We continue our discussion with a Hadith from Imam Jafar Sadiq as quoted by Shaykh Toosi in his Amali through Abi Baseer:

“God alone was the knower when there was nothing to be known and He was the authority when there was no one to be ruled.” I asked, “May my life be sacrificed upon you! Was God always eloquent?” The Imam answered, “Words are finite. God was there but there were no words. And then He “created the words.” (1)

Kuleni has quoted this Hadith but will a little addition that the Imam said, “Speech is a finite attribute and not eternal. God was ever living and there was no existence of speech.” (2)

The difference between the attribute of being and the attribute of doings is now clear. The first is about knowledge, authority that existed eternally and did not depend on the creation of beings. But the attribute of doings are aloof from God and His doings and the mind registers them only when they take place. It then analyses and gives it a name like, the Creator, the Sustainer etc. The attribute of speech or eloquence is included in them and results from the actions of a being and we know that there is no movement of any kind in God because movement needs a body.

1. Behar-ol-Anwar vol.4 page 68 Hadith 11

2. Usul Kafi vol.1 page 7 Chapter on attributes of existence.