Abu Yunus Sulaim bin Jubair, client of Abu Hurairah, said: I heard Abu Hurairah recite this verse: “Allah doth command you to render back your trusts to those to whom they are due” up to “For Allah is he who heareth and seeth all things”. He said: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ putting his thumb on his ear and finger on his eye. Abu Hurairah said: I saw the Messenger of Allah ﷺ reciting this verse and putting his fingers. Ibn Yunus said that al-Muqri said. “Allah hears and sees” means that Allah has the power of hearing and seeing. Abu Dawud said: This is a refutation of the Jahmiyyah.
Explanation & Benefits
Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi
Benefits and Issues:
In this and other hadiths of similar meaning, the Prophet’s (sallallahu alayhi wa sallam) pointing towards the ear and the eye was not for the purpose of likening (tashbih), but rather to affirm the attribute of hearing (sam‘) and seeing (basar), and to bring the meaning closer to the understanding of the listeners.
Because it is explicitly stated in the Noble Qur’an: (ليسَ كَمِثلِه شيءٌ وهو السميعُ البصيرُ) (ash-Shura: 11) — There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.
Source: Sunan Abu Dawood – Commentary by Shaykh Umar Farooq Saeedi, Page: 4728