The Difference Between Ru'yah, Idraak and Ihaatah with Respect to Seeing Allaah
Sunday, April 03 2016 - by Abu.Iyaad
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Ibn al-Qayyim (rahimahullaah) said:

Hence, when He, the Blessed and Exalted, revealed Himself to the mountain and removed the veil only slightly, the mountain shattered and became ground into the earth, it was unable to remaining standing for its Lord, the Blessed and Exalted. And this is the meaning of the saying of Ibn Abbaas regarding His saying, the Sublime and Exalted, "No vision can grasp (encompass) Him" (6:103), "That is Allaah, the Mighty and Majestic, when He reveals Himself with His light, nothing is able to withstand Him". This is from his profound understanding, may Allaah be pleased with him, and his fine intelligence. How not so when the Messenger of Allaah (sallallaahu alayhi wasallam) made supplication for him that Allaah should teach him interpretation (of the Qur'an). Thus, the Lord, Blessed and Exalted, will be seen on the Day of Judgement with the vision of the eye, but it is impossible for the vision to encompass Him, even though it will see Him. Thus, idraak (encompassment, grasping) is something beyond Ru'yah (vision, seeing). This sun - and to Allaah belongs the loftiest example - we see it yet we do not grasp it completely as it is and nor even close to that. For this reason, when Ibn Abbaas was asked about the Ru'yah and recited to him, "No vision can grasp (encompass) Him", he said, "Do you not see the sky (samaa')?" He said, "Yes". Ibn Abbaas said, "Do you encompass it?" He said, "No". He said, "Then Allaah is greater and loftier (than that He should be encompassed). Al Waabil al-Sayyib (p. 74) and Badaa'i al-Tafseer (1/74).

Shaykh al-Islaam Ibn Taymiyyah (said):

And His saying, the Most High, "No vision can grasp (encompass) Him" (6:103), then idraak (الإدراك), in what is related from Ibn Abbaas and others from the Salaf - and it is the saying of most of the Scholars - is encompassment (الإحاطة). And whoever said it is just merely seeing (الرؤية) has erred. For negating mere vision does not entail any praise or perfection, since the non-existent thing cannot be seen and that which a non-existing thing is described with cannot be perfection of praise. This is different to when it is said: "No vision can grasp (encompass) Him" because it indicates that He will be seen, but He cannot be encompassed when seen... al-Asfahaaniyyah (2/383).


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