It is related as follows: Rābiʿa would constantly remain in retreat (iʿtikāf) in a secluded house during the summer, never leaving it. Her servant said to her: 'My lady! Leave this house and come contemplate the manifestations of Allah's qudra (power).' Rābiʿa replied to her: 'Rather, you should come inside and contemplate Allah's qudra,' and added, 'My task is to contemplate His qudra.'
The soldiers of the qalb (the heart) are divided into three: The first group is will (irāda)... The second group moves the limbs (to which the will is directed) toward this purpose. This is called qudra. These soldiers are distributed among the other organs—especially the muscles and tendons. The third group is knowledge and perception... (Iḥyāʾ, III, 7)
Qudra is an essential force that belongs only to Allah. The function of qudra, according to its nature, is to bring what is known (that is, created beings) from the realm of knowledge into manifest existence. That realm is the locus of manifestation for manifestation itself. In other words, it is the place where the realities of His knowledge regarding the emergence of the world from nonexistence to existence become apparent. For Allah knows it as existent in His ʿilm (knowledge) even when it does not yet exist. Qudra is the force that brings beings forth from nonexistence. Qudra is the essential attribute by which rubūbiyya (divine lordship) becomes manifest.
It—that is, qudra—is the same qudra that exists in us. In relation to us, it is called originated; in relation to Allah, it is called eternal, pre-existent qudra. When qudra is ascribed to us, it is incapable of bringing things into existence. When the same qudra is ascribed to Allah, it has the power to create things and bring them from the hiddenness of nonexistence into the realm of witnessing. Understand this, for it is an important secret. Explaining this is only fitting for those who are people of Allah.
According to us, qudra is the bringing into existence of what is non-existent, contrary to the view of Imām Muḥyiddīn Ibn ʿArabī. He says: Allah did not create things from nonexistence, but rather brought them from existence in knowledge to actual existence. Although there is an aspect of this statement that conforms to reason, it rests on a weak point. As for me, I hold that bringing into existence what is non-existent...