Asslamo Allaikum Wa Rahmatullahi Wa Barakatuh,
Many of our Brothers & Sisters claim that the first thing which was created by Allah (SWT) was the “Noor” of Sayyidina Rasul-ullah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassalam). They present evidence to back this claim but the primary evidence (presented) is this “narration”:
رواه عبد الرزاق بسنده عن جابر بن عبد الله بلفظ قال قلت: يا رسول الله، بأبي أنت وأمي، أخبرني عن أول شيء خلقه الله قبل الأشياء. قال: يا جابر، إن الله تعالى خلق قبل الأشياء نور نبيك من نوره، فجعل ذلك النور يدور بالقُدرة حيث شاء الله، ولم يكن في ذلك الوقت لوح ولا قلم ولا جنة ولا نار ولا ملك ولا سماء ولا أرض ولا شمس ولا قمر ولا جِنِّيٌ ولا إنسي، فلما أراد الله أن يخلق الخلق قسم ذلك النور أربعة أجزاء: فخلق من الجزء الأول القلم، ومن الثاني اللوح، ومن الثالث العرش، ثم قسم الجزء الرابع أربعة أجزاء، فخلق من الجزء الأول حَمَلَة العرش، ومن الثاني الكرسي، ومن الثالث باقي الملائكة، ثم قسم الجزء الرابع أربعة أجزاء: فخلق من الأول السماوات، ومن الثاني الأرضين، ومن الثالث الجنة والنار، ثم قسم الرابع أربعة أجزاء، فخلق من الأول نور أبصار المؤمنين، ومن الثاني نور قلوبهم وهى المعرفة بالله، ومن الثالث نور إنسهم وهو التوحيد لا إله إلا الله محمد رسول الله. الحديث. كذا في المواهب
It is related that Jābir ibn ‘Abd Allāh (r) said to the Prophet (s), “O Messenger of Allāh, may my father and mother be sacrificed for you, tell me of the first thing Allāh created before all things.” He said: O Jābir, the first thing Allāh created was the light of your Prophet from His light, and that light remained in the midst of His Power for as long as He wished, and there was not, at that time, a Tablet or a Pen or a Paradise or a Fire or an angel or a heaven or an earth. And when Allāh wished to create creation, he divided that Light into four parts and from the first made the Pen, from the second the Tablet, from the third the Throne, then He divided the fourth into four parts [and from them created everything else.
Analysis:
Reference 1 (Not found):
Imam Abdur-Razzaq As-San’ani (RA) [126AH/743CE- 211AH/826CE] was one of the earliest compliers of traditions. His Masterpiece Musannaf contained Ahadeeth, Athaar (saying of the Salaf) and judgement of earliest Scholars.
This narration is nowhere to be found in Musannaf !
Reference 2 (Not found):
Imam Abdur-Razzaq As-San’ani (RA) [126AH/743CE- 211AH/826CE] also wrote a book of Tafseer which has been incorporated into the Mustdarak of Imam Hakim (RA)
This narration is nowhere to be found in his Tafseer!
Reference 3 & 4 (No Chain & Not Proven!):
Imam Jaluluddin Suyuti (RA) [1445–1505] was an erudite Islamic Scholar, expert in Jurisprudence and he writes in Al-Hawi under the Tafseer of Surah Mudathir that this no chain to be trusted!
ليس له إسناد يعتمد عليه
انظر الحاوي في الفتاوى 1/325 في تفسير سورة المدثر
Then again in his commentary of Tirmidhi Imam Jaluluddin Suyuti (RA) [1445–1505] writes that it is unproven!
وقد ذكر السيوطي في قوت المغتذي شرح الترمذي بعد أن ذكر الحديث: أوّل ما خلق الله تعالى القلم فقال: أما حديث أولية العقل فليس له أصل، وأمّا حديث أولية النور المحمدي فلا يثبت.
Reference 5 (Fabrication):
The famous Scholar of Hadeeth Shaykh Ahmad bin Muhammad bin al-Siddiq al-Ghumari (RA) [1902-1961] from the lineage of Scholars writes in his commentary of Jami As-Sagheer and declares this to be a fabrication.
