The Theory of Time and Allah’s Relationship With It

8/3/2019 The Theory of Time and Allahs Relationship With It

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The Theory of Time and Allahs Relationship With It

By

Bassam Zawadi

Assalamu Alaykum,

I would like to discuss Allahs relationship to time and what theory of time we Salafi

Muslims must believe in. Let me give you all a brief idea of what I would be discussing:

- Definitions of key terms

- What will I argue?

- Refuting the positive case for Allahs divine timelessness

- Providing the positive case for Allahs divine temporality

- Refuting the positive case for the B theory of time- Providing the positive case for the A theory of time

- Conclusion

Definitions of key terms

Before I proceed allow me to present the definitions of some of the key terms that I

would be using.

Timeless: not related to time. This means that if a being is not related to time that impliesthat He is not aware of things and doesnt perform acts in relation to absolute time.

Temporal: related to time. This word also means not eternal, however I will not be

using this word to mean not eternal. I will only use it to mean related to time. Beingtemporal has no effect on that beings eternal nature, nor does it mean that the being is

restricted by or dependent upon time.

A theory of time (or dynamic theory of time): This is also known as the commonsense theory of time which teaches that time really changes or flows. There is an

objective and absolute past, present, and future. This is what most laymen as our selves

believe.

B theory of time (or static theory of time): This teaches that time in reality does not

change or flow. There is not absolute now so to speak. Rather, on this theory, time isstatic. Past, present and future are just subjective illusions of human consciousness. For

example, I Bassam Zawadi equally perceive April 26, 2009 just as Bassam Zawadi is

perceiving (not perceived because there is no absolute past) April 26, 2008.


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Tensed Facts: Tensed facts are facts that require knowledge of a related time and date

for them to make sense. For example, I am writing this post right now is a tensed

sentence, for it requires knowledge of now to know whether it is true or not. If you didnot know which now I was speaking about and referring to then it would be impossible

to know if my statement was true or not.

Tenseless Facts: Tenseless facts are facts that dont require knowledge of a related time

and date for them to make sense. For example, Bassam is writing this post on April 26,

2009 is a tenseless sentence. This sentence does not tell you whether this event occurredin the past, present or future and it is not necessary for one to know in order to know that

this statement is true nor not.

What will I Argue?

I will argue that based on sound logic and derived understanding of Islamic teachings wemust believe that Allah is temporal and that the A theory of time is the correct theory of

time.

Refuting The Positive Case For Allahs Divine

Timelessness

There are several arguments that philosophers have presented, however the only serious

one that must be entertained shall be discussed.

Argument: The Incompleteness of Temporal Life

Temporal life is incomplete in that our past is continuously diminishing away and we donot yet have our future. Our only grasp of existence is at the present moment. Proponents

of Allahs Divine Timelessness argue that this is incompatible for Allah who is the most

perfect being.

Let me provide you with an illustration so that you may better grasp the gravity of the

argument being presented.

Suppose you have a diary and in that diary three years ago you said Today is the greatest

day of my life. I am feeling so great right now. The words right now were now for

you at that moment three years ago, however right now they are in the past. Thosemoments are gone and lost forever. That exact moment that you loved so much will never

come back to you again. Time has a cruel way of chewing away at existence and surely

this is incompatible with the life of a most perfect being such as Allah. A perfect being


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must have his life all at once, complete, never passing away or yet to come. In other

words, the life of a perfect being must be a timeless one.

However, this argument is not strong. We must remember that the Quran teaches that

there is nothing like unto Allah (42:11) and we must not compare Him to His creation.

Allahs omniscience diminishes the negative implications of the passing of time. The

main problem with the transition of time is that we can no longer have a completememory of the past or an anticipation of the future in our minds. However, for Allah who

is All Knowing and knows completely past, present and future as though they were right

now, He is not affected negatively by the transition of time. If Allah so pleased He caneasily recall past events and relive them with a reality as if they were present.

Similarly, He foreknows events that would come in the future with the same sort of

reality. Therefore, Allah is not disadvantaged by the passing of time just as we finite andtemporal creatures are.

Other arguments for Allahs Divine Timelessness have been refuted by Dr. William LaneCraig in his bookGod, Time and Eternity, pages 3-43 overhere.

Providing The Positive Case For Allahs Divine

Temporality

First Argument: If tensed facts do exist then Allah must be temporal.

The argument is as follows:

Premise 1: If Allah truly is All Knowing, then either:

a) No tensed facts exist.

b) Or Allah knows tensed facts.

Premise 2: Allah is All Knowing.

Premise 3: Tensed facts do indeed exist.

Premise 4: Hence, this shows that Allah knows tensed facts.

