Meaning of ‘No vision can grasp Him’

5-3-2008 | IslamWeb

Question:

Alsalamu Alaykom, According to the prophet PBUH, the believers will see their lords in the lifeafter as they can see the moon. Please can you clarify more the word “grasp” (tudrikuhu) in the Quranic verse: { No vision can grasp Him, but His Grasp is over all vision. He is the Most Subtle and Courteous, Well-¬Acquainted with all things.}[6:103]. Does it mean they cannot see him entirely like for instance when looking at the blue sky we only see part of it? Thank you
Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

 

The believers seeing their Lord on the Day of Judgment is something confirmed with absolute evidence from the Book of Allaah and the Sunnah of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) as we clarified in Fataawa 82549 and 83717.

As regards the verse in which Allaah Says (what means): {Vision perceives Him not, but He perceives [all] vision, and He is the Subtle, the Acquainted.}[Quran 6:103] This does not negate the evidence of the believers seeing their Lord, as the vision which is negated in this verse is in regard to this worldly life, as interpreted by Ibn ‘Abbaas may Allaah be pleased with him. However, some interpreters of the Quran may Allaah have mercy upon them interpreted the expression {Vision perceives Him not} to mean not knowing His Entity and Reality even if the eyes see Him. Similarly, the one who sees the moon, does not know its reality and essence. How can then one know the entity and reality of Allaah by simply seeing Him? Realizing the entity is more specific than seeing. So, not realizing the entity does not necessarily negate seeing. It is reported that Ibn ‘Abbaas may Allaah have mercy upon him said: “The sight of people does not encompass the King (i.e. Allaah)”. Moreover, ‘Ikrimah may Allaah be pleased with him was asked about the meaning of the verse: {Vision perceives Him not} and he may Allaah have mercy upon him replied: “Do you not see the sky?” The man replied: “Of course, I do.” Then he may Allaah be pleased with him asked him: “Do you see the entire sky?” (meaning that one sees it without encompassing it all).

Allaah Knows best.

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