Chapter On The Invalidity of the Belief to see God (Ru’yah of Allah)

كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي مُحَمَّدٍ ع أَسْأَلُهُ كَيْفَ يَعْبُدُ الْعَبْدُ رَبَّهُ وَ هُوَ لَا يَرَاهُ فَوَقَّعَ ع يَا أَبَا يُوسُفَ جَلَّ سَيِّدِي وَ مَوْلَايَ وَ الْمُنْعِمُ عَلَيَّ وَ عَلَى آبَائِي أَنْ يُرَى قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ هَلْ رَأَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص رَبَّهُ فَوَقَّعَ ع إِنَّ اللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى أَرَى رَسُولَهُ بِقَلْبِهِ مِنْ نُورِ عَظَمَتِهِ مَا أَحَبَّ.

The Imam wrote in reply, “O abu Yusuf, my Lord, my Master, and my Benefactor and the Benefactor of my ancestors, is far exalted and is above being seen.” I (Ya’qub ibn Ishaq) asked him, “Had the Messenger of Allah (s.a.) seen his Lord?” The Imam replied in writing and signed, “Allah, the Most Holy, the Most High, showe

سَأَلَنِي‌ أَبُو قُرَّةَ الْمُحَدِّثُ أَنْ أُدْخِلَهُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع فَاسْتَأْذَنْتُهُ فِي ذَلِكَ فَأَذِنَ لِي فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ فَسَأَلَهُ عَنِ الْحَلَالَ وَ الْحَرَامِ وَ الْأَحْكَامِ حَتَّى بَلَغَ سُؤَالُهُ إِلَى التَّوْحِيدِ فَقَالَ أَبُو قُرَّةَ إِنَّا رُوِّينَا أَنَّ اللَّهَ قَسَمَ الرُّؤْيَةَ وَ الْكَلَامَ بَيْنَ نَبِيَّيْنِ فَقَسَمَ الْكَلَامَ لِمُوسَى وَ لِمُحَمَّدٍ الرُّؤْيَةَ فَقَالَ أَبُ

Oneness of Allah (God). Abu Qurrah said, “We (the narrators of Hadith) narrate that Allah, the Almighty has divided His being seen al-Ru’yah and His al-kalam, speech between the two prophets. He gave Musa (Moses) the opportunity to hear His speech, and Muhammad (s.a.) the opportunity to see Him.” Imam abu al-Hassan (a.

كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا ع أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الرُّؤْيَةِ وَ مَا تَرْوِيهِ الْعَامَّةُ وَ الْخَاصَّةُ- وَ سَأَلْتُهُ أَنْ يَشْرَحَ لِي ذَلِكَ فَكَتَبَ بِخَطِّهِ اتَّفَقَ الْجَمِيعُ لَا تَمَانُعَ بَيْنَهُمْ أَنَّ الْمَعْرِفَةَ مِنْ جِهَةِ الرُّؤْيَةِ ضَرُورَةٌ فَإِذَا جَازَ أَنْ يُرَى اللَّهُ بِالْعَيْنِ وَقَعَتِ الْمَعْرِفَةُ ضَرُورَةً- ثُمَّ لَمْ تَخْلُ تِلْكَ الْمَعْرِفَةُ مِنْ أَنْ تَكُونَ إِيمَاناً أَ

“I wrote to abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) and asked him about the belief in eye-witnessing Allah’s self. Is it is possible to see Allah’s self with one’s own eyes as is traditionally narrated in the affirmative by the Sunni Muslims (al-’ammah) and the Shi‘ah Muslims (al-khassah) who are contrary. I requested him to expl

كَتَبْتُ إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ الثَّالِثِ ع أَسْأَلُهُ عَنِ الرُّؤْيَةِ وَ مَا اخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ النَّاسُ فَكَتَبَ لَا تَجُوزُ الرُّؤْيَةُ مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ بَيْنَ الرَّائِي وَ الْمَرْئِيِّ هَوَاءٌ لَمْ‌[2] يَنْفُذْهُ الْبَصَرُ فَإِذَا انْقَطَعَ الْهَوَاءُ عَنِ الرَّائِي وَ الْمَرْئِيِّ لَمْ تَصِحَّ الرُّؤْيَةُ وَ كَانَ فِي ذَلِكَ الِاشْتِبَاهُ لِأَنَّ الرَّائِيَ مَتَى سَاوَى الْمَرْئِيَّ فِي السَّبَبِ الْمُوجِبِ بَيْنَه

