أَلا يَعلَمُ مَن خَلَقَ وَهُوَ اللَّطيفُ الخَبيرُ

Would He who has created not know? And He is the all-subtle, the all-aware.

EXEGESIS

Al-laṭīf: the all-subtle, all-attentive, all-delicate. The root luṭf involves a sense of delicacy, precision, grace, and softness. One meaning of laṭīf is to be delicate and graceful. When used for God, it would refer to God’s grace and lenience toward His servants. This sense of laṭīf would be synonymous with all-clement and all-merciful. Another meaning of laṭīf is one who is aware of subtleties and pays attention to minute affairs. When used for God, it would capture His pervasive knowledge to all particulars.^{‎[1]Tahqiq; Raghib, under l-ṭ-f.} In other words, al-laṭīf (all-subtle) refers to God’s knowledge to what is hidden, and al-khabīr (all-aware) refers to His knowledge to what is apparent. Hence, the two attributes together prove His knowledge to everything, including things that are kept in secret and things that are spoken out loud.^{‎[2]Alusi, 15/15.} He is aware of every thought, intention, and inclination within the soul, as well as any gesture, intimation, or hint that is made by the eyes, the limbs, or the tongue. The latter meaning is more relevant here, as the verses are intended to give heed to God’s all-inclusive knowledge. This sense of al-laṭīf is confirmed by the attribute al-khabīr (the all-aware) mentioned right after. Both senses of al-laṭīf have been applied to God in the Quran.

Some exegetes have argued that al-laṭīf in this verse cannot refer to the second meaning (all-subtle, all-attentive), because that would be repetitious and redundant, for God’s knowledge is captured by al-khabīr (all-aware).^{‎[3]Razi, 30/590.} However, that is not true; even though the second meaning of al-laṭīf expresses God’s knowledge, it is not the same as al-khabīr. Al-laṭīf specifically refers to God’s subtle knowledge of particulars and minute details. Of course, it is possible to accept both meanings of al-laṭīf in this verse.

EXPOSITION

This verse expands further on the previous verse, and provides more proof for God’s all-pervasive knowledge. He knows everything about His servants and is well aware of what is in their breasts because He is their creator. Moreover, He is a creator who is all-subtle and all-aware. Therefore, the And in And He is the all-subtle, the all-aware means ‘while’ (wāw ḥāliyyah) and justifies God’s knowledge to what is in the breasts. All delicate things testify by their creation that God is not merely sitting far up in the heavens, but He is present with every atom: whichever way you turn, there is the face of Allah! Allah is indeed all-bounteous, all-knowing (2:115); He is with you wherever you may be (57:4).

There is an element of will and intent involved in the act of creation. Thus, a haphazard or unplanned emergence of an object out of a subject is not called a creation of that subject (not to mention the rational impossibility involved in such an event based on mere chance). Because of that aspect of will and intent, the Creator necessarily knows what He creates.^{‎[4]Razi, 30/589.}

The argument provided in this verse would not be complete if the created needs the Creator only for its origination. If that is the case, then once something is created, the Creator loses connection with it and ceases to be aware of what happens to it. That would be the case of an architect who builds an edifice and then goes on his own way. The architect may even die while the building remains. However, the act of creation by God is not like that.

God’s creation of things is the manifestation of sheer existence in delimited contingent reflections. The beings need God not only for their origination (ḥudūth), but also for their subsistence (baqāʾ). An example that may help understand the relationship to some extent – though incomplete – is how the sun’s rays cease to exist if there is no sun. Another example is the relationship between a person and his thoughts and mental forms. One completely dominates and envelopes his thoughts and mental forms. It is impossible to conceive a situation where those mental forms subsist while the person is ignorant of them, for their existence is nothing but the person’s awareness of them.

Thou art beyond my speech and my mind;

Woe be on me and the examples that I find.^{‎[5]Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 5, line 3320.}

God’s creation is an incessant action by Him, and He is never retired of it: Were We exhausted by the first creation? Rather, they are in doubt about a new creation (50:15). All beings constantly ask for His diffusion of existence upon them: Everyone in the heavens and the earth asks Him. Every day He is engaged in some work (55:29). If God takes away His support and sustenance for a moment, everything will vanish and fall apart: Indeed Allah sustains the heavens and the earth lest they should fall apart, and if they were to fall apart there is none who can sustain them except Him (35:41; also see 23:18 and verse 30 of this surah).

He maintains the world by a single look;

Every form will collapse shall He overlook.

Life is renewed like a river that flows,

That’s what happens, though we may not know.^{‎[6]Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 1, line 1153.}

It can also be deduced from this verse that the attributes and actions of a being are not detached or separate from it. Otherwise, the argument provided in this verse would not be complete. The verse argues that God knows all your actions and everything in your breasts because He has created you and thus is not detached from you. If the attributes and actions of a being were independent of their subject, then one who is all-aware of the subject need not know about those independent attributes and actions.^{‎[7]Mizan, 19/354.} This is a profound observation from this verse that complies with other rational and transmitted proofs, and is an indispensable principle when talking about the hereafter, reckoning, reward, punishment, and eternity.

The sage Luqmān advised his son: O my son! Even if it should be the weight of a mustard seed, and [even though] it should be in a rock, or in the heavens, or in the earth, Allah will produce it. Indeed Allah is all-subtle, all-aware (31:16). Indeed, if one is aware and heedful of God’s all-encompassing knowledge to everything – no matter how hidden or how subtle it is – he will be vigilant and watchful over his acts.

