xvii) Seeing Allah
No one can see Allah (The Exalted), in this world. Moosa (Peace be upon him) hoped to see Allah, but his Lord told him that he would not and could not see Him in this world; even the strong and solid mountain could not bear that:
And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord (Allah) spoke to him; he said: ‘O’ my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You.’ Allah said: ‘You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me.’ So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Moosa fell down unconscious...
(Qur’aan 7: 143)
The scholars differed as to whether the Messenger
saw his Lord when he was taken up into heavens (the Mi’raaj). The correct view is that he did not see his Lord during the Mi’raaj. It is narrated in a saheeh (sound) report that ‘Aa’ishah said:
“Whoever claims that Muhammad
saw his Lord has invented a great lie against Allah.”
(Muslim, 1/159, hadith no. 177)
This is the case in this world. But in the Hereafter it will be different, People will be created anew. Do you not see that the sun will be brought clost to people’s heads on the Day of Resurrection, until there is no more than one mile between it and them, yet they will not melt! Do you not see that after people are resurrected and brought forth from their graves, they will not be susceptible to death any more! When the disbelievers (kuffaar) enter the Fire, every time their skins are roasted through, Allah, the All-Powerful, will change them for other skins so that they can (continue to) taste the torment, but they will not die.
One the Day of Resurrection, the believers will be able to see their Lord. The greatest delight that they will be given in Paradise will be looking upon the face of the Mighty and Generous Lord, Exalted be He.
This greatest blessing will be denied to the disbelievers:
Nay! Surely, they (evil doers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that
Day.
(Qur’aan 83: 15)
But those whom Allah (The Exalted), has chosen and made their faces beautiful, they will not be veiled or deprived:
Some faces that Day shall Naadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allah).
(Qur’an 75: 22-23)
There are the Abraar (righteous):
Verily, Al-Abraar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism) will be in Delight (Paradise). On throns, looking (at all things).
(Qur'aan 83: 22-23)
This looking at His Noble Face is the ziyaadah (“even more,” additional) which is promised to the believers:
For those who have done good is the best reward and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allah)...
(Qur’aan 10: 26)
And it is the mazeed (more) referred to in the aayah (verse):
There they will have all that they desire and We have more (for them, i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty, All-Majesty)
(Qur’aan 50: 35)
There are mutawaatir ahaadeeth which clearly state this. It is reported from Abu Hurayrah that some people said to the Messenger of Allah
“O’ Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?”
The Messenger of Allah
said:
“Do you doubt that you can see the moon on the night when it is full?”
They said,
“No, O’ Messenger of Allah.”
He said,
“Do you doubt that you can see the sun when there are no clouds in the way?”
They said,
“No, O’ Messenger of Allah.”
He said:
“Verily you will see Him likewise.”
(Bukhari, 13/419, hadith no. 7437; Muslim, 1/163, hadith no. 183. This version is narrated by Muslim)
Bukhari has narrated that Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah said:
“We were sitting with the Prophet when he looked at the full moon and said:
“You will see your Lord just as you are seeing this moon, do not doubt this. And if you can avoid missing a prayer before the sun rises and before the sun sets, then do that (i.e. strive not to miss Fajr and ‘Asr prayers).”
(Bukhari, 13:419, hadith no. 7434)
In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from Suhayb that the Prophet
said:
“When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah will say, ‘Do you want anything else from Me?
They will say,
‘Have You not made our faces white? Have You not granted us admittance to Paradise and saved us from Hell?’ Then the veil will be lifted and they will never be given anything more beloved to them than looking at their Lord, the All-Glory.”
Then he recited the aayaah:
For those who have done good is the best reward and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Coutenance of Allah)...
(Qur'aan 10: 26)
Saheehayn (Bukhari and Muslim) narrated from Abu Moosa that the Prophet
said:
“Two gardens of silver, their vessels and everything in them, and two gardens of gold, their vessels and everything in them. And there will be nothing between people and seeing their Lord except the veil of pride over His face in the Paradise of ‘Aden.”
(Bukhari, 13/423, hadith no. 7444; Muslim 1/163, hadith no. 180)
No one can see Allah (The Exalted), in this world. Moosa (Peace be upon him) hoped to see Allah, but his Lord told him that he would not and could not see Him in this world; even the strong and solid mountain could not bear that:
And when Moosa came at the time and place appointed by Us, and his Lord (Allah) spoke to him; he said: ‘O’ my Lord! Show me (Yourself), that I may look upon You.’ Allah said: ‘You cannot see Me, but look upon the mountain; if it stands still in its place then you shall see Me.’ So when his Lord appeared to the mountain, He made it collapse to dust, and Moosa fell down unconscious...
(Qur’aan 7: 143)
The scholars differed as to whether the Messenger

