are contrary to that. Both scriptural evidence and reason demonstrate that everything other than Allah [Most High, is created and] temporally originated (1), having come into being after not existing. Yet the temporal origination of [the kind] (3) does not necessarily follow (2) from the temporal origination of each individual thing when temporal events occur in succession. It therefore does not follow that the One who acts and speaks had always remained inactive with respect to action (4) and speech, and that these then occurred without any cause (5). Likewise, [the like of] (6) this does not follow with respect to the future, for every individual future thing that comes to an end (7) is perishable, whereas the kind is not perishable.

Allah Most High says:

{Its fruit is everlasting, as is its shade.}

[Surah al-Ra'd: 35]

And He says:

{Indeed, this is Our provision, which will never be exhausted.}

[Surah Sād: 54]

Thus, what is everlasting and inexhaustible—that is, what does not come to an end—is (8) the kind. Otherwise, each individual instance of it is exhausted and comes to an end; it is not everlasting.

This is because, when the predicate applied to the individual members is based on a property present in the aggregate, [the aggregate is described by that predicate. For example, describing each individual member as existent, possible, or nonexistent necessarily entails describing the aggregate] (9) as existent, possible, or nonexistent. This is because the nature of the totality is (10) the nature of each individual member, and the aggregate consists of nothing other than the individual members that are possible, existent, or nonexistent.