The concept that man can be a co-creator along with THE ONE GOD is not a new one. The Christian religion, especially Evangelicalism, is jumping for joy over this ‘idea’ and there is one provision that they should think about. That is, ‘don’t put the cart before the horse‘.
Some people are probably led by their own feelings as seeing the potential of themselves being a type of equal or near equal to GOD. That would be a huge mistake! Islam could correct that notion simply by having its records studied as to the fate of those who are admitted to heavenly Paradise.
So, the best way to answer the above type of question is through the Islamic Science of Religion!That would put that question into ‘a much needed proper perspective‘ without missing the essential points!
The similitude of that is when a traveler comes to a crossroad and sees a sign giving directions he doesn’t understand. If he turns the wrong way, he will either take an inordinate long time to find the place he was seeking or he will entirely miss it altogether.
And because Prophet Muhammad (pbh) came to tell the ‘religious truth’ as opposed to wishful and wanton thinking, one can have a better grasp of factual knowledge without wandering down roads of questionable reality.
The ORIGINATOR OF ALL CREATION WHOSE WILL IS THE SOURCE OF ALL EXISTANCE IS ALLAH (AL-MUBDEE). Without HIM nothing exists or can come into existence. So, the FIRST CAUSE is THE ONE GOD WHO IS THE EVER LIVING (AL-HAYY-pronounced as ‘high‘) AND THE ETERNAL–‘ever and always present‘, SELF-SUBSISTING AND ABSOLUTE (AL-QAYUUM).
HE is THE ONE WHO created all the souls and placed on the souls of men vicegerent positions with the premise of being worthy of ‘lordships’ IF they would remain ‘stout and loyal to the cause’ of surrendering their complete and total wills to HIS WILL in unabashed loyalty under a set of trial circumstances.
Well, most of us know how that came off as the doing was harder than the imagining!
WE did indeed offer the Trust to the heavens and the Earth and the mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid {of the consequences} thereof: but man{kind} undertook it: he {they were} indeed unjust and foolish {and criminal in their overbearing and lord-like behavior as vicegerents}. Q (33: 72)
In other words, it sounded simple but it wasn’t going to be as simple as it sounded! Indeed! The mountains and the heavens had the ‘sense’ to be awed by the challenge-all except the souls of what was to become men as we call them.
The goal for the believing soul is to enter heavenly Paradise with the ‘scroll of one’s actions’ being handed to him in his right hand. Paradise is not a type of existence that can be fully known or experienced by man at this time but is a reward from the ONE WHO is MOST GENEROUS, MOST MERCIFULL. Therefore, it is a different life altogether than what we have become accustomed to or can even dream about.
In this ‘altered state of existence’ of absolute purity and submission to GOD’s WILL, NO sin can ever breach the boundaries set for the individual soul. The greater the position of the soul, the greater the rewards or boundaries presented.
According to hadith material, the very last so-called ‘deserving’ person to enter Paradise will have ten times the worth or value of everything of goodness that the whole world contains. That makes Paradise a realm of unimagined splendor!
Different levels of Paradise aside, a man will live in pearl shaped tents and be able to command ‘his environment’. So, we must never at any time picture the GREATNESS of GOD as being like a waiter in a restaurant going from table to table taking our ‘orders‘ as to the environment we desire! ALLAH IS MUCH, TOO MUCH BEYOND THE COMPREHENSION OF MAN, TOO GREAT FOR THAT!!!
What our purified desires want in glorification to HIM that made us, saved us and elevated us, will becoming from us and on and in us. That means simply that we will be permitted/allowed to create as it were, from our own personal beingness that which we desire and for our pleasure in honor, praise and glory unto HIM WHO gave us the means to taste this creative experience or the fulfilment of all desires!
