the Throne. Likewise, in the Hereafter they will have the Day of Increase—Friday—which will be recognized by the new and powerful lights that appear on it. Although Paradise is entirely radiant light and a river flowing ceaselessly (1), at certain times another light will appear, by which day will be distinguished from night (2).
Thus, if the Lord Most High [has] (3) always been speaking by His will and acting by His will, then the measure of His speech and actions (4), which have always continued, is the time in which whatever comes into being among the objects of His action does so. Exalted is He, and He precedes everything besides Him with true and intelligible priority (5).
We need not respond to this with what al-Shahrastānī, al-Rāzī, and others have stated: that among the types of priority is the priority of the parts of time over one another; that this constitutes another type; and that the Lord’s priority over the world belongs to this category.
This may be rebutted in two ways:
The first is that the priority of some parts of time over others is priority in time, for—
(1) A and B read *yattarib*, which is erroneous. The phrase “and a swiftly flowing river” is omitted from M. In *Hādī al-Arwāh ilā Bilād al-Afrāh*, p. [0–9] 02, 2nd ed. (Cairo, 1938), Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyya quotes from *Sunan Ibn Mājah* that the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, said: “Is there anyone ready to strive for Paradise? There is no restriction upon Paradise. By the Lord of the Kaaba, it is a shimmering light, a swaying fragrant plant, a lofty palace, and a swiftly flowing river”—to the end of the hadith. Al-Mundhirī also transmitted it in *al-Targhīb wa-l-Tarhīb*, 5:475–476 (Cairo, 1352/1933). *Lisān al-Arab* states: “A *muttarid* stream is swift-flowing. Rivers *tattarid*, meaning that they flow. In the hadith of the Night Journey: ‘There were two rivers *yattaridān*,’ meaning that they were flowing”; the dual verb is in Form VIII.
(2) B reads: “by which night and day are distinguished”; A reads: “by which it is distinguished from night and day.”
(3) The word *kāna* (“has been”) is absent from all four manuscripts; I added it so that the sentence would read correctly.
(4) B reads: “and His action.”
(5) N and M read: “is the time in which He brings about whatever He brings about, and it is among the things He effects. Glory be to Him, He is prior to everything besides Him with true, effected priority.” The words “and it” are omitted from M.