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Shiavault - a Vault of Shia Islamic Books A Shi'ite Encyclopedia (chapter 9) Seeing Allah Written by: Dr. Vahid J. Majd Introduction The issue of seeing the Essence (Dhat) of Allah has historically been one of the theological differences between the Shia and the Sunni schools of thought. This has been due to their diverse understanding of the Essence of Allah as well as their differences in the interpretation of the verses of Quran.

In this article, we will discuss the position of each school, and will examine each school’s evidence in this regard. We will consider whether Allah can be seen by eyes or imagined or thought of by mind, and whether we have any way into the Essence of Allah. We will also discuss whether Allah can be perceived by heart and felt by conscience. We will finally provide an in-depth interpretation of visiting Allah according to Quran and Hadith.

The Sunni View of Seeing Allah One of the doctrines that the Sunnis unanimously uphold is that a human being can see the Essence of Allah by his or her own eyes. Some of their prominent scholars, including Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, maintained that Allah can be seen in this world as well as in the hereafter. Other Sunni scholars stated that He can only be seen in the hereafter.

The Sunni scholars use the following verse of Quran as their proof: "Some faces on that day (i.e., the Day of Judgment) will be radiant, looking towards their Lord. (75:22-23)" Moreover, the Sunnis have narrated various traditions from their authorities to support this view.

Here are some examples from their most authentic references: Jarir bin 'Abdullah narrated: The Prophet said, "You will definitely see your Lord with your own eyes." Sahih Bukhari, v9, Hadith #530 Jarir bin 'Abdullah narrated: Allah's Apostle came out to us on the night of the full moon and said, "You will see your Lord on the Day of Resurrection as you see this (full moon) and you will have no difficulty in seeing Him." Sahih Bukhari, v9, Hadith #531 Notice the similarity that these traditions imply between seeing Allah and seeing other things (i.e., His creations) by one's eye.

This is the case for the following traditions as well. 'Ata' bin Yazid Al-Laithi narrated: On the authority of Abu Huraira: The people said, "O Allah's Apostle!