The creation of the world in time according to Fakhr al-Razi

Abstract

The eternity or creation of the world in time is a question that many scholars from different fields have tackled, regardless of their religious affiliation. In the Islamic tradition, theologians generally affirmed the temporal creation of the world. On the other hand, philosophers rejected this notion. These philosophers usually interpreted religious texts that indicated the creation of the world to refer to the idea that the existence of the possible beings of this world is preceded by the non-existence that they contained in their quiddities. One of the individuals who discussed this subject in detail was Fakhr al-Din al-Razi. Razi presented many proofs to substantiate the temporal creation of the physical world. He also fortified these proofs by answering many of the objections that might be leveled against them. One of these proofs revolves around the idea that a physical being cannot be in a state of rest or movement in eternity. Thus, it could not exist in eternity. This proof depends upon the idea that rest is something positive or existent in nature. It also depends upon the idea that things which are eternal and positive in nature must subsist. Since movement and rest are preceded by something else, they cannot exist in eternity. This is because eternity is that which is not preceded by anything. Many of the objections that might be leveled against this proof are objections directed to self-evident propositions. Thus, they must be rejected.