What is your comment on the one who says that Allah has no speech or new action because He wrote the decrees fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens?
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The student: Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has no speech or new action, because Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) created the creation before He decreed the creation, before He created the heavens and the earth, fifty thousand years ago.
The Shaykh : He wrote.
The student: So if these written things are decreed among the words and actions, then Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not produce new speech or new action; all of this was written beforehand... (Glorified and Exalted is He). Therefore, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has no new action or new speech?
The Shaykh : Yes, good. And His writing of them?
The student: Ancient and eternal.
The Shaykh : No, they are not eternal. Fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth, they are not eternal; they are new, without doubt. Because whatever is preceded by time is new, and it is clear. There is no objection to Allah writing what He wills and then speaking it when He wills, because the will of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is of two types: a prior, eternal will in His Self, and a will concurrent with the action. Is that not so? Say, yes. Now, you are currently intending that after the 'Isha' prayer you will eat dinner. This is a will. When the dinner is served, you eat, but you have a second will, the will of the direct action, the concurrent one. So there is no objection to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) willing in eternity what He wills (Glorified and Exalted is He), and when the intended thing occurs, He has the concurrent will of the action.
The Shaykh : He wrote.
The student: So if these written things are decreed among the words and actions, then Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) does not produce new speech or new action; all of this was written beforehand... (Glorified and Exalted is He). Therefore, Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) has no new action or new speech?
The Shaykh : Yes, good. And His writing of them?
The student: Ancient and eternal.
The Shaykh : No, they are not eternal. Fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth, they are not eternal; they are new, without doubt. Because whatever is preceded by time is new, and it is clear. There is no objection to Allah writing what He wills and then speaking it when He wills, because the will of Allah (Mighty and Majestic) is of two types: a prior, eternal will in His Self, and a will concurrent with the action. Is that not so? Say, yes. Now, you are currently intending that after the 'Isha' prayer you will eat dinner. This is a will. When the dinner is served, you eat, but you have a second will, the will of the direct action, the concurrent one. So there is no objection to Allah (Mighty and Majestic) willing in eternity what He wills (Glorified and Exalted is He), and when the intended thing occurs, He has the concurrent will of the action.