Question: It is said in the Holy Qur’an that when Allah wills a thing to exist He says to it “Be!” (kun fayakun) and it comes into existence right away. The phrase kun fayakun appears in the 117th verse of Baqara Sûra, in the 73rd verse of An’âm Sûra, in the 40th verse of Nahl Sûra, and in the 82nd verse of Yâsîn Sûra. However, in the Hadîd Sûra it is declared, “He created the heavens and the earth in six days.” Isn’t it that He says “Be!” and it is? Then why did He create the heavens and the earth in six days?
ANSWER
The source of your two pieces of information is the Qur’ân because both facts were stated by Allahu ta’âlâ. Therefore, we must believe them as they are, even if the divine reasons behind them have not been disclosed and even if we cannot understand them. Such is the stance that must be adopted by Muslims and that befits them.

Allahu ta’âlâ creates a thing through causes or without putting any causes in between. He has made parents a cause for His creating humans. However, when He created Hadrat Âdam, He did not make parents a cause but made soil a cause for His creating. Similarly, when He created Hadrat ‘Îsâ, He has made only his mother a cause. When He created Hadrat Hawwa, or Eve, He did not make parents or soil a cause but made only the existence of Hadrat Âdam a cause.

Whenever Allahu ta’âlâ wills, He says “Be!” and creates a thing in this manner. But if He wills, He creates a thing in a certain period of time through causes. For example, a baby is created by Allahu ta’âlâ. It takes as long as nine months for a baby to come into the world. Can it be said why He does not create it in a moment?

The miracles (mu’jiza) He bestowed upon His prophets, too, took place in a moment. For instance, the sea was cleft asunder for Mûsâ “alaihis-salâm” and he walked across in between. Similarly, the Moon was divided into two when our master the Prophet pointed to it.

Allahu ta’âlâ creates a thing as He wishes, whenever He wishes, and however He wishes. Nobody can bring Him to account. Besides, He has not made known the divine reasons behind all things. So we must believe them as they are.

Allah’s creating
Question: Seeing that God creates everything, why doesn’t He give us children if we do not marry? Why do we have to work for our sustenance? Why does He create disabled children?
ANSWER
Allah’s creating is of two kinds:
1. He says “Be!” and that thing exists right away,
2. He creates through causes.

It is necessary to know the difference between these two. Though both are created by Allahu ta’âlâ, they are different things. He has made parents a cause for His creating a child. But He created Hadrat ‘Îsâ without a father and Hadrat Âdam without a father and a mother; He suspends His law of causation when creating miracles and wonders. Allahu ta’âlâ creates many things through causes. For example, He gives sustenance, but He has made working a means. A person who waits for sustenance to come without working for it may die of hunger. It is Allah alone who gives healing from diseases, but He has made doctors and medicines means for removing diseases. For this reason, an ill person who does not go to a doctor and who refuses medicines and treatment may die from illness. Similarly, a baby may be born blind or disabled for such reasons as consuming alcohol or taking harmful medicines, exposure to X-rays, marriage between closely related individuals, or undernourishment. It is Allahu ta’âlâ’s habit, law to create through causes, and nobody can change His law.