ALLAH CAN BE SEEN

ALLAH CAN BE SEEN

It is explained in the Holy Qur'an that on the day of Judgment believers will be able to see Allah. Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W.) said that he beheld Allah in a most lovely form (101, p. 155). These two statements are evidence enough for us to conclude that Allah can be seen. And because we cannot see anything that is formless, the Allah Whom we will be enabled to see does have a form. Allah's form is completely spiritual and replete with unlimited sublime qualities. It is also true that Allah is unseen, which means He is not seen with ordinary material eyes. Only by the causeless mercy of Allah can one see Him. If Allah grants someone spiritual vision then he will be able to see Him. The Holy Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W.) and some other Prophets of ancient times were granted such vision. In the other world, however, all believers will see Allah. Some scholars say that only His eyes will be visible and others His whole face; while still others say that every part of His form will be seen (88, p. 55).

So in the sura "Al-Qiyamat", or "The Resurrection" it is said:

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ

إِلَى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ

Wujuhuny-yawma-'izinazirah

Ila rabbiha nazirah:

"Some faces, that Day, will beam,

Looking towards their Lord." (75.22-23)

The meaning of these ayats is that when righteous souls go to Allah, they will be able to see their Lord, their faces shining with immense joy. It is explained that they will "look towards their Lord." This means that Allah will be the object of their gaze. So it is very clear that Allah (Who is seen) visibly occupies some space. Anyone who is visible must have a form. This means that Allah, Who does occupy some visible space, has a form; but His form is spiritual and never limited or conditioned by material space. The transcendental form of Allah is brighter than billions of suns. This brightness prevents one from seeing the form of Allah. Even so, Allah, out of His causeless mercy, can remove His blinding effulgence in order to reveal His form to His pure devotees.

Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W.) said:

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"His (Allah's) glory is His veil. If He (Allah) were to lift the veil, the effulgence of His Being will consume everything as far as the eye of His creatures can reach." (p.30)

Nevertheless, Allah, out of mercy, allows the pure devotees to see His form with no harm. Thus Allah is not an abstract power or energy but a living Being Who has a supreme, spiritual form, for righteous people will be able to see Him on the Day of Judgment.

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ALLAH HAS AN ABODE

ALLAH HAS AN ABODE

One morning in Mecca, the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W.) proclaimed to his followers that at night he was taken to the heavens and that after penetrating the 7th layer of the heavens, he reached Allah's Abode where he received divine knowledge from Allah and returned.

Now, where does Allah reside? Where will the pure devotees meet Him? The Holy Qur'an shows us Allah's residence in the sura "Al-Ma'arij", or "The Ways of Ascent":

مِنَ اللَّهِ ذِي الْمَعَارِجِ

تَعْرُجُ الْمَلَائِكَةُ وَالرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِي يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ

Minallahi zil-ma'arij

Ta'-rujul-mala-'ikatu war-ruhu 'ilayhi fi yawmin-kana miq-daruhu khamsina 'alfa sanah:

"Allah, Lord of the ascending stairways.

(Whereby) the angels and the spirit ascend unto Him in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years." (70.3-4)

Here the word "ma'arij" is very significant. Ma'arij means stairways, or the way of ascent. This word is invested with profound spiritual meaning. Can we reach Allah, The Most High? He very graciously grants that privilege to angels. But the way is not easy, nor can it be traversed in a day. Thus the Abode of Allah can be attained by the angels only through the special way of ascent which takes 50,000 years.

Another explanation is given in the sura "Al-'Imran", or "The Family of 'Imran":

Wallaahu 'indahuu husnul-ma'aab: "Allah! With Him is a more excellent abode." (3.14)

Wal-laahu yad-'u 'ila Daris-Salam / wa yahdi manya-sha-'u 'ila Siratim-Mustaqim: "And Allah summons to the Daris Salam, or the Abode of Peace and leads whom He will to a Straight path." (10.25)

From these ayats we can easily understand that Allah has a supreme abode, the Daris Salam, where He personally resides. If someone has a residence where there are devotees to associate with, then he must have a form. An abstract thing has neither residence nor associates. Allah is not an abstract thing but a Living Being Who has His own abode where He resides. Pure devotees of the Supreme Lord by His causeless mercy will attain Allah's eternally blissful abode and will associate with Him personally. This means Allah has an eternal spiritual form.

