with its cause when the latter acts by its own choice and power. They say that an agent possessing power and choice acts if it wills and refrains if it wills. At other times, they cite various reasons for preferring one alternative over another. At still other times, they point to the factors present in existence that determine attributes, magnitudes, and other features whose particulars none but Allah can enumerate. They say that the question of what determines a particular time is no different from that of what determines spatial location, attributes, magnitudes, motions, and the other kinds of things contained in the world.

At other times, they say that this very objection applies to everyday events: their coming into being is observable, and this argument applies to them. Whatever answer may be given concerning them—rather, the truth is that this argument defeats itself, thereby refuting their claim that the world is eternal. For one may argue: events either can or cannot proceed from an eternal, complete cause. If they can