I'm about 92 pages in, and there's a lot in there, even though this is the abreviated version of the Summa Theologica. There is much that's gone straight over my head, I'm sure, and this will be one of those works that I reread multiple times, as I learn more and more.
However, interesting thing I've come away with thus far: God exists as pure action, there is never any potential action in God. He doesn't think of doing something, and then as a separate action, do it, He thinks, and it is done. Pure action, no potential.
Now I'm reading about how the human soul is incorruptible, meaning that it is not able to be destroyed. It exists, within the body, and then when the body dies, without it.
Read this link and tell me what you think of it. I think is is a better explanation of how God works than to say He is action.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.islam-qa.com/en/ref/20613
The link is interesting, though I have to say I was warned by someone else that unless the article has the sheik's "signature" at the bottom, that it may not be written by him, but by one of the interpreters, and so the answers may not always be correct.
ReplyDeleteHowever, on first reading, I don't see anything in there that I would disagree with, except maybe some of the wording, but I know that's a difference between how Muslim's think of God and how I do.
Why did God create the world in six days? Who knows. It's not something He chose to tell us. Could He have done it all instantly? Of course. He's God, nothing is beyond Him. He had a reason for doing things the way He did, and it's not up to us to question it.
Now, the whole, 'He is action' thing, well, that's a very, very, very simplified, dumbed down for myself, thing. Aquinas goes on about it for several chapters, and there's a lot in his works that, I am certain, is going straight over my head. I'm just not at that point of understanding yet.
What I got, and this is at a very basic level, is that in God, there is no potential action. He does not desire a thing to be, and then not do it. He wills, and it is, and the timing, place, etc., is all a part of His willing it.
I wouldn't worry about the siggy thing unless you insist on having a specific Shaykh answer the question. As long as answer has daleel (evidence, proof from authentic Islamic sources) that you can verify...it's no problem.
ReplyDeleteThe point I was getting at is that the only action God does is by His Word 'Be'. When He wills or Decrees a thing He simply says 'Be' and it is. Pretty cool huh? lol
Sorry, I tend to a) overshare, and b) think "out loud". I try to control this impulse. :)
ReplyDeleteAnd it is indeed awesome (and not in the slang sense).