Perpetual Acts of God - Between Al-Razi' (R) Immutability Principle and Ibn Taymiyyah’s (R) Dynamic Eternality ~

1 In his commentary on the Isharat of Ibn Sina, al-Razi denied the possibility of temporary events existing in God’s essence: 2 “A contingent (temporal) thing cannot subsist in the eternal.”  His reasoning, underpinned by traditional Ashari metaphysics, was 'if something comes into existence after not existing, it implies change and change is the opposite of a necessary being.'

1 'Essence-Existence' distinction (mahiyyah/wujud) - An evaluation through a Taymiyyan lens ~ Part 2, 'The Solution'

IT argued that the es-ex issues can be resolved by replacing the aforementioned distinction with what we today can call, a 'concrete, realist ontology'.

https://twitter.com/XAverroes/status/1983937548884787629

2 Clarifying Ontology - IT doesn’t deny contingency or causality. Rather, he denies that the es-ex framework is needed to explain them. Instead, things differ by their createdness, dependence, and attributes and not by a metaphysical layer of 'essence receiving existence.'

1 Essence-Existence (mahiyyah/wujud) Distinction - An evaluation through a Taymiyyan lense ~ Part 1 'The Poblem' 🧵

IT considered the Es-Ex distinction as a fundamental error, muddying Islamic Theology as it imposed a Greek, abstract ontology onto reality and onto God. 2 Background
Aristotle spoke of substance and being, but didn’t clearly distinguish essence and existence as separate principles.

Note: For ultimate origins, see heraclitus vs. parmenides & the problem of the one & the many (hence the image), I won't be starting here, however.

Philosophical Criticisms of Ibn Sina's Cosmology
 
1 Bridging the Finite and the Infinite - Sina attempts to explain how an infinite God gives rise to the finite world through a chain of intermediate causes (intellects and spheres). But this raises the.. 2 metaphysical problem of ontological incommensurability, ie How can a purely immaterial, necessary, timeless being, be ontologically related to temporality, finitude, and contingency. The causal logic of emanation assumes that being "flows" from God...

1 The philosophers say the universe is co-eternal with God.

For Ibn Taymiyyah, this view denied God’s will and power, making creation a necessary outflow, not a free act. A world that is co eternal with God would deny will and volition for God. 2 "The claim that God has no will or effectual power, and that creation flows by necessity, is the saying of the disbelievers." (Dar V9

1/8 Plato, Aristotle, Plotinus ~ "Sent and Inspired by God?"

Jews, Christians, and Muslims have, throughout the ages, made claims that the ancient philosophers were eithet sent by God, taught by the Prophets or inspired by them. 2/8 Many scholars argue that Xenophanes (570 BC) for eg was the 1st amongst the ancient greeks to argue for monotheism. He did have many admirable goals, ie his criticism of popular Greek religion & their anthropomorphizing deities. iep.utm.edu/xenoph/#SH3c

1 Univerals & Particulars ~ Ibn Taymiyyah Part B

1 For any two things that exist, he
explains, there is necessarily that which they have in common and that by which each is distinguished from the other. No matter how different the two things may be overall.

https://twitter.com/XAverroes/status/1773332863938646040

2 they nevertheless share, at a minimum, in the fact that they exist and, more specifically that each exists by virtue of an independent ontological reality that constitutes its essence, its self, and its quiddity. Anything in which two distinct entities share is, necessarily...

1 Univerals & Particulars ~ Ibn Taymiyyah Part A

In discussing notion of abstract(ed) universals like absolute or unconditioned humanity, unconditioned animality, unconditioned body, unconditioned existence, & so forth, IT remarks that "there exists nothing in external reality.. 2 that is unconditioned (mutlaq)..and non-particularized. Rather, a thing can only exist particularized and individuated, and that is what is perceptible. That those who are in error among the philosophers affirm the existence of abstract mental concepts in the external world.

1 This Brother asked for evidences regarding the differences in positions within the Asharite school. This is a thread which outlines the differences that just al-Ghazali had with his school and the confirmation that core differences existed..

https://twitter.com/D1mashqi/status/1617064783228076033

1a The approach taken is to compare texts and their authors over time. 2nd, we look at what Ghazali said, namely inter-school dialogue, refutation etc. and importantly what each author said about their counterparts.

1/19 Part One

Creation of the ‘majaz vs haqiqa’ or “figurative” vs “apparent” dichotomy by the Mu’tazila as a hermeneutical tool to support the negation of the names and attributes of God. A tool adopted by later Kalam theologians. Thread🧵 2/19 Ibn Taymiyya, in his refutations of the various group who employed the use of the ‘majaz vs haqiqa’ dichotomoy to deny the names & attributes of God, always argued that this dichotomy was an invention. Modern analysis supports this view…