For example, Allah describes his Prophets as : "men of Hands and vision.

For example, Allah describes his Prophets as : "men of Hands and vision." (38:45) Even all Sunni scholars agreed that here 'hands' means power and strength. I should mention that the view of Shia is also different than Mu'tazalites who take God to the boundary of non-existence. Can Allah Be Seen? As a direct result of the above-mentioned difference, Sunni scholars believe that Allah can be seen.

Some of them, like Imam Ahmad Ibn Hanbal, say that He can be seen in this world, as well as in the word after. Others say that He can only be seen in the hereafter. (Reference: Sahih al- Bukhari, Arabic-English version, Traditions 9.530-532 which clearly state that God can be seen, and God changes His look to be recognized by people).

On the other hand, Shiats say that He cannot be seen physically anywhere, because He has no body, and because Allah says in the Quran: "Sight cannot reach Him" (6:103). Sunni scholars use the following verse as their proof: "Some faces on that day (day of judgement) will be fresh (blooming), looking towards their Lord" (75:22-23). But in Arabic language the word "nazar" (looking toward) does NOT imply "seeing".

Often it is said: "nazartu ilal-hilal falam arahu" which means "I looked towards the new moon (crescent) but I did not see it." Therefore, the verse does not imply that they will see God. According to the Shi'ite interpretstion, the verse means that they will be looking forward to the blessing of Allah.

ATTRIBUTES OF ALLAH According to the Shia belief, attributes of Allah can be put in two distinct groups: first those attributes which denote His person, and second, those attributes which denote His actions. Shaykh Saduq says: "For example, we say that Allah was from ever Hearing, Seeing, Omniscient, Wise, Omnipotent, Having power, Living, Self-existent, One and Eternal. And these are His personal attributes.

and we do not say that He was from ever Creating, Doing, Intending, pleased, displeased, Giving sustenance, Speaking; because these virtues describe His actions; and they are not eternal; it is not allowed to say that Allah was doing all these actions from eternity. The reason for this distinction is obvious. Actions need an object. For example, if we say that Allah was giving sustenance from ever, then we will have to admit the existence of sustained thing from ever.

In other words, we will have to admit that the world was from ever.