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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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  • A Offline
    A Offline
    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
      S Offline
      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
        D Offline
        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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          • M Offline
            M Offline
            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
              F Offline
              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
                  F Offline
                  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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                  • M Offline
                    M Offline
                    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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                    • F Offline
                      F Offline
                      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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                      • M Offline
                        M Offline
                        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
                          J Offline
                          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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                          • F Offline
                            F Offline
                            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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                            • H Offline
                              H Offline
                              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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                              • M Offline
                                M Offline
                                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
                                  M Offline
                                  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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                                  • M Offline
                                    M Offline
                                    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
                                      H Offline
                                      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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                                      • J Offline
                                        J Offline
                                        JavaLatte
                                        wrote on last edited by
                                        #23

                                        Because I have nothing to fear from Allah, JavaLatte.

                                        Really? Then, I think that is serious problem, if only you knew.

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                                        • J Offline
                                          J Offline
                                          JavaLatte
                                          wrote on last edited by
                                          #24

                                          The mountain did not remain in place = no see.

                                          Indeed.

                                          @ MoF, please stop insisting in this. I think you follow your own conjecture, and it's risky for you to spread something like that to others.

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