Al-Rāzī and his followers argue that bodies began to exist in his theological works, such as al-Arbaʿīn, Nihāyat al-ʿUqūl, al-Muhassal, and others. Yet elsewhere, as in al-Mabāhith al-Mashriqiyya, they demonstrate the invalidity of every argument advanced to establish that bodies began to exist. Likewise, in al-Matālib al-ʿĀliya, his last work, he demonstrates the invalidity of the arguments of those who maintain that bodies began to exist and that He began to act after not having acted. He presents numerous arguments for perpetual activity, yet also raises objections to them that show their invalidity. He acknowledges his perplexity concerning these momentous matters—the questions of the divine attributes, whether the world began to exist, and the like.

The reason is that they advance views which sometimes entail affirming both of two contradictory propositions and sometimes denying both; indeed, they entail both. On this fundamental principle, one of the greatest foundations of knowledge and religion, they put forward only weak views.

They do not know the correct view, which accords with the Balance and the Book. Thus, on the question of whether the world began to exist, they mention only two views: the view of those who maintain