Translator’s note: The expression ‘Divine Innovation’ requires a brief explanation. Sometimes it appears that God, the Almighty, the Magnificent, has made a change or amendment in His great scheme of things. But it only appears so because our perspective has its own limitations while His knowledge is All-Pervading. The change or amendment thus understood was already in His perfect knowledge since eternity and therefore was not a change at all. Further understanding and inspiration can be gained from the following traditions.

255. 2. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) was requested to explain the meaning of the verse: God effaces what He wills and establishes what He wills (Q, 13:39)
The Imam (p): Could any Divine Decree be effaced (from the charter of destiny) unless it was established beforehand and could any Divine Order be established if it had been in existence previously?

256. 3. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): God has not raised any prophet before taking three covenants from him. The pledge of exclusive devotion to God, the pledge of negation of any partners to God and the exclusive privilege of God to give priority to whatever He wills and posteriority to whatever He wills.

257. 4. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (p) was requested to explain the meaning of the verse: Then He decreed a term and a term stated is with Him (Q, 6:2).
The Imam (p): There are two kinds of terms: the compulsive (which is final) and the suspended (which is conditional).

258. 5. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p) was requested to explain the meaning of the verse: But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing? (Q, 19:67).
The Imam (p): Neither determined nor created. This means that these words refer to the time when man’s being was neither being determined nor had he been brought into existence.
The Imam (p) was then requested to explain the verse: Had there ever come upon man a moment when he was not a thing to be mentioned? (Q, 76:1)
The Imam (p): This verse refers to the time when man’s being was determined but had not been mentioned.

259. 6. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (p): Knowledge of God is of two kinds. That which is a hidden treasure with Him (none of His creatures knows anything about it). And the knowledge given to His Apostles and Angels, what He has made known to Angels and Apostles will come to pass. He never falsifies Himself nor do His Angels or Apostles. But as regards the knowledge treasured with Him, He gives priority to what He wills and posteriority to what He wills and establishes what He wills.

260. 7. Imam Muhammad al-Baqir (p): Out of the divine decrees, some are in a state of suspension with God. Among such decrees He gives priority and posteriority to whichever He likes.

261. 8. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): The knowledge of God consists of two kinds: the knowledge which is a hidden treasure with Him and no one knows it except Him (God) and this kind of knowledge includes the Divine Innovation (Bada), and the other knowledge is that which has been given by Him to the Angels, Prophets and Apostles and our knowledge (the knowledge of the Imams (p)).

Translator’s note: The doctrine of Bada (God’s Innovation) means God’s power to innovate a decree, still unexecuted, with another decree later in time but different from the first. This doctrine can be explained in the light of the verse: God effaces whatever He pleases and similarly He confirms: and with Him is the Mother of the Book (the basic source) (Q, 13:39).

262. 9. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): God does not effect His innovation in anything but He knows it before effecting that innovation.

263. 11. A person asked Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Can anything happen today that was not in the knowledge of God yesterday?
Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Never! May God humiliate him who says so.
The person: And what happened in the past and what is going to happen till the Day of Judgment? Is it not in the knowledge of God?
The Imam (p): Surely. Even before He brought His creations into actual creation.

264. 13. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): No prophet has ever been given Prophethood unless he had affirmed five basic principles. The privilege of God for Innovation, Divine purpose, prostration, complete surrender to God and obedience to Him.

265. 14. Imam Jafar as-Sadiq (p): Verily, God, the Almighty, the Majestic, has informed Prophet Muhammad (p) of all that has happened from the beginning of this world and also of all that will happen till the end of the world. God has informed him (p) of the irreversible decrees only excluding the rest.