Allah Almighty will grant His believing servants the vision of Himself on the Day of Judgment, and this vision is a great blessing and immense mercy from Allah. The Quran, Hadiths, and the consensus of the believers are evidence of this, while some sects such as the Mu’tazila, Jahmiyyah, Mu’tazilah, Kharijites, and Imamiyyah Shia deny this reality.
Consensus of the Ummah
Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari (310 AH): Imam Ibn Jarir al-Tabari, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“It is correct that the believers will see Allah Almighty on the Day of Judgment. This is part of our religion, and we have found the Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama’ah upon this belief that the people of Paradise will see Allah, as is proven in authentic hadiths from the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him.”
Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Husayn Ajuri (360 AH): He says:
“Allah Almighty created His creation and designated them as either fortunate or unfortunate. The unfortunate denied Allah, worshipped others besides Him, and disobeyed the messengers; as a result, after death, they suffer punishment and on the Day of Judgment will be deprived of seeing Allah. They will be the fuel of Hell and will endure various punishments, while the fortunate will receive blessings from Allah in Paradise, will behold Allah, enjoy the delights of Paradise, and remain close to Allah.”
If an ignorant or uninformed person objects, asking whether the believer will be able to see Allah on the Day of Judgment, the answer is, “Yes, praise be to Allah! If any ignorant person refuses to believe this, it should be said that he has denied Allah and rejected the Quran, Sunnah, the sayings of the Companions, and the statements of Muslim scholars.”
The command of Allah, the Lord of Glory:
﴿يَوْمَ يَلْقَوْنَهُ سَلَامٌ﴾ “Allah Almighty is very kind to the believers; on the day they meet Allah, their gift will be peace, and Allah has prepared the best reward for them.”
Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Hussain Ajari (360 AH): He says:
“May Allah have mercy on you, keep in mind that according to the linguists, the meaning of meeting here is to face. The people of Paradise will see Allah, and Allah will also address them.”
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah (223-311 AH):
“There is no disagreement among any scholar that the believers will behold Allah Almighty in the Hereafter; however, this is not possible in this world. Whoever denies this is considered to have left the faith, and according to the scholars, such people are worse than Jews, Christians, and Magians.”
Imam Abu Saeed Ad-Darimi (204-280 AH):
“(The vision of Allah) is established by the Quran, authentic hadiths, and the narrations of the pious predecessors. When the Book of Allah, the sayings of the Prophet ﷺ, and the consensus of the Ummah agree, there remains no room for interpretation, except that there is no excuse left for the arrogant or denier.”
Hafiz Abdul Ghani al-Maqdisi (541-600 AH):
“The consensus of the people of truth, the people of monotheism and sincerity, is that on the Day of Resurrection there will be the vision of Allah Almighty, as is established by the Holy Quran and authentic hadiths.”
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (d. 728 AH): He states:
“The noble Companions, the great Followers, and all Ahl al-Sunnah agree that the vision of Allah Almighty will occur in the Hereafter, as is established by the Prophetic hadiths and the reports of the Companions. According to Imam Ahmad and other scholars, the unanimous belief of the Companions and Followers is that the vision of Allah in the Hereafter will be with the eyes, but this is not possible in this world.”
Hafiz al-Dhahabi (d. 748 AH): He writes:
“We have not found any clear text that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw Allah with his own eyes. In this matter, silence is better for a Muslim. However, it is proven through various chains of narration that the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ saw Allah in a dream. The issue of seeing Allah in the Hereafter is certain, which is established by mutawatir texts. Imam Darqutni and Imam Bayhaqi have collected hadiths on this subject.”
He further states:
“We will blame and declare as an innovator whoever denies the vision of Allah in the Hereafter, because this matter is proven by mutawatir texts.”
Quranic Evidences
Evidence Number 1: Proof of the Vision of Allah
Allah Almighty says:
“(وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ . إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ)”
“On that Day, the faces of the people of Paradise will be radiant and joyful, and they will see their Lord.”
