Website: www.aaiil.uk

Seeing and inner sight

Friday Khutba by Dr Zahid Aziz, for Lahore Ahmadiyya UK, 6 December 2024

“Vision cannot comprehend Him, and He comprehends (all) vision; and He is the Knower of subtleties, the Aware. Clear proofs have indeed come to you from your Lord; so whoever sees, it is for the good of his own soul; and whoever is blind, it is to its harm. And I am not a keeper over you.” — ch. 6, Al-An‘ām, v. 103–104

لَا تُدۡرِکُہُ الۡاَبۡصَارُ ۫ وَ ہُوَ یُدۡرِکُ الۡاَبۡصَارَ ۚ وَ ہُوَ اللَّطِیۡفُ الۡخَبِیۡرُ ﴿۱۰۳﴾ قَدۡ جَآءَکُمۡ بَصَآئِرُ مِنۡ رَّبِّکُمۡ ۚ فَمَنۡ اَبۡصَرَ فَلِنَفۡسِہٖ ۚ وَ مَنۡ عَمِیَ فَعَلَیۡہَا ؕ وَ مَاۤ اَنَا عَلَیۡکُمۡ بِحَفِیۡظٍ ﴿۱۰۴﴾

This passage begins by disclosing the fact that the human eye does not have the capacity or ability to see God like it can see a material object. Even human imagination cannot visualize Him because that imagination is based on what he sees in this world and is limited by his experiences of life in this world. God, however, knows all the types of vision that exist in the universe and within the human mind. The word for “vision” here is based on the word baṣīr, which means having the power of seeing. The same word is used in the second verse above. “Clear proofs” are baṣā’ir and the word for “sees” in “whoever sees” is abṣara.

So while God cannot be seen, or encompassed by the power of human vision, yet He has sent arguments for our guidance which can be seen and those who see them benefit themselves. It adds that those who remain “blind” only do harm to themselves. So, while God cannot be seen as a Being, He has sent His teachings which we can see and understand with our minds. Some choose to remain blind, and refrain from applying the faculties that enable them to see.

To be able to see guidance, the sight which is required is mentioned as follows:

فَاِنَّہَا لَا تَعۡمَی الۡاَبۡصَارُ وَ لٰکِنۡ تَعۡمَی الۡقُلُوۡبُ الَّتِیۡ فِی الصُّدُوۡرِ ﴿۴۶﴾

“For surely it is not the eyes that are blind, but blind are the hearts which are in the breasts” (22:46).

It is with that kind of sight, the sight of the heart, that a person can find true guidance. Many people have said in the past, and even in the present day, that if they saw God with their eyes they would believe in Him. The Quran replies that what you can see is God’s guidance but you need to develop the sight of the heart to see it.

The Quran distinguishes between looking at something and seeing it:

وَ اِنۡ تَدۡعُوۡہُمۡ اِلَی الۡہُدٰی لَا یَسۡمَعُوۡا ؕ وَ تَرٰىہُمۡ یَنۡظُرُوۡنَ اِلَیۡکَ وَ ہُمۡ لَا یُبۡصِرُوۡنَ ﴿۱۹۸﴾

“And if you invite them to guidance, they do not hear; and you (O Prophet) see them looking towards you, yet they do not see” (7:198).

Here again, the word for “seeing” is based on baṣar. The word for “looking” is from naẓar. Similarly:

“And some of them listen to you (O Prophet). But can you make the deaf to hear, though they will not understand? And some of them look at you. But can you show the way to the blind, though they will not see?” (10:42–43) 

Another well-known verse contains the words:

“They have hearts with which they do not understand, and they have eyes with which they do not see, and they have ears with which they do not hear” (7:179).

Of course, these people saw with their eyes, and heard with their ears, whatever they wanted to. Literally, they did see the great and noble character of the Holy Prophet. Literally, they did hear the words that he uttered. But they did not let these enter into their hearts, which is the real seeing and hearing.

This applies not only to the rejectors of the Divine message but also to those who accept it. When you hear or see something, you also have to go into the deeper meaning of those words and of what you saw. If you learn religion by watching and listening to someone, and you simply copy that person, you are not taking anything into your heart or mind. Your heart hasn’t understood, and your mind’s eyes haven’t seen and your mind’s ears haven’t heard.

Regarding the life after death the Quran says:

یَوۡمَ تَرَی الۡمُؤۡمِنِیۡنَ وَ الۡمُؤۡمِنٰتِ یَسۡعٰی نُوۡرُہُمۡ بَیۡنَ اَیۡدِیۡہِمۡ وَ بِاَیۡمَانِہِمۡ

“On that day you will see the believers, men and women, their light gleaming before them and on their right hand.” (57:12)

The light of faith which they had in this life, by means of which they also called others to the same path, that light will be seen running in front of them and to their right hand side. We hear a great deal about what awaits Muslims in paradise, such as the so-called ḥūrs in paradise, apparently for men. But do we ever hear of this light that will be granted to those followed the light of truth in this life? And this light will be granted to both men and women.

In one place, the Quran says:

“And whoever is blind in this (world) he will be blind in the Hereafter, and further away from the path” (17:72).

Obviously, “blind in this world” does not mean the physically blind people of this world. It means those who make no effort to see guidance and truth during their lives. Their spiritual eyes remain closed during this life, so when after death the body is gone and only the soul remains, it has no sight. This could be us as well. May Allah protect us from this — ameen!

Website: www.aaiil.uk