Necessary Existence
Necessary existence, in philosophy, refers to the idea that something exists in such a way that its non-existence is impossible. It’s the opposite of contingent existence, where something’s existence depends on other factors and could have been otherwise. A being with necessary existence is not dependent on anything else for its existence and could not have failed to exist.
- Contingent vs. Necessary: Contingent existence means something’s existence is dependent on other things or factors. For example, a chair exists because it was made by someone, and that person could have chosen not to make it. Necessary existence, on the other hand, means something exists by its very nature, and its non-existence is impossible.
- Impossibility of Non-Existence: A key aspect of necessary existence is that it’s impossible for the entity to not exist. Its non-existence is inconceivable or logically impossible.
- Potential Applications: The concept of necessary existence is often discussed in the context of God or a first cause, with some arguing that a necessary being is required to explain the existence of everything else. Some philosophical arguments, like the Ontological Argument, attempt to prove God’s existence by arguing that God, as a perfect being, must necessarily exist, according to Britannica.
- Not Necessarily Physical: It’s important to note that necessary existence isn’t limited to physical things. According to philosophy discussions on Reddit, a necessary being could be abstract or non-physical, as physical things are seen as contingent and potentially non-existent.
- Relationship to Other Concepts: Necessary existence is closely related to concepts like perfection, uncaused cause, and self-subsistence. It also relates to modal logic, which deals with possibility and necessity.
The Argument for a Necessary Existence (Wujūd Wājib / واجب الوجود)
A necessary existence is something that must exist and cannot not exist. This is a foundational concept in Islamic theology and classical philosophy. Let’s build the argument step by step.
Step 1: Things Around Us Are Contingent
Everything in the universe—stars, planets, people, atoms—is contingent. This means:
- It could have not existed—there was a time when it didn’t exist.
- It depends on something else for its existence (cause and effect).
For example:
- You exist because of your parents.
- A tree exists because of a seed, soil, and sunlight.
- A planet exists because of gravity and cosmic forces.
✅ Contingent things require explanations for their existence.
Step 2: The Chain of Contingency Cannot Go On Forever
Imagine every existing thing depends on something else. If this chain goes back infinitely, then nothing would exist today.
🔴 Example: A lamp needs electricity to turn on. If electricity depends on a power station, and that power station depends on fuel, but fuel depends on another cause infinitely… the lamp would never turn on!
🔴 Another Example: Suppose a man wants to borrow a book from a friend. The friend says, “Wait, I need to borrow it from someone else.” If this goes on infinitely, he will never get the book!
✅ For things to exist today, there must be something that doesn’t depend on anything else.
Step 3: There Must Be a Necessary Being
🔴 Definition of a Necessary Being:
- It is not caused by anything else—it exists by itself.
- It cannot not exist—if it were possible for it to not exist, then we’d be stuck in infinite contingency again.
- It is eternal and independent—it is not limited by space, time, or material conditions.
✅ This is what we call God (Allah).
Step 4: The Necessary Being Must Have Certain Qualities
A being that exists by necessity must have certain attributes:
- Self-Existence (Al-Qayyūm) – It exists without depending on anything.
- Eternal (Al-Awwal, Al-Akhir) – Since it has no cause, it has no beginning or end.
- Powerful (Al-Qādir) – It must have power to bring everything else into existence.
- One (Al-Wāhid) – If there were multiple necessary beings, they would limit each other, which contradicts necessity.
- Intelligent & Willful (Al-‘Alīm, Al-Murīd) – Since the universe is ordered and purposeful, the cause must have knowledge and will.
✅ This aligns perfectly with the Islamic understanding of Allah.
Step 5: Refuting Alternative Explanations
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“What if the universe itself is necessary?”
- The universe is changing, aging, and made of contingent things. Something necessary cannot be changing.
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“What if there are multiple necessary beings?”
- Multiple necessary beings would limit each other, meaning they wouldn’t be truly necessary. This contradicts the concept of an all-powerful being.
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“What if we say there is no explanation, things just exist?”
- This is irrational. Every effect needs a cause. Saying “it just is” avoids the question rather than answering it.
Final Conclusion
The only logical explanation for why anything exists at all is the existence of a Necessary Being—One that is self-existent, eternal, all-powerful, and the source of all reality. This is what Islam calls Allah.
“Allah is the First and the Last, the Most High and the Most Near, and He has full knowledge of all things.” (Qur’an 57:3)