Maulana Ashraf 'Ali Tahanawi's Fatwa On The Primordial Creation Of The Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace)

From his Imdad al Fatawa, Vol 5 (Pg:79)

Question Is the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) the cause of creation or not? And has the narration, "If it were not for you, We would not have created the universe" reached us as proof or not? Which work is this narration found in?

Answer Your (i.e. the Prophet) being the first of creation is established and known through many narrations, such as the reference from the Mawahib Laduniyya (s: of Qastalani) taking from 'Abd Ar Razzaq from the narration of Jabir ibn 'Abdullah wherein there is the statement from the Prophet (Allah bless him and grant him peace) himself stating that the first thing your Lord created was your Prophet's Light. However, the narration present in the question (s: of lawlak) has not passed by me, and from the outward seems forged.

28 Rajab, 1324.