Imam ash-Shafi’i Seeing Allah in The Hereafter

But no! In fact, their hearts have been stained by all ˹the evil˺ they used to commit! Undoubtedly, they will be sealed off from their Lord on that Day. Moreover, they will surely burn in Hell.” (Qur’an 83:14-16)

This rather unfortunate clip was uploaded by Sheikh Asrar Rashid, a U.K based Imam. In this clip Sheikh Ramadan Al Bouti quoted from what Imam ash-Shafi’i saw as evidence on ‘seeing‘ Allah (swt).

Believing in seeing Allah Almighty means that Allah (swt) is a thing that can be seen. However, Allah (swt) said: “There is nothing like him.” Secondly, believing that Allah Almighty can be seen means Allah is a limited thing. Visual things are created things.

If we look at those people who say Allah (swt) can be seen where did they reach? They arrived at talking about the structuring of Allah Almighty. They describe Allah Almighty as a temple, as a body, and all this leads to shirk.

On the other hand, these people still insist to follow Jewish beliefs. We do not know why. But it’s a side effect to Islamic belief, the reality and the truth. Jewish were insisting to see Allah Almighty but look what Allah Almighty said and what he has done to them. SubhanAllah in what they say and believe. Praise be to Allah (swt).

“The People of the Scripture ask you to bring down to them a book from heaven. But they had asked of Moses [even] greater than that and said, “Show us, Allah, outright,” so the thunderbolt struck them for their wrongdoing. Then they took the calf [for worship] after clear evidences had come to them, and We forgave them for that ˹after their repentance˺  And We gave Moses a clear authority.” (Qur’an 4:153)

So let us look at the evidence. The evidence that Sheikh Asrar Rashid brought from Ramadan Al Bouti who brought it from Imam Ash Shafi’i.

But no! In fact, their hearts have been stained by all ˹the evil˺ they used to commit! Undoubtedly, they will be sealed off from their Lord on that Day. Moreover, they will surely burn in Hell.” (Qur’an 83:14-16)

This verse does not mean seeing but means waiting the mercy of Allah. We don’t know why they don’t read the verse before and after these two so that they can understand. But the truth is that they search for a chance to support this Jewish belief.

The fact that this verse was quoted out of all possible shows the weakness of this position.

Look at the following statement attributed to Imam Ash Shafi’i:

“If I were not absolutely certain that I was going to see my Lord in the Hereafter, I would not worship Him in this life.”

May Allah (swt) guide us! May Allah (swt) save us from being among the perverts! How they can ascribe to the Imam the belief of the atheist! Worship of Allah (swt) is conditioned upon seeing him! Where is this at in the Qur’an and Sunnah?

Well, I am certain that none of us will see Allah (swt) in the Hereafter and I will continue to do my utmost to worship, show gratitude to, obey, love and fear him.

On Seeing Allah