THE RELIABLE TRADITIONS THAT REJECT THE IDEA OF THE BEATIFIC VISION.

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THE ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE NORMAL VISION OF GOD.THE ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE VISION.

 The saying of the Ahlulbait are recording regarding the issue of the beatific vision in Nahjul Balagha and the Islamic archives which clearly deny that God ca ever be seen. God can be seen only in the heart and mind. We would like to illustrate our statement with a few traditions as follows:

In a famous tradition recorded in the Nahjul Balagha Hazrat Ali‘s companion Za’lab Yamani asked him, “O Amirul Mumineen! Have you seen your Lord?’ The Imam replied, “Do I worship a God whom I have not seen?” He asked, “how did you see Him?’ The Imam said, “The eyes do not see Him but the hearts do visualize Him through certitude in faith.” (1)

Abu Hashim the companion of Imam Mohammad Baqir asked him about the explanation of, “The eyes cannot see Him and no vision can perceive Him but He can see the vision.” and the Imam said, “The perception of the hearts are more powerful than the vision of the eyes because it is through the heart that we imagine the cities of Hind and Sindh though the eyes did not see them and never did he go there. God cannot even be imagined just by the thoughts in the heart let alone be seen with the eyes.” (2)

Once a Kharijite asked Imam Mohammad Baqir, “what do you worship?” the Imam answered, “God” He asked, “Have you seen Him?” The Imam said, “The normal eyes cannot see Him but the hearts filled with faith can. You can not presuppose Him through the creations. He can be discerned through His signs. He is never unjust in His rule and decree. This is God and other than Him there is no god.”

 When the Kharijite heard this he went away saying, “Only God knows best where He bestows His Messengership and Imamate.” (3)

In yet another tradition Imam Hasan al Askari was asked, “How does man worship the Lord when he does not see Him?” The Imam wrote back, (4) “My Lord, My sustainer, who bestows His grace on me and my forefathers, is great and superior to be seen by the naked eyes.” (5) The narrator asked him, “Did the Holy Messenger see His Lord?” Imam wrote back, “God in His mercy manifested His divine light in the heart of the Messenger as much as He desired.”

There is a very beautiful similitude recorded from Imam Jafar Sadiq when he replied to the Ahle Sunnah about the Beatific Vision.

The sun is one from the seventy portion of the light of the Throne, and the Throne is one of the seventy parts of the light of the Arsh, and this is one of the seventy parts of the Divine Light and the divine light is one of the seventy parts of the screened beatific light. Those who claim about seeing God should look at the sun when there are no clouds for a few minutes.” (6)

The Roof, the Throne, The screen, and the beatific light are the unseen creations of God. Actually what is said is that the sun despite its greatness is one of the creations in the universe? When man is not able to look at its small orb with naked eyes then why is he waiting to see God? This is similar to the details mentioned in Surah A’raf about the incident of Moses. ( the eyeing by the Israelis of the mount Sinai , the lightning and their inability to see this small flash but they had demanded to see God. )

Once Imam Ali Reza was asked, “Is it correct to say that god has divided His vision and His words between two Apostles?” He talked with Moses and showed his glory to the Holy Messenger?”

The Imam answered, “Who has brought the God’s message for the Jinns and mankind? The eyes cannot see Him and He sees the eyes. People cannot discern God through knowledge. There is none like God. Did not the Messenger bring all these messages?”

The narrator said, “Yes” Imam continued, “How is it possible that the Messenger who has brought such messages from God say that, “I have seen him or that I have discerned Him through knowledge that He is in the form of a human being.” Do you not have any shame? Even the atheists and the disbelievers could not say this about the Messenger. You say that he brings the message from God yet you oppose him” (7)

There are umpteen Hadith about this issue. The Late Allama Majlisi has recorded 34 traditions in Behar-ol-Anwar; Shaykh Suduq has recorded 24 in his book Tawhid, Kuleni has recorded 12 in Usul Kafi and all of them point to the pure offices of the Ahlulbait. We have mentioned some here and we can suitably through them to those who believe such frivolities like the “Beatific Vision through normal eyes” (8)

In short the verses of the Qura’n and the traditions are proof enough to reject the idea of seeing God through normal eyes. Now we pay attention to the doubts of those who believe in the vision and give them a suitable reply.

 


 

1. Nahjul Balagha sermon 177
2. Usul Kafi Vol.1 page 93 Hadith 11
3.Usul Kafi vol.1 page 99 Hadith 5
4. He wrote the book
5.Tawhid by Shaykh Suduq page 108 Hadith 2
6. Tawhid by Shaykh Suduq page 108 Hadith 3; Usul Kafi Vol. 1 page 98
7. Tawhid by Shaykh Suduq page 111 Hadith 9
8. Behar-ol-Anwar vol4 page 26; Tawhid by Shaykh Suduq page 107-122 and Usul Kafi vol. 1 pages 95-99

 

THE ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE NORMAL VISION OF GOD.THE ARGUMENTS OF THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN THE VISION.
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