If al-laṭīf in this verse means all-clement and all-merciful (the second meaning discussed in Exegesis) then it would be the answer to a question that arises from the last verse: why, then, does He not punish the sinners and wrongdoers, if He knows well what is in the breasts? The answer is: because He has abundant grace, clemency, and mercy.^{‎[8]Kashif, 7/378.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Imam Ali (a) described God’s subtlety as: ‘He is all-subtle without being hidden.’^{‎[9]Nahj, sermon 179.}
2. Imam Ali (a) said: ‘Every hearer other than Him is unable to hear sounds that are too subtle, too loud, or at a far distance. Every seer other than Him is unable to see hidden colours and subtle objects.’^{‎[10]Nahj, sermon 65.}
3. In a lengthy narration, Imam al-Riḍā (a) (or Imam al-Hādī (a)) was asked to interpret the meaning of the all-subtle, the all-aware (al-laṭīf al-khabīr). The narrator said: ‘I know that His subtlety [or delicacy] is different from that of His creatures because of the difference between the two [between Him and His creatures], but I like you to elaborate on that for me.’ The Imam replied: ‘We call Him all-subtle [or all-delicate] because of His creation of subtle [or delicate] creatures and His knowledge of them … Do you not see the sign of His creation in delicate and non-delicate plants, delicate creatures, small animals, mosquitoes, and even smaller than that – creatures that the eyes cannot detect? Their male cannot be told apart from their females due to their small size. One cannot make out which is a newborn and which is old. So when we see how small and delicate they are … we realise that the Creator of such a subtle creation is all-subtle, for He has subtly created all of this without seeking help or using any means or instruments.’^{‎[11]Kafi, 1/119-120.}
4. In another narration, Imam al-Riḍā (a) interpreted all-subtle (al-laṭīf) and all-aware (al-khabīr) as follows: ‘As with al-laṭīf, it does not mean being rare, feeble, or little. But it means His pervasiveness in everything, and that it is impossible to know Him … God, bounteous and exalted is He, is more subtle than being comprehended by any definition, or defined by any attribute. Subtle in us, however, means to be small and rare. So we share the same name [with Him] but the meaning is different. Then al-khabīr is one whom nothing can escape or hide away from, not due to experiment and examination of things, for one who knows by experiment and examination would not know had there been no experiment or examination. That would be an ignorant person, while God has always been all-aware of what He creates. Among the people, however, aware is one who seeks knowledge and learning after ignorance. So we share the same name [with Him] but the meaning is different.’^{‎[12]Kafi, 1/122.}

Note: The above narrations interpret the two divine names mentioned in this verse: al-laṭīf and al-khabīr, and clarify what is meant by God’s subtlety.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

The Asharites have argued that according to this verse, people are not the creators of their actions. Their argument is as follows: 1. It is deduced from this verse that the creator of anything should have complete and detailed knowledge to that which it creates. What is meant by creation here is existential creation and emergence, which is not limited to the creation of physical objects, but also includes the creation of actions, speeches, and intentions. 2. People do not have detailed knowledge of their actions. 3. Thus, people are not the creators of their actions. They have also provided an example for further clarification: a person who is sleeping or unconscious may roll from one side to another while he is totally unaware of his movement and its properties.^{‎[13]Razi, 30/589-590.}

The above argument is both valid and sound. However, one should be careful about how to interpret it. The key point in the argument is that what is meant by creation is to bring into existence. The Quran explicitly declares that Allah is the creator of all things, and He is the one, the all-paramount (13:16); Allah is the creator of all things, and He watches over all things (39:62). Things in these verses embraces anything that comes into existence, including the actions of mankind. The following verse may also be a reference to this point: Allah has created you and whatever you make (37:96). Therefore, yes, anything that comes into existence has been created by God and only by Him. However, it is only this sense of creation that exclusively holds for God. He is the sole, independent creator. Creation has different levels, all of which can be attributed to God, for He is the sole source of all levels. Meanwhile, God uses different means and intermediaries when He bestows existence upon something. Each one of these means and intermediaries, at its own level, is a manifestation of God’s name, ‘the Creator’. Therefore, ascribing the act of creation to these means and intermediaries would be a correct ascription, keeping in mind that they are not independent creators. The only independent creator is God. That is how one should explain and justify the ascription of creation to other-than-God in the Holy Quran (3:49, 5:110, 23:14).

In other words, the earlier argument of the Asharites does not prove determinism (jabr), but it only proves the unity of actions (al-tawḥīd al-afʿālī). Excess unbalanced emphasis on God’s infinite power (as seen in some Asharites) could compromise His other attributes such as His justice and wisdom. Humans are indeed the creators of their actions, but with God’s universal and existential leave (al-idhn al-takwīnī). In fact, God’s unlimited power necessitates His ability to manifest His will through some creatures that act and move by free will. Moreover, just like His act of creating, His knowledge and His will can manifest in His creatures, whereby each creature would be responsible to the extent of its share of God’s knowledge and will.

[1] Tahqiq; Raghib, under l-ṭ-f.
[2] Alusi, 15/15.
[3] Razi, 30/590.
[4] Razi, 30/589.
[5] Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 5, line 3320.
[6] Rūmī, Mathnawī, vol. 1, line 1153.
[7] Mizan, 19/354.
[8] Kashif, 7/378.
[9] Nahj, sermon 179.
[10] Nahj, sermon 65.
[11] Kafi, 1/119-120.
[12] Kafi, 1/122.
[13] Razi, 30/589-590.