ALLAH will say, “This is a day on which the truthful will profit from their truth: theirs are Gardens, with rivers flowing beneath, their Eternal Home: ALLAH well-pleased with them and they with ALLAH: that is THE MIGHTY TRIUMPH (the fulfilment of all desires). Q (5: 119)
The occurrence of miracles performed by Jesus (pbh) and Prophet Muhammad (pbh) as men, and only men, occurred on a mission of obedience and worship to their LORD and showed a glimmer of this ‘creative talent’ of man WHICH WAS BY ALLAH’s PERMISSION ONLY!!!
And (appoint him) an apostle to the Children of Israel, (with this message): “I have come to you with a SIGN from your LORD in that I make for you out of clay, as it were, the figure of a bird, and breathe into it, and it becomes a bird by ALLAH’s LEAVE: And I heal those born blind and the lepers and I quicken the dead, by ALLAH’s LEAVE; and I declare to you what you eat and what you store in your houses. Surely therein is a SIGN for you if you did believe. Q (3: 49).
The making of a bird by Jesus (pbh) is a good example here. A life is created but it is created from existing non-living materials (clay and water which exist as already formed atomic structures). The amazing thing is that it was transformed into correctly arranged organs, tissues and processed flight components such that it became a real bird within a matter of minutes.
AND IT ONLY CAME ABOUT THROUGH THE PERMISSION OF ALLAH GRANTING JESUS THE AUTHORITY TO DO THIS. This goes along with the decleration of Jesus (pbh) to submit completely to ALLAH’s WILL (and he being the example or representative man showing the ‘way’ unto Paradise through that submission) for there can be no real will in existence SAVE ALLAH’s WILL:
(Then said I {Jesus}, ‘Lo, I come (in the volume of the Book it is written of me) to do YOUR WILL {Submit to YOUR WILL that I may be ‘straightened‘ for YOUR PLEASURE}, O GOD.’” Hebrews 10:7)
None of those men who by the GRACE of their LORD showed miracles to their people could have moved their own eyelashes WITHOUT ALLAH’s PERMISSION so it is imperative to note that HE, AND ONLY HE, MUST GRANT THE WAY.
O mankind! Here is a parable set forth! listen to it! Those on whom {any living and/or non-living creatures/idols}, BESIDES ALLAH, you call, cannot create (even) a fly {of and by themselves even}, if they all met together for that purpose! and if the fly should snatch away anything from them, they would have no power to release it from the fly. Feeble are those who petition and those whom they petition {besides ALLAH}! Q (22: 73)
Because Paradise has BOUNDARIES (LEVELS) so also are boundaries set for this ‘creative power‘. For example, one man may own an acre while another man may own a thousand acres. Each man being well-pleased and supremely content with his own treasured gift and how to use and manipulate it!
So, being gifted with the ability ‘to create’ is self-contained and limited to the stature of the man but each successful man/woman of Paradise does have that power given to them from their WELL-PLEASED LORD whom they have faithfully served in truth!
A lot more knowledge about this issue can be obtained from reading the Quran and especially authenticated hadith material pertaining to the people of Paradise!
All COMPLETE AND UNCONDITIONAL PRAISE, HONOR AND GLORY BELONG TO AL-HAMEED, THE PRAISEWORTHY ONE (ALLAH) BY WHOM THERE IS NO OTHER!
This {Quran} is THE BOOK, in it is sure guidance without a doubt to those who fear ALLAH;
who believe in the Unseen, are steadfast in prayer and spend out of what WE have provided for them;
And who believe in the Revelation sent to you {O Muhammad}, and sent before your time, and (in{the most secret recesses of} their hearts) have the assurance of the HEREAFTER.
They are on (true guidance) from their LORD and it is those who will {eventually}* prosper. Q (2: 2-5)
*Prosperity or the successful completion of the race for Paradise is a life-long goal and not an instantaneous one and like any skill must be honed through a trial or baptism of fire!
So GLORY AND PRAISE** BE TO ALLAH (THE) AL-SABUR- THE FORBEARING ONE WHO IS MOST PATIENT!
**O ALLAH our LORD, all praise belongs to YOU; praise that fills the heavens and the earth and that fills whatever YOU desire beyond that, O! worthy of all praise and nobility. (Muslim)
