The universal—that is, the portion of the particular that belongs to the general class—necessarily follows from the particular itself. Whenever this specific man exists, “man” exists; and from the existence of this one man there likewise follows the humanity and animality that subsist in him.
Accordingly, everything other than the Lord inexorably entails His very sanctified Essence; nothing besides Him can possibly exist unless His Essence exists. For an unconditioned, all-inclusive existence has no concrete reality in the external world—still less could such a mere abstraction be the creator and originator of things.
From the existence of each particular there then follows the absolute that corresponds to it. Thus, when the Necessary Existent is realized, the absolute existence that matches that necessity is realized; when the Agent of all things is realized, the corresponding absolute agency is realized; when the Eternal, without beginning, is realized, the corresponding absolute eternality is realized; when the One who is independent of all is realized, the corresponding absolute independence is realized; and when the Lord of everything is realized, the corresponding absolute lordship is realized—just as, when this individual man or this individual animal is realized, the universal “man” and the universal “animal” that correspond to them are realized.
Yet universals exist as universals only in the mind, not in the external realm. God, exalted is He, is the creator of the entities that exist outwardly and the teacher of the mental images that correspond to those external realities.
For this reason, the very first revelation sent to His Messenger (may blessings and peace be upon him) declared: “Recite in the name of your Lord who created, created man from a clot; recite, for your Lord is Most Generous…”—up to His words, “what he did not know” (Q 96:1–5). From the outset, then, the Revelation made clear that He is the Creator of concrete realities in both their generality and their detail: just as He creates external existents, He teaches mental essences.
External realities are signs that necessarily indicate His own Being; and when minds conceive those realities, whether as particulars or as universals, it is He who teaches those conceptions. Mental images, too, are among His signs that necessitate His Being, while at the same time bearing witness to His guidance and instruction, as He, the Most High, said: “Glorify the Name of your Lord Most High, who created…” (Q 87:1–2).