ad-Din Abu ‘Abdullah Muhammad ibn ‘Ali ibn ‘Arabi (q.s.) afforded the following comments in regard: “When Allah (s.w.t.) Heralded Muhammad (s.a.w.) with Prophethood, Adam (a.s.) was not fully created; he was in a state between water and mud.  Thus, the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.) effectively became, at once, the foremost core of all Divine laws to transpire through prophets thereafter.  Even as early as then, he had a shari’ah, as the Prophet (s.a.w.) indicated in the hadits that he was a Messenger when Adam (a.s.) was still in a state between spirit and body; he does not say he was a ‘man’ or that he simply existed.  Prophethood may only be through a law, a shari’ah, Given by the Almighty.”  This is from his al-Futuhat al-Makkiyyah. 

In another famous work, Shaykh ibn ‘Arabî (q.s.) said, “Being the most perfected of all human species, Prophethood thus began and ended with the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.).”  this is found in his Fuswusw al-Hikam. 

In his Matsnawi, Mawlana Jalal ad-Din Muhammad ar-Rumi (q.s.) stated, “Come, o heart!  The true festival is unity with Muhammad, his Majesty; for the luminosity of the universe is from the light of his sacred being.” 

Thus, the Muhammadan Light, labelled also as the Muhammadan Truth, is an essence that represents the spiritual identity of the Prophet (s.a.w.).  It is he who is the most beloved and the most precious in the sight of the Creator.  The reason for the existence of Creation is the love of the Almighty towards the Muhammadan Light, the first entity Created.  The entire universe has, therefore, been given existence in the honour of the Muhammadan Light, the core which it envelops.  Existence is only to expose and explain his reality.  Having said that, just as it is impossible to pour an ocean into a cup, it is inconceivable to understand the Muhammadan Light as befits its nature.