Effective cause (علة فاعلية)
العقيدة أصول الفقه
المعنى الاصطلاحي :
The factor that results in the existence of something or causes its occurrence.
الشرح المختصر :
"`Illah Faa`iliyyah" (effective cause) is the cause of existence of something. So, we say that the cause of the creation's existence is the power and will of Allah, the Almighty. The effective cause is the reason behind the existence of something. Its existence does not depend upon the existence of the other thing; whereas the other thing, in its existence, depends upon it. This is like the relationship between a carpenter and a bed.