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  1. Home
  2. Critical Examination of Islam
  3. What is the nature of God?
  4. Why can't we see God?

Why can't we see God?

Scheduled Pinned Locked Moved What is the nature of God?
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  • S Offline
    S Offline
    Shogunsami
    wrote on last edited by
    #3

    How will this theory sit with what is said in the quran? Verses like east or west you will see Allah's face? His dominion extends al of heaven and earth? The similitude of light upon light from a lamp without fire etc. Maybe we are not seeing what is right in front of our eyes? Maybe we are programmed to imagine Allah as a being? How can anything that is omniscient hide? Maybe the answer lies in the verse kul huwallahul ahad! Allah is infinite thus the unity itself.

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    • H Offline
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      hicham9
      wrote on last edited by
      #4

      7143

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        AbdulAziz_Mohammed
        wrote on last edited by
        #5

        @Farabi
        Very Well said

        @Shogunsami

        How will this theory sit with what is said in the quran? Verses like east or west you will see Allah's face?

        The verse you are referring God isn't referring to actual face here, it's arabic terms we even use till today on our daily life. Its like wherever you direct, you will find me, the word wajh doesn't always mean face, it sometimes mean (way) or sometimes it means sending, other occasions it means of high level so ?there is the wajh of Allaah? means there is the direction of prayer which Allaah accepts. Even if you take it literally, God can't be compared to his creatures and not limited to directions, and since Allah (moheet) there is no issue whatsoever.

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        • S Offline
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          Shogunsami
          wrote on last edited by
          #6

          Of course I understand those verses shouldn't be taken literally. Maybe metaphorically it is pointing to the reality?

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          • D Offline
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            drfazl
            wrote on last edited by
            #7

            Salam,

            Wherever you turn to, there is the face of Allah -

            This means the following

            Whatever be your walk of life, there is the guidance of Allah - so be thankful to Allah and seek Him for Guidance.

            Whatever be your direction, Allah keeps watch over you; He is Hearing, Seeing - so fear Allah; and Allah is with he who fears Him and thus guards himself.

            drfazl

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            • F Offline
              F Offline
              Farabi
              wrote on last edited by
              #8

              Talking about WJH. There is verse on surrah yusuf which said "Look for your father face" which mean, gaining yusuf father attention. I dont think God had WJH. On the afterlife we will be granted to "see" his face, but maybe on way we never imagine of. Maybe He will create a new sensation like sight and hear, as a translation to detect His presence. Maybe. Holy be Allah.

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                Man_of_Faith
                wrote on last edited by
                #9

                You cannot see "God" because "God" has no physical form, but if you see the tree waving in the forest you have yet seen "God". The 'spirit' of "God" is everywhere, and it is what causes the autonomous function of the universe.

                "God's" can take an expression by causing a mountain to crumble, but "God" is still not there physically. "God" can take control over the air and cause sound waves to be produced into speech, but "God" is still not there physically. Or more exactly, "God" is there, but in omnipresence and only as an invisible sustainer.

                "God" only becomes visible to one who assimilates with the spiritual realm because there is where you shall seek "God".

                "God" had not intended for everyone to reach affinity because then hypocrites and bad people would be able to enter the Hereafter and that is not the plan. If that was the case "God" could make everyone accept by clearly showing authority and signs undeniable, but that would make people not worthy pass the test because hypocritical people would do exactly like that under slave-like conditions and their hearts/affinity not exposed.

                Have faith

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                • F Offline
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                  FreedomStands
                  wrote on last edited by
                  #10

                  I've explained this in detail here

                  http//free-minds.org/forum/index.php?topic=9607171.msg362129#msg362129

                  You will never see Allah, because if you "see" anything that is "information" (that which informs), and all "information" (visual, auditory, sensory, or even conceptual, and thoughts), are created by Allah.

                  Allah is not made out of information at all, so is non-information, not a creation of any kind, literally in the image of "Nothing" not empty space, not blackness, not whiteness, nothing at all, no dimensions, and we are information which Allah creates and "encompasses" there is no "space" or "out there".