Allama Ibn al-Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) in his tafsir explains this verse as follows:
Specifying the word ‘nazar’ (sight) with ‘wajah’ (face), which is the place of sight, and the use of ‘ila’ (towards), which indicates the act of seeing with the eye, clarifies that Allah Almighty means that the believers will see Allah with their own eyes on the Day of Resurrection. There is no indication here that the word ‘nazar’ should be taken metaphorically, removing it from its literal meaning.
Explanation of Imam Ikrimah, may Allah have mercy on him: Imam Ikrimah, may Allah have mercy on him, says in his interpretation of this verse:
“They will see Allah Almighty with true sight.”
This is the same interpretation given by Imam Ikrimah, Ismail ibn Abi Khalid, may Allah have mercy on them, and many scholars of Kufa.
Warning:
The follower Imam Mujahid ibn Jubeir, may Allah have mercy on him, interpreted this verse as follows:
“They will await reward from Allah.”
Imam Darimi, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“A person quoted Imam Mujahid’s statement (that the people of Paradise will await reward from Allah) as an argument against the Divine Vision. We say that this cannot be his argument because there can be no reward greater than the vision of Allah’s Face. The people of Paradise will await that very reward.”
This verse is evidence that on the Day of Resurrection, the believers will be honored with the vision of Allah, while the disbelievers will be deprived of it.
Argument 2: The Divine Vision and Its Excellence
Allah Almighty’s command:
“(لِلَّذِينَ أَحْسَنُوا الْحُسْنَى وَزِيَادَةٌ)”
“The reward of the righteous believers is Paradise and something greater than that (the vision of Allah).”
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) explained this verse by saying:
“When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, Allah Almighty will say: ‘Is there anything else that I may give you?’ The people of Paradise will say: ‘Have You not spread light upon our faces? Have You not admitted us into Paradise? And have You not saved us from Hell?’ Then Allah Almighty will remove the veil, and nothing will be more beloved to the people of Paradise than the vision of Allah.”
Imam Hasan Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said: In his explanation, Imam Hasan Basri, may Allah have mercy on him, said:
“To see Allah.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (700-774 AH), in his Tafsir: Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him, explains this verse as follows:
The word ‘increase’ means to multiply a good deed from ten times up to seven hundred times, and beyond that, it includes the palaces of Paradise, the Houris, the pleasure of Allah, and the coolness of the eyes, which Allah has reserved for the people of Paradise. Even more superior and exalted than this reward is the vision of Allah’s Face, which surpasses all blessings. This reward is not earned by deeds alone but is granted by Allah’s grace and mercy.
He further states:
“In Sahih Muslim, there is a narration from Sayyiduna Suhaib bin Sinan Al-Rumi (may Allah be pleased with him) that in this verse, ‘increase’ refers to the vision of Allah’s Face.”
Evidence Number 3: Deprivation of the Divine Vision
Allah Almighty’s command:
“(كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ)”
“Beware! On the Day of Resurrection, these people will be deprived of the vision of Allah.”
Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him, 700-774 AH) in his Tafsir: Hafiz Ibn Kathir (may Allah have mercy on him) says in the explanation of this verse:
Imam Shafi’i, may Allah have mercy on him, states that this verse is evidence that on the Day of Resurrection, the believers will be honored with the vision of Allah Almighty. Imam Shafi’i’s statement is the best reasoning derived from the meaning of this verse. The same meaning is also present in Allah Almighty’s command: (وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ . إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ)
. It is also proven from the authentic and mutawatir hadiths that on the Day of Judgment, the believers will see Allah, and this vision will be with the eyes amidst the terrors of the Resurrection and the magnificent gardens of Paradise.
The statement of Imam Abu Bakr Abdullah bin Zubair Humaidi, may Allah have mercy on him:
“Sufyan bin Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy on him, was asked about the claim of Bishr al-Marisi that there will be no vision of Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Sufyan, may Allah have mercy on him, said: ‘May Allah destroy him, has he not heard Allah’s command? (كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ). If both the friends of Allah and the enemies are deprived of the vision, then what superiority do the friends of Allah have over the enemies?'”
The anger of Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him: When Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal, may Allah have mercy on him, learned about a person’s denial of the Divine Vision on the Day of Judgment, he became very angry and said:
“Whoever says that there will be no vision of Allah in the Hereafter is a disbeliever. May Allah’s curse and wrath be upon him. Did Allah not say: (وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ . إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ) and also say: (كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ)? These verses are proof that the believers will be granted the vision of Allah on the Day of Judgment.”
