the actions of His servants and all else—nothing has come into existence except what He Himself has created. In this He has consummate wisdom, which He knows in full detail. Some of His servants may know whatever He makes known to them of it, for they encompass nothing of His knowledge except what He wills. As for this entailing that matters dependent on His choice subsist in His Essence, this is the position of the early generations, the leading authorities of hadith and the Sunnah, and many speculative theologians.

As for this entailing an infinite succession into the future—if He creates something for a wise purpose realized after its existence, and that purpose serves another wise purpose, an infinite succession into the future necessarily follows. This is possible according to Muslims and others who affirm that the bliss of the people of Paradise lasts forever. Only those who doubted this disagree, such as Jahm ibn Safwān, who holds that Paradise and Hell will cease to exist, and Abū al-Hudhayl, who holds that the movements of the inhabitants of Paradise and Hell will cease. These two maintained that an infinite series extending into either the past or the future is impossible. The overwhelming majority of Muslims disagreed with them.

(The second answer): It may be said that infinite sequences are of two kinds:

(The first): A regress of agents, whereby every agent has another agent that brings it into being. This is invalid according to clear reason and the consensus of rational people.

(The second): An infinite succession of effects, as when it is said that Allah has always spoken whenever He wills, and that Allah’s words have no end. This infinite succession is regarded as possible by the leading authorities of