In the Ash’ari and Maturidi school the terms atoms (al-jawahir), accidents (‘arad), and body (jism) are used quite frequently as they are integral to understanding the physical universe and the nature of Divine Power. These terms emerged as a response to schools like the Mu’tazila.
Atoms (al-Jawahir): the smallest indivisible particle in the physical universe. These atoms are the smallest possible units of matter, serving as the basic building blocks of the material world.
Atoms are created by Allah ex nihilo (from nothing). They do not exist inherently or independently. They exist only because Allah continually wills them to exist. Thus, their existence is not permanent or necessary but contingent on God’s ongoing creative act.
Accidents (‘Arad): a quality or attribute that is not necessary for the being it is attributed to, such that, if this quality ceases to exist, it is not necessary for the being attributed with it to cease to exist. These are qualities or attributes that adhere to atoms such as color, motion, rest, or temperature. They define the properties and conditions of the material world at any given moment.
Accidents are temporal and momentary. They are inherently transient and exist for only an instant before they are recreated by Allah. This method accounts for change and diversity in the world while upholding Allah’s direct involvement in these processes.
For example: the galloping of a horse, which is an accident that subsists within the horse. The galloping is an accident, because it is a quality that the horse is attributed with, even though it is not necessary for the horse to be attributed with said quality. After all, if the galloping ceases for the horse, it is not necessary for the horse to cease to exist.
Body (Jism): a being with dimensions (a height, width, or depth) stretched out in space. For example: stars, planets, mountains, trees, animals.
A body is a composite entity made up of numerous atoms. It is the arrangement of atoms in specific configurations that constitutes the observable physical entities or bodies we interact with.
A body is actualized by accidents. While a body is composed of atoms, its particular characteristics and behavior at any given time are determined by the accidents that Allah bestows upon it. This makes bodies reliant both on their atomic structure and the accidents they embody.
Bodies are contingent just like atoms and accidents. They do not possess intrinsic or independent existence. Their continued existence and composition depend entirely on the ongoing creative powers of God.
A core tenet of Ash’ari theology is emphasizing God’s immediate and continuous control over the universe. The creation of both atoms and accidents is a direct result of God’s will, highlighting His absolute omnipotence.
This framework challenges the idea of intrinsic or natural causality. Causation is not inherent in the material substances themselves but is entirely dependent on God’s will. Thus, when a fire burns, it is not the fire itself causing the burning, but God who creates the burning when fire and a combustible material come together.
By conceptualizing bodies as composites of atoms and temporary accidents, Sunni theology affirms that all material existence is contingent and relies on Allah’s continuous act of creation and sustenance.
This framework removes the notion of intrinsic causality within bodies themselves. Any interaction or effect observed comes from God’s direct imposition of accidents upon the atoms making up those bodies.
The concept of bodies as composites rooted in atoms shaped by accidents underscores the belief in God’s omnipotence and immediacy, as He is directly responsible for sustaining the physical forms and characteristics of all entities at every moment.
Next Steps
- Add the concepts of substance, accidents, body from the Introductory chapter of ‘An Introduction to Islamic Theology - Imam Nur Al-Din al-Sabuni’s Al-Bidayah fi usul al-din’. Note that Fiqh al-Akbar discusses these concepts as well, but it also mentions to review the Sharh al-Aqa’id al-Nasafiyya of Taftazani for more details on this topic.