                  Mujahid
                  Maybe it's telling u that all that u know is essentially nothing because there's nothing at the end of it all

                  FreedomStands
                  well yes
                  Allah is like nothing literally
                  non-information
                  the throne is information, but "nothing" is on it

                  Mujahid That's one way of looking at it

                  FreedomStands
                  and everywhere
                  well its what the Qur'an makes kind of clear even
                  with the statement
                  "SubhanAllah!" "Void is Allah" "Allah is like nothing" or "Nothing is Allah"
                  and then
                  Allah said "you can not see me" or "you will not see me"
                  because there is nothing to see lol anything seen would be information aka creation
                  but then
                  showed what Allah is
                  by annihilating the mountain
                  making the mountain become nothing
                  atomizing it
                  into oblivion

                  Mujahid Yeah interesting

                  FreedomStands
                  and then Musa fainted
                  but Musa
                  fainting even
                  was showing what Allah is
                  because Musa became unconscious, receiving no information
                  which is called "returning to Allah"
                  that's why it says when you die
                  and when you sleep
                  which is ceasing to "exist" "ceasing to receive any data"

                  Mujahid
                  Good thoughts

                  FreedomStands
                  when its a dreamless sleep
                  then you "return to Allah"
                  and the entire thing is "skipped"

                  Mujahid Yeah

                  FreedomStands
                  because you can not experience "non information"
                  there is nothing to experience
                  so the next thing you know is information

                  Mujahid Yes

                  FreedomStands
                  so that is why death is skipped and no matter "how long" we'll only know when we exist again
                  then Musa

                  Mujahid True

                  FreedomStands
                  7143
                  When Moses came to the place appointed by Us, and his Lord addressed him, He said "O my Lord! show (Thyself) to me, that I may look upon thee." Allah said "By no means canst thou see Me (direct); But look upon the mount; if it abide in its place, then shalt thou see Me." When his Lord manifested His glory on the Mount, He made it as dust. And Moses fell down in a swoon. When his senses recovered he said "Nothing are you! to Thee I turn in repentance, and I am the first to believe."

                  woke up
                  and Allah made him say or it was said by him
                  "subhanaka tubtu ilayka waana awwalu almu/mineena"
                  the first thing he said
                  "Nothing are you!"
                  and then said
                  he now believes
                  he is the first of the believers
                  meaning he finally understood
                  because he had been asking to see Allah
                  and then this message is confirmed
                  throughout the history even in the New Testament even in the Vedas and Bhagavad Gita
                  and Buddhism and everything
                  same thing

                  Mujahid I have to see that phrase again before making any comments tho rest I understand

                  FreedomStands
                  Allah is not made of information, makes all information
                  sure
                  you'll find
                  when carefully analyzed
                  Subhan means void
                  nothing

                  Mujahid Yeah will have a look

                  FreedomStands
                  so people say it means "Glory Be To God From what they attribute"
                  but really it just means Void is God, or Nothing is God
                  entirely "unique" in that sense
                  because everything is "information"
                  and Allah is the One that isn't
                  which can only be One

                  Mujahid
                  How'd u come to that tho?
                  The void thing
                  I want to know the process

                  FreedomStands
                  the void thing is the actual definition of the word lol

                  Mujahid
                  Is it?

                  FreedomStands
                  yes
                  I didnt make that up lol
                  or make it up like Man of Faith
                  its the real definition of the word
                  but people shy around it because it seems weird
                  so they give it longer meanings like "devoid of what they attribute"

                  Mujahid Void not glory?

                  FreedomStands
                  no it doesn't mean glory at all
                  nothing at all connected to glory

                  Mujahid Free from what they attribute comes later

                  FreedomStands
                  I know but they say often that is the meaning of "Void is Allah" but I will go find you the definition so you know it
                  "Like he said, the origin for the word is sabh, voidness, or tasbeeh, making something void.
                  This would render the term Subhan?allah to mean Allah is void"

                  Mujahid
                  It's not in the subhan etc just um well I need to look at it I'm unsure if it is what u say it i
                  Who says that?

                  FreedomStands
                  well despite that, and you'll find what I say is real etymology

                  Mujahid
                  Like the quote above?

