Avicenna’s critique of theologians’ view of hudûth

This article aims to discuss Avicenna’s critique of theologians’ (mutakallimūn) view of hudûth (origination). It first describes theologians’ theory of origination, emphasizing its aspects that his criticism targeted. These aspects include the concept of temporal origination, which forms the basis of the argument for God’s existence, God’s eternity as its most important attribute, and the efforts to solve the problem of attributes in such a way as not to nullify the idea of the ‘originated universe’. Avicenna’s critique of theologians’ view of origination can be summed up in four points. First, the idea of the universe as originated does not entail logical imperative and thus need to be rejected, because it implies a conception of time based on the problem of infinite regress. Second, the idea of the originated universe by itself does not necessarily lead to the idea of an originator. Third, it is impossible to think of the originator’s subsequent intervention into the universe within the framework of the idea of the universe as originated. Finally, the idea of origination makes God dysfunctional by deferring His creation. 

Creation ex nihilo. ,

Relationship between theology and philosophy ,

Hudûth ,

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