To address this question, we begin with two premises:
Firstly: Defining the Terms:
“The universe” refers to everything other than God, i.e. all of creation.
“Origination” (ḥudūth) means “that something has a beginning,” which implies that before this beginning, it did not exist. Thus, the meaning of something being originated is that it “did not exist and then came into existence.” Origination (ḥudūth) is juxtaposed to eternity (qidam), and the originated thing (al-ḥādith) is juxtaposed to the eternal (al-qadīm).
Therefore, when we speak of the “origination of the universe”, we mean that everything other than God came into existence after not having existed, meaning that it has a beginning. This implies that the world is not eternal.
Secondly: Defining Matter and Form:
This world, as we perceive and experience it, is made up of two components: matter and form. By “matter,” we refer to the substance of the universe; it is the essence of a thing and is something that persists and remains constant. By “form,” we mean the shape or configuration that organises and arranges the matter. The form is variable and changes over time [1].
Thus, the entire universe is like a structure made from two elements: Matter (which is like the bricks) and Form (which is the specific arrangement of those bricks). The bricks alone are insufficient to create the structure; they must be arranged in a particular way. For example, if you want to build a house, the bricks must be arranged in a specific order, but if they are piled randomly, they will take on a different arrangement and shape.
We can illustrate this with the following examples:
Example 1: Water consists of matter, which is its molecules. However, water only exists in specific forms, such as the shape of the cup it is in, a raindrop, or a crystal ball.
Example 2: What distinguishes ice, water, and steam? All of them share the same matter, which is water molecules. The difference lies in the distance between the molecules, and it is this distance, or the arrangement of the molecules, that gives them their different forms, such as liquid water, ice, or steam.
Example 3: Water is composed of two hydrogen atoms and one oxygen atom. These atoms make up the matter of water. However, for water to actually be water, these atoms must be connected in a particular configuration, with a specific arrangement and distance between them. Without this configuration, the substance would not be water [3].
Conclusion:
● The entire universe is composed of matter and form.
● Matter does not exist by itself; it must have a form that organises it, such as dimensions, shape, location, and the distances between its components.
● Similarly, form cannot exist without matter.
Is the world an originated thing (ḥādith)?
(A) The succession of forms and the impossibility of their simultaneous existence
The world has successive forms, one after another. By succession, we mean that at each moment, the world is in a certain form, and whenever a change occurs in this world, its form changes with the previous form ceasing to exist and the new form coming into being. For example, when day breaks, the form of the world changes due to the Earth's position relative to the Sun, as it revolves. Similarly, any minor change in the world results in a change in its form.
This is self-evident because the form refers to the arrangement of matter. Every time there is a change in this world, it represents a reordering of matter, which in turn alters the form it takes. Thus, the form of the world changes. [3]
(B) The necessity of the previous forms’ annihilation for the current form
If we assume that the matter of the world was in form (A) and then transitioned to form (B), in order for the world to take the second form (B), the previous form (A) must cease to exist and be annihilated.
If form (A) does not perish and come to an end, the world cannot take form (B). This is clear and self-evident.
Thus, it is impossible for both night and day to coexist in the same location at the same time in the world. For example, if the Arabian Gulf is facing the Sun, the American continent must, without a doubt, be on the opposite side of the Sun. Let us call this form (A). If the Earth rotates 180 degrees, the configuration will change in the opposite direction, and the American continent will face the Sun while the Gulf will be on the opposite side. Let us call this form (B). Notice that it is impossible for both the Gulf and the American continent to face the Sun simultaneously. The previous form (A) must end for the new form (B) to come into existence.
Naturally, the same reasoning applies to form (A) itself, which can only exist after the previous form has ended. This cycle continues with each successive form.
Conclusion: In order for the world to take a specific form, such as the one it has now, all the previous forms must expire.
(C) Are the previous forms finite?
Are the previous forms the world underwent before the current form, for example, the form in this very second, numbered, limited, and do they have an initial form when they began? Or are the forms before this moment infinite and without a beginning?
If we say that the previous forms are unlimited and infinite, then the world would be eternal and without a beginning, as there would be no starting point for the successive forms of the world. However, if we say that the forms are limited, then we would conclude that the world is created, with a beginning (refer to Diagram 1).
The answer to this can be clarified by the following question: If we assume that something is unlimited in number, for example, I have unlimited funds, can my money ever run out? The answer is no, because the unlimited, by definition, is something that has no end. If you assume that it ends at a certain point, it would no longer be “unlimited”. Ponder well over this.
Returning to the question at the start of this point, are the previous forms before the current form of the universe limited or infinite?
The Answer:
● It was previously stated in point (B) that all previous images of the world must cease for us to reach our current image; otherwise, we would not have arrived at these current images.
● We just mentioned that the cessation of the infinite is impossible. So, if we say that the previous images are infinite, they could not end and reach the current image, as it is impossible for them to cease. Therefore, the previous images cannot be infinite.
Conclusion: We must conclude that the images before the current image are limited, and this proves that the universe is originated.
Summary of the answer:
The universe—which is everything other than the Creator—is composed of matter and form. These forms through which the world takes shape are successive, and no two forms can coexist at the same time. Furthermore, in order for the universe to take on its current form, all previous forms must cease; otherwise, we would not have arrived at the current form. These previous forms cannot be infinite, because the infinite cannot cease or come to an end, and if it were, the current form would not exist. Therefore, it is established that the previous forms are finite, and thus it is proven that “the world is originated.”
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[1] Note: This meaning differs from the concept of matter and form in the field of philosophy.
[2] In fact, the matter is even more intricate. It has been stated that a single atom is composed of protons, neutrons, and electrons. Can an atom exist without a specific form and precise arrangement among these particles? Certainly not. The neutrons and protons reside in the nucleus, not outside it, and the electrons revolve around the nucleus in a specific and precise arrangement. Reflect on this.
[3] Another form of change might be proposed, which is the change of matter in terms of existence and non-existence. While this is inherently possible, it is not relevant to the core of the inquiry and does not affect the answer to the question.