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ALLAH SITS ON THE THRONE

ALLAH SITS ON THE THRONE

The Holy Qur'an also mentions a particular item of Allah's entourage, namely throne. There are many verses which explain that Allah has a Throne on which He sits, surrounded by angels etc. Unless one has a form and is located in a particular place, he can neither sit on a throne nor be surrounded by anyone. Since Allah does sit on a throne and is surrounded by angels, no sane man will deny that Allah has a form. Needless to say, such form is spiritual and invisible to the common eye.

Thus the Holy Qur'an says:

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ

Inna Rabba-kumulla-hullazi khalaqas-samawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'ayamin sumas-tawa 'alal 'Arsh: "Your Guardian Lord is Allah, Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He settled Himself on the Throne." (7.54)

إِنَّ رَبَّكُمُ اللَّهُ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ اسْتَوَى عَلَى الْعَرْشِ يُدَبِّرُ الْأَمْرَ

Inna Rabba-kumulla-hullazi khalaqas-samawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'ayamin sumas-tawa 'alal 'Arshi yudab-birul-'amr: "Verily your Lord is Allah, who created the heavens and the earth in six Days, then He established Himself upon the Throne, directing all things." (10.3)

Here and in (7.54) word "istawa" with the preposition 'ala after it means "to sit firm and unshaken", "to be firmly established", or "to mount". So Allah firmly sitting on His Throne and directing all things.

Furthermore it is stated in the Holy Qur'an:

وَهُوَ الَّذِي خَلَقَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضَ فِي سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَاءِ

Wa huwal-lazi khala-qasamawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'aya - minwa kana 'Arshuhu 'alal-ma-'i: "He (Allah) it is Who created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was upon the water." (11.7)

Ar- Rahmanu 'alal 'Arshistawa: "The Beneficent One is firmly established on the Throne." (20.5)

Fa - subhanallahi Rabbil 'Arshi: "Glorified be Allah, the Lord of the Throne." (21.22)

Wa taral- mala -'ikata hafina min hawlil-'Arshi yusabihuna bi-hamdu Rabbihim: "And you (O Muhammad) will see the angels surrounding the Throne on all sides, singing the praises of their Lord." (39.75)

Huwallazi khalaqas-samawati wal-'arza fi sitati 'ayamin sumas-tawa 'alal 'Arsh: "He it is who created the heavens and the earth in six Days; then He mounted the Throne." (57.4)

Wal-malaku 'ala 'arja-'iha / wa yahmilu 'Arsha Rabbika fawqahum yawma-'izin-samaniya: "And the angels will be on its sides, and eight will bear the Throne of their Lord above them, that Day." (69.17)

Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:

"The angels will be on all sides, arrayed in ranks upon ranks, and the Throne of the Lord on high will be borne by eight angels. . . . The number eight has perhaps no special significance, unless it be with reference to the shape of the Throne or the number of the angels. The Oriental Throne is often octagonal, and its bearers would be one at each corner." (9, p. 1807)

This verse and commentary indicates that Allah's Throne has a particular shape and on the Day of Judgment the angels will be able to carry Allah on His Throne.

Thus from these ayats we can understand that Allah has Arsh, or the Throne, He sits on His Throne, angels surround Him and on the Last Day they will be carrying Him on His Throne. Therefore Allah is not merely an abstract energy or power, He is the supreme living One who is the Proprietor of energy and power but He Himself has form. Otherwise how can Allah be in a particular place and sit on the Throne? His form, throne and paraphernalia are all spiritual.

