المعنى الاصطلاحي

The existence of something being contingent upon its own existence; either with or without a means.

الشرح المختصر

"Dawr" (circular cause) means that the existence of something is dependent upon itself, whether through a means, which is called "dawr mudmar" (unapparent circular cause): such as Zayd's existence being dependent upon the existence of Bakr, and Bakr's existence being dependent upon the existence of Sālim, and Sālim's existence being dependent upon the existence of Zayd. Or it could be without a means, which is called "dawr musarrah" (apparent circular cause): such as the existence of Zayd being dependent upon the existence of Bakr, and the existence of Bakr being dependent upon the existence of Zayd. A circular cause or "Dawr" can be of two categories: 1. "Dawr qablī" (precedent circular cause): such as when someone says: “This thing will not exist, except after the existence of another thing, and that latter thing will not exist, except after the existence of the first.” And this is impossible as agreed by all reasonable people, due to the impossibility of something preceding itself. 2. "Dawr muqārin" (conjunctive circular cause): such as when someone says: “This cannot exist without that; not before it nor after it.” This is possible, such as when it is said that fatherhood does not occur unless there is a filiation.

التعريف اللغوي المختصر

"Dawr": circularity or circling around something. It is used to mean something returning and going back to the way it was.

التعريف

That a thing depends on whatever it is made to depend upon. It is of two types: 1) an initial, precedential turn, as when we say: ‘this cannot happen except after that, while that occurs only after this’. This is not possible. 2) An associative, interdependent turn, as when we say: ‘this occurs together with that, neither before nor after it’. This is possible.