How does Allah see and hear?

[Nightclaw]

This question is primarily for the Shi'a. I was wondering about this because it is quite paradoxical when they make claims towards the Ahlul Sunnah of saying Allah is an anthropomorphic being. If you say it is metaphorical, this is problematic because this means that Allah does not hear nor see whatsoever [as a metaphor is a representative of something that is not literal, and in this case, the sight and hearing of Allah]. This also contradicts his name al-Hayy, which entails that He is living and has the qualities of living things, albeit not limited nor comparable whatsoever.

So my question is to the Shi'a:

How does Allah see and hear?

[313_Waiter]

Read the underlined and bold paragraph:
 

Quote

Sermon 186: He who assigns to Him (different) conditions does not believe in His Oneness….

About the Oneness of Allah. This sermon contains principles of knowledge which no other sermon contains

ومن خطبة له (عليه السلام)

في التوحيد

وتجمع هذه الخطبة من أصول العلوم ما لا تجمعه خطبة

He who assigns to Him (different) conditions does not believe in His Oneness, nor does he who likens Him grasp His reality. He who illustrates Him does not signify Him. He who points at Him and imagines Him does not mean Him. Everything that is known through itself has been created, and everything that exists by virtue of other things is the effect (of a cause). He works but not with the help of instruments. He fixes measures but not with the activity of thinking. He is rich but not by acquisition.

مَا وَحَّدَهُ مَنْ كَيَّفَهُ، وَلاَ حَقِيقَتَهُ أَصَابَ مَنْ مَثَّلَهُ، وَلاَ إِيَّاهُ عَنَى مَنْ شَبَّهَهُ، وَلاَ صَمَدَهُ مَنْ أَشَارَ إِلَيْهِ وَتَوَهَّمَهُ. كُلُّ مَعْرُوف بِنَفْسِهِ مَصْنُوعٌ، وَكُلُّ قَائِم فِي سِوَاهُ مَعْلُولٌ. فَاعِلٌ لاَ بِاضْطِرَابِ آلَة، مُقَدِّرٌ لاَ بِجَوْلِ فِكْرَة، غَنِيٌّ لاَ بِاسْتِفَادَة.

Times do not keep company with Him, and implements do not help Him. His Being precedes times. His Existence precedes non-existence and His eternity precedes beginning. By His creating the senses it is known that He has no senses. By the contraries in various matters it is known that He has no contrary, and by the similarity between things it is known that there is nothing similar to Him. He has made light the contrary of darkness, brightness that of gloom, dryness that of moisture and heat that of cold.

لاَ تَصْحَبُهُ الاْوْقَاتُ، وَلاَ تَرْفِدُهُ الاْدَوَاتُ، سَبَقَ الاْوْقَاتَ كَوْنُهُ، وَالْعَدَمَ وُجُودُهُ، وَالابْتِدَاءَ أَزَلُهُ. بِتَشْعِيرِهِ الْمَشَاعِرَ عُرِفَ أَنْ لاَ مَشْعَرَ لَهُ، وَبِمُضَادَّتِهِ بَيْنَ الاْمُورِ عُرِفَ أَنْ لاَ ضِدَّ لَهُ، وَبِمُقَارَنَتِهِ بَيْنَ الاْشْيَاءِ عُرِفَ أَنْ لاَ قَرِينَ لَهُ. ضَادَّ النُّورَ بِالظُّلْمَةِ، وَالْوُضُوحَ بِالْبُهْمَةِ، وَالْجُمُودَ بِالْبَلَلِ، وَالْحَرُورَ بِالصَّرَدِ.

He produces affection among inimical things. He fuses together diverse things, brings near remote things and separates things which are joined together. He is not confined by limits, nor counted by numbers. Material parts can surround things of their own kind, and organs can point out things similar to themselves. 

The word 1 "mundhu" (i.