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Allah moves in and around His creation

Allah moves in and around His creation

In the Holy Qur'an, it is mentioned that Allah travels through His creation. Once the Holy Prophet Muhammad (S. A. W.) also said: "Allah, the Almighty descends to the firmament of the world in the last third portion of every night." (Bukhari, Muslim) (159, p. 53) Thus Allah freely moves in space according His sweet will. If Allah can change His location and move in space, then obviously He is not a mere abstract light. A light, which is dependent on its source, can only spread in space according to the movements of its source. So light cannot move in space; it can only spread. Just as a lamp is the source of its light, so also is Allah the Source of the spiritual light of His supreme form, which moves in space unimpeded, spreading His glorious light. This means that Allah has a transcendental form which is not subject to the limited material space.

So it is stated in the Holy Qur'an:

هَلْ يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَأْتِيَهُمُ اللَّهُ فِي ظُلَلٍ مِنَ الْغَمَامِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةُ وَقُضِيَ الْأَمْرُ وَإِلَى اللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ الْأُمُورُ

Hal yanzuruuna 'illaaa 'any-ya' - tiya - humullaahu fii zulalim-minal-gamaami walmalaaa-'ikatu wa quziyal-'amr? Wa 'ilallaahi turja-'ul-'umuur: "Will they wait until Allah comes to them in canopies of clouds, with angels (in His train) and the question is (thus) settled? But to Allah do all questions go back (for decision)." (2.210)

وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا

Wa ja-'a Rabbuka walmalaku safan safa: "And your Lord shall come with angels, rank on rank." (89.22)

أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا أَنَّا نَأْتِي الْأَرْضَ نَنْقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا وَاللَّهُ يَحْكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكْمِهِ وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ الْحِسَابِ

Awalam ya-raw 'ana na 'til-'arza nan-qusuha min 'atra-fiha? Wallahu yah-kumu la mu-'aqiba li-hukmih / wa huwa sari-'ul-hisab: "See they not how He (Allah) visits the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? (When) Allah dooms there is none that can postpone His doom, and He is swift at reckoning." (13.41)

Once again Allah said in the sura "Al-Anbiya", or "The Prophets":

أَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ أَنَّا نَأْتِي الْأَرْضَ نَنْقُصُهَا مِنْ أَطْرَافِهَا أَفَهُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ

Afala yarawna 'ana na'-til-'arza nanqusuha min 'atrafiha? 'Afahumul galibun: "See they not how We visit the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? Can they then be the victor?" (21.44)

These ayats enable us to realize that Allah is not an abstract thing but a spiritual Being Who can be in a particular place and change His location at will. This is yet another proof that Allah has a form. He can freely move in and around His entire creation unlimitedly and unrestrictedly, occasionally visiting our planet.

Furthermore, the Holy Qur'an says that Allah "is able to do all things" (22.6). If Allah can do all things, then logically we can conclude that He does have a form!

Thus, nobody can deny the fact that Allah has spiritual Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Face and Hands because these bodily limbs of Allah are explicitly mentioned in the Holy Qur'an. More than this, the Holy Qur'an mentions the Sublime Image of Allah, His Realm and His Throne, on which He sits. If Allah has spiritual Eyes, Ears, Mouth, Face and Hands, how can we deny that He has a spiritual Form? First of all, how can His limbs exist separately and, secondly, if Allah is the source of everything and if all things belong to Him, how it is possible that He does not have a form? It is offensive to say that Allah cannot have form as it is tantamount to saying that Allah is less than His creations, which have form. It is also offensive to consider that Allah's form is limited as our forms are in this world. If He has all things, that means He has a form also. Otherwise He would not be complete - something would be missing. Of course, He does not have a form which consists of material elements and deteriorates. He has a spiritual form which consists of pure spirit. His Form is not ordinary, but Supreme, Eternal, Blissful, Transcendental and beyond our imagination and description.

