Finding that the Necessary Existent is neither a substance (jauhar) nor an accident (‘araḍ)

A substance is that whose essence (ḥaqīqa) does not exist in a subject when the substance exists. Furthermore, it is that which can be realized only in a subject matter (mauḍu‘). From this point of view, there is no doubt that a body (jism) is a substance, though one can doubt the actual existence of that body which is a substance until one knows whether or not it is in a subject. Hence, substance is that which has an essence, such as materiality (jismī), spirituality (nafsī), humanity (insānī), and horseness (farasī). ¹ The condition of such an essence specifies that one does not know whether or not it has existence until its existence is realized in a subject. Whatever is of such a nature possesses an essence other than existence. Consequently, whatever has no essence other than existence is not a substance.