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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books Al-ghazali’s Argument For the Eternity of the World and the Problem of Divine Immutability and Timelessness Problems of Time and Divine Immutability Al-Ghazali’s first discussion contained two problems, also found in medieval philosophical theology in general: divine immutability and timelessness.

Based on al-Ghazali’s theological arguments, this portion of the paper will discuss these problems within al-Ghazali’s discussion, and suggest a possible solution to them.

The medieval concept of divine immutability was clearly articulated by the Islamo-Aristotelian influenced Christian theologian, Thomas Aquinas, in which he noted that God cannot have potentiality, change, movement, addition or extension to his being, because he is the first being.[^62] Though vehemently against all ideas Aristotelian, al-Ghazali did not question the immutability of God. This, even though his dialogue partner accused the theologians’ position of promoting it.

Stating that if the world came into existence temporally, God would have “come into anew,” or the world would remain in the realm of possibility, led to a promotion of divine mutability. If this were so, there would be change in the eternal, which never changes.[^63] In reply, al-Ghazali stated that God had willed from all eternity that the creation of the universe would occur at a specific point in time.

The philosophers, however, would respond by saying that to have an event delayed after all conditions for existence have been met, would still imply change in God, because there would be a difference between states of affairs and being before and after creation, along with the need for these causes to come into existence anew.[^64] The philosophers wondered if, then, one could invoke the idea of “resolve,” in that, God could have resolved from eternity to create the world at a particular point.