Premise 5: If Allah knows tensed facts, then He must be temporal.

Conclusion: Therefore, Allah is temporal.

How may opponents attack this argument?
http://books.google.com/books?id=ViGrFEnSJHYC&printsec=toc&dq=Time+and+Eternity&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0http://books.google.com/books?id=ViGrFEnSJHYC&printsec=toc&dq=Time+and+Eternity&source=gbs_summary_s&cad=0


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To deny premise 1 is to redefine omniscience so that Allah can still be omniscient

without knowing any tensed facts. This is an act of desperation, for there is no

justification for redefining the word omniscience or term All Knowing. As an AllKnowing being, Allah cannot be ignorant of tensed facts. He must know not only the

tenseless facts about the universe, but tensed ones as well. Otherwise, Allah would be

literally ignorant of what is going on now in the universe because that is a tensed fact.He would be like a movie director who only has knowledge of what picture is on every

frame of the film lying in the canister, but he has no idea of which frame is now being

projected on the screen in the theater downtown. Similarly, Allah would be ignorant ofwhat is now happening in the universe. That is surely incompatible with the doctrine of

divine omniscience.

To deny premise 2 simply results in the belief that Allah is not All Knowing to begin

with, thus avoiding the problem entirely. However, we as Muslims believe that Allah isAll Knowing, hence this option is not open.

To reject Premise 3 would require one to adopt the B Theory of time. However, as I shall

demonstrate below this is a wrong position to adhere to.

Premise 5 is very simple to affirm. If tensed facts exist, then it necessarily follows that

truth or falsehood is changing over time. For example, the tensed statement "It is now

1:27 pm" is only true at 1:27 pm and false at all other times. So if Allah knows thistensed fact, His knowledge must be changing constantly as He knows when certain

statements become true and false. However, if Allah is timeless, He cannot change at all,

as a change requires time. Consequently, Allah cannot know tensed facts and remaintimeless. Rather, He must be temporal in order to know them.

Another way one may attack this argument is by saying that tensed sentences (i.e.

sentences that contain tensed facts) could be translated into tenseless sentences without

any loss in meaning, therefore it is not necessary for Allah to have knowledge of tensedsentences. For example, the tensed sentence Bassam is posting this thread right now

could also be translated to the tenseless sentence Bassam is posting this thread on April

26, 2009 and still have the same meaning. Hence, it is sufficient for Allah to only know

the tenseless sentence.

However, the objection to the above argument is that both of the sentences Bassam isposting this thread right now and Bassam is posting this thread on April 26, 2009

communicate different information. That is because the prior sentence indicates the

present time of which Bassam is posting the thread, while the second sentence does not.Furthermore, the statement Bassam is posting this thread right now could only be true

at the time of its occurrence and at no other time. Therefore, we can present this argumentin another format and it goes like this:

Premise 1: Tensed sentences appear to be communicating tensed facts.

Premise 2: The apparent communication of tensed facts by tensed sentences

should be accepted as accurate unless:


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(i) Tensed sentences are shown to be translatable into tenseless sentences withoutany loss of meaning.

Or

(ii) Tensed facts are shown to be unnecessary for the truth of tensed sentences.

Premise 3: It has not been demonstrated that tensed sentences could betranslatable into tenseless sentences without any loss of meaning.

Premise 4: It has not been shown that tensed facts are unnecessary for the truth of

tensed sentences.

Conclusion: Therefore, the apparent communication of tensed facts by tensedsentences should be accepted as accurate

Thus, we see that without a shadow of a doubt tensed facts do exist and the only way for

Allah be All Knowing is for Him to know them and the only way He can know them is

for Him to be temporal.

Second Argument: Allahs Causal Relationship To The World

In order to understand this, you first need to understand the difference between intrinsic

and extrinsic change. Something changes intrinsically if one of its properties or featureschanges, which it has in isolation from its relationship to anything else. For example, Igained more weight over the past 5 years. That's an intrinsic change to me. Something

changes extrinsically if it changes in its relations to something else. For example, I was

once taller than my friend Sami back in school, but I am now shorter than Sami, notbecause of any intrinsic change in me, but because of an intrinsic change in him. He has

grown taller. I have become shorter than Sami by undergoing an extrinsic change. I have

remained intrinsically changeless in terms of my height, but I have undergone extrinsicchange in relation to Sami in that, because of his change in height, I am now in a new

relation, namelyshorter than, whereas before I stood in a different relation, taller than, to

Sami. Thus, I have undergone a relational or extrinsic change.

