!!link!! - Al Farabi Theory Of Emanation

This process continues down through eight more stages, creating the spheres of the fixed stars and the known planets (Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, the Sun, Venus, Mercury).

For Al-Farabi, God’s essence is pure intellect and goodness. Creation is not a decision made after deliberation. Rather, God’s self-knowledge and His knowledge of His own goodness overflow necessarily. Think of a burning coal: it does not choose to emit heat; it emits heat because it is hot. Similarly, God emanates existence because He is Existence. al farabi theory of emanation