Qur'an clearly states the fact that the believers will see Allah the Exalted on the Day of Judgement. Allah says about the believers:

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَ‌ةٌ ﴿٢٢﴾ إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّهَا نَاظِرَ‌ةٌ

(Surat Al-Qiyāmah [75:22-23])

And He says about the evil-doers:

كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّ‌بِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ

Nay! Surely, they (evil-doers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day. (Surat Al-Muţaffifīn [83:15])

However, I heard that the Ithnā‘ashariyyah branch (Not sure about all other branches) of Shi'a deny seeing of Allah on the Day of Judgement.

Is it true? If yes, why? And what is their interpretation of above verses then?

  • 1
    completely deny or deny physical seeing of Allah? reference from shia scholar if possible? other than twelver other branches of shia are nearly extincted. because shia scholars severely oppose their deviated sects and do not let them grow. – Battle of Karbala Sep 25 '12 at 2:29
  • @Ahmadi I am talking about seeing Allah with our eyes (that is apparent from the verse by "Looking at their Lord"). – Abdullah Sep 25 '12 at 6:36
  • 2
    human has two kind of eyes. eye of head and eye of soul. at sleep when your eyes of head are closed how you see things at sleep dream? nayway meeting God لقاء الله mentioned in Quran (not looking at God) is not by eyes of head. – Battle of Karbala Sep 25 '12 at 6:42

Yes, true! Note that Quran should be viewed as a whole, somewhere something is stated but its details, exceptions, and etc. are stated elsewhere. This is a key to go deep inside its hidden secrets, you find an apparent paradox in Quran but believe the whole book to be exactly inspired by Allah, so try to resolve the situation, you probably should generalize a concept such that the two apparent paradoxes be two different aspects of one notion:

Do they not consider the Qur'an (with care)? Had it been from other Than Allah, they would surely have found therein much discrepancy. (An-Nesaa':82)

An example is that somewhere it states that "لَا إِكْرَاهَ فِي الدِّينِ قَد تَّبَيَّنَ الرُّشْدُ مِنَ الْغَيِّ" (Let there be no compulsion in religion: Truth stands out clear from Error …; Al-Baghareh:256) like there is no need for enjoining what is just (امر بالمعروف) and forbidding what is wrong (نهی عن المنکر), and somewhere else it encourages enjoining what is just and forbidding what is wrong. Thinking about how to resolve this puzzle, a more thorough understanding of Islam would then be acquired, and this will not be the case until we believe the whole book to be the words of Allah, and thus correct.

For the question you have, recall the answer Allah gave Moses A.S. when he asked Allah to let him see Allah in eyes:


In non-translated Arabic text the word that is used by Allah to reject his prophet's request is "لن" which is like "never ever", but evidently this is talking about seeing Allah in eyes as Allah then ordered him to see the mountain and he saw the mountain with eyes on his face. Also note that when Moses A.S. is recovered he first confess that "Glory is to Allah" which is a translation of "سُبْحَانَكَ" which more accurately means Allah is super-empirical, refined of any imperfections, that is to say Moses A.S. had understood that God being seeable is an imperfection to his being, a limitation in his being.

Then what about the verses you cited in your question? Someone asked Imam Ali A.S. if he has seen Allah, he answered that he will never pray a God that he cannot see! Then he said but Allah is not seeable with they eyes on face but with the eyes of heart!

Someone went to Imam Sadiq A.S. and asked him to show him Allah. Imam A.S. stated haven't you read Quran that Allah said to Moses A.S. that he will never be able to see Him? He answered yes I have, but this is the religion of Muhammad S.A. that some of his people come together somewhere and all of a sudden one of them loudly announce that he has just seen Allah!? (Maybe he meant Sufism by this example) Then Imam Sadiq A.S. asked him to accompany Imam going out toward a river. There he ordered his companions to tie his hands using a shackle and push him into the river. The man was afraid, not sure if this is serious or a joke, but then he couldn't swim and whenever that he was risen by water to the surface he was all screaming asking Imam's companion around him for rescue, but no one was to help him. After some rounds he lost his hopes in Imam's companions and asked Allah for rescue. Imam ordered his companions to catch him, then after the man got better Imam asked him about how he has found Allah? The man answered like a light in darkness with my heath, Imam said "then protect this light".

