Divine Nature

Abstract

This chapter examines fundamental questions about the nature of God and His attributes. In the first section, the question of time is explored and a contemporary articulation of divine timelessness given. The second section looks at necessity, arguing in particular for the relevance of a distinction between logical and metaphysical necessity. The final section assesses an important shift in the conceptualisation of the divine nature between al-Māturīdī and later members of his tradition. This is followed by a contemporary approach to the divine nature that treats God’s attributes as substantive properties.