                  FreedomStands
                  the quote is from a normal website explaining it I can find many more, but this website is http//9dozen.wordpress.com/2008/11/17/s...s-meaning/
                  but its the real etymology of sabh

                  Mujahid
                  I'll look into it for myself thanks tho it's interesting

                  https//books.google.ca/books?id=EBBDD_q...id&f=false

                  http//en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tasbih

                  Mujahid
                  Ok ok u know I can use the Internet right?
                  I will when I'm on the pc
                  FreedomStands
                  haha ok
                  anyway
                  besides just it actually saying that
                  its also the only logical thing
                  as I've explained in detail why its necessary

                  Mujahid Yeah I know

                  FreedomStands
                  in the things long things you never take in...
                  and then

                  Mujahid Lol

                  FreedomStands
                  haha
                  and also
                  besides that its like super important
                  in order to eschew all idolatries of the mind
                  to realize Allah is the Annihilation (meaning of Nirvana even)
                  Like Death
                  that we really are a "Death Cult" lol

                  Mujahid Great now we're nihilists

                  FreedomStands
                  but also that Allah isn't "just nothing" because "just nothing" can't do anything, Allah has the power to create things
                  through his "Word" which greeks called Logos and Hindus called Vac
                  it just refers to God's creative power
                  in Japan its called Musubi
                  sometimes its called Shakti
                  in India
                  and what God creates, instantly and out of nothing, are what I've described which is just "anything" I call it all "information"
                  "that which informs"
                  "is made known" first to Allah of course, then to all the "experiencers" whichever it is specifically made for and as
                  to be part of their experience
                  Allah encompasses all visions

                  Mujahid Yes

                  FreedomStands
                  but no visions can encompass Allah

                  6103
                  No human vision can encompass Him, whereas He encompasses all vision for He alone is unfathomable, all-aware.

                  meaning no information
                  and Allah's power is information creation and destruction and creation

                  Mujahid Uve got a really interesting thing here tho

                  FreedomStands
                  moment to moment the moment just before is no more so destroyed
                  yeah see!
                  trying to tell these people lol

                  Mujahid It generally flows well too

                  FreedomStands
                  and I didnt make any of it up
                  its not some weird theory its from all the scriptures
                  let me add
                  since people confuse the metaphor of "light"
                  they don't realize why that metaphor is used
                  not only is "light" used in two senses often as "knowledge" and "that which means manifest/seen/known"
                  but besides that
                  even real physical light is invisible
                  and is only known by what it is reflected on
                  but in the Qur'an it was used only as a metaphor
                  and in the Bible
                  "God who is has never been seen and can not be seen living in unapproachable "light" "
                  doesn't mean like a sun
                  light itself means knowledge but besides that actual light (and these are just metaphors but the reason light as a metaphor is even used) is because you can't see it
                  it fills a room but the room appears empty

                  Mujahid Yeah

                  FreedomStands
                  you only know of its presence by what it reflects on or makes seen
                  and Allah literally is "what makes anything seen"
                  as in creating the information

                  Mujahid Yeah makes sense

                  FreedomStands
                  in Egypt, Allah was known as Amun (meaning Unseen, Hidden), who they also said is "like nothing, without form, without body, pure" and they attached the other name "Ra"
                  Ra means "manifest" or really "what makes meanifest" because it was associated with light
                  and it was believed by ancient people that the "eyes produce light"
                  and so the sun was thought of as a kind of "eye"
                  but in a metaphorical sense
                  what God "looks upon" is what "is"
                  that is "information" "what god is informed of"

                  Mujahid V interesting thanks

                  FreedomStands
                  (understanding this is Allah's favor to you, and us, completely given without any reason or based in any conditions because Allah is unbound and entirely free, so the goodness from Allah is given entirely without basis, completely free, unconditional, unconditioned, auspiciousness which is the meaning also of the word Shiva)
                  but its not that there is anything existing there first
                  Allah creates it
                  and the Egyptians understood this
                  and worshipped Allah
                  even in the same way
                  as did the Sumerians
                  even holding their hands
                  the same way
                  they have statues of "devotees" and they are doing all the poses
                  our religion is very old (and is one religion)
                  "Relinquishing all ideas of righteousness, Surrender (saranam) unto Me ALONE/EXCLUSIVELY (ekam). I will deliver you from all sinful reactions. Do not despair." Bhagavad Gita 1866

                  (ekam meaning One Ultimate there can never be two unindividuated because to have two requires individuation only information can be distinguished and can be two and God is not made of information and the total lack of all information, annihilation, is One)

                  319
                  Lo! religion with Allah (is) the Surrender (to His Will and Guidance). Those who (formerly) received the Scripture differed only after knowledge came unto them, through transgression among themselves. Whoso disbelieveth the revelations of Allah (will find that) lo! Allah is swift at reckoning.

                  383
                  Do they seek, perchance, a religion other than in God, although it is unto Him that whatever is in the heavens and on earth surrenders itself, willingly or unwillingly, and unto Him all must return?

