a second act of creation, and an infinite regress would follow. Moreover, this would entail originated events subsisting in Him. This, in reality, is the mainstay of their argument.

Al-Rāzī was familiar with the views of the various Muslim groups only insofar as they concerned the Muʿtazilah, the Ashʿarīs, and some of the views of the Karrāmiyyah and the Shīʿah. Thus, when he discussed this issue, he presented the disagreement over it as being with the jurists of Transoxiana, whereas their position is that of the great majority of the Muslim groups.

The majority have various ways of answering these people’s principal argument, each group according to its own approach.

One group said:

Rather, creation—that is, bringing into being and acting—is eternal, whereas what is brought into being, the object of the act, is originated; for with respect to (creation)(1), their position is that no originated events subsist in Him. This is the view of many among the Hanafīs, Hanbalīs, Kullābīs, Sufis, and others.

If it is said to them, “Then it follows that what is brought into being must be eternal,” they reply: “We say concerning this the same as you say concerning the eternal will. You say, ‘It is eternal, although(2) what is willed is originated.’ Likewise, bringing into being is eternal, although what is brought into being is originated.”

Another group said:

Rather, creation and bringing into being occur when Allah wills to create and bring something into being. This is the view of most hadith scholars and of groups among the speculative theologians, jurists, and Sufis.

They said:

This is because Allah describes His acts as occurring one after another, as in His words Most High:

(He created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself on the Throne)

[Surah al-Aʿrāf: 54]

and His words:

{Then He turned to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, “Come, willingly or unwillingly.” They said, “We come willingly.”}

[Surah Fussilat 11],

and His words: