The other stage or the second stage...

The other stage or the second stage, within which changes may occur, is referred to, here, as the effacement and confirmation stage.

The verse says: “Allah effaces out whatever He pleases and He confirms (similarly), and with Him is the Mother (Basic Source) of the Book.” At times, these two stages are referred to as ‘the Preserved Table’ and ‘the Effacement and Confirmation Tablet.’ It seems as though no alteration can find its way in one of the above Tables and it is completely preserved, while the other Table is prone to undergo changes, something may be written on it and then can be wiped out or something else be written instead of it.

Imam Baqir (as) has been quoted as saying: “There are some events which are certain to happen while there are others which are dependent on some conditions and circumstance with Allah, each of which He deems He precedes it and each of which He wills He effaces it and confirms the other, as He chooses.” [^3] Anyway, according to what is concluded from the verses of the Qur’an and quotations, all pre-ordained Divine acts are of two kinds.

Those matters which should be everlasting and thus their laws are also perennial like the verses which say: “My word shall not be changed…” [^4] and where it says: “every thing has its exact measurement before Allah.

[^5] Or where it implies that Such pre-determined acts are kept recorded in the preserved table: “In a guarded tablet…” [^6] and: “It is a written Book,” “Those who are drawn near (to Allah) shall witness it.” [^7] Those matters which are uncertain and their expediency depends on the people’s behaviour, such as people’s repentance from sin which is ensued by forgiveness as it is expedient, or donation to charity which is expedient for the repulsion of calamities, or oppression and cruelty which causes Divine punishment for the corruption which goes with it; that is, Allah is not confined in His administration of the universe as His infinite wisdom and His Omniscience and because of the change of conditions, He can introduce changes in His system of creation and laws.

It goes without saying that such changes are not signs of His ignorance or reconsideration or His regret, but they are based on His Wisdom and changes in conditions or the end of the cycle of that matter.