1257 - لا تُدرِكُهُ الأبصارُ وتراه القلوب‏

1257. THE SIGHTS CANNOT APPREHEND HIM BUT THE HEARTS BEHOLD HIM

(لا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأبْصارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأبْصارَ وَهُوَ اللَّطِيفُ الْخَبِيرُ) .¹

“The sights do not apprehend Him, yet He apprehends the sights, and He is the all-attentive, the All-aware.”²

4120.رسولُ اللَّهِ صلى اللَّه عليه وآله : لَمّا اُسرِيَ بي إلَى السَّماءِ بَلَغَ بي جَبرَئيلُ مَكاناً لَم يَطَأْهُ جَبرئيلُ قَطُّ ، فكُشِفَ لي فأرانِيَ اللَّهُ عَزَّوجلَّ مِن نورِ عَظَمَتِهِ ما أحَبَّ .³

4120.The Prophet (SAWA) said, ‘When I was taken on my Night Journey to the heavens, Gabriel took me up until a place wherein he himself had never set foot. The veils were pulled away for me and Allah, Mighty and Exalted, showed me whatever He liked from the light of His Greatness.’⁴

4121.الإمامُ‏عليٌّ عليه السلام لِذَعلَب لَمّا سَئَلَهُ عَن رُؤيَتِهِ رَبَّهُ : وَيلَكَ يا ذَعلَبُ ! لَم أكُن بِالّذي أعبُدُ رَبّاً لَم أرَهُ ! قالَ : فكَيفَ رَأيتَهُ ؟ صِفْهُ لَنا ؟ قالَ : وَيلَكَ ! لَم تَرَهُ العُيونُ بِمُشاهَدَةِ الأبصارِ ، ولكِنْ رَأتهُ القُلوبُ بِحَقائقِ الإيمانِ .⁵

4121.Imam Ali (AS) said in reply to Dhalab’s question about his being able to see his Lord, ‘Woe to you O Dhalab! I do not worship a Lord Whom I cannot see!’ So Dhalab asked, ‘But how do you see Him? Describe Him to us.’ Imam (AS) replied, ‘Woe betide you! Eyes do not see Him by looking with the sights; it is the hearts that behold Him with the realities of faith.’⁶

4122.الإمامُ الرِّضا عليه السلام - في قولِهِ تعالى‏ : (لا تُدرِكُهُ الأبصارُ ...) - : لا تُدرِكُهُ أوهامُ القُلوبِ ، فكَيفَ تُدرِكُهُ أبصارُ العُيونِ ؟ !⁷

4122. Imam al-Rida (AS), with regards to Allah’s verse in the Qur’an: “The sights do not apprehend Him…” said, ‘The hearts’ fancies cannot apprehend Him so how can the eyesights apprehend Him?!’⁸

4123.الإمامُ العسكريُّ عليه السلام : إنَّ اللَّهَ تَبارَكَ وتَعالى‏ أرى‏ رَسولَهُ بِقَلبِهِ مِن نورِ عَظَمَتِهِ ما أحَبَّ .⁹

4123.Imam al-Askari (AS) said, ‘Verily Allah, Blessed and most High, displayed to His Prophet in his heart, whatever He liked from the light of His Greatness.’¹⁰