The stance of Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him:
“Imam Malik, may Allah have mercy on him, heard that some people interpret the verse: (وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ . إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ) only as awaiting Allah’s reward. Imam Malik said: ‘These people are liars, what will be their answer to Allah’s command? (كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ).'”
Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 354 AH): Imam Ibn Hibban, may Allah have mercy on him, writes:
The denial of the transmitted ahadith regarding the Divine Vision is done only by the person who lacks the light of knowledge. It is not unlikely that Allah Almighty will grant His believing servants the vision of Himself in the Hereafter. The Quran also states this: (كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ). If the disbelievers are deprived of the Divine Vision, it means that the believers will not be deprived of this blessing. Seeing Allah is not possible in this world because everything here is perishable, but in the Hereafter, the ever-lasting eye can see the ever-lasting Allah. Denial of this reality is only done by those who are devoid of knowledge and give precedence to their opinion and conjecture over revelation.
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him (223-311 AH):
“On the Day of Resurrection, the vision of Allah Almighty is reserved for the friends of Allah, and the Quran testifies to this fact: (وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ . إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ). This honor will be granted to Allah’s believing friends, while Allah’s enemies, such as polytheists, Jews, Christians, Magians, and hypocrites, will be deprived of this vision. Allah has said: (كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ). After the inhabitants of Paradise enter Paradise and the inhabitants of Hell enter Hell, Allah will grant His believing servants the vision of Himself, and this will be by Allah’s grace and mercy.”
Abdullah bin Mubarak, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 181 AH), in his Tafsir:
“Whoever desires to see the face of his Creator should do righteous deeds and not inform anyone about it.”
Hadith Evidences
Evidence Number 1:
Sayyiduna Uday bin Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, narrates that the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, said:
“مَا مِنْكُمْ مِّنْ أَحَدٍ إِلَّا سَيُكَلِّمُهُ رَبُّهُ، لَيْسَ بَيْنَهُ وَبَيْنَهُ تَرْجُمَانٌ، وَلَا حِجَابَ يَحْجُبُهُ.”
“Soon you will speak with Allah, and there will be neither an interpreter nor a veil between you and Allah.”
Evidence Number 2:
Sayyiduna Jarir bin Abdullah Bajali رضي الله عنه says:
“كُنَّا جُلُوسًا عِنْدَ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ إِذْ نَظَرَ إِلَى الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ فَقَالَ: إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ كَمَا تَرَوْنَ هَذَا الْقَمَرَ، لَا تُضَامُّونَ فِي رُؤْيَتِهِ، فَإِنِ اسْتَطَعْتُمْ أَنْ لَّا تُغْلَبُوا عَلَى صَلَاةٍ قَبْلَ طُلُوعِ الشَّمْسِ، وَصَلَاةٍ قَبْلَ غُرُوبِ الشَّمْسِ، فَافْعَلُوا.”
“We were sitting in the gathering of the Prophet Muhammad صلی اللہ علیہ وسلم when he looked at the moon of the fourteenth night and said: ‘You will see your Lord just as you see this moon, and there will be no difficulty in seeing Him. If you have the ability to perform the Asr and Fajr prayers on time, then definitely do so.'”
It is also mentioned in Sahih Bukhari
: “إِنَّكُمْ سَتَرَوْنَ رَبَّكُمْ عِيَانًا”
“You will see your Lord face to face.”
This comparison of seeing is with actual sight, meaning just as you see the moon with your eyes, similarly the believers will behold Allah Almighty on the Day of Judgment.
Proof number 3:
Sayyiduna Abu Hurairah رضي الله عنه narrates:
“قَالَ أُنَاسٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ، هَلْ نَرٰى رَبَّنَا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ؟ فَقَالَ: هَلْ تُضَارُّونَ فِي الشَّمْسِ لَيْسَ دُونَهَا سَحَابٌ؟ قَالُوا: لَا يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ، قَالَ: هَلْ تُضَارُّونَ فِي الْقَمَرِ لَيْلَةَ الْبَدْرِ لَيْسَ دُونَهُ سَحَابٌ؟ قَالُوا: لَا يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰهِ، قَالَ: فَإِنَّكُمْ تَرَوْنَهُ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ كَذٰلِكَ.”
