Il concetto di ’ama’ nella tradizione classica (VIII-X sec.)

According to a "tradition" attributed to Abu Razin al-'Uqayli, before the creation God was in an ama', a term which has been a point of reflection in sunna and in shi'a too. The sunna gave two interpretations: one literal which interpreted the term in question as "clouds", and one metaphorical which interpreted the word as "nothingness". As to shi'a, it did not recognize this "tradition" because the possibility of locating God in a place or space would invalidate the principle of the tawhid, as place would share with God both His divinity and eternity. In both cases, the different interpretations were intended to confirm, although in a different way, the Islamic postulate according to which God was alone at the moment of creation.