The Word of God
Question:-
As far as I know or have learnt so far, which might be wrong, the Holy Book Qur'an is seen to have been eternally present as His words, pre-existent one could say, no? If so, is it seen to be something different from Allah, was it created by Him, or does it exist within Him, or, I don't want to be provocative, is it equal to Him? Where is the difference of status of Allah and the Qur'an as far as their completeness is concerned? It seems to me that they cannot be separated, no?
A Shiah replies:-
The Sunnis believe that the word of God is uncreated and eternal. The Shi'ah believe that the word of God is created and non-eternal for the precise reason that you gave.
If the word of God was eternal and uncreated it would be a partner with God because it always existed with God and is uncreated like God himself.
So according to the Shi'ah, only God alone is Absolute, Uncreated and Eternal. All other than He is Relative, created and Dependent.
Comment:-
This unfortunately is a typically sectarian answer.
Firstly it is not sects which believe but individual human beings who believe - each in any sect either has not thought about the subject or has his own understanding.
The question assumes a Christian theology in which the Word of God is a separate god. And that this Word became incarnated as Jesus. Therefore, the question might be, is the Word of God incarnated as the Quran.
All Muslims believe there is only One indivisible God.
The Quran is a Word of God as is Jesus. But the Quran on earth is a copy of the one in Heaven. That is, the Truth in the Quran is in Heaven.
The Word here is not to be taken literally as if it is like human speech.
But when the relationship between a person and what he says is considered then according to some people they have "created" the words and according to others they have "begotten" the words. So a controversy arises about the words "creation" and "begotten" and the reality for which they stand is completely ignored.
This kind of superficiality must be condemned.
To avoid this conflict one could use the word "emanation". But then the literalist will start quarreling about this word also.
The fact is that the Quran, as a book in this world, has certainly been created. But the Truth in it is uncreated. Allah is Truth. In the same way Jesus on earth has certainly been created, but the truth he represent is uncreated.
Quran 31:30 "That is because Allah, He is Truth (or the only Reality), and because what ye call on beside Him is the False, and because Allah, He is the Sublime, the Great. "
Quran 38:85 " He said: The Truth Is, and the Truth I speak"
It is my firm belief that the controversy between sects and between Christianity and Islam are based on nothing but superficial understanding.
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