The Companions asked: O Messenger of Allah, will we see Allah on the Day of Resurrection? He, peace be upon him, said: “When the sky is clear, do you find any difficulty in seeing the sun?” They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. Then he said: “When the sky is clear, do you find any difficulty in seeing the full moon on the fourteenth night?” They said: No, O Messenger of Allah. Then the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: “You will see Allah on the Day of Resurrection in the same way.”
Imam Abu Ubaid Qasim bin Salam, may Allah have mercy on him (150-224 AH), says:
“These hadiths regarding the vision of the Almighty are true in our view; these statements have reached us through trustworthy narrators. However, we do not interpret them, nor have we found anyone interpreting them.”
Imam Sufyan bin Uyaynah, may Allah have mercy on him (107-198 AH):
“These hadiths about the divine vision are authentic, as we have heard from trustworthy narrators.”
Imam Aswad bin Salim, Baghdadi, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 213 AH):
“If these hadiths and reports about the vision of Allah are not true, then I swear by my wives that they are divorced and should separate from me.”
Hafiz Nawawi, may Allah have mercy on him (631-676 AH):
“Know that the unanimous belief of Ahl al-Sunnah is that the vision of Allah is rationally possible, and on the Day of Resurrection, the believers will see Allah, while the disbelievers will be deprived of this. The claim of the Mu’tazilah, Kharijites, and some Murji’ah that none of the creation can see Allah is a clear error and disgraceful ignorance. The Quran, Sunnah, and the consensus of the Companions affirm the vision of Allah on the Day of Resurrection, which more than twenty Companions have narrated, and the Quranic verses on this matter are well-known.”
Hafiz Al-Dhahabi, may Allah have mercy on him (673-748 AH):
“The vision of Allah in the Hereafter, and that too face to face, is a certain matter. Numerous authentic hadiths indicate this.”
He further states:
“The Mu’tazila believe that if the hadith scholars were to abandon a thousand hadiths about the names and attributes, the vision of the Creator, and the descent of the Creator, they would be on the right path, but this is their false claim.”
Imam Abu Bakr Muhammad bin Husayn Ajari, may Allah have mercy on him (d. 360 AH):
“Allah Almighty says: (وَأَنْزَلْنَا إِلَيْكَ الذِّكْرَ لِتُبَيِّنَ لِلنَّاسِ مَا نُزِّلَ إِلَيْهِمْ). The Noble Prophet, peace be upon him, informed his Ummah that they will see their Lord on the Day of Resurrection. Many companions narrated this, and the scholars accepted it from them in the best manner, just as they accepted knowledge of purification, prayer, fasting, zakat, Hajj, and what is lawful and unlawful. Similarly, they accepted these hadiths that the believers will see Allah on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever denies these hadiths is a disbeliever.”
Imam Malik bin Anas, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
“On the Day of Resurrection, (the believers) will see Allah Almighty with their own eyes.”
Doubts and Their Refutation
Those who deny the vision of Allah present various doubts to prove their misguidance and ignorance. Below, these doubts are mentioned along with their refutations to clarify their error.
Doubt Number 1:
Allah Almighty’s command:
“(لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ)”
“Eyes cannot perceive Him, but He perceives the eyes.”
Argument of the Deniers:
The deniers argue that according to this verse, seeing Allah Almighty is not possible, because Allah has said that eyes cannot perceive Him.
Answer:
Imam Ibn Khuzaymah, may Allah have mercy on him (223-311 AH), says:
“Listen, an authentic hadith with a sound chain indicates that the believers will see their Creator after death, but not before death.”
The statement of the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him:
The Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him, mentioned the Dajjal and said:
“The Dajjal will say to a believer, ‘I am your Lord,’ while he will be one-eyed. Remember that your Lord is not one-eyed, and you cannot see Allah before the Day of Judgment.”