Now see a description of Allah by Imam Ali (A.S.) from "Nahj-ol-Balagheh":


If Allah was seeable with the eyes of face He should have had boundary and this is a big limitation for his being, and so high that He is He has no limit, no shape, no color, and not any other imperfection He Himself has created in this universe.

Last but by no means least, note that before the Day of Judgment all the dead would be re-created with their own material bodies (the same or similar to it):

Nay, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers. (Al-Ghiyamah:4)

which means if you, the believer, could see Allah in that day by eyes of face then you would also be able to see him in this world again by the eyes of face, and this means like God has got hidden not to be seen, only sending messengers although He Himself could come and guide us to the right way. Do you see the similarity between this and what some sects of the Christians believe? It is according to such a belief that Bertrand Russel, an atheist philosopher, when was asked about what would be his answer to God after his death if he suddenly found out that God exists indeed, he answered that I would say Sir, why ever did you go to such extraordinary lengths to hide yourself? You and many Christians may find the question valid and try to answer it but at least Shia Muslims do not believe even if such a question can be valid, as they believe Allah is higher than to be seeable. Indeed, nothing among His creatures is able to reflect God as is, Allah is the omnipotent but the universe and its elements have not the ability to reflect Him. You may agree upon this and instead claim if the imperfect beings (like anything created by God which would then obviously not be Allah, the perfect) cannot reflect God as is, then they might can reflect Him to some extent, that is, not AS IS. Then we would also agree with you but with a small comment that everything in universe is already reflecting its Creator and is thus a sign to His existence, but none of them are or can the God Himself. No matter how big or strange or how-many-dimensional be the body that you may expect for God at the Judgment Day, that cannot be called the God but a very limited (compared to God Himself) imperfect being that is an imperfect sign of God like me and you are signs of God. It may be interesting to you that once an atheist asked Imam Sadiq --peace be upon him-- something very much like that Bertrand Russell was quoted for above, some 13 centuries before:

from: الكافي (ط - الإسلامية)، کتاب الغقل و الجهل (ج1)، ص: 74 و 75 و 76

(you can find the English translation of the book here)

عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ خَالِدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَسِّنٍ الْمِيثَمِيِّ قَالَ: كُنْتُ عِنْدَ أَبِي مَنْصُورٍ الْمُتَطَبِّبِ فَقَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي رَجُلٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِي قَالَ كُنْتُ أَنَا وَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ وَ عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ الْمُقَفَّعِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ فَقَالَ ابْنُ الْمُقَفَّعِ تَرَوْنَ هَذَا الْخَلْقَ وَ أَوْمَأَ بِيَدِهِ إِلَى مَوْضِعِ الطَّوَافِ مَا مِنْهُمْ أَحَدٌ أُوجِبُ لَهُ اسْمَ الْإِنْسَانِيَّةِ إِلَّا ذَلِكَ الشَّيْخُ الْجَالِسُ يَعْنِي أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ جَعْفَرَ بْنَ مُحَمَّدٍ ع فَأَمَّا الْبَاقُونَ فَرَعَاعٌ وَ بَهَائِمُ فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ وَ كَيْفَ أَوْجَبْتَ هَذَا الِاسْمَ لِهَذَا الشَّيْخِ دُونَ هَؤُلَاءِ قَالَ لِأَنِّي رَأَيْتُ عِنْدَهُ مَا لَمْ أَرَهُ عِنْدَهُمْ فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ لَا بُدَّ مِنِ اخْتِبَارِ مَا قُلْتَ فِيهِ مِنْهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ لَهُ ابْنُ الْمُقَفَّعِ لَا تَفْعَلْ فَإِنِّي أَخَافُ أَنْ يُفْسِدَ عَلَيْكَ مَا فِي يَدِكَ فَقَالَ لَيْسَ ذَا رَأْيَكَ وَ لَكِنْ تَخَافُ أَنْ يَضْعُفَ رَأْيُكَ عِنْدِي فِي إِحْلَالِكَ إِيَّاهُ الْمَحَلَّ الَّذِي وَصَفْتَ فَقَالَ ابْنُ الْمُقَفَّعِ أَمَّا إِذَا تَوَهَّمْتَ عَلَيَّ هَذَا فَقُمْ إِلَيْهِ وَ تَحَفَّظْ مَا اسْتَطَعْتَ مِنَ الزَّلَلِ وَ لَا تَثْنِي عِنَانَكَ إِلَى اسْتِرْسَالٍ فَيُسَلِّمَكَ إِلَى عِقَالٍ وَ سِمْهُ مَا لَكَ أَوْ عَلَيْكَ قَالَ فَقَامَ ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ وَ بَقِيتُ أَنَا وَ ابْنُ الْمُقَفَّعِ جَالِسَيْنِ فَلَمَّا رَجَعَ إِلَيْنَا ابْنُ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ قَالَ وَيْلَكَ يَا ابْنَ الْمُقَفَّعِ مَا هَذَا بِبَشَرٍ وَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي الدُّنْيَا رُوحَانِيٌّ يَتَجَسَّدُ إِذَا شَاءَ ظَاهِراً وَ يَتَرَوَّحُ إِذَا شَاءَ بَاطِناً فَهُوَ هَذَا فَقَالَ لَهُ وَ كَيْفَ ذَلِكَ قَالَ جَلَسْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَلَمَّا لَمْ يَبْقَ عِنْدَهُ غَيْرِي ابْتَدَأَنِي فَقَالَ إِنْ يَكُنِ الْأَمْرُ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُ هَؤُلَاءِ وَ هُوَ عَلَى مَا يَقُولُونَ يَعْنِي أَهْلَ الطَّوَافِ فَقَدْ سَلِمُوا وَ عَطِبْتُمْ وَ إِنْ يَكُنِ الْأَمْرُ عَلَى مَا تَقُولُونَ وَ لَيْسَ كَمَا تَقُولُونَ فَقَدِ اسْتَوَيْتُمْ وَ هُمْ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ يَرْحَمُكَ اللَّهُ وَ أَيَّ شَيْءٍ نَقُولُ وَ أَيَّ شَيْءٍ يَقُولُونَ مَا قَوْلِي وَ قَوْلُهُمْ إِلَّا وَاحِدٌ فَقَالَ وَ كَيْفَ يَكُونُ قَوْلُكَ وَ قَوْلُهُمْ وَاحِداً وَ هُمْ يَقُولُونَ إِنَّ لَهُمْ مَعَاداً وَ ثَوَاباً وَ عِقَاباً وَ يَدِينُونَ بِأَنَّ فِي السَّمَاءِ إِلَهاً وَ أَنَّهَا عُمْرَانٌ وَ أَنْتُمْ تَزْعُمُونَ أَنَّ السَّمَاءَ خَرَابٌ لَيْسَ فِيهَا أَحَدٌ قَالَ فَاغْتَنَمْتُهَا مِنْهُ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ مَا مَنَعَهُ إِنْ كَانَ الْأَمْرُ كَمَا يَقُولُونَ أَنْ يَظْهَرَ لِخَلْقِهِ وَ يَدْعُوَهُمْ إِلَى عِبَادَتِهِ حَتَّى لَا يَخْتَلِفَ مِنْهُمُ اثْنَانِ وَ لِمَ احْتَجَبَ عَنْهُمْ وَ أَرْسَلَ إِلَيْهِمُ الرُّسُلَ وَ لَوْ بَاشَرَهُمْ بِنَفْسِهِ كَانَ أَقْرَبَ إِلَى الْإِيمَانِ بِهِ فَقَالَ لِي وَيْلَكَ وَ كَيْفَ احْتَجَبَ عَنْكَ مَنْ أَرَاكَ قُدْرَتَهُ فِي نَفْسِكَ نُشُوءَكَ وَ لَمْ تَكُنْ وَ كِبَرَكَ بَعْدَ صِغَرِكَ وَ قُوَّتَكَ بَعْدَ ضَعْفِكَ وَ ضَعْفَكَ بَعْدَ قُوَّتِكَ وَ سُقْمَكَ بَعْدَ صِحَّتِكَ وَ صِحَّتَكَ بَعْدَ سُقْمِكَ وَ رِضَاكَ بَعْدَ غَضَبِكَ وَ غَضَبَكَ بَعْدَ رِضَاكَ وَ حُزْنَكَ بَعْدَ فَرَحِكَ وَ فَرَحَكَ بَعْدَ حُزْنِكَ وَ حُبَّكَ بَعْدَ بُغْضِكَ وَ بُغْضَكَ بَعْدَ حُبِّكَ وَ عَزْمَكَ بَعْدَ أَنَاتِكَ وَ أَنَاتَكَ بَعْدَ عَزْمِكَ وَ شَهْوَتَكَ بَعْدَ كَرَاهَتِكَ وَ كَرَاهَتَكَ بَعْدَ شَهْوَتِكَ وَ رَغْبَتَكَ بَعْدَ رَهْبَتِكَ وَ رَهْبَتَكَ بَعْدَ رَغْبَتِكَ وَ رَجَاءَكَ بَعْدَ يَأْسِكَ وَ يَأْسَكَ بَعْدَ رَجَائِكَ وَ خَاطِرَكَ بِمَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِي وَهْمِكَ وَ عُزُوبَ مَا أَنْتَ مُعْتَقِدُهُ عَنْ ذِهْنِكَ وَ مَا زَالَ يُعَدِّدُ عَلَيَّ قُدْرَتَهُ الَّتِي هِيَ فِي نَفْسِي الَّتِي لَا أَدْفَعُهَا حَتَّى ظَنَنْتُ أَنَّهُ سَيَظْهَرُ فِيمَا بَيْنِي وَ بَيْنَه

