Al-ghazali’s Argument For the Eternity of the World and the Problem of Divine Immutability and Timelessness

Conclusion

Al-Ghazali’skalam cosmological defense for the world’s finite existence proved a challenge for Islamic philosophy, one that even Ibn Rushd was unable to put to rest. In the history of the cosmological argument in Islam, al-Ghazali’s presentation demonstrates a high point. Fakhry concludes that

Al-Ghazali’s major contribution to the discussion of the problem was twofold. In the first place, he brought out in a very forcible way the radical opposition between the teaching of Islam and the Aristotelian conception of the universe developing itself eternally and everlasting; and in the second place, he gave added point to the arguments already advanced by the Mutakallims, by amplifying and perfecting them.[^95]

Nevertheless, this paper has shown that al-Ghazali did not effectively answer the charge of divine immutability. That, in fact, his solution of asserting the timelessness or atemporality of God only served to make the charge more severe.

As a possible solution, this paper suggests that al-Ghazali needed not to deny divine mutability or divine temporality. That, in fact, if he promoted similar positions to the ones outlined above, his argument of the temporal finiteness of the universe would have laid on a more solid foundation.

To say this, however, is not to deny al-Ghazali’s powerful impact  on Western philosophy. As Rahman comments

He was thus destined to prove the first and greatest reformer of Sufism, for which at the same time he secured a place in the structure of Islamic orthodoxy. And, what is even more important, he brought the formal, dogmatic formulation of the orthodoxkalam into contact with the living religion, thereby revitalizing them and infusing into them the original spirit of Revelation. He thus dealt a powerful blow to pure scholasticism, softened the dogmatic character of the creed and established a vital nerve between the inner and the exterior aspects of religion.[^96]

Al-Ghazali, therefore, is highly commended for his ingenious foray into philosophical arguments in favor of the existence of a finite universe that responds to the actsof a sovereign God.