LessonsResolving Apparent Tensions: Reconciling Texts in CreedQuiz

وَالرُّؤْيَةُ حَقٌّ لِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ بِغَيْرِ إِحَاطَةٍ وَلَا كَيْفِيَّةٍ
The people of Paradise will truly see Allah, without encompassing Him or determining a modality.

لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ
Vision does not encompass Him, while He encompasses all vision. (6:103)

The apparent difficulty: How can the vision of Allah in Paradise be real when sight cannot encompass Him?

Resolution: Vision and exhaustive perception are not identical. Affirming the vision of Allah in Paradise does not affirm encompassing Him or specifying a creaturely modality. Real vision and non-encompassment coexist.

Inference to avoid: Neither total denial of vision from non-encompassment nor specification of its modality from affirmation is warranted.

Application: Human examples of seeing bodies cannot determine the modality of divine vision.

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Vision of Allah and denial of encompassing — Resolving a question

Resolving Apparent Tensions: Reconciling Texts in Creed

وَالرُّؤْيَةُ حَقٌّ لِأَهْلِ الْجَنَّةِ بِغَيْرِ إِحَاطَةٍ وَلَا كَيْفِيَّةٍ
The people of Paradise will truly see Allah, without encompassing Him or determining a modality.

لَا تُدْرِكُهُ الْأَبْصَارُ وَهُوَ يُدْرِكُ الْأَبْصَارَ
Vision does not encompass Him, while He encompasses all vision. (6:103)

The apparent difficulty: How can the vision of Allah in Paradise be real when sight cannot encompass Him?

Resolution: Vision and exhaustive perception are not identical. Affirming the vision of Allah in Paradise does not affirm encompassing Him or specifying a creaturely modality. Real vision and non-encompassment coexist.

Inference to avoid: Neither total denial of vision from non-encompassment nor specification of its modality from affirmation is warranted.

Application: Human examples of seeing bodies cannot determine the modality of divine vision.