“Eye-witnessing Allah’s self is not possible until there is air (light-carrier medium) that would let the light reach the eye. If air is remove from (space between) the viewer and the object, no eye-witnessing will take place. In this is ground for similarity. When the viewer and the object in view would have the same

حَضَرْتُ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ ع فَدَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ رَجُلٌ مِنَ الْخَوَارِجِ فَقَالَ لَهُ يَا أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ أَيَّ شَيْ‌ءٍ تَعْبُدُ قَالَ اللَّهَ تَعَالَى قَالَ رَأَيْتَهُ قَالَ بَلْ لَمْ تَرَهُ الْعُيُونُ بِمُشَاهَدَةِ الْأَبْصَارِ[3] وَ لَكِنْ رَأَتْهُ الْقُلُوبُ بِحَقَائِقِ الْإِيمَانِ لَا يُعْرَفُ بِالْقِيَاسِ وَ لَا يُدْرَكُ بِالْحَوَاسِّ وَ لَا يُشَبَّهُ بِالنَّاسِ مَوْصُوفٌ بِالْآيَاتِ مَعْرُوفٌ بِالْعَلَامَاتِ لَا يَ

“O Abu Ja’far, what do you worship?” He said: “Allah, the Exalted.” The man asked: “Have you seen Him?” He replied: “No, but the eyes do not perceive Him through physical sight, but the hearts have seen Him through the realities of faith. He cannot be known through analogy, nor can He be comprehended by the senses, nor

جَاءَ حِبْرٌ إِلَى أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ صَلَوَاتُ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ هَلْ رَأَيْتَ رَبَّكَ حِينَ عَبَدْتَهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ وَيْلَكَ مَا كُنْتُ أَعْبُدُ رَبّاً لَمْ أَرَهُ قَالَ وَ كَيْفَ رَأَيْتَهُ قَالَ وَيْلَكَ لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْعُيُونُ فِي مُشَاهَدَةِ الْأَبْصَارِ وَ لَكِنْ رَأَتْهُ الْقُلُوبُ بِحَقَائِقِ الْإِيمَانِ‌[1].

“Once a rabbi (hibr) came to Imam Ali (a.s.) and asked, ‘O Amir al-mu’minin, have you seen your Lord when worshipping Him?’” Imam Ali (a.s.) replied, “This is not a proper question. I would not have worshipped a Lord whom I could not see.” He then asked, “How did you see Him?” Imam Ali (a.s.) said, “This is not a prope

ذَاكَرْتُ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع فِيمَا يَرْوُونَ مِنَ الرُّؤْيَةِ فَقَالَ الشَّمْسُ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءاً مِنْ نُورِ الْكُرْسِيِّ وَ الْكُرْسِيُّ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءاً مِنْ نُورِ الْعَرْشِ وَ الْعَرْشُ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءاً مِنْ نُورِ الْحِجَابِ وَ الْحِجَابُ جُزْءٌ مِنْ سَبْعِينَ جُزْءاً مِنْ نُورِ السِّتْرِ فَإِنْ كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ فَلْيَمْلَئُوا أَعْيُنَهُمْ مِنَ الشَّمْسِ لَيْسَ دُونَهَا

The Imam said, “The light of the sun has a ratio equal to one seventieth of the light of the Kursi (the throne). The same is the ratio of the light of Kursi to al-‘Arsh, the light of which is of the same ration to that of al-Hijab the light of which is of the same ration to the light of al-Satr. If they tell the truth

قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص‌ لَمَّا أُسْرِيَ بِي إِلَى السَّمَاءِ بَلَغَ بِي جَبْرَئِيلُ مَكَاناً لَمْ يَطَأْهُ قَطُّ جَبْرَئِيلُ فَكَشَفَ لَهُ فَأَرَاهُ اللَّهُ مِنْ نُورِ عَظَمَتِهِ مَا أَحَبَّ. فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى‌ لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ

“When I ascended to the heavens, Jibril took me to a place where he had never stepped foot on before. Then it was unveiled to him and Allah showed him of the light of His greatness that which he loved.” On the words of Allah “ No mortal eyes can see Him, but He can see all eyes. He is All-kind and All-aware. (6:103)

