The most Praised One says...

The most Praised One says, “And in your oaths, do not make God's (name) an excuse for not doing good or acting rightly or making peace among others, for Allah is the all-Hearing, all-Knowing” (Qur’an, 2:224); “Then fight in the cause of Allah and be informed that Allah hears and knows all things” (Qur’an, 2:244); “And He is with you wherever you may be.

And Allah sees well all that you do” (Qur’an, 57:4), and “Allah (always) hears the arguments between both sides among you, for Allah hears and sees (all things)” (Qur’an, 58:1).

Imam Ali ibn Abu Talib, peace with him, has said, “And He is the Seeing but not through the distinguishing of a tool, the Witness but not through coming in contact with things.”[^2] He, peace with him, has also said, “One who speaks hears his articulation, and one who remains silent knows what he conceals.”[^3] Imam Ali ibn Mousa al-Ridha, peace with him, has said, “Allah is and has always been, the most Exalted One, Able, Living, Timeless, Hearing and Seeing.”[^4] Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, peace with him, has said, “He, the most Exalted One, is Hearing and Seeing.

He hears without a faculty, sees without a tool. Rather, He hears by Himself, sees by Himself.” ^5 Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace with him, has said, “He is Hearing, Seeing; He hears through what He sees, sees through what He hears.” ^6 The previous tradition points out to the unity of His Attributes, Praise belongs to Him, with His own Self, and the unity of each with the other in the position of the Self.

The fact of hearing in Himself, Praise belongs to Him, is not different from the fact of seeing. Rather, He hears through what He sees, sees through what He hears. His essence is all hearing and seeing. [^1]: Al-Asfar, Vol. 6, pp. 421-23. [^2]: Nahjul-Balagha, Sermon 155. [^3]: Ibid., Sermon 182. [^4]: Al-Saduq, Tawhid, pp. 140, 144. Previous…