A number of our people have narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid from Muhammad ibn Ali from ‘Abd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn abu Hashim from Ahmad ibn Muhsin al-Maythami who said that I was with abu Mansur al-Mutatbbib who said the following. "One of my friends has said that he was with ibn abu al-‘Awja’ and ‘Abdallah ibn al-Muqaffa‘ in the holy Mosque of Makkah and ibn al-Muqaffa‘ said, "Do you see these creatures, pointing towards the location where people walk seven times around the Kabah‘? Of all these no one deserves to be called a human being accept that Shaikh sitting there, meaning thereby Imam abu ‘Abdallah (a.s.). The rest is garble and beasts." Upon this ibn abu al-‘Awja’ said, "For what reason do you call him a human being and not the rest?" Ibn al-Muqaffa‘ then replied, "Because I saw with him what I did not see with the others." Ibn abu al-"Awja’ then said, "We must test your claim." Ibn al-Muqaffa‘ then said, "I advise you not to do so lest you will lose whatever faith you have. Ibn abu al-‘Awja’ then said, "I do not think that is what you mean. I think you are afraid of failing to substantiate what you have just said about this man." Ibn al-Muqaffa‘ then said, "If that is what you think then go to him and protect yourself as much as you can. Be strong as much as you can so you are not harnnessed and note all points against and in your favor. Ibn abu al-‘Awja’ then left and ibn al-Muqaffa‘ and I remained there. When ibn abu al-‘Awja’ returned he said, "Woe is you, O ibn al-Muqaffa‘. This is not a human being even though he lives in this world. He is a spiritual being but appears in the form of man whenever he wants the out world and turns into a spiritual being whenever he wants the inner world. That is the way he is." Ibn al-Muqaffa‘ then asked, "How does that happen?" Ibn abu al-‘Awja’ then said, "I sat near him and when everyone had gone he turned to me and said, "If it is the way they (people walking around the Ka‘bah) say, which is true then they are saved and you are destroyed. If it is the way you say it is, which is not so then you and they are all equal." I then asked, "May Allah be kind to you. What is it that we say and what is it that they say? We all say the same thing." He said, "How can what you say be equal to what they say? They say that they will have a return, a day of receiving their rewards and penalties. They believe in a religion which says that in the heavens is the Lord and that they are habitable while you say that they are in ruins and there is nothing in them."Ibn abu al-‘Awja’ has said, "I then found the opportunity to speak and I asked, "What then keeps this Lord, if it is true the way they say that He exists, from appearing to His creatures and call them to His worship so that no two people would oppose each other? Why is He hiding from them and has only sent messengers? If He would have been in direct contact with them it would have been more helpful to have faith in Him." He then responded, "Woe is you, how someone who is already shown His power within you is hiding from you? He brought you up. You did not even exist. He made you grow when you were so small. He gave you strength and power when you were so weak and will make you weak again after being strong. He make you sick after being healthy and can give you good health after suffering sickness. He can make you happy after you experience anger and make you angry after being happy. He can make you sad after your joy and give you joy after sadness. He can give love after your experiencing hatred and hatred after enjoying love. He can give you determination after your uncertainty and uncertainty after having determination. He can give you strong desires after your experiencing dislike and dislike after having strong desires. He can give you willingness after experiencing fear and concerns and fear after having strong willingness. He can give you hope after despair and despair after having a great deal of hope. He can give you good remembrance of what you had no idea and remove what you may have had as a belief." He kept reminding and counting for me the effects of His power within my soul that I could not deny and I begin to have a feeling that all that is between me and him will all appear in the open."


