Takwīn is the bringing of something into existence. In kalām it is the bringing of the non-existent out of non-existence into existence; in falsafa it is the bringing-to-be of what is preceded by matter, described by Ibn Rushd as the mukawwin's act of composing the mutakawwin. In cosmological usage it may also name the realm of existence. In later uṣūlī and metaphysical compounds, takwīnī qualifies will and command: takwīnī will is contrasted with tashrīʿī will, while takwīnī command is applied to immaterial existents and to kun.
Reader note. Takwīn is used in several technical registers. Its basic sense is bringing into existence; uses concerning will, command, and the realm of creation should be read as distinct applications, not as one definition.
In ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī’s Works
Constitutive bringing-about and assignment of an act
In a philosophical discussion in volume 1, Ṭabāṭabāʾī uses takwīn for constitutive bringing-about: making and takwīn bring an existent into being, and takwīn assigns a particular act to an existent after establishing the external relation between them. This is not a claim about every local physical formation and does not include form-V takawwun.
Source: al-Mīzān fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān
Phrase-bound governing order
In the phrase niẓām al-takwīn, Ṭabāṭabāʾī describes a governing natural order or law of creation that sets a natural provision, guides parts of existence toward it, and fashions the human being accordingly. This is a phrase-bound application: niẓām is the governing head and al-takwīn specifies which order. It does not claim that takwīn by itself means an order, and it does not attest a separately named ʿālam al-takwīn realm.
Source: al-Mīzān fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān
The word kun as command
In the al-Nisāʾ 4:170–175 discussion, Ṭabāṭabāʾī calls Jesus the takwīnī word ‘Be’ and expressly says that it is an amr. This establishes a takwīnī-command application to kun; it does not by itself establish the separate contrast with takwīnī will in volume 17 and does not make ordinary uses of amr instances of takwīn.
Source: al-Mīzān fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān
Will that does not fail of its object
In the Ya-Sīn 36:33–47 discussion in volume 17, Ṭabāṭabāʾī distinguishes legislative will, which serves trial and guidance and may fail of its object through disobedience, from takwīnī will, which does not fail of its object. He accordingly classifies God's will concerning feeding the poor as legislative rather than takwīnī and explains its nonfulfilment by human disobedience. This contrast in efficacy does not import the later uṣūlī equation of legislative will with knowledge or make every occurrence of irāda an instance of takwīn.
Source: al-Mīzān fī Tafsīr al-Qurʾān
Read in context
Open a passage in the edition where this term is linked.