What is the evidence that Allah the Exalted has two eyes?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : Shaykh, may Allah reward you. The plural is more than one. The word of Allah the Exalted [Hud 11:37] Ibn Jarir al-Tabari mentioned in his tafsir from the Salaf, among them Sufyan al-Thawri, who said: "By Our eyes" means "By Our inspiration and Our command."
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : The Salaf interpreted this
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : So there is no evidence for the plurality of the eyes
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : As for the hadith of the Dajjal, may Allah reward you, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that the Dajjal is one-eyed, having one eye, and that he is one-eyed.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : As for the fact that Allah Mighty and Majestic has two eyes, we need the evidence, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This evidence, this evidence
The questioner : This is regarding the Dajjal...
The Shaykh : But this is what the Messenger clarified is a sign and a mark, a sign and a mark that clarifies that the Dajjal is not a Lord.
The questioner : The creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community is established by the text...
The Shaykh : Yes, and this is established by the text, may Allah reward you, reflect upon it.
The questioner : I have a clear indication of...
The Shaykh : It is not clear to you, and if your understanding is limited, what can we do?
The questioner : Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the Salaf did not mention it.
The Shaykh : Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and all the Salaf agreed on this, as al-Ash'ari and Qadi Abu Bakr al-Baqillani transmitted their consensus, and likewise Uthman ibn Sa'id al-Darimi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated it explicitly in his refutation of al-Marisi, and also Ibn Khuzaymah in Tawhid. They all state this explicitly, as clear as the sun. If a man comes to us who does not understand anything, his lack of understanding is not a proof; rather, his lack of understanding indicates his deficiency, that he is either negligent or limited. Either negligent in reflection, or limited in understanding or in knowledge. So you reflect upon it, may Allah reward you, and I say, reflect upon it and review the words of the Salaf on this.
The questioner : I have reviewed it, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no remedy. If you reviewed it and did not understand, what can we do? What can we do with you?
The questioner : I mean, the righteous Salaf, the three generations.
The Shaykh : All the righteous Salaf agreed on two eyes. Al-Ash'ari and al-Baqillani transmitted their consensus, and Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah affirmed this transmission of consensus in his book al-Fatawa al-Hamawiyyah and others. So if someone comes to us and says, "By Allah, I do not understand this," we say, "May Allah open for you and grant you knowledge and understanding."
The questioner : Okay, O Shaykh, perhaps we say that al-Ash'ari... it is possible that he did not...
The Shaykh : By Allah, if you want
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If you want to cast doubt on al-Ash'ari, who
The questioner : ... fell into figurative interpretation, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : If you
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If you want to cast doubt on al-Ash'ari, on whom the people agreed that he returned to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and cast doubt on the other scholars like Ibn Khuzaymah and Uthman ibn Sa'id, on whom the people agreed that they are among the imams of guidance, and also cast doubt on the transmission of Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on them) from these scholars, without them following up on their words.
The questioner : No, we do not say this.
The Shaykh : Reflect, may Allah reward you, reflect on the hadith of the Dajjal with deep consideration. Did you understand before you had a creed denying this? If you consider it deeply, it will become clear to you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Okay, if we establish the attribute of the eye for Allah Mighty and Majestic, without, as you mentioned, establishing that Allah Mighty and Majestic has two eyes.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : I establish for Allah Mighty and Majestic the attribute of the eye.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : As for the number, I leave it.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : No evidence has come regarding it.
The Shaykh : We do not say it is a deficiency. A deficiency in your creed, this is a deficiency in your creed.
The questioner : Shaykh, the hadith of the Dajjal... says that he is a Lord.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : That he is a Lord.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Meaning the Lord has two eyes.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Because he denied that he is, he said
The Shaykh : Yes, it is as if
The questioner :Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2245Sahih (Darussalam)
The Shaykh : Yes, yes, there is no problem. If you reflect on it, if you reflect on it, you will find that it is clear and explicit.
The questioner : In the beginning... that the Lord has two eyes.
The Shaykh : Then if we say only one eye, we would be lying about His saying "By Our eyes." How can we say this? This plural is a clear plural in number. So you must be careful, O my brother, that this is a creed, a creed regarding the Lord Mighty and Majestic.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, this is the opinion of the Salaf, may Allah reward you.
The questioner : I mention to you, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : If you mention it to me, trace the chain back to Sufyan al-Thawri. And Sufyan al-Thawri is undoubtedly an imam.
The questioner : Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : Trace the chain to him.
The questioner : ... We asked some of the experts.
The Shaykh : I say, trace the chain, do not ask the experts. Ask yourself. Take the men of the chain one by one and see if it is valid or not? Then if it is valid, Sufyan al-Thawri is a man from the Tabi'un or the Tabi' al-Tabi'in. Other men contradicted him, so his statement is not a proof for this. We return to the Book and the Sunnah. Yes.
The questioner : One-eyed, is it not in contrast to...
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The questioner : We say that being one-eyed... indicates perfection...
The Shaykh : Yes, it is Uthman ibn Sa'id (may Allah have mercy on him) who said this. He said, "May Allah kill you, is there a one-eyed person without two eyes? There is no one-eyed person without two eyes." So his sayingJami` at-Tirmidhi 2241Sahih (Darussalam) means that he has
The questioner : two eyes.
The Shaykh : That he has two eyes.
O people... the author... a new attribute.
And construct the ship under Our observation
واصنع الفلك بأعينناThe Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : The Salaf interpreted this
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : So there is no evidence for the plurality of the eyes
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : As for the hadith of the Dajjal, may Allah reward you, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) clarified that the Dajjal is one-eyed, having one eye, and that he is one-eyed.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : As for the fact that Allah Mighty and Majestic has two eyes, we need the evidence, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : This evidence, this evidence
The questioner : This is regarding the Dajjal...
The Shaykh : But this is what the Messenger clarified is a sign and a mark, a sign and a mark that clarifies that the Dajjal is not a Lord.
The questioner : The creed of the people of the Sunnah and the community is established by the text...
The Shaykh : Yes, and this is established by the text, may Allah reward you, reflect upon it.
The questioner : I have a clear indication of...
The Shaykh : It is not clear to you, and if your understanding is limited, what can we do?
The questioner : Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and the Salaf did not mention it.
The Shaykh : Imam Ahmad ibn Hanbal and all the Salaf agreed on this, as al-Ash'ari and Qadi Abu Bakr al-Baqillani transmitted their consensus, and likewise Uthman ibn Sa'id al-Darimi (may Allah have mercy on him) stated it explicitly in his refutation of al-Marisi, and also Ibn Khuzaymah in Tawhid. They all state this explicitly, as clear as the sun. If a man comes to us who does not understand anything, his lack of understanding is not a proof; rather, his lack of understanding indicates his deficiency, that he is either negligent or limited. Either negligent in reflection, or limited in understanding or in knowledge. So you reflect upon it, may Allah reward you, and I say, reflect upon it and review the words of the Salaf on this.
The questioner : I have reviewed it, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : Yes, there is no remedy. If you reviewed it and did not understand, what can we do? What can we do with you?
The questioner : I mean, the righteous Salaf, the three generations.
The Shaykh : All the righteous Salaf agreed on two eyes. Al-Ash'ari and al-Baqillani transmitted their consensus, and Shaykh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah affirmed this transmission of consensus in his book al-Fatawa al-Hamawiyyah and others. So if someone comes to us and says, "By Allah, I do not understand this," we say, "May Allah open for you and grant you knowledge and understanding."
The questioner : Okay, O Shaykh, perhaps we say that al-Ash'ari... it is possible that he did not...
The Shaykh : By Allah, if you want
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If you want to cast doubt on al-Ash'ari, who
The questioner : ... fell into figurative interpretation, may Allah reward you.
The Shaykh : If you
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If you want to cast doubt on al-Ash'ari, on whom the people agreed that he returned to the methodology of the people of the Sunnah and the community, and cast doubt on the other scholars like Ibn Khuzaymah and Uthman ibn Sa'id, on whom the people agreed that they are among the imams of guidance, and also cast doubt on the transmission of Ibn al-Qayyim and Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on them) from these scholars, without them following up on their words.
The questioner : No, we do not say this.
The Shaykh : Reflect, may Allah reward you, reflect on the hadith of the Dajjal with deep consideration. Did you understand before you had a creed denying this? If you consider it deeply, it will become clear to you, if Allah wills.
The questioner : Okay, if we establish the attribute of the eye for Allah Mighty and Majestic, without, as you mentioned, establishing that Allah Mighty and Majestic has two eyes.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : I establish for Allah Mighty and Majestic the attribute of the eye.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : As for the number, I leave it.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : No evidence has come regarding it.
The Shaykh : We do not say it is a deficiency. A deficiency in your creed, this is a deficiency in your creed.
The questioner : Shaykh, the hadith of the Dajjal... says that he is a Lord.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : That he is a Lord.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Meaning the Lord has two eyes.
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : Because he denied that he is, he said
Indeed, his eye is prominent.
إن عينه طافيةThe Shaykh : Yes, it is as if
The questioner :
and your Lord is not blind in one eye
وإن ربكم ليس بأعورThe Shaykh : Yes, yes, there is no problem. If you reflect on it, if you reflect on it, you will find that it is clear and explicit.
The questioner : In the beginning... that the Lord has two eyes.
The Shaykh : Then if we say only one eye, we would be lying about His saying "By Our eyes." How can we say this? This plural is a clear plural in number. So you must be careful, O my brother, that this is a creed, a creed regarding the Lord Mighty and Majestic.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, this is the opinion of the Salaf, may Allah reward you.
The questioner : I mention to you, O Shaykh...
The Shaykh : If you mention it to me, trace the chain back to Sufyan al-Thawri. And Sufyan al-Thawri is undoubtedly an imam.
The questioner : Yes, that is right.
The Shaykh : Trace the chain to him.
The questioner : ... We asked some of the experts.
The Shaykh : I say, trace the chain, do not ask the experts. Ask yourself. Take the men of the chain one by one and see if it is valid or not? Then if it is valid, Sufyan al-Thawri is a man from the Tabi'un or the Tabi' al-Tabi'in. Other men contradicted him, so his statement is not a proof for this. We return to the Book and the Sunnah. Yes.
The questioner : One-eyed, is it not in contrast to...
The Shaykh : Yes, that is right.
The questioner : We say that being one-eyed... indicates perfection...
The Shaykh : Yes, it is Uthman ibn Sa'id (may Allah have mercy on him) who said this. He said, "May Allah kill you, is there a one-eyed person without two eyes? There is no one-eyed person without two eyes." So his saying
Indeed your Lord is not blind in one eye
إن ربكم ليس بأعورThe questioner : two eyes.
The Shaykh : That he has two eyes.
O people... the author... a new attribute.