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Chapter 9: Sighting Of Allah

The School of the Caliphs has discussed the sighting of Allah in three ways, they are:

  1. Allah seen by our Prophet (S) during his lifetime;
  2. Allah seen by the believers on the Day of Judgement, before they enter the Paradise;
  3. Allah seen by the believers during their stay in the Paradise.

Ibn Khuzaimah in his Tawhid reports from Ibn Abbas, Abu Dhar and Anas traditions supporting the belief that our Prophet (S) saw Allah. For example, from Ibn Abbas he reports that Allah blessed Prophet Ibrahim (‘a) by taking him as a friend, Prophet Musa (‘a) by speaking to him, and Prophet Muhammad (S) by showing Himself to him. In most of such traditions, Ikramah, the freed slave of Ibn Abbas, has been mentioned. Ikramah is well-known for attributing false traditions to Ibn Abbas.On the other hand, we know that Ibn Abbas was among the closest Companions and students of Imam Ali bin Abi Talib (‘a). It is unthinkable that Ibn Abbas would state anything which went against the teachings of Ahl ul-Bayt (‘a). The fact is that Ibn Khuzaimah has been under the influence of Ka‘b al-Ahbar whom he quotes as follows:“Allah has divided His two special blessings between Musa and Muhammad - the gift of direct communication and the gift of seeing Allah. So, Muhammad (S) saw Him twice, and Musa spoke with Him twice.”1It must be mentioned that certain scholars and Companions opposed to the School of Ahl ul-Bayt (‘a) have vehemently refused to believe that our Prophet (S) ever saw Allah. Among them is Ayesha, the Prophet’s wife. But Ibn Khuzaimah insists on the veracity of the tradition from Ka‘b al-Ahbar and refutes Ayesha.In the following lengthy tradition from Abu Huraira, quoted by Bukhari, Muslim, Abu Dawood, Ibn Majah, Tirmidhi, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Suyuti, we come across a strange drama which is supposed to unfold itself on the Day of Judgement.Abu Huraira says:“Some people said: ‘O Messenger of Allah! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Judgement?’The Prophet (S) answered: ‘Do you doubt seeing the sun on a clear day?’They said: ‘Not at all, O Prophet!’The Prophet (S) said: ‘Do you doubt seeing the full moon on a clear night?’They said: ‘Not at all, O Prophet!’The Prophet (S) said: ‘So shall you see Him on the Day of Judgement! Allah will gather all the people and then announce: ‘Everyone to follow the deity he or she worshipped.’ Some will follow the sun, and other the moon, a few will go behind the devils. Then the people of my Ummah, together with the hypocrites will remain steadfast. Allah will then show Himself, with a face which will be strange to them, and say: ‘Here I am, your Lord!’They will exclaim: ‘We seek refuge with our Lord from you. We will stay here till our Lord comes. And when He comes, we will recognize Him.’Then Allah will turn up with the familiar countenance and say: ‘Here I am, your Lord!’They will say: ‘Yes, You are our Lord, indeed.’Then they will follow Him, and Allah will put in place the bridge over the Hell.”Then Abu Huraira proceeded further to give details about the Hellfire, and to explain how the believers will be finally saved from chastisement. Then he says:“A man will be left behind with his face towards the raging fire. He will say: ‘O Lord! The bad odour of Hell has poisoned me, and its flames have scorched me. Turn my face away from the Hell.’He will repeat his entreaty several times, till Allah will say: ‘If I grant your desire, will you ask for more?’The man will say: ‘By Your Honour, I will not beseech anymore.’Allah will turn his face away from the Hellfire. Immediately, the man will say: ‘O Lord, take me near the gates of heaven.’Allah will say: ‘Did you not promise that you would not ask for anything else? Woe to you, O son of Adam! You are deceitful.’But the man will persist. So Allah will say: ‘Will you ask for anything else, if I granted you that?’The man will say: ‘No, by Your Honour, I will not.’And he will make a solemn pledge; and Allah will take him to the gates of Paradise. When he will see the blessings abound in the Paradise, he will maintain silence and stand in awe for a while, and then entreat: ‘O Lord, allow me to enter into the heavens.’Allah will say: ‘Did you not pledge to seek nothing more? Woe to you O son of Adam! You indeed are deceitful.’ But the man will persistently pray and beseech till Allah will laugh - and the laughter will imply His permission. When the man will finally step into the heaven, he will be granted all his desires, till there will be nothing to desire.Then Allah will say: ‘All this, and twice over is for you’.”Abu Huraira added:“That man will be the last one to enter the Paradise.”This is an example from the authentic sources of the School of the Caliphs. Now let us examine what the Ahl ul-Bayt (‘a) have said.

