❖ Can Allah Be Seen in This World?
A Detailed Explanation in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah
Source: Fatāwā Arkān-e-Islām
◈ The Question:
Did the Messenger of Allah ﷺ see Allah? Please provide a detailed answer supported by Qur’anic verses and authentic Hadiths.
◈ Introduction
Al-ḥamdu lillāh, waṣ-ṣalātu was-salāmu ʿalā Rasūlillāh, Ammā baʿd!
The sight of Allah ﷻ in this worldly life is not possible. The teachings of the Qur’an and Sunnah make it absolutely clear that:
① Allah's Light and the Impossibility of Worldly Vision
Allah ﷻ says in the Qur’an:
﴿لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ ۖ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ﴾
(Al-Anʿām: 103)
“Vision cannot grasp Him, but He grasps all vision. And He is the Subtle, the Aware.”
This verse clearly affirms that human eyes cannot perceive Allah in this worldly life.
② The Incident of Miʿrāj and the Denial of Physical Vision
It is commonly believed that the Prophet ﷺ saw Allah on the night of Miʿrāj. However, the following hadiths negate this claim:
③ Ḥadīth of Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه
Narrated by Abū Dharr رضي الله عنه:
“I asked the Messenger of Allah ﷺ: Did you see your Lord?
He ﷺ replied: ‘He is light, how could I see Him?’”
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 178)
This Hadith affirms that Allah’s essence is light, and thus beyond the scope of physical sight.④ Testimony of ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها and Qur’anic Support
Narrated by Masrūq:
“I asked Umm al-Mu’minīn ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها: Did Muhammad ﷺ see his Lord?
She replied: ‘Your words make my hair stand on end! Understand well three things: Whoever tells you that Muhammad ﷺ saw his Lord has indeed lied.’”
Then she recited:
﴿لَّا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ﴾
(Al-Anʿām: 103)
She further stated:
❀ Whoever says that the Prophet ﷺ knew what will happen tomorrow, he has lied, and she recited:
﴿وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا﴾
(Luqmān: 34)
❀ Whoever says that the Prophet ﷺ concealed anything from revelation, he has lied, and she recited:
﴿يَا أَيُّهَا الرَّسُولُ بَلِّغْ مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ﴾
(Al-Mā’idah: 67)
⑤ The Prophet ﷺ Saw Jibrīl عليه السلام
According to Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī:
“The Prophet ﷺ saw Jibrīl عليه السلام in his original form twice.”
(Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī: 177)
This clarifies that the vision involved the angel Jibrīl, not Allah Himself.⑥ Statement of Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما
Ibn ʿAbbās رضي الله عنهما said:
"رَآهُ بِقَلْبِهِ"
(Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 176)
“The Prophet ﷺ saw His Lord with his heart.”
This is interpreted as a spiritual or internal vision, not a physical one with the eyes.✔ Conclusion
➊ Allah ﷻ cannot be seen with the eyes in this worldly life.
➋ Even during the night of Miʿrāj, the Prophet ﷺ did not see Allah with his physical eyes.
➌ Some Companions narrated a vision of the heart, but clear texts negate physical vision.
➍ The matter is unanimously settled by Qur’anic verses and authentic Prophetic statements.
وَبِاللّٰهِ التَّوْفِيق
