Author:
Moustafa Morsy
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Date Posted: 21:00:38 10/01/02 Tue
Author Host/IP: mt.24.171.69.29.charter-stl.com/24.171.69.29
Alikom Assalam.
Ibn al-Qayyim in Zad al-Ma`ad said:
The Companions differed whether the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- actually saw his Lord that night [of isra' and mi`raj] or not. It is authentically narrated from Ibn `Abbas that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- saw his Lord, and also authentically related that Ibn `Abbas said: "He saw Him with his heart." It is also authentically related from `A'isha and Ibn Mas`ud that they denied such vision, saying that Allah's words {And verily he saw him, yet another time, at the Lote Tree of the Farthest Boundary} (53:13) refer to Gibril -- upon him peace --. It is also authentically related from Abu Dharr that the latter asked the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him: "Did you see your Lord?" and he replied: "[I saw] a huge light, how could I see Him?" (nurun anna arah?). That is: light came in between myself and His sight, as stated in the wording: "I saw light" (ra'aytu nuran).30 `Uthman ibn Sa`id al-Darimi [incorrectly] said that the Companions all agreed that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- did not see Him.31 Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyya - may Allah sanctify his soul! - said:
Ibn `Abbas's statement that "He saw Him" does not contradict that claim, nor his statement that "He saw Him with his heart." For it is also authentically related that the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- said: "I saw my Lord - glorified and exalted is He!" However, the latter was not during the isra' but in Madina, when the Prophet -- Allah bless and greet him -- was occupied and could not be with the Companions at the time of the dawn prayer, after which he told them about his vision of Allah during his sleep that night. It is on that evidence that Imam Ahmad based himself when he said: "Yes, he saw him in reality (na`am ra'ahu haqqan), for the dream-visions of Prophets are real." This is absolutely true, but Ahmad did not say that he saw Him with the eyes of his head while awake. Whoever said that he did, is mistaken. Ahmad said one time: "He saw Him" and another time: "He saw Him with his heart." These are the two statements narrated from him on the issue. The third statement whereby "He saw Him with the eyes of his head" comes from the free paraphrase of some of his companions. Ahmad's texts are present with us, and nowhere are such words found in them.
Allah Knows Best.
Moustafa Morsy
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