Explanation of the Verse:
Hafiz Ibn Kathir, may Allah have mercy on him (700-774 AH), says:
“A group says that (لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ) means that no one can see Allah, but this verse exempts the believers from the vision of Allah on the Day of Judgment. A group of the Mu’tazilah interprets this verse to mean that seeing Allah is impossible in this world and the Hereafter. However, their view contradicts the teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah and the consensus of Ahl al-Sunnah.”
Clarification:
Denial of comprehension does not mean denial of vision. We see the sun, but we cannot fully comprehend its light and heat. Similarly, seeing Allah is possible, but His essence cannot be fully encompassed.
Doubt Number 2:
Allah Almighty’s statement:
“(لَنْ تَرَانِي)”
“Moses! You will not be able to see Me.”
Argument of the Deniers:
The deniers say that this verse of the Quran negates the vision of Allah, while the hadiths affirm the vision of Allah. They also say that the vision mentioned in the hadiths means knowledge, not actual sight. As evidence, they present this verse:
“(أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللّٰهَ يُسَبِّحُ لَهُ مَنْ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ)”
“Do you not know that everything in the heavens and the earth glorifies Allah?”
Answer:
These hadiths are mutawatir (widely transmitted) and there is no doubt about their authenticity. The vision negated in the Quran relates to worldly life, while the vision mentioned in the hadiths will be in the Hereafter. That is, in this world, no eye can see Allah, but in the Hereafter, the believers will be granted the vision of Allah.
The Quranic Statement:
“(وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ . إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ)”
“That Day, the faces of the people of Paradise will be radiant, looking towards their Lord.”
Here, “nazar” (sight) is attributed as a “cause,” meaning it is related to the face, which is the place of the eyes, and it is made transitive with “ilayya,” which proves visual perception (seeing with the physical eye).
Allama Ibn Qutaybah Dinawari, may Allah have mercy on him (213-276 AH):
“The request of Sayyiduna Musa (رَبِّ أَرِنِي أَنْظُرْ إِلَيْكَ) is clear evidence that the vision of Allah on the Day of Resurrection is possible. If it were not possible, Sayyiduna Musa (peace be upon him) would not have known this attribute of Allah which these people have come to know.”
Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah, may Allah have mercy on him (691-751 AH):
“The majority of the Salaf say that whoever denies the vision of Allah in the Hereafter is a disbeliever.”
Allama Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allah have mercy on him (691-751 AH):
“The vision of Allah is the goal for which the righteous strive. When this goal is attained by the people of Paradise, they will forget all the blessings of Paradise. And for the people of Hell, the pain of this deprivation will be greater than their physical torment. There is consensus among the Prophets, Companions, Successors, and all Imams on this, and it has been denied by the innovators who have abandoned the rope of Allah and taken hold of the rope of Satan.”
Summary of the Article
This article discusses in detail the belief in the Divine Vision, that is, the vision of Allah in the Hereafter. It states that this belief is a fundamental doctrine of Ahl al-Sunnah wa al-Jama’ah. The Quran, Hadith, and consensus of the scholars of the Ummah confirm that on the Day of Resurrection, the believers will be honored with the vision of Allah. This is a great reward and felicity that will be granted to the people of faith.
This article also includes the doubts raised by the deniers of the vision of Allah and their refutation. The doubts presented by the deniers have been explained, such as the meaning of Allah’s command (لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ) being the negation of seeing Allah in this world, while the hadiths affirm the vision in the Hereafter. Similarly, the incident of Prophet Musa (Moses) (لَنْ تَرَانِي) also pertains to this world. On the contrary, there are verses and hadiths in the Quran and Sunnah that prove the possibility of seeing Allah in the Hereafter.
Scholars and Imams have clearly stated that seeing Allah in worldly life is not possible, but this blessing will be granted only to the believers in the Hereafter. Those who have denied this belief are opposed to the unanimous understanding of the Quran, Sunnah, and the Companions and Successors. Scholars have declared the deniers to be misguided.
Finally, this article emphasizes that the belief in the vision of Allah in the Hereafter is unanimously accepted by the Prophets, Companions, Followers, and all the Imams of Islam. It will be a great blessing from Allah, the attainment of which will be the greatest joy for the people of Paradise, while deprivation from it will be the greatest torment for the people of Hell.