Allah Can Not Be Seen

The Imams of Ahl ul-Bayt (‘a) have consistently taught us that the question of visibility and sighting does not apply to Allah. He will not be seen on the Day of Judgement, and He cannot be seen here on the earth either.

  1. Imam Ja‘far Al-Sadiq (‘a) narrates that:

“One of the learned men from the People of the Books came to Imam Ali (‘a) and asked: ‘O Ali, have you ever seen your Lord during your worship?’”Imam Ali (‘a) replied: ‘I have never worshipped the One I have not seen!’The learned man asked: ‘And how did you see Him?’Imam Ali (‘a) replied: ‘Remember, the physical eye cannot grasp Him. It is the heart which sees Him with true faith’.”2

  1. Safwan bin Yahya says that Abu Qurrah, one of the narrators of the School of the Caliphs, sought permission to see Imam Ridha (‘a). After being admitted to Imam’s presence, he submitted several questions related to Islamic jurisprudence. Then he said: “We have a tradition which says that Allah divided His blessings between Musa (‘a) and Muhammad (S). With the former He spoke, and to the latter, He showed Himself.”

Upon hearing this Imam Ridha (‘a) said:“If that was so, then who relayed the following messages from Allah:

  • “No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision.” (Surah al-Anaam, 6:103).
  • “And they shall not compass Him with their knowledge.” (Surah Taha, 20:110).
  • “There is nothing whatever like unto Him.” (Surah Ash-Shura, 42:11).

Was it not Muhammad (S) who relayed the divine message?”Abu Qurrah said:“Yes, indeed, it was Muhammad (S) who conveyed.”Imam Ridha (‘a) said:“How can one who has taught mankind that Allah cannot be seen, encompassed, likened or compared, suddenly turn back and say: ‘I have seen Him, grasped Him, and that He has a human resemblance?’ Do you feel no shame or scruple to impute to the Prophet (S) things which even the disbelievers did not ascribe?”Abu Qurrah said:“But the Qur’an says that on the night of Ascension the Prophet (S) saw Him.”Then he recited the following verse:“For indeed he saw it at a second descent.” (Surah Al-Najm, 53:13).(Abu Qurrah maintained that the pronoun ‘it’ should mean ‘Him,’ i.e. Allah.)Imam Ridha (‘a) said:“You must read the later verse which explains what the Prophet (S) saw. In verse 18 of the same chapter, you find:‘For truly did he see some of the greatest signs of His Lord.’ (Surah Al-Najm, 53:18).The signs of Allah are not Allah. Allah cannot be seen - for no vision can grasp Him and no knowledge can compass Him.”Abu Qurrah protested:“So do you consider our traditions as lies?”Imam Ridha (‘a) said:“Any tradition that goes against the Qur’an is a lie, and has been falsely ascribed to the Prophet (S), I give no credence to it.”3

Highlights Of The Report From Abu Huraira

  1. That Allah will be seen on the Day of Judgement, as radiant and distinct as the sun or the moon in a clear sky;
  2. That Allah will appear first with an unfamiliar face, with the result that Muslims will not be able to recognize Him. He will reappear with a familiar countenance and then gain acknowledgement from the believers;
  3. That a man facing the hellfire will go on deceiving Allah three times;
  4. That Allah will laugh, the way we mortals do.

Abu Huraira seems inclined to describe Allah as a clown who changes his face to entertain. One wonders what particular features of His face will the Muslims recognize? Had they seen Him before? If so, when? Was it when He was Young, Old, or totally wrecked by age?!Even the Old and the New Testaments do not have such a fanciful story. It is an old woman’s tale told to the child during the long wintery nights! But the effects of these concoctions have been tremendous. The Wahabis and many other scholars from the School of the Caliphs still maintain that Allah will be seen physically on the Day of Judgement.

Highlights Of The Elucidation From The Ahl Ul-Bayt (‘A)

  1. That vision can grasp only those things which have a body or matter;
  2. Any existence which does not have a body, (e.g. soul, light, electricity, etc.) cannot be seen. In fact, the question of sighting such an existence is irrelevant;
  3. Allah is not a body or matter. He is the Creator of matter. One can ‘see’ Him through His creation;
  4. There is nothing whatsoever like Him, so He cannot be compared to any form;
  5. Any report which goes against the Holy Qur’an must be discarded as false.
  • 1. Tawhid by Ibn Khuzaimah - p. 202.
  • 2. Tawhid by Sadooq, p. 109.
  • 3. Tawhid by Sadooq - pp. 110-112.