Existence

Existence is the foundation upon which all creed is built. One must believe that Allah exists without doubt, eternally — without beginning, without end.

He exists, but not like other existing things. We need a place to dwell; we have a beginning and an end. Allah, however, created place itself — He has no beginning and no end.

This attribute means that Allah is not non-existent — His existence is real and established. But His existence is utterly different from the existence of created things: we exist in space and time, with bodies and limits, while Allah is the Creator of space and time and is transcendent above being confined by them.

The general rational proof (every accountable person must know it): "Every action must have an actor." The world is everything other than Allah. How can one accept the existence of the world without a Creator? Just as every building must have a builder, the entire universe points to the existence of its Creator.

Existence is therefore a necessary attribute of Allah, and His non-existence is impossible. Whoever denies Allah's existence has denied the most manifest of truths, as Allah said: 'Can there be any doubt about Allah?' (Ibrahim 14:10) — meaning: is it conceivable to doubt the existence of Allah when He is the Creator of the heavens and the earth?

Notes from the lesson: - This belief must be certain. - Our existence is bounded by a beginning, time passes over it, and we exist in a place. Allah's existence has no beginning and no end, because death and beginnings are attributes of created things. - It came in the hadith from the Prophet (peace be upon him) (al-Bukhari): "Allah existed and nothing existed other than Him, and His Throne was upon the water." - In the general rational proof: the mind does not accept writing without a writer. - Everything other than Allah is called a *ʿālam* (world), and the world is called *ʿālam* because it is a sign (*ʿalāma*) that points to the existence of the Creator.

Further rational proofs: - I came to be after I was not, and whatever came to be after it was not must have a maker. So I must have a maker. - I change, and everything that changes must have a changer. What changes needs the one who changed it; so if Allah were to change, He would need someone to change Him. The needy is weak, and the weak cannot be a god.

We do not say: "Who created Allah?" The existence of created things requires the existence of the Creator.