  • Thank you for a detailed answer! Most parts of your answer whether it be the incident with Musa (Alayhi salam) or other narrations from Ali (radiallahu anhu) pertain to seeing Allah in this world which I believe there is no difference in Shi'ite or Sunni theology. We believe that one cannot see Allah in this world. The difference comes only with regards to seeing Him (Subhaanah) on the day of judgement. Only your postscript provided some useful answer regarding that. contd. – Abdullah Sep 24 '12 at 21:49
  • 3
    However, If God has hidden himself and I think he is also able to show himself on the day of Judgement since Allah is able to do all things. Have any question regarding seeing Allah on the day of judgement been posed to Ali (radiallahu anhu) or any of your imaams? I think that answer could be very useful. – Abdullah Sep 24 '12 at 21:50
  • 1
    Thanks for being patient, actually according to the Imam's teaching Shi'ite clearly believe God is never seeable, neither here in this world nor in the other world, but I mean unseeable by eyes, the eyes on face which are only the tools for indirect seeing, but hearth can see Allah directly, as every one of us may have some experiences of it. Note that eyes are material tools that catch lights reflected by an object and of course you would agree upon that God has no mass to reflect the light? Maybe I should first know if you believe that in the judging day we have a material body or not? – owari Sep 24 '12 at 22:38
  • 1
    @owari I agree on that our bodies will be returned to us on the day of Judgement because it is reported from the Messenger (salallahu alayhi wassalam). However, you argument more seems to be on the lines of logic and science and in my opinion, Allah is beyond all the laws of sciences etc. because he is one who creates it in first place and science doesn't govern him. So, I think using logic or science wouldn't be a nice argument. If you say Messenger (salallahu alayhi wassalam) said this or Ali (radiallahu anhu) said this - I think that would be a better answer. – Abdullah Sep 25 '12 at 6:34
  • @owari A bit on reflecting light. On earth, we see everything because it reflects the particular radiation of sun in the visible spectrum. This is ability Allah has given us. And we can see also sun (And sun radiates more than it reflects from other stars). Now, the sun and every other star is part of universe and we do not constrain Allah as a part of universe because he is beyond it. Can't Allah give us the ability to see him? Why are you constraining Allah with the laws of universe? – Abdullah Sep 25 '12 at 7:09

Shia Islam view

Firstly this verse says "faces" look their God and not eyes. If it was about seeing God itself if should have been "eyes look their God" and not face. So this is not about seeing God itself by eyes.

Secondly the world الی in this verse does not necessarily means "at". It means looking to their God. According to different Shia hadith it does not mean looking at God. But means looking (while waiting to see what rewards they will receive from God).

Using Al-Anwar al-Razawi software of Noor Soft Institute 31 hadith (from Hadithi tafseers only) found about interpret of this verse :

enter image description here

Some of them are translated below:

This Hadith is from 8th Imam (Imam Ridha a.s) about 75:23 says:

لي، الأمالي للصدوق عَلِيُّ بْنُ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُوسَى عَنِ الصُّوفِيِّ عَنِ الرُّويَانِيِّ عَنْ عَبْدِ الْعَظِيمِ الْحَسَنِيِّ عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ بْنِ أَبِي مَحْمُودٍ قَالَ قَالَ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُوسَى الرِّضَا ع فِي قَوْلِ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ ناضِرَةٌ إِلى‏ رَبِّها ناظِرَةٌ قَالَ يَعْنِي مُشْرِقَةٌ تَنْتَظِرُ ثَوَابَ رَبِّهَا

Imam Ridha a.s. said: "Some faces that Day shall be Nadirah" means shining and waiting for rewards of their God.