Since everything in God's creation has form, how can God have no form? The creation would have something God does not. That would mean that God is less than His creation, or in other words, that the complete is incomplete, which is simply illogical. The complete whole must contain everything within and beyond our experience, otherwise He cannot be complete.

Besides, all the great scriptures of the world instruct us to love God. How can we love something formless or void? That's impossible. We are all persons, and we want to love other persons - not some dark oblivion in outer space. We want personal relationships, and the ultimate relationship is with the Supreme Lord.

This is granted that Allah's form is not like ours. It is completely spiritual and transcendental, beyond the limits of our material sense perception. But Allah's form is definitely there.

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Allah is the Absolute Truth

Allah is the Absolute Truth

ذَلِكَ بِأَنَّ اللَّهَ هُوَ الْحَقُّ

Dalika bi enna llaha huwe lhaqqu:

"That is because Allah, He is the Truth."

(The Qur'an 22.62)

"Allah is the Absolute Truth," Chaitanya Mahaprabhu continued.

(Chaitanya-chritamrita, Madhya-lila, 18.191)

Here Mahaprabhu establishes Allah as the Absolute Truth. The Absolute Truth is eternal, complete and perfect. It is unchangeable in contrast to the relative truths of this material world. We cannot understand reality by studying the relative truths of this illusory world. To understand reality we must study the Absolute Truth. The scriptures reveal to us the Absolute nature of Allah. One must carefully study the scriptures in order to realize the true nature of Allah. It is quite difficult to obtain such realization on one's own. Discovery of the hidden treasures of Al-Qur'an is made possible only through approaching realized souls and listening to them with rapt attention. Such association with realized souls can certainly take one closer to the Absolute Truth Who is Allah - our sole Supreme Lord.

So in the Holy Qur'an we can find the following ayats:

Wallahu Ghaniyun Halim: "Allah is the Absolute, the Clement." (2.263)

Wa 'innallaha la-huwal Ganiyul Hamid: "Verily Allah, - He is the Absolute, the Owner of praise." (22.64)

Dalika bi enna llaha huwe lhaqqi / wa enna ma tad'una min dunihi huwe lbatilu / wa enna llaha huwe l'aliyyu lkabir: "That is because Allah - He is the Truth; those invoked besides Him are false. Indeed Allah is the High, the Great." (22.62)

The emphatic construction of this verse calls attention to the fact that Allah is the only real Truth. All else is like shadows that pass away. This world is a mere shadow or perverted reflection of the real spiritual world. Our eternal love for God is pervertedly reflected here as "love," which in fact is low craving for temporary material objects. By wrongly considering the perverted material love the all in all we have forgotten the real spiritual love and believe in the reality of this illusory world. The only solution to our problems and sufferings is reestablishment of our forgotten relationships with the true Reality - the Absolute Truth.

Furthermore it is stated in the sura "Ta-Ha":

Fata-'aalallaahul Malikul Haqq! Wa laa ta'-jal bil-qur'aani min-qabli 'anyyuqzaaa 'ilayka wahyuh / wa qur-Rabbi zidnii 'ilmaa: "High above all is Allah, the King, the Truth! Be not in haste with Qur'an before its revelation to you is completed, but say, 'O my Lord! Increase me in knowledge.'" (20.114)

Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments:

"Allah is above every human event or desire. He purpose is universal. But He is the Truth, the absolute Truth; and His kingdom is the true kingdom, that can carry out its will. That Truth unfolds itself gradually, as it did in the gradual revelation of the Qur'an to the Holy Prophet. But even after it was completed in a volume, its true meaning and purpose only gradually unfold themselves to any given individual or nation. No one should be impatient about it. On the contrary, we should always pray for increase in our own knowledge, which can never at any given moment be complete." (9, p. 907)

Thus one must with patience and determination seek the true meaning of the Holy Qur'an. One must always consider himself foolish and unqualified before Allah. One must understand that his senses are imperfect and that his ability to comprehend is limited. Only by the mercy of the Supreme Lord can one appreciate His attributes. The hidden treasure of Al-Qur'an is revealed only to those who are completely devoted and surrendered to Allah.

