What does "Time is not in question for Allah" mean?

- They say Allah is free of time. In what period of TIME did Allah send down revelation?
- Is it not necessary for Allah to determine the time when He sends down revelation even if time is not in question for Him?
- Does He not become subject to time in that case? Does the concept of time not occur for Him?

Dear Brother / Sister,

What is meant by the statement “Allah is free of time” is as follows: Allah’s existence is not dependent on a certain place or on a certain period of time. There was no time or place when Allah existed. Therefore, it is not possible to associate a direction or any period of time to Allah.

However, since Allah is pre-eternal and post-eternal, it is necessary to consider that statement in terms of not only His pre-eternity but also His post-eternity. Accordingly, the statement “Allah is free of time” declares that He is a being outside and beyond all periods of time in pre-eternity and post-eternity.

Therefore, the fact that the revelations Allah sent in time and the beings He created are dependent on time does not show that He is dependent on time. The bindingness of time is in question for the beings that enter the tunnel of time.   

“They ask thee concerning the New Moons. Say: They are but signs to mark fixed periods of time in (the affairs of) men, and for Pilgrimage.” (al-Baqara, 2/189)

As a matter of fact, it is stated in the verse above that the moon’s movement through various places serves to determine certain periods of time for people.

Everything exists in the knowledge of Allah before they are created. Besides, QADAR means the plan and program of everything that Allah’s infinite knowledge encompasses.

It exists in the pre-eternal knowledge in what period of time heavens, the earth and revelations are to occur. It also exists in divine knowledge what time is, when it is to be created, what its course will be in various sets of beings, for instance, the amount of time necessary for the world to rotate around the sun, the amount of time occurring in other galaxies, etc. before the creation of time.

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