Ref: بحار الأنوار ج‏4 28 باب 5 نفي الرؤية و تأويل الآيات فيها ..... ص : 26

Another Hadith is about one who asked the same question from Imam Ali a.s. :

1 ج، الإحتجاج جَاءَ بَعْضُ الزَّنَادِقَةِ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع وَ قَالَ- لَوْ لَا مَا فِي الْقُرْآنِ مِنَ الِاخْتِلَافِ وَ التَّنَاقُضِ لَدَخَلْتُ فِي دِينِكُمْ- فَقَالَ لَهُ عَلِيٌّ ع وَ مَا هُوَ قَالَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى نَسُوا اللَّهَ فَنَسِيَهُمْ- وَ قَوْلُهُ فَالْيَوْمَ نَنْساهُمْ كَما نَسُوا لِقاءَ يَوْمِهِمْ هذا- وَ قَوْلُهُ وَ ما كانَ رَبُّكَ نَسِيًّا- وَ قَوْلُهُ يَوْمَ يَقُومُ الرُّوحُ وَ الْمَلائِكَةُ صَفًّا لا يَتَكَلَّمُونَ- وَ قَوْلُهُ وَ اللَّهِ رَبِّنا ما كُنَّا مُشْرِكِينَ- وَ قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى يَوْمَ الْقِيامَةِ يَكْفُرُ بَعْضُكُمْ بِبَعْضٍ وَ يَلْعَنُ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً- وَ قَوْلُهُ إِنَّ ذلِكَ لَحَقٌّ تَخاصُمُ أَهْلِ النَّارِ- وَ قَوْلُهُ لا تَخْتَصِمُوا لَدَيَّ- وَ قَوْلُهُ الْيَوْمَ نَخْتِمُ عَلى‏ أَفْواهِهِمْ وَ تُكَلِّمُنا أَيْدِيهِمْ- وَ تَشْهَدُ أَرْجُلُهُمْ بِما كانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ- وَ قَوْلُهُ وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ ناضِرَةٌ إِلى‏ رَبِّها ناظِرَةٌ - وَ قَوْلُهُ لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ- وَ قَوْلُهُ وَ لَقَدْ رَآهُ نَزْلَةً أُخْرى‏- وَ قَوْلُهُ لا تَنْفَعُ الشَّفاعَةُ إِلَّا مَنْ أَذِنَ لَهُ الرَّحْمنُ الْآيَتَيْنِ- وَ قَوْلُهُ ما كانَ لِبَشَرٍ أَنْ يُكَلِّمَهُ اللَّهُ إِلَّا

بحار الأنوار ج‏90 98 باب 129 احتجاجات أمير المؤمنين صلوات الله عليه على الزنديق المدعي للتناقض في القرآن و أمثاله ..... ص : 98


9 ج، الإحتجاج فِي خَبَرِ الزِّنْدِيقِ الَّذِي سَأَلَ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع عَمَّا تَوَهَّمَهُ مِنَ التَّنَاقُضِ فِي الْقُرْآنِ قَالَ ع وَ أَمَّا قَوْلُهُ تَعَالَى وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ ناضِرَةٌ إِلى‏ رَبِّها ناظِرَةٌ ذَلِكَ فِي مَوْضِعٍ يَنْتَهِي فِيهِ أَوْلِيَاءُ اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بَعْدَ مَا يَفْرُغُ مِنَ الْحِسَابِ إِلَى نَهَرٍ يُسَمَّى الْحَيَوَانَ فَيَغْتَسِلُونَ فِيهِ وَ يَشْرَبُونَ مِنْ آخَرَ فَتَبْيَضُّ وُجُوهُهُمْ فَيَذْهَبُ عَنْهُمْ كُلُّ قَذًى وَ وَعْثٍ ثُمَّ يُؤْمَرُونَ بِدُخُولِ الْجَنَّةِ فَمِنْ هَذَا الْمَقَامِ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ كَيْفَ يُثِيبُهُمْ وَ مِنْهُ يَدْخُلُونَ الْجَنَّةَ فَذَلِكَ قَوْلُهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي تَسْلِيمِ الْمَلَائِكَةِ عَلَيْهِمْ سَلامٌ عَلَيْكُمْ طِبْتُمْ فَادْخُلُوها خالِدِينَ‏

A pagan thinking Quran has contradictions asked questions from Imam Ali a.s. and Iamm said him: but regarding "Some faces that Day shall be Nadirah" it is when Judgement of friends of Allah AWJ has finished and they enter a river called "The Life" and take bath on it and drink from another called so their faces become white and shining and radiant and all of dirt and sick and problem, then they are ordered to enter paradise, so at this point they wait and look to how their God reward them and from there enter Paradise and for it Allah AWJ said: " "Peace be upon you; you have become pure; so enter it to abide eternally therein," [they will enter]." (39:73)

Ref: بحار الأنوار ج‏4 32 باب 5 نفي الرؤية و تأويل الآيات فيها ..... ص : 26

So finally it can be said looking to their God means looking and waiting to see what reward they will receive from their God. In Shia Islam it is strongly believed that Allah is not a physical being to can be seen physically.

