The meaning of this is that, regarding His wujūd (existence), nothing existed before Him. Knowledge has shown that it is impossible for anything to precede the wujūd of the Real (al-Ḥaqq), and thus we have come to know this.
Again, just as with other attributes that exist in us, we have come to know that awwaliyya (primordiality) is also a ḥaqīqa (inner reality) present within us. We also know negation (nafy). For some things, though they exist, cease to exist. This becomes clear to us through the transition of these things from state to state, from place to place, from one perspective to another.
We have thus understood the reality of both negation and awwaliyya. Then we applied negation to awwaliyya and described the Real (al-Ḥaqq) by it (i.e., we said that the Real has no awwaliyya). Awwaliyya is a negative (salbī) attribute. A thing is known by its like and its opposite. (Tadbīrāt, 208)
Awwaliyya comprises all divine names attributed to angelic or spiritual beings. (Kāshānī, 31)
azal/azaliyya–abad/abadiyya Whoever wishes to speak of azal (pre-eternity) needs a lamp of azal.
Azaliyya is, in reality, nothing other than abadiyya (eternity). There is no difference between them. Priority is posteriority, and posteriority is priority. Manifestness (ẓāhir) and hiddenness (bāṭin) are likewise; they are the same thing. (Lumaʿ, 58)
Azal means qidam (pre-eternity), because this name can be given to others besides the Creator (Allah) Most High. For example, it is said, "One thing is more ancient (qadīm) than another." However, azal and azaliyya belong solely to Allah, and none other can be called by the name azal. Azal, Al