                  384
                  Say "We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, and that which has been vouchsafed by their Sustainer unto Moses and Jesus and all the prophets we make no distinction between any of them. And unto Him do we surrender ourselves."

                  385
                  And whoever desires a religion other than the Surrender, it shall not be accepted from him, and in the hereafter he shall be one of the losers.

                  933
                  It is He Who hath sent His Messenger with guidance and the Religion of Truth, to proclaim it over all religion, even though the people of Shirk may detest (it).

                  and its all the religions
                  everywhere in the world the same message is there
                  but people don't look

                  Mujahid
                  Not sure if the positions are due to something we have to do
                  Usually there are a lot of simalritues due to human things etc
                  Because we take on things usually the samish way
                  As in respect
                  Most cultures consider bowing

                  FreedomStands
                  yeah interesting, but I think they are just symbolic meditative postures, to remind people of different things, originally the "hands to the ears" was meaning "I hear" and then the hand thing on us means "obedience" and this is not me making it up this is historically known
                  as the historical postures which symbolized "humility"
                  "obedience
                  so its "I hear, and I obey"

                  Mujahid Yeah I agree

                  FreedomStands and then we recite whatever, then we bow, and they all bow across the world, and all did wudu in the same way
                  they all used to keep ritual purity which is now taken away from them
                  it was super important to them
                  well they happened to do it in the exact same way across the world

                  56
                  O ye who believe! When ye rise up for performing worship, wash you faces, and your hands up to the elbows, and lightly rub your heads and (wash) your feet up to the ankles. And if ye are unclean, purify yourselves. And if ye are sick or on a journey, or one of you cometh from the closet (toilet), or ye have had sexual contact, and ye find not water, then go to clean, high ground and rub your faces and your hands with some of it (the clean dirt or sand). Allah would not place a burden on you, but He would purify you and would perfect His grace upon you, that ye may give thanks.

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                  • FusionF Offline
                    FusionF Offline
                    Fusion
                    wrote on last edited by
                    #11

                    I just wanna know that if we can not use the information given to us to try and attempt knowing the nature of God, and we cant put him physically. Then why God himself explained about his nature with giving examples of physical objects/references? Face is one example, yes he may not have a face like us but still does he have what is characterized as face in terms of what is face meant for?
                    Then there are references to the word throne in many many verses and yet again God gives examples to us using the physical objects we see.

                    117 He is the One who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, and His Throne was upon the water; so as to test who from among you works the best. And when you say ?You will be resurrected after the death,? those who have rejected say ?This is but clear magic!?

                    103 Your Lord is God who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He settled upon the Throne; He manages all affairs. There is no intercessor except after His permission. Such is God your Lord, so serve Him. Would you not remember?

                    2255 ? 2261
                    the heavens and the earth. Who will intercede with Him except with His permission? He knows their present and their future, and they do not have any of His knowledge except for what He wishes. His Throne encompasses all of the heavens and the earth and it is easy for Him to preserve them. He is the Most High, the Great."

                    754 Your Lord is God who has created the heavens and the earth in six days, then He settled upon the Throne.

                    I would like to know the meaning of throne with respect to water, encompasses all heavens and earth, settling upon throne.

                    All of above is PHYSICAL to me unless He just uses these terms to explain us, yet God can not be contained within his own creation.

                    Cheers

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                    • F Offline
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                      FindingRightPathToAllah
                      wrote on last edited by
                      #12

                      Salaam,

                      I am not sure, but may be because Allah is energy or a type of energy, so that's why we can't see Allah.

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                        Man_of_Faith
                        wrote on last edited by
                        #13

                        If you can see your hand when you raise your it then you have seen God.

                        That does not mean God is physical, but the visual illusion that you see is formed from the "force field" that is God. God sustains it like a kind of platform.

                        Salaam

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                          FindingRightPathToAllah
                          wrote on last edited by
                          #14

                          If you can see your hand when you raise your it then you have seen God.

                          That does not mean God is physical, but the visual illusion that you see is formed from the "force field" that is God. God sustains it like a kind of platform.

                          Salaam

                          I just raised my hand and started imagining myself to see God. I don't know why that made me laugh though. Lol. But I agree with the believe that God is everywhere. I also believe the same, and Quran implies this in many verses.