Also God is able to do anything. But firstly we should ensure what we except Allah to do is really a "thing". One atheist came to Imam Sadiq (a.s.) and asked him: do you claim Allah is able to do anything? Imam replied: yes. Atheist said: so can your God put earth inside an egg without changing size of any of them? Imam Sadiq (a.s.) replied: Allah is able to do anything but what you want is not a "thing".

Allah is not a physical material thing so it is basically impossible to can be seen by physical eyes as a physical seeing but Quran mentions Allah can be met and this meeting is not a physical meet.

Believing God can be seen by eye is considered Shirk in Shia Islam because it leads to believing in two God. Because if God be a material thing so needs "place" and without place no material can exist. So place existed before any material exist. So the question is: who created "place" for God? Himself cannot because when no place exist no material God can exist. So another God is needed to first create place for second God. So second is not God. And is created by first God.

Also believing in seeing God has conflict with this verse:

لَّا تُدْرِ‌كُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ‌ وَهُوَ يُدْرِ‌كُ الْأَبْصَارَ‌ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ‌

No vision can grasp Him, but His grasp is over all vision: He is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things. http://tanzil.net/#6:103

One of main critiques of Shia Islam to Bukhari hadith book is some hadith attributing material properties to God which are considered Isra'iliyat by Shia scholars.

May Allah guide us to know him correct.

سُبْحَانَ رَ‌بِّكَ رَ‌بِّ الْعِزَّةِ عَمَّا يَصِفُونَ



  • 1
    Thanks for the answer, your answer explains the verse which translates to "Some faces that Day shall be Nadirah (shining and radiant)." However I was looking the interpretation of "Looking at their Lord (Allah)."(إِلَىٰ رَ‌بِّهَا نَاظِرَ‌ةٌ ). Apart from that you are using logic- You are saying that it is impossible for Allah to be not seen except by means of taking a physical form. It is a restriction that you are placing. We believe that Allah can do everything. It is just we cannot imagine what Allah can do. So, why are you placing the restriction of this world and logic etc on Allah? – Abdullah Sep 25 '12 at 6:41
  • @Abdullah the world الی in this verse does not necessarily means "at". it means looking to their God. According to different shia hadith it does not mean looking at God. but means looking (wile waiting to see what rewards they will receive from God). but it seems you want to say it means exactly looking at God as a physical thing. this has two problem: 1- this possible meaning needs evidence from hadith showing الی means looking at God as a physical thing. 2- has conflict with many other verses of Quran saying God is not a physical thing. – Battle of Karbala Sep 25 '12 at 7:42
  • @Abdullah also if God be a physical thing so needs a place and anything needing anything can not be God. because without place a physical thing can not exist. and place is created before any physical thing exist. so place should exist before existence of God and this means God is not God. also what you say (physical GOd) is not a thing to can be done by God. firstly you prove this is a "thing" then except God do that. Imagine and possibility are different. God created material and itself is not material. physical God can be imagined but is basically impossible (proved by different methods) – Battle of Karbala Sep 25 '12 at 7:44
  • Thanks for updating the answer. 1. Yes, you are right, it needs evidence from hadith. There is a sunni hadith that states that (which I assume shi'ites won't accept and it is fine). 2. I do not see a conflict other than what you are placing since God has the ability to make him seen without being a physical thing. He says in Qur'an that he is beyond imagination. Anyway, I think your answer is good enough to represent the shi'ite view. Thank you. – Abdullah Sep 25 '12 at 7:48
  • 3
    @Abdullah it has conflict with this verse: لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ also it has the logical and philosophical problem with the "need for place". "make him seen without being a physical thing" so it is not a physical seeing and it is what we say (لقاء الله) but not in this verse.when you say "looking at a physical thing" this means physical seeing with a physical eye at something physical. if it is not physical so has no place and so "looking at" is contradict.yes God is beyond imagination because is not physical but a physical God (does not exist) can be imagined – Battle of Karbala Sep 25 '12 at 8:24

Your Answer

