Al-Badi’ embodies two meanings:
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The Absolute Uniqueness: Allah is incomparable in His essence, attributes, actions, and creations. He is the absolute Creator, and it is impossible for Him to have a counterpart, both eternally and in the future.
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The Creative Action: He is the Creator who originates all things without any prior example. The servant’s engagement with this name involves frequently mentioning it and understanding its meaning, which allows Allah’s light to manifest upon them, guiding them into the realm of creativity. A key aspect of honoring this name is to avoid innovation (bid’ah) and to adhere to the Sunnah (traditions of the Prophet).
The term Al-Badi’ is mentioned in the Quran, specifically in Surah Al-Baqarah and Surah Al-An’am. As Imam Al-Sa’di noted, He creates things in the most beautiful forms without any previous method. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) stated in Sahih Al-Bukhari: “Allah is the Creator of every creator and what he creates.” This emphasizes that Allah alone is the ultimate Creator, with no parallels in His creation.