Understanding of time and temporality in Kalam

Abstract

The paper examines the understanding of the essence of time and temporality in the Ash'arite and Mu'tazilite schools of Kalam. Referring to the theories of time laboreted by the most prominent Muttakallimun, the author concludes that Arabic philosophy of time is unique and irreducible to the ancient heritage. Consequentially analyzing the various concepts of greatest thinkers of the Muslim East, the author traces their genesis and evolution, as well as their interrelation, which affords him to speak about the undoubted succession of Kalam traditions. Besides that, it is shown how the pre-Peripatetic, classic Kalam bases its understanding of time on the concepts of process and action, whereas the later Ash'arites, who have experienced a significant impact of Arabic peripatetism, prefer to talk about unknowability of time or its substantiality. Unprecedented for both Eastern and Western traditions of philosophizing is the concept represented by Fahruddin al-Razi who introduces time in his emanational scheme and gives it a special ontological status. Particular attention is paid to the problem of discrete time in Kalam and the interrelation between the “lasting”, or “historical time” (zaman-time), and the “now-time” (waqt-time) as it appears from the standpoint of the most prominent Ash'arite thinkers.