“Whoever claims that Muhammad

(Muslim, 1/159, hadith no. 177)
This is the case in this world. But in the Hereafter it will be different, People will be created anew. Do you not see that the sun will be brought clost to people’s heads on the Day of Resurrection, until there is no more than one mile between it and them, yet they will not melt! Do you not see that after people are resurrected and brought forth from their graves, they will not be susceptible to death any more! When the disbelievers (kuffaar) enter the Fire, every time their skins are roasted through, Allah, the All-Powerful, will change them for other skins so that they can (continue to) taste the torment, but they will not die.
One the Day of Resurrection, the believers will be able to see their Lord. The greatest delight that they will be given in Paradise will be looking upon the face of the Mighty and Generous Lord, Exalted be He.
This greatest blessing will be denied to the disbelievers:
Nay! Surely, they (evil doers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that
Day.
(Qur’aan 83: 15)
But those whom Allah (The Exalted), has chosen and made their faces beautiful, they will not be veiled or deprived:
Some faces that Day shall Naadirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allah).
(Qur’an 75: 22-23)
There are the Abraar (righteous):
Verily, Al-Abraar (the pious believers of Islamic Monotheism) will be in Delight (Paradise). On throns, looking (at all things).
(Qur'aan 83: 22-23)
This looking at His Noble Face is the ziyaadah (“even more,” additional) which is promised to the believers:
For those who have done good is the best reward and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allah)...
(Qur’aan 10: 26)
And it is the mazeed (more) referred to in the aayah (verse):
There they will have all that they desire and We have more (for them, i.e. a glance at the All-Mighty, All-Majesty)
(Qur’aan 50: 35)
There are mutawaatir ahaadeeth which clearly state this. It is reported from Abu Hurayrah that some people said to the Messenger of Allah

“O’ Messenger of Allah, will we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?”
The Messenger of Allah

“Do you doubt that you can see the moon on the night when it is full?”
They said,
“No, O’ Messenger of Allah.”
He said,
“Do you doubt that you can see the sun when there are no clouds in the way?”
They said,
“No, O’ Messenger of Allah.”
He said:
“Verily you will see Him likewise.”
(Bukhari, 13/419, hadith no. 7437; Muslim, 1/163, hadith no. 183. This version is narrated by Muslim)
Bukhari has narrated that Jareer ibn ‘Abdullah said:
“We were sitting with the Prophet when he looked at the full moon and said:
“You will see your Lord just as you are seeing this moon, do not doubt this. And if you can avoid missing a prayer before the sun rises and before the sun sets, then do that (i.e. strive not to miss Fajr and ‘Asr prayers).”
(Bukhari, 13:419, hadith no. 7434)
In Saheeh Muslim it is narrated from Suhayb that the Prophet

“When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah will say, ‘Do you want anything else from Me?
They will say,
‘Have You not made our faces white? Have You not granted us admittance to Paradise and saved us from Hell?’ Then the veil will be lifted and they will never be given anything more beloved to them than looking at their Lord, the All-Glory.”
Then he recited the aayaah:
For those who have done good is the best reward and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Coutenance of Allah)...
(Qur'aan 10: 26)
Saheehayn (Bukhari and Muslim) narrated from Abu Moosa that the Prophet

“Two gardens of silver, their vessels and everything in them, and two gardens of gold, their vessels and everything in them. And there will be nothing between people and seeing their Lord except the veil of pride over His face in the Paradise of ‘Aden.”
(Bukhari, 13/423, hadith no. 7444; Muslim 1/163, hadith no. 180)