Hidden Treasure

In one of the Hadith Qudsi, Allāh states:

كنت كنزا مخفيا فأحببت أن أعرف فخلقت الخلق لأعرف

<<In the beginning I was a hidden treasure, then I loved (wanted) to be known, so I created the universe, so that they would know Me.>>

This hadith actually explains to us how Allāh relates to creation. As a "Hidden Treasure" Allāh contains potential realities that are ready to be actualized into real forms, which we encounter in the universe.

These potential realities can be said to be ideas that exist in Allāh's mind, whose actualization into reality forms the universe that we know so far.

Just as the ideas or designs in the mind of the architect are potential realities for the building that will be built, which is nothing other than the actualization of the ideas or designs in his mind.

Because the objects we find in this world are so many and varied, the ideas in God's "mind" are also many and can even be said to be unlimited.

These ideas are certainly more important and real, at least according to the Sufis, compared to His manifestation, because while His manifestation takes the form of "effects," the ideas that the Sufis call "al-a’yan al-tsabitah" or "solid entities" take the form of "causes." And as causes, of course, these ideas are more important than His manifestation as "effects".

In addition to showing God's position in relation to creation, namely as "hidden or hidden treasures," the Hadith Qudsi also wants to show the "motive" of creation, namely what has driven God to create the universe. And this motive, according to the Sufis, is found in the phrase "fa ahbabtu an u'raf" "I love to be known".

This love to be known is the motive for Allāh's creation of the world.

At first glance, this statement might seem surprising: if Allah is perfect and free from any deficiency, why would He desire to be known?
The Sufis answer that Allah, in His deepest essence (Dhat), is absolutely self-sufficient (ghaniyy ‘an al-‘alamin – غني عن العالمين): He has no need for the world or its creatures. However, in the manifestation of His Names and Attributes (asma’ wa sifat), Allah reveals Himself through creation, and the relationship between Allah and the world is expressed as a manifestation of His will and mercy.

Allāh, as the "Creator" (Khaliq), does not need the creatures to be such; rather, creation is the result of His will to manifest and make known His Names and Attributes. The so-called "desire" to be known, according to the Sufis, does not imply need or imperfection, but reflects the fullness and generosity of His existence: He manifests Himself so that His greatness, beauty, and mercy may be contemplated by the creatures.

In addition, God is not only known by His creatures, but according to the Sufis it is through His creatures that Allāh knows Himself.

After the hadith mentions God's position towards nature as "Hidden Treasure", and the motive for His creation is "the desire or love to be known," then God begins to create nature, "fakhalaqtu 'al-khalq".

Allah in another part specifically talks about it.

For now, it is enough to underscore that creation is nothing more than the actualization of potential realities — the ideas contained in the "mind" of Allah, that is, the "Hidden Treasure."
This actualization occurs, for example, by giving shape to matter, according to the conception of philosophers, whereby each existing object is the result of the combination of form and matter.
This process can happen directly through the work of Allah, or through His "trusted ones," like the archangel Gabriel (jibril), or even through a process of self-realization, as Hegel argues.
However, Sufis generally interpret this phenomenon as a process of emanation (fayd), or, as Sachiko Murata defines it, as a kind of “macrocosmic marriage”.

The last part of the hadith states:
"thus through Me, the creatures can know Me."
This statement is particularly profound and deserves an explanation.
The creatures know Allāh through the "Hidden Treasure", but how is it possible to know a treasure that remains hidden?

The answer is that what now manifests in creation is precisely that “Hidden Treasure” that has been revealed.

We know Allah through creation, which reflects His Names and Attributes and is a sign of His 'Hidden Treasure.'
Although creation is no longer the 'Hidden Me,' it remains, ultimately, a manifestation of the Names and Attributes of Allah.
Thus, the creature that knows Allah through creation actually knows Allah through the signs that He Himself has placed in the created.

As stated by Ibn ‘Arabi, nature encompasses both the aspect of transcendence (tanzih), which distinguishes Allāh from nature — Allāh is “the Hidden” (al-Batin), while nature is “the Manifest” (al-Zahir) — and the aspect of similarity (tashbih), as both the inner and outer dimensions are two sides of the same Reality.

Yusuf Daud
The author is a practitioner and lecturer of Islamic Sufism
SophiaCitra Institute PhiloSufi Center for Interreligious and Intercultural Dialogue
Surabaya – Indonesia