Allah's Eyes

10-8-2004 | IslamWeb

Question:

Imam Ibn Qayyim says on commenting the Hadith "You must know that he (the Dajjal) is one-eyed and Allah, the Exalted and Glorious, is not one-eyed". Imam Ibn Qayyim says that this Hadith confirms that Allah has two eyes. A scholar said that this is same as saying if it is not BLACK then it is WHITE? Is the scholar not correct?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

The Eye is a Thaati Attribute of Allaah which never ceases to exist, and which is affirmed in His Book and in the Sunnah of His Prophet .

Ahlus-Sunnah believe that Allaah sees with His Eyes as they believe that Allaah has two eyes that suit His Majesty. Their evidence for this is the saying of Allaah (which means): {So We inspired him (Noah) (saying): "Construct the ship under Our Eyes and under Our Revelation (guidance)”} [Quran 11:37]

Allaah also says (what means): {And I endued you with love from Me, in order that you may be brought up under My Eye.} [Quran 20:39]

Allaah further Says (what means): {Verily, you (O Muhammad SAW) are under Our Eyes.} [Quran 52:48]

In another verse, Allaah says (what means): {Floating under Our Eyes, a reward for him who had been rejected!} [Quran 54:14]

Imaam At-Tabari said while interpreting the verse {under Our Eyes} “it means under the Eyes of Allaah”; he reported this from Ibn ‘Abbaas and Mujaahid .

Ahlus-Sunnah also provided evidence of the Hadeeth narrated by Anas that the Prophet said: "Allaah is not hidden from you; He is not one-eyed.", and he [the Prophet] pointed with his fingers to his two eyes, adding, while Ad-Dajaal (the Antichrist) is blind in the right eye'. [Al-Bukhari]

Imaam Al-Baqilaani said: “The Prophet affirmed that Allaah has two eyes.” Besides, ‘Uthmaan Ad-Daarimi (a known scholar of Hadeeth) said: "The opposite of one-eyed is two-eyed (the one who sees with two eyes)."

Imaam Abul-Hassan Al-Ash’ari said in his book entitled Al-Ibaanah: “Allaah, The Exalted, has two Eyes, and we do not know their reality (how they look like).", as Allaah Says (what means): {Floating under Our Eyes.} He [Al-Ash’ari] then said: “The deviant sects like Al-Mu'tazilah, Al-Jahmiyyah, and Al-Qaadiriyyah denied that Allaah has two Eyes despite of the saying of Allaah: {Floating under Our Eyes.}”

Moreover, Imam Ibn-Khuzaymah wrote in his book entitled At-Tawheed: "It is compulsory on every Muslim to affirm for his Lord and Creator what Allaah has affirmed for Himself, like the Eyes, and a non-believer is the one who negates what Allaah has affirmed in His Book.” He further said: "Our Creator and Lord has two eyes, by them He sees what is under the soil, what is under the seventh earth and what is above the heavens."

On the other hand, Al-Laalikaai   entitled a Chapter in his book Usool Al I'tiqaad with this title: "The Chapter on the texts from the Quran and the Sunnah of His Prophet that prove the Attributes of Allaah such as Face, two Eyes and two Hands.”; then he stated the verses and Hadeeths which prove this.

Based on the above, you should know that there is much evidence which prove this Attribute of Allaah (that He has two eyes), and that the Hadeeth that you mentioned in the question is not the only evidence in this issue, and that the interpretation of Ibn Al-Qayyim of the Hadeeth is the same as the interpretation of the Hadeeth by all the scholars of the Salaf (righteous predecessors). It is the innovators who appose this meaning as reported about them by Imaam Al-Ash'ari and others .

Probably, the scholar who rejected the statement of Ibn Al-Qayyim is not aware of the stand and statements of the scholars in this regard.

We ask Allaah to forgive us and him and all the Muslims.

As far as you are concerned, you should adhere to the creed of the Salaf (righteous predecessors) in every matter.

Allaah Knows best.