Further the Holy Qur'an says in the sura "An-Nur", or "Light":

Yawma - 'iziny - yuwafihi-mullahu dinahumul - haqqa / wa ya'-lamuna 'anallaha huwal Haqul Mubin: "On that day Allah will pay them back their just dues, and they will realize that Allah is the Manifest Truth." (24.25)

Thus Allah is the very essence of Truth and Reality. He is the Absolute Truth, of which all relative truths are mere reflections. Here it is explained that Allah is not an abstract power but Haqul Mubin, or Manifest Truth. All truths, or knowledge manifested from Allah. Perfect knowledge, which is revealed in the scriptures obviates the need to invent any kind of knowledge. One must carefully study all the scriptures recognized by the world to understand the true nature of Allah.

Next in the sura "Al-Hajj", or "The Pilgrimage" of the Holy Qur'an it is stated:

Zalika bi-anallaha huwal Haqqu wa 'anahu yuhyil-mawta wa 'anahu 'ala kulli shay-'in Qadir: "This is so, because Allah is the Truth. It is He Who gives life to the dead. He is able to do all things." (22.6)

All the magnificent and well-defined pageantry of life and Nature emphasize the Truth, or Reality behind them viz., Allah. They will perish, but He is eternal. All relative truths of this illusory world will perish in due course of time; only the Absolute Truth will continue to exist eternally. Therefore, to understand the nature of this temporary world, we must realize the true nature of Allah.

Furthermore, the sura "Luqman" of the Holy Qur'an states:

Zalika bi-'anallaha huwal Haqqu wa 'anna ma yad-'una min-dunihil-batilu wa 'anallaha huwal 'Aliyul Kabir: "That is because Allah is the Truth and whatever else they invoke beside Him is Falsehood, and because Allah is the Sublime, the Most Great." (31.30)

All the wonderful phenomena that we witness in creation point to One True God. He is the only Eternal Reality, the Absolute Truth. Any attempt to portray any other gods as superior or equal to Him is Falsehood, for He is higher and greater than anything we can imagine. The Absolute Truth is beyond imagination and perception of the mundane senses. Only by the causeless mercy of the Lord can one realize Him. Allah reveals Himself to a sincere seeker only to the extent that he deserves it.

Next in the sura "An-Nisa", or "The Women" of the Holy Qur'an it is stated:

Wa man 'asdaqu minallahi hadisa: "And who is more true in statement than Allah?" (4.87)

Each of Allah's statement is an eternal truth, because it has been pronounced by the Absolute Truth Himself. One should understand every statement of Allah as it is, without adulteration or concoction. Allah has blessed us with clear instructions in His books of knowledge, that we may understand His supreme nature without deviation.

Furthermore, it is said in the sura "Luqman":

Inna wa dallahi haqun - fala: "Verily, the promise of Allah is the very truth." (31.33)

Al-Haqq, or the Absolute Truth means that one plus one is equal to one, and that one minus one is also equal to one. Nothing can be added and nothing can be subtracted from the Absolute Truth. This is the case in the Absolute World. The Absolute Truth is the Complete Whole. The Complete Whole must have everything within our experience and beyond our experience, otherwise it can not be complete. This means that the Complete Whole has individuality, form, senses, etc. The Complete Whole is not formless. If He were formless, then He could not be the Complete Whole. Therefore, the Absolute Truth is, in the ultimate issue, a person. The Absolute Truth is realized in three phases of understanding, namely the impersonal all-pervasive Spirit; the localized aspect of the Supreme within all living entities; and the Supreme Person. Allah is the Supreme Truth of all other categorical truths.

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