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                            Man_of_Faith
                            wrote on last edited by
                            #15

                            The raise your hand statement is meant as a little humorous.

                            Indeed God has no form nor is restricted to time or space, so God is ultimately omnipresent and part of every location at the same time, and God's "force field" is what forms the material illusion that you see and which your raised hand is part of. It is not wrong to have a pantheistic perception of God although I prefer to erase the traditional theism as inaccurate.

                            Salaam

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                            • J Offline
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                              JavaLatte
                              wrote on last edited by
                              #16

                              If you can see your hand when you raise your it then you have seen God.

                              I hope you could stop from telling such thing. Why you don't seem to have fear of Allah?

                              Remember this verse.

                              (2765) Say "None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah.
                              And they do not perceive when they will be resurrected."

                              And these verses.

                              (6944) Now if he had dared to attribute some sayings unto Us,

                              (6945) We would indeed have seized him by his right hand,

                              (6946) and would indeed have cut his life-vein

                              (6947) and none of you could have saved him.

                              (694 And, verily, this is a reminder to all the God-conscious.

                              So be careful.

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                                FindingRightPathToAllah
                                wrote on last edited by
                                #17

                                The raise your hand statement is meant as a little humorous.

                                Indeed God has no form nor is restricted to time or space, so God is ultimately omnipresent and part of every location at the same time, and God's "force field" is what forms the material illusion that you see and which your raised hand is part of. It is not wrong to have a pantheistic perception of God although I prefer to erase the traditional theism as inaccurate.

                                Salaam

                                That's how I feel too, but I am never sure. So, I just pray to God to guide me always if I am ever wrong as God knows the best. I am not sure about pantheistic though. Yes, God is part of universe, but God is beyond that, imo.

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                                  hawk99
                                  wrote on last edited by
                                  #18

                                  Peace

                                  C'mon folks you can't see Allah, and if you have or can, you either suffer from
                                  misinformation or a mental condition.

                                  7/143 And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said,
                                  "My Lord, show me that I may look at You." said, "You will not see Me,
                                  but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when
                                  his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious.
                                  And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and
                                  I am the first of the believers."

                                  God bless

                                  peace

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                                    Man_of_Faith
                                    wrote on last edited by
                                    #19

                                    Finding,

                                    God is the existence and the only permanently and indefinitely existing and only those who merge with the same consciousness will continue to exist in God. What you see is a mere illusion which does not really exist but is projected by the "force" of God.

                                    The error people make is that they force God to be a separate image due to some Pagan ideology about gods while we actually are supposed to be merged in that consciousness and so to say co-exist in it. It is not idolatry because you acknowledge that it is ultimately the only real existence and you yourself only alone exist in the flesh/illusion. You are basically nothing alone. You seek to exist in God directly by sharing affinity and thus merging.

                                    Salaam

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                                    • M Offline
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                                      Man_of_Faith
                                      wrote on last edited by
                                      #20

                                      Hawk99,

                                      Exactly, Moses saw Allah through the flesh/illusion and just like the parable of raising the hand like I wrote to 'Finding'. A person with realization does not need more than the raised hand. And Moses apologize quickly afterwards.

                                      Salaam

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                                        Man_of_Faith
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #21

                                        Because I have nothing to fear from Allah, JavaLatte.

                                        And that idea of a translation and interpretation you gave contradicts a lot of basic logic. If that was true you could not even interpret Quran nor know nothing. Besides even mainstream translations say what I say to an extent. God is omnipresent.

                                        Salaam

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                                        • H Offline
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                                          hawk99
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #22

                                          Exactly, Moses saw Allah through the flesh/illusion and just like the parable of raising the hand like
                                          I wrote to 'Finding'. A person with realization does not need more than the raised hand. And Moses
                                          apologize quickly afterwards.

                                          Peace Man of Faith, thank you for your reply.

                                          Moses did not see Allah nope please re-read the ayat. Has your comprehension failed you?

                                          7/143 And when Moses arrived at Our appointed time and his Lord spoke to him, he said,
                                          "My Lord, show me that I may look at You." said, "You will not see Me,
                                          but look at the mountain; if it should remain in place, then you will see Me." But when
                                          his Lord appeared to the mountain, He rendered it level, and Moses fell unconscious.
                                          And when he awoke, he said, "Exalted are You! I have repented to You, and
                                          I am the first of the believers."

                                          The mountain did not remain in place = no see.

                                          God bless

                                          peace

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