Article appeared Friday, August 18th, 2017 in The News Today, Bangladesh

The Revelation (489) yousuf mahbubul Islam, PhD

Is time a created entity? There is a lot of debate {1} regarding the definition of time. Regardless
of the definition, however, is important to think about time and how it affects us? An important
consideration could be the fact that with the passage of each 24-hour day, each of us has one
less day to live in the life that we are living or enjoying. Another consideration is that if time is
created, it helps us to understand an important attribute of God. Let us first look at the view of
philosophers contrasted with that of the recent world religions.
In contrast to ancient Greek philosophers who believed that the universe had an infinite
past with no beginning, medieval philosophers and theologians developed the concept of
the universe having a finite past with a beginning. This view is shared by the Abrahamic
faiths as they believe time started by creation, therefore the only thing being infinite is
God and everything else, including time, is finite. {1}

Contemporary science however concedes that the universe had a beginning, just as the faiths
that have descended from Prophet Abraham (pbuh) believe. The Big Bang Theory calculations
{2, 3} put the beginning of the universe at 13.7 billion years. This was when the creation we
observe started including light and time. Logically, the concept of a powerful and highly
intelligent agency must be considered an agency that caused the creation of light, time and all
the particles that form the components of the universe. The code or word that we use to
describe or refer to this agency is God or Allah {4, 5} in Arabic. Does the fact that time is a
created entity help understand an attribute of God, i.e., that His existence is independent of
time? Described in relation to time, it may be said that He has no beginning nor ending. Chapter
112 of the Holy Quran states,
Say, He is Allah the One and Only; Allah, the Eternal Absolute; He neither begets nor
is born; nor is there to Him any equivalent. [112.1 112.4]

Can the concept of eternity be better understood if we remove the concept of time in relation to
God? In other words, can we say that God is timeless? If so, the logical question that this article
would like to ask is Would an Eternal Being put in all the effort to make unique human beings
for only a limited number of years?

The only creation that can ask such questions thereby acknowledging the attributes or qualities
of God are human beings the only beings to recognize God would be humans. Therefore,
could then recognition be a logical reason for creating humans? Would then God want
recognition only for a few years while on earth, i.e., till our individual death? What about
recognition through eternity? How would those who acknowledge Him with suitable decorum
and piety recognize Him after their death on earth?

An answer to this question would be that He has put us on earth only to separate those who
turn to Him in piety from those who approach Him only to fulfill their selfish needs. After death
there would be a process of resurrection and separation those who have loved Him for His
sake and those who have approached Him only as one of the powers to fulfill their personal
needs. Can we find confirmation for this hypothesis in Holy Scriptures? The following Verse
from the Holy Quran confirms the hypothesis and provides us the reason.
In order that Allah may separate the impure from the pure, put the impure heaped one
on another together and cast them into Hell. They will be the ones to have lost. [8.37]

Who are the pure and who are the impure? The following Verse explains the difference for those
who think about the ultimate punishment of Hell.
What can Allah gain by your punishment if you are grateful and you believe? Nay, it is
indeed Allah who recognizes (all good) and knows all things. [4.147]

So, what will happen to those who are grateful and acknowledge the Source of all Good?
Such is the Garden which We give as an inheritance to those of Our Servants who
guard against evil. [19.63]
Ingratitude and mixing belief with other powers (all of which have been created from nothing) is
evil. The angels also confirm their duties and the absolute Ownership of God.

19.64 (The angels say:) "We descend not but by command of your Lord: to Him
belongs what is before us and what is behind us and what is between: and your
Lord never forgets."
God therefore asks us in the Holy Quran,

19.65 "Lord of the heavens and of the earth and of all that is between them: so
worship Him and be constant and patient in His worship: do you know of any who
is worthy of the same Name as He?"
Is there any other being that has these qualities whom we can address as God or Allah?
However, Allah says that there are those who do not believe that they will be resurrected to face
trial regarding their attitude towards Him.

19.66 Man says: "What! When I am dead shall I then be raised up alive?"

19.67 But does not man call to mind that We created him before out of nothing?
Allah asks would resurrection be difficult for One who created us from nothing?

19.68 So by your Lord without doubt We shall gather them together and (also)
the Evil Ones (with them); then shall We bring them on their knees round about
Hell;
Can the punishment of Hell be anything other than eternal? The impure includes those who
have introduced impurities into the basic concepts of believe and gratitude.

19.69 Then shall We certainly drag out from every sect all those who were worst
in obstinate rebellion against (Allah) Most Gracious.

19.70 And certainly We know best those who are most worthy of being burned
therein.

19.71 Not one of you but will pass over it: this is with your Lord a Decree which
must be accomplished.
On the Day of Trial after death, all humans will get to understand the torment of Hell, however,
the pure, i.e., those who have believed with conviction, after having logically convinced
themselves, and turned to God with humility and gratitude will be saved.

19.72 But We shall save those who guarded against evil and We shall leave the
wrongdoers therein (humbled) to their knees.

19.73 When Our Clear Signs are rehearsed to them the Unbelievers say to those
who believe "Which of the two sides is best in point of position? Which makes
the best show in council?"
The impure believe they are better off because of the wealth and status given by God little
realizing that power, wealth and children are only a test by the Most Merciful and Loving God.
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{Notes}:
{1} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Time#Time_in_Kabbalah
{2} http://www.nationalgeographic.com/science/space/universe/origins-of-the-universe/
{3} https://www.space.com/25126-big-bang-theory.html
{4} https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ilah
{5} http://www.proz.com/kudoz/arabic_to_english/religion/112612-al_llah.html