As Muslims we believe that Allahs attributes dont change (i.e. He doesnt changeintrinsically), however there is no reason for us to not believe that Allah changes

extrinsically. Also, it is enough for something to be extrinsically changing (and not

intrinsically changing) in order to be temporal. For example, imagine a soccer ball. In ourexample let us suppose that the soccer ball remains unchanged in that it never get dirty or

ripped, etc. So here we see that the ball is not changing intrinsically, however does that

mean that it is not undergoing any extrinsic changes? Well no because it is possible that


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someone walks by the ball, then five minutes later someone else walks by it, etc. Hence,

we see that the ball is temporal in its relation to time even though it has not undergone

any intrinsic changes.

Now Allah, as the creator of the universe, is causally related to the world. He brought the

world into existence. And the question is, would Allah be temporal in virtue of Hischanging relationships with a temporal universe? Imagine Allah existing alone, without

the world, without the creation. Now in such a circumstance, Allah is either timeless ortemporal.

Let's suppose that He's timeless. And now let's suppose that Allah wills to create the

world and brings the universe into existence. Now when He does so, Allah either

remains timeless or else He becomes temporal in virtue of His new relationship to achanging world. Could Allah remain timeless while creating the universe? Well, I don't

think so. Why not? Because in creating the universe Allah undergoes at least an

extrinsic change a relational change. At the moment of creation He comes into a new

relation in which He did not stand before because there was no "before." It's the firstmoment of physical time. And at the first moment of physical time, He comes into this

new relation ofsustaining the universe or at least of co-existing with the universe, arelation in which He did not stand before. And thus, in virtue of this extrinsic, relational

change, Allah would be temporal at the moment of creation.

Third Argument: Evidence from Quran and Sunnah

One just by reading certain Quranic verses and hadeeth could see how obvious it is thatAllah is temporal.

For instance, the Quran says that Allah will judge us on a Day whose length is 50,000years (70:4). The Quran says that Allah will come on the Day of Judgment (89:22).

Allah spoke to Musa at a specific time. We cant say that Allah spoke to Moses frometernity and is still speaking to him. Musa was on earth in space time continuum when

that happened. The hadeeth talk about how the Prophet (peace be upon him) spoke to

Allah when he ascended unto the heavens. This occurred more than 1400 years ago. This

isnt occurring now. Allah spoke to the Prophet (peace be upon him) at that particular

time.

All this clearly illustrates that Allah is acting in a certain way in a specified time period.

This shows His temporal nature.

Refuting The Positive Case For The B Theory of Time

Several arguments have been put forth for the B Theory of Time. Dr. William Lane Craig

does an excellent job addressing them in his book The Tenseless Theory of Time: A


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Critical Examination. We also recommend our readers to read Dr. Craigs book Timeand Metaphysics of Reality, overhere because it contains very useful information on how

to refute the relative theory of time propagated by B Theorists.

Providing The Positive Case For The A Theory of Time

First Argument: The Existence of Tensed Facts

Please refer back to the section Providing The Positive Case For Allahs DivineTemporality and see the first argument, for I discuss the existence of tensed facts over

there. Once you have shown that tensed facts do exist then you have also shown that the

A Theory of Time is true, for the only way for tensed facts to exist is if there is an

objective now. An objective now does not exist according to the B Theory of Time,

but only the A Theory of Time.

Second Argument: Belief in the A Theory of Time Is a Proper Basic

Belief

A proper basic belief is a basic belief that one adheres to that is fully rational and moreappropriate to believe in, unless and until one provides reasons for one not to.

For example, it is a proper basic belief to believe in the reality of the physical world. Oneis fully rational and justified for believing in the physical world, despite being unable to

transcend his own cognitive faculties and see whether his sensory perceptions are reliable

and accurately representing the situation at hand. There is no good reason for us to doubtthe existence of the physical world unless we have been shown evidence as to why we

should.

Another example, if one sees a tree then the person is fully rational to conclude there is atree in front of me. However, it is possible that this proper basic belief could be proven

false if it was shown to him that it really wasnt a real tree in front of him, but a tree on

some kind of simulator like in Disney World. So here, the person must abandon the beliefthat there is a tree in front of him.

Now I contend that belief in the A Theory of Time is a proper basic belief and one is at

full rationality for accepting this theory of time unless and until he is given reasons notto. I would also say that the person is irrational to not accept the A Theory of Time unless

and until he finds good evidence to reject it. The argument may be formulated as follows:

Premise 1: The objective distinction between past, present and future is a proper

basic belief.
http://books.google.com/books?id=EY8KVI-05P0C&dq=Time+and+the+Metaphysics+of+Relativity&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=DnfzSbLlMJ_QjAe82ujODA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7#PPP9,M1http://books.google.com/books?id=EY8KVI-05P0C&dq=Time+and+the+Metaphysics+of+Relativity&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=DnfzSbLlMJ_QjAe82ujODA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7#PPP9,M1http://books.google.com/books?id=EY8KVI-05P0C&dq=Time+and+the+Metaphysics+of+Relativity&printsec=frontcover&source=bn&hl=en&ei=DnfzSbLlMJ_QjAe82ujODA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=7#PPP9,M1


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Premise 2: If our belief in the objective distinction between past, present and

future is a proper basic belief, then we are prima facie justified in holding this

belief.

Conclusion: We are prima facie justified in holding our belief in the objectivedistinction between past, present and future as properly basic.

Belief in the A Theory of Time is a proper basic belief for the following reasons:

1) Our experience of events: Our experiences of events that are happeningpresently are no different than our beliefs that they are happening presently. If we

experience events in the present, then this affirms the objective reality of the

present.

2) Our Varying Attitudes Towards the Past and Future: We experience different

feelings about events that have happened and that will happen. Past events mightbe remembered with regret, while future events might be highly anticipated.

When we say Thank Allah that exam is over we dont mean to say Thank

Allah the date of the exams ending is April 26, 2009 The point is that such

attitudes cannot concern tenesless facts but are about tensed facts and it is entirelyrational to have such attitudes. If it is rational to believe that my university school

years are in the past then it is also rational for me to believe in the objective

reality of the past. However, on the B Theory of Time all such attitudes would beregarded as irrational, for there is no such thing as an objective past, present, or

future.

3) Our Experience of Temporal Existence or Becoming: As human beings we

experience in our minds a continuous change in the contents of our consciousness.

For example, who amongst us had wished that some other time instead of the

present was now? For example, many of us would say I wish Ramadan was rightnow. When we say that, we dont mean to say that we wish that Ramadan was

the first month of the Islamic calendar, rather we mean to say that we wish that

the time of the month of Ramadan were actually now. In these kinds ofexperiences we are wishing that some other moment in time were present instead

of now, which presupposes the reality of temporal becoming and an objective

present.

Hence, we may conclude that the A Theory of Time is true unless we are providedevidence to the contrary.

Third Argument: Spatializing Time


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Even B Theorists recognize the essential ordering relationships ofearlier than and laterthan. However, the problem is that these are temporal relations. On the B Theory of Time

there is no justification for ordering time as "earlier than" or "later than", for there is noobjective past and future on this theory. This dimension can no longer be called time.

Hence, the static theory of time is incoherent. However, on the A Theory of Time we do

have a justification for saying "earlier than" or "later than", thus making the A Theory ofTime more coherent and appealing.

Other Arguments

Other arguments in support of the A Theory of Time are The Illusion of Becoming, The

Problem of Intrinsic Change and Creatio ex Nihilo. These arguments may be read indetail in Dr. William Lane Craigs Book, The Tensed Theory of Time,partly found online

overhere.

ConclusionThe following option:

Allah is timeless and the A Theory of Time is true

Is not open for the individual to choose because it is logically inconsistent. It necessarily

follows on the A Theory of Time that tensed facts exist. However, if tensed facts exist

and Allah is All Knowing then it necessarily follows that He is temporal, for the only

way for Allah to know tensed facts is for His knowledge to change with time and berelated to it. An objective now does not exist according to the B Theory of Time, but

only the A Theory of Time. Hence, you cannot believe that Allah is timeless and at thesame time maintain that the A theory of Time is true like how many Asharis do.

The individual has only three internally logically consistent choices to choose from the

above. One either has to believe that:

1) Allah is temporal and the A Theory of Time is true

2) Allah is timeless and the B Theory of Time is true3) Allah is temporal and the B Theory of Time is true (with difficulty may be argued

to be a consistent position)

Now all of the above may be logically consistent, however that in no way implies thatthey are all true. I believe that the best and soundest choice to choose from is the first

one, which is that Allah is temporal and the A Theory of Time is true. I have attempted to

show why this argument is true and the other ones are false in light of sound logic andbased on Islamic teachings. Hence, I encourage you all to adopt this view as well.

Assalamu Alaykum
http://books.google.com/books?id=puqwbxLW_KQC&pg=PP1&dq=The+tensed+theory+of+time+By+William+Lane+Craig#PPP10,M1http://books.google.com/books?id=puqwbxLW_KQC&pg=PP1&dq=The+tensed+theory+of+time+By+William+Lane+Craig#PPP10,M1http://books.google.com/books?id=puqwbxLW_KQC&pg=PP1&dq=The+tensed+theory+of+time+By+William+Lane+Craig#PPP10,M1


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The Theory of Time and Allah’s Relationship With It

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