Shafi’i on Creation: Unity of creation proves existence of Creator

Ibn Kathir reported: Al-Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about the existence of the Creator, so he said, “The leaves of a berry bush all have one taste. Worms eat it and produce silk, bees eat it and produce honey. Goats, camels, and cows eat it and produce droppings and dung. Deer eat it and produce musk. Yet, all of these come from one thing.”

Source: Tafsīr Ibn Kathīr 2:21

عن ابن كثير وَعَنِ الشَّافِعِيِّ أَنَّهُ رحمه الله سُئِلَ عَنْ وُجُودِ الصَّانِعِ فَقَالَ هَذَا وَرَقُ التُّوتِ طَعْمُهُ وَاحِدٌ تَأْكُلُهُ الدُّودُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْإِبْرَيْسِمُ وَتَأْكُلُهُ النَّحْلُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ الْعَسَلُ وَتَأْكُلُهُ الشَّاةُ وَالْبَعِيرُ وَالْأَنْعَامُ فَتُلْقِيهِ بَعْرًا وَرَوَثًا وَتَأْكُلْهُ الظِّبَاءُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا الْمِسْكُ وَهُوَ شَيْءٌ وَاحِدٌ

2:21 تفسير القرآن العظيم سورة البقرة قوله تعالى يا أيها الناس اعبدوا ربكم الذي خلقكم

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Abu Amina Elias
Abu Amina Elias (Justin Parrott) is an academic librarian, researcher, and translator specializing in the Quran, Hadith, and their commentaries. He is a former instructor of Islamic Creed for Mishkah University.
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