Blindness of the Heart and Physical Blindness in the Saying of Allah the Exalted: “And whoever is blind in this [life]”

Question : The questioner says: Explain to us the saying of Allah the Exalted: Is this blindness the blindness of the eyes, or the blindness of the heart?

Answer : As for His saying, the Exalted: , the intended meaning is undoubtedly the blindness of the heart. As for His saying, the Exalted: , the correct view is that "blinder" in His statement "he is blinder in the Hereafter" is from the category of the comparative of excellence (ism al-tafdhil). The comparative of excellence can be derived from a description that is not in the form of "af'al," contrary to those among the grammarians who prohibit this. That is, he is more blind and more astray in the Hereafter. As for his being blind in the Hereafter in a conceptual sense, the apparent view is that it is physical blindness, as Allah, the Exalted, said: . They raised this to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him), saying, "How will he walk on his face?" He said, "The One who made him walk on his feet in this world is capable of making him walk on his face in the Hereafter." This indicates that the blindness and deafness here are physical blindness and deafness, and this is the apparent view.