إِحَاطَةُ الْوَهْمِ أَ لَا تَرَى إِلَى قَوْلِهِ- قَدْ جاءَكُمْ بَصائِرُ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ‌ لَيْسَ يَعْنِي بَصَرَ الْعُيُونِ- فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ فَلِنَفْسِهِ‌ لَيْسَ يَعْنِي مِنَ الْبَصَرِ بِعَيْنِهِ- وَ مَنْ عَمِيَ فَعَلَيْها لَيْسَ يَعْنِي عَمَى الْعُيُونِ إِنَّمَا عَنَى إِحَاطَةَ الْوَهْمِ كَمَا يُقَالُ فُلَانٌ بَصِيرٌ بِالشِّعْرِ وَ فُلَانٌ بَصِيرٌ بِالْفِقْهِ وَ فُلَانٌ بَصِيرٌ بِالدَّرَاهِمِ وَ فُلَانٌ بَصِيرٌ بِالثِّ

It means within what is called al-Wahm which in terms of the degrees of knowledge is less than fifty percent. Consider the words of Allah in: “Clear proofs have certainly come to you from your Lord.. .” (6:104) It does not mean eye-witnessed knowledge. Also consider, “Whosoever sees clearly, it is to his own gain.” (ib

سَأَلْتُهُ عَنِ اللَّهِ هَلْ يُوصَفُ فَقَالَ أَ مَا تَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ قُلْتُ بَلَى- قَالَ أَ مَا تَقْرَأُ قَوْلَهُ تَعَالَى- لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ فَتَعْرِفُونَ الْأَبْصَارَ قُلْتُ بَلَى قَالَ مَا هِيَ قُلْتُ أَبْصَارُ الْعُيُونِ فَقَالَ إِنَّ أَوْهَامَ الْقُلُوبِ أَكْبَرُ مِنْ أَبْصَارِ الْعُيُونِ فَهُوَ لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَوْهَامُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَوْهَامَ.

“I asked Imam abul Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), about Allah if He can be described (defined in words). The Imam (a.s.) said, “Have you not read the Quran?” I replied, “Yes, I do read the Quran.” He then said, “Have you not read the words of Allah, the Most High, “No mortal eyes can see Him, but He can see all eyes. He is All

قُلْتُ لِأَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع- لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصارُ وَ هُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصارَ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ أَوْهَامُ الْقُلُوبِ أَدَقُّ مِنْ أَبْصَارِ الْعُيُونِ أَنْتَ قَدْ تُدْرِكُ بِوَهْمِكَ السِّنْدَ وَ الْهِنْدَ وَ الْبُلْدَانَ الَّتِي لَمْ تَدْخُلْهَا وَ لَا تُدْرِكُهَا بِبَصَرِكَ وَ أَوْهَامُ الْقُلُوبِ لَا تُدْرِكُهُ فَكَيْفَ أَبْصَارُ الْعُيُونِ.

“I mentioned the words of Allah , ‘No mortal eyes can see Him, but He can see all eyes. He is All-kind and All-aware.’ (6:103) to Imam abu Ja’far (a.s.). He said, “O abu Hashim, Awham (mentioned above) of hearts are keener and sharper than the perceptions of the eyes. Through the Awham of the heart you can perceive cou

الْأَشْيَاءُ كُلُّهَا لَا تُدْرَكُ إِلَّا بِأَمْرَيْنِ بِالْحَوَاسِّ وَ الْقَلْبِ وَ الْحَوَاسُّ إِدْرَاكُهَا عَلَى ثَلَاثَةِ مَعَانٍ إِدْرَاكاً بِالْمُدَاخَلَةِ وَ إِدْرَاكاً بِالْمُمَاسَّةِ وَ إِدْرَاكاً بِلَا مُدَاخَلَةٍ وَ لَا مُمَاسَّةٍ فَأَمَّا الْإِدْرَاكُ الَّذِي بِالْمُدَاخَلَةِ فَالْأَصْوَاتُ وَ الْمَشَامُّ وَ الطُّعُومُ وَ أَمَّا الْإِدْرَاكُ بِالْمُمَاسَّةِ فَمَعْرِفَةُ الْأَشْكَالِ مِنَ التَّرْبِيعِ وَ ا

12. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father from some of his people from Hisham ibn al-Hakam who has said the following. “Things can be perceived by two means: (1) By the senses and (2) by the heart, intellect. Perceptions of the senses are of three kinds: (1) Perception in the form of penetration, (2) Perception