قال الحافظ المحدث أحمد الغماري رحمه الله في مقدمة كتابه "المغير على الجامع الصغير": "إن حديث أول ما خلق الله تعالى نور نبيك يا جابر خلقه الله من نوره قبل الأشياء موضوع"
Reference 6 (Contradiction with the Qur'aan):
It is explicitly mentioned in the Qur'aan:
[18:110] Say, Surely, I am but a human being like you; it is revealed to me that your God is the One God. So the one who hopes to meet his Lord must do righteous deed and must not associate anyone in the worship of his Lord.
Reference 7 (Contradiction with Authentic Ahadeeth):
This fabrication contradicts with many established and authentic traditions but we will only produce one from Saheeh Bukhari.
حدثنا عمر بن حفص بن غياث حدثنا أبي حدثنا الأعمش حدثنا جامع بن شداد عن صفوان بن محرز أنه حدثه عن عمران بن حصين رضي الله عنهما قال دخلت على النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم وعقلت ناقتي بالباب فأتاه ناس من بني تميم فقال اقبلوا البشرى يا بني تميم قالوا قد بشرتنا فأعطنا مرتين ثم دخل عليه ناس من أهل اليمن فقال اقبلوا البشرى يا أهل اليمن إذ لم يقبلها بنو تميم قالوا قد قبلنا يا رسول الله قالوا جئناك نسألك عن هذا الأمر قال كان الله ولم يكن شيء غيره وكان عرشه على الماء وكتب في الذكر كل شيء وخلق السموات والأرض فنادى مناد ذهبت ناقتك يا ابن الحصين فانطلقت فإذا هي يقطع دونها السراب فوالله لوددت أني كنت تركتها وروى عيسى عن رقبة عن قيس بن مسلم عن طارق بن شهاب قال سمعت عمر رضي الله عنه يقول قام فينا النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم مقاما فأخبرنا عن بدء الخلق حتى دخل أهل الجنة منازلهم وأهل النار منازلهم حفظ ذلك من حفظه ونسيه من نسيه
Narrated Imran bin Husain (RA): I went to the Prophet and tied my she-camel at the gate. The people of Bani Tamim came to the Prophet who said "O Bani Tamim! Accept the good tidings." They said twice, 'You have given us the good tidings, now give us something" Then some Yemenites came to him and he said, "Accept the good tidings, O people of Yemem, for Bani Tamim refused them." They said, "We accept it, O Allah's Apostle! We have come to ask you about this matter (i.e. the start of creations)." He said, "First of all, there was nothing but Allah, and (then He created His Throne). His throne was over the water, and He wrote everything in the Book (in the Heaven) and created the Heavens and the Earth." Then a man shouted, "O Ibn Husain! Your she-camel has gone away!" So, I went away and could not see the she-camel because of the mirage. By Allah, I wished I had left that she-camel (but not that gathering). Narrated 'Umar: One day the Prophet stood up amongst us for a long period and informed us about the beginning of creation (and talked about everything in detail) till he mentioned how the people of Paradise will enter their places and the people of Hell will enter their places. Some remembered what he had said, and some forgot it. [Bukhari]
Reference 8 (Contradiction with Authentic Ahadeeth everything is created from water!):
This fabrication contradicts with many established and authentic traditions but we will only produce two:
قال النبيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم: «إنّ الله تعالى خلق كُلّ شىءٍ من الماء» – رواه ابن حبان
Sayyidina Rasul-ullah (Sallallaho Alaihe Wassalam) stated that everything is created from Water [Ibn Hibaan]
Reference 9 (Creation of moving creatures from water in the Qur'aan):
The authentic narration of everything being created from water is also collaborated by the Qur'aan
[24:45] Allah has created every moving creature from water. So, some of them move on their bellies; and some of them move on two legs, and some of them move on four. Allah creates what He wills. Surely, Allah is powerful over everything.