All praise is due to Allah, and may peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah. To proceed:
The Attributes of Allah Almighty are not created. Creating and providing sustenance are among Allah’s actions and attributes, and it is not correct to say that the attribute of providing sustenance or creating is itself created. Yes, the created being and the recipient of sustenance are originated and created, but Allah’s action and attribute are not described as created.
The Qur’an and Sunnah establish that Allah Almighty is the Provider and that providing sustenance is among His actions.
Allah Almighty says:
“So eat of what Allah has provided for you, lawful and good.”
[An-Nahl 16:114]
And He says:
“Indeed, Allah is the Provider, the Possessor of Power, the Strong.”
[Adh-Dhariyat 51:58]
In the two Sahih collections, Ibn ‘Abbas, may Allah be pleased with him and his father, reported that the Prophet ﷺ said in the supplication before marital relations:
“In the name of Allah. O Allah, keep Satan away from us and keep Satan away from what You provide for us.”
Thus, Ar-Razzaq (the Provider) is one of the Names of Allah Almighty, and providing sustenance is among His actions.
The same applies to creation. Allah Almighty says:
“Allah is the One who created you, then provided for you, then will cause you to die, then will bring you to life.”
[Ar-Rum 30:40]
Allah, Glorified and Exalted, is the Creator of creation, their Provider, the One who gives them life and causes them to die, and all of this is part of the perfection of His Lordship.
No. The Attributes of Allah Almighty are not created, whether they are essential attributes or active attributes established by the Qur’an and Sunnah.
The Face and the two Hands are among the essential attributes, while creating and providing sustenance are among the active attributes. All of these are Attributes of the Lord, Glorified and Exalted, and are not created things separate from Him.
Here, one must distinguish between Allah’s Attribute and His action, on the one hand, and the created thing resulting from that action, on the other.
Allah creates, and the created being is created. Allah provides sustenance, and the provision that reaches the servant is created. As for Allah’s creating and providing, insofar as they are among His actions and attributes, they are not described as created.
It is important not to confuse an action with its effect.
When Allah creates a human being, that human being is created, but the action of Allah by which He created that person is not said to be created.
Likewise, when Allah provides a servant with money or food, the money and food are created, but Allah’s act of providing and delivering them to His servant is not described as created.
Therefore, if someone says, “Allah created the attribute of providing sustenance,” intending that the attribute of providing sustenance itself is created, this is an incorrect expression because Allah’s Attributes are not created.
However, if the intended meaning is that Allah created the provisions that reach His servants, then this meaning is correct. Nevertheless, the wording should be clear so that the Attribute is not confused with the created thing.
No, that does not follow.
Saying that Allah, Glorified and Exalted, creates one creation after another and provides one provision after another does not mean that His Attribute is created.
The revealed texts indicate the multiplicity and variety of Allah’s actions. He does whatever He wills, as Allah Almighty says:
“Doer of whatever He wills.”
[Al-Buruj 85:16]
Therefore, it is not correct to say that merely because individual acts of Allah occur successively, His Attributes must therefore be created.
Creating and providing sustenance are among the actions and Attributes of Allah Almighty and are not created. However, the created beings and provisions that Allah creates and delivers to His servants are created.
Therefore, the following distinctions should be maintained:
Accordingly, if the statement “Allah created the attribute of providing sustenance” means that the attribute of providing sustenance itself is created, then it is incorrect. If it means that Allah created the provisions with which He provides His servants, then the meaning is correct, but it is preferable to use clear wording to avoid confusion.
And Allah knows best.