Another Argument for the Eternity of the World

A perfect cause علت تامه is one, which when its existence وجود is realized, it simultaneously also realizes the existence of its effect معلول, without any delay or interval between the realization of the existence of the said perfect cause and the realization of the existence of its effect; in other words, a perfect cause is one that is sufficient in itself for the emanation صدور of its act فعل or effect, without needing the addition to its essence ذات, of any further attribute or part جزء; conversely speaking, a cause is said to be imperfect علت ناقصه if by its existence, it fails to realize the existence of its effect; to elaborate further, any delay or interval between the realization of the existence of a cause and the realization of the existence of its effect, implies that the said cause is not sufficient in its essence for the emanation of its act or effect; and is therefore dependent محتاج upon some factor extraneous to its essence, in combination with which it could perform the act of emanation; obviously, a cause that is sufficient and therefore not in need of anything extraneous to its own reality حقیقه for producing its effect, is nobler than the one that is incapable of bringing its effect into existence on its own, and is therefore dependent upon an extraneous factor over and above its own reality for emanating its effect.

Now if the world is originated حادث, having come into existence from a previous non-existence, so its perfect cause cannot be eternal قدیم; this is because the existence of a perfect cause realizes the existence of its effect simultaneous to the realization of its own existence, without any delay; and since the Divine Essence is eternal, therefore it cannot be the perfect cause of an originated world; therefore if the effect is originated or temporal, so its perfect cause must also be something originated; but since everything originated is contingent in essence and hence dependent upon a cause for its existence; the perfect cause of an originated world by reason of being originated itself, must also be dependent upon a cause; now the perfect cause of the perfect cause of an originated world, cannot be something eternal, such as the Divine Essence; otherwise its effect, namely the perfect cause of the world would also be eternal, and consequently the world would not be originated but eternal itself; but since an infinite regress and circular causation are both impossible, therefore this causal series must ultimately end at a perfect cause that is eternal; now the ultimate perfect cause of the world cannot be something other than the Necessary Being واجب بالذات, otherwise we would have a plurality کثرت of necessary beings, which is impossible. 

Therefore, the ultimate and immediate perfect cause of the world cannot but be an eternal being; I say 'immediate' because 'the world' as used here implies the realm of contingency in its entirety, which includes the first and Immediate effect of the First Cause علت اول as well.