Al-Hadid (The Iron): (3) He is the First and the Last...

There are several issues concerning this verse:

Issue 1: The Meaning of "The First and The Last"

It is narrated from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) regarding the interpretation of this verse: (He is the First, before Whom there is nothing, and the Last, after Whom there is nothing.)

Know that this station is one of awe, subtlety, and depth. The discussion concerning it involves several aspects:

The First Aspect: Modes of Precedence (Qabliyyah)

The concept of one thing preceding another is understood in several ways:

1. Precedence by Causation (Ta'thir): We understand that the movement of a finger precedes the movement of a ring, meaning the preceding thing is the effective cause of the subsequent thing.
2. Precedence by Necessity (Ihtiyaj): We understand the necessity of 'One' for 'Two,' even if we know that 'One' is not the cause of 'Two.'
3. Precedence by Honor (Sharaf): Such as the precedence of Abu Bakr over 'Umar.
4. Precedence by Rank (Rutbah): This is either from a sensible origin (like the Imam preceding the follower) or from an intelligible origin (like when the higher genus precedes the lower species; the more remote a species is, the later it is considered).
5. Precedence by Time (Zaman): That which exists in a prior time precedes that which exists in a later time.

These are the five types of precedence apprehended by rational minds.

My View: A Sixth Type of Precedence

I believe there is a sixth category here: the precedence of one part of time over another (e.g., one moment over the next). This precedence is not temporal precedence. If it were temporal, it would imply that time encompasses another time, leading to an infinite regress where every present moment is preceded by another present moment, which is nonsensical. Furthermore, the sum of those present moments is subsequent to the sum of past moments, implying a time encompassing all times. But that encompassing time would itself be part of the sum of times, leading to the contradiction of being both inside and outside that sum.

Therefore, this apparent proof shows that the precedence of one part of time over another is not temporal. It is also not by causation, necessity, honor, or place. Thus, the precedence of one part of time over another is a sixth category distinct from the five mentioned.

Applying Precedence to God (Exalted is He)

The Qur'an indicates that the Almighty is the First of everything other than Himself, and rational proof also confirms this:

1. Everything other than the Necessary Existent (Wajib) is contingent (mumkin).
2. Every contingent thing is created (muhdath).
3. Therefore, everything other than the Necessary Existent is created, and the Necessary Existent is the First of all else.

Proof that everything other than the Wajib is contingent: If there were two entities necessarily existent in themselves, they would share in the essential necessity (al-wajib al-dhati) and be distinguished by their specific determinations. What they share would be different from what distinguishes them, meaning each would be composite. If the parts of the composite were also necessary, the parts would share in necessity and be distinguished by specificity, leading to infinite regress. If the parts were not necessary, the whole would be more deserving of contingency. Thus, everything other than the Wajib is contingent.

Proof that every contingent thing is created: Every contingent thing requires an efficient cause (mu'aththir). This need exists either during existence or during non-existence. If it exists during existence, it must be either for permanence (which is impossible, as it implies bringing what already exists into existence—ihsal al-hasil) or for origination. In either case, the contingent thing must be created (muhdath).

Thus, the Necessary Existent precedes everything else.

Determining the Nature of God's Precedence

We must now determine the kind of precedence God has over all else:

• Not by Causation: The cause, as a cause, is related to the effect as an effect. Both the relation and the related exist together; the cause cannot precede the effect in time.
• Not by Necessity: The needy and the needed can exist simultaneously (e.g., 'One' and 'Two'). We have already established that simultaneous existence here is impossible.
• Not by Honor: This is not what is intended by this precedence; the goal is not merely that He is more honored than the contingent things.
• Not by Place: This is invalid. Even if it were true, the precedence of the created over the created (by location) is an additional factor beyond one being above the other spatially.
• Not by Time: This is invalid because Time itself is contingent and created.
  • First, we proved there can only be one Necessary Existent.
  • Second, the signs of contingency and creation are clearer in time, as all its parts are successive. Anything that exists after non-existence and ceases after existence is certainly contingent and created. Since all parts of time are contingent, and the whole is dependent on its parts, time itself is contingent. Therefore, the precedence of its Creator over all time cannot be temporal. If it were temporal, that encompassing time would have to be both inside the sum of times (as it is a time) and outside it (as it is the container/container's container), which is impossible.
  • Third, the very nature of time implies flow and renewal, which necessitates being preceded by something else. Eternity (azal) contradicts being preceded.

Since God's precedence over all else is not by any of these five modes, it must be a sixth type of precedence unknown to us.

The Limits of Intellect Regarding This Precedence

The intellect has no knowledge of the how of this precedence, because any concept the intellect grasps must be associated with some temporal aspect. Yet, proof has shown that all temporal association is impossible for the Divine Firstness. Therefore, His being the First is known in general terms (ijmal), but the detailed reality and comprehension of that Firstness are beyond the reach of created intellects.

The Second Subtle Point: Eternity and Perpetuity

Eternity (al-Azal) precedes perpetuity (al-Lā Yazāl). Since Eternity is nothing other than the Truth (God), the precedence of Eternity over Perpetuity implies a distinction between them. This distinction requires that Perpetuity has a beginning or end point, but positing such an end point is impossible. For any beginning point you posit for Perpetuity, Perpetuity would have already existed before it (since that supposed beginning point, plus a hundred years, would still fall under the category of Perpetuity, not Eternity). Thus, the meaning of Perpetuity would have existed before it was supposed to exist, which is impossible.

The Third Subtle Point: The Impossibility of Distinction

The distinction between Eternity and Perpetuity requires the cessation (inqidhā’) of the reality of Eternity. But since Eternity has no beginning, its cessation is impossible. If its cessation is impossible, then the reality of Perpetuity cannot follow it. Therefore, the distinction between Eternity and Perpetuity, and vice versa, is impossible. If this distinction is impossible, then precedence and subsequence are impossible.

These are subtle discussions regarding the reality of precedence, Firstness, and Eternity, stemming from the bewilderment of human intellects in the splendor of the essence of Eternity and Firstness. The intellect only knows something when it encompasses it. Whatever the intellect grasps becomes encompassed, and the encompassed is finite, while Eternity lies outside it.

Thus, God is Manifest (Ẓāhir) in that the intellect testifies that contingent things are attributed to a Creator preceding them—His being the First is more evident than anything manifest from this perspective. However, when you seek to know the reality of that Firstness, you fail, because everything your intellect encompasses is finite. Therefore, His Firstness, viewed from this angle, is More Hidden (Abṭan) than anything hidden. This is the discussion of His being the First.

Discussion of His Being the Last

As for His being the Last:

Some scholars argue this is impossible. They claim that for God to be the Last of all else, He must remain after all else has ceased to exist. The cessation of all else requires a subsequent time (bu'diyyah), which implies the existence of Time itself to define that subsequence. Thus, at the moment all else is posited as non-existent, all else must still exist (a contradiction).

This objection rests on the premise that precedence and subsequence can only be established temporally, which we have already refuted. Therefore, this objection is void.

The View of Jahm and Refutations

Those who accepted the possibility of all else ceasing while He remains include Jahm, who asserted that God would eventually annihilate Paradise, its inhabitants, Hell, its inhabitants, the Throne, the Footstool, the dominion, and the spheres, leaving nothing remaining with God, just as He existed in Eternity with nothing else existing.

Jahm's arguments:

1. The verse states He is the Last, which only occurs after the annihilation of everything.
2. God must either know the total number of the actions of the inhabitants of Paradise and Hell, or not know them. If He knows the number, the actions are finite, necessitating an eternal cessation afterward. If He does not know the number, He is ignorant, which is impossible.
3. Future contingent events are subject to increase and decrease, meaning they are finite.

The Response:

1. The possibility of these things continuing eternally is established. If their possibility were to cease, it would imply that an entity contingent by nature becomes necessarily impossible, or that God's power changes from enabling action to being unable to act, which is impossible. Thus, the possibility of their continuation must remain eternally.
2. Regarding knowledge: He knows that they have no specific number. Ignorance is knowing a specific number and not knowing it. Knowing that something has no specific number is knowledge, not ignorance.
3. What proceeds from Him into existence is never finite.

When the theologians affirmed the possibility of the world continuing eternally, they relied on the consensus of Muslims and the apparent meanings of the verses regarding the eternal existence of Paradise and Hell.

Views of the Majority of Muslims (Affirming Eternal Paradise and Hell)

The majority differed on the meaning of Him being the Last:

1. He annihilates all contingent things, thus establishing His Lastness, and then recreates them to remain eternally.
2. The only entity rationally capable of being the Last of all things is He alone. Since the possibility of being the Last is exclusive to Him, He is described as such.
3. Existence originates from Him and descends until it reaches the final existent, which is caused by Him but causes nothing further. At this point, He is the First. Then, existence ascends degree by degree from that final existent back up to Him. Thus, He is the First in the descent of existence and the Last in the ascent back to Him.
4. He causes creation to die and remains after them, thus being the Last in this sense.
5. He is the First in existence and the Last in demonstration (istidlāl), as the purpose of all demonstrations is to know the Creator. Other demonstrations lacking this purpose are base and insignificant.

Discussion of His Being Manifest (Ẓāhir) and Hidden (Bāṭin)

Manifest: He is Manifest according to existence. You see nothing among the contingent beings except that it is a sign (dalīl) of His existence, establishment, reality, and freedom from change, as previously established.

Hidden: This is understood in several ways:

First Way: The perfection of His Manifestness causes His Hiddenness. If the sun remained perpetually in the sky, we might not realize that the light is caused by it, perhaps thinking things are inherently luminous. But because the sun sets, and when it sets, the lights vanish, we know the light comes from the sun. Similarly, if God's existence could be cut off from contingent things, it would become clear that their existence stems from Him. But because His bounty is continuous and perfect, this continuity causes doubt, leading some to think the light of existence is inherent to things themselves. Thus, this veiling occurs due to the perfection and continuity of His existence. He is hidden from intellects due to the intensity of His manifestation and veiled by the perfection of His light.

Second Way: His essence is utterly incomprehensible to humans. Humans can only conceive the essence of a thing if they perceive it internally (like pain or pleasure) or externally through the senses (like colors or tastes). That which is not perceived in either way cannot have its essence conceived. His specific, glorious Essence is not like this, so it is not conceivable by humans. Furthermore, what is known of Him is either His existence, His negations (He is not a body or substance), or His relations (He is the one who does such-and-such). His specific reality is different from these attributes and thus incomprehensible. Even the most apparent aspect of Him—being the Creator and Preceder of creation—has already shown the intellect's confusion in grasping that Firstness.

It is established that He is the First, the Last, the Manifest, and the Hidden. I heard my father (may God have mercy on him) say that when this verse was revealed, the polytheists turned toward the Ka'bah and prostrated.

Issue 2: Proof of Divine Unity (Tawhid)

Many scholars use the phrase {He is the First} to prove that God is One. They argue that "The First" implies singularity (fardiyyah) and precedence. If someone said, "My first slave purchased is free," and then bought two slaves, neither would be freed because the condition of being the first (singular) was not met. If he then bought one more slave, he would still not be freed because the condition of precedence was not met. Thus, the condition for being "The First" is being singular, proving that the Creator of the universe is singular (One).

Issue 3: Interpretations of the Attributes

Most commentators state:

• He is the First because He precedes everything.
• He is the Last because He remains after everything.
• He is Manifest through the proofs (dalā'il).
• He is Hidden from the senses and veiled from sight.

When groups were unable to answer Jahm (regarding the annihilation of the world), they interpreted these terms metaphorically, saying that "So-and-so is the first, last, manifest, and hidden of this matter" means that the matter revolves around him and is completed by him.

However, since the verse can be interpreted in the literal ways we mentioned (which refutes Jahm's argument), there is no need to resort to this metaphorical interpretation.

Interpretation of Manifest and Hidden:

• Manifest (Ẓāhir): He is the dominant, supreme one over everything. This is supported by: {Then the disbelievers became manifest/victorious} (Al-Ṣaff: 14), meaning dominant/supreme. Also, {that they may overcome them} (Al-Zukhruf: 33). This aligns with the Hadith: "You are the Manifest, so nothing is above You."
• Hidden (Bāṭin): Al-Zajjāj said it means He is the Knower of what is hidden, like saying, "So-and-so thinks about so-and-so's affairs," meaning he knows their inner states. Al-Layth said, "You are more abṭan (hidden/knowing the hidden) about this matter than so-and-so," meaning you know its inner reality.

I have reservations about this interpretation (that Hidden means Knower of the hidden), because it would make the subsequent phrase {And He is Knower of all things} redundant. However, under the first interpretation (Hidden by His overwhelming presence), it fits well: "No one encompasses Him or reaches His secrets, yet nothing of the states of others is hidden from Him." This is analogous to: {You know what is within my soul, but I do not know what is within Yours} (Al-Mā'idah: 116).

Verse 4: {It is He Who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then established Himself upon the Throne. He knows what penetrates the earth and what emerges from it, what descends from the sky and what ascends to it. And He is with you wherever you are. And Allah, of what you do, is Seeing.}

(The text transitions here to the next verse, which is the subject of the following section of the Tafsir.)