Seeing Allah on Day of Judgment
3-2-2002 | IslamWeb
Question:
What is your Fatwa regarding the followings?
1. While some scholars (Ulama) say we are not able to see and will not see Allah (SWT) on the Day of Judgment, according to Hadiths we will see Allah (SWT) and we are able to see Allah (SWT) which is correct? Give the answer with authentic evidence.
Answer:
Praise be to Allah, the Lord of the World; and may His blessings and peace be upon our Prophet Muhammad and upon all his Family and Companions.
Qur'an and Hadith clearly establish the fact that Mu'mineen (believers) will look at their Lord in the Paradise. The companions of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam), their successors and the righteous persons who came after them have agreed upon on this fact. Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {Some faces that Day shall be Nâdirah (shining and radiant). Looking at their Lord (Allâh);}[75:22-23] He also Says (interpretation of meaning): {Nay! Surely, they (evil-doers) will be veiled from seeing their Lord that Day.}[83:15]
Explaining this verse Imam Shafi said: 'When they evil-doers will be stopped from seeing Allah due to His being angry with them that means the friends of Allah can see Him while He will be pleased with them'.
Allah Says (interpretation of meaning): {For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allâh (SWT) …}[10:26].
In the above verse "best reward", means the Paradise and "even more" means having the honour of glancing Countenance of Allah as confirmed by the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam). He said: "When the people of Paradise enter in Paradise Allah will say to them, 'Do you need something more?' They will say, have you not whitened our faces? Have you not entered us in Paradise and protected us from Hell? Then Allah will remove the veil. Looking to their Lord will be more lovely to them than any thing else given to them. And then the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) recited this verse: {For those who have done good is the best (reward, i.e. Paradise) and even more (i.e. having the honour of glancing at the Countenance of Allah (SWT) …}[10:26]
It is narrated in al-Bukhari and Muslim from Jareer Bin Abdullah al-Bajali that he said: "We were with the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) on a full moon night. He looked at the moon and said, 'You will certainly see your Lord as you see this moon, and there will be no trouble in seeing Him'".
Imams Bukhari and Muslim narrated on the authority of Abu Hurairah that the people said, "O Allah's Apostle! Shall we see our Lord on the Day of Resurrection?" The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said, "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the moon on a full moon night?" They said, "No, O Allah's Apostle". He said, "Do you have any difficulty in seeing the sun when there are no clouds?" They said, "No, O Allah's Apostle". He said, "So you will see Him, like that."
There are many other sound Hadith reported by more than twenty companions of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) emphasizing this fact. As for Seeing Allah in this world, though it is logically possible, according to Sharia no one can see Him in this worldly life. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) while mentioning Antichrist said: "Know that none of you shall see Allah until his death (i.e. in this life). The word كفر (disbelief) would be written between his two eyes". [Imam Tirmizi and he grades it as Hasan and Sahih]
The Ahl-al-Sunnah (adherent of Sunnah) differed only regarding to the Prophet Muhammad (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam), did he look at his Lord at the night of ascension or not? For the narration of Ibn Abbas that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) saw his Lord at the night of his ascension.
The most correct opinion is that the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) saw only the light, that is a Veil as narrated in Sahih Muslim from Abu Dharr that he asked the Messenger of Allah about his sighting to his Lord. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "I saw the Light only".
There is another narration from Abu Dharr, who said: 'I asked the Messenger of Allah, did you see your Lord? He said: 'He is a Light, how could I see Him?' There are other Hadith prove that Light is the Veil of Allah. The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "Verily the Exalted and Mighty God does not sleep, and it does not befit Him to sleep. He lowers the scale and lifts it. The deeds in the night are taken up to Him before the deeds of the day, and the deeds of the day before the deeds of the night. His veil is the light. If He withdraws it (the veil), the splendour of His countenance would consume His creation as far as His sight reaches".
Imam Nawawi said: 'Know that all the people of Sunnah believe that seeing Allah is logically possible and they have agreed that it will happen in the life of Hereafter. Also only the believers can see Him and unbelievers can not see Him. Some groups of innovators like al-Mutazilah, al-Khwarij and some of the al-Murjiah are of the opinion that seeing Allah is logically impossible.
No doubt, what they claim is a big mistake and total ignorance. There is much clear evidence in Qur'an and Hadith supporting the opinion of Ahl-al-Sunnah. The companions of the Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) and their successors also agreed that believers will see their Lord in Hereafter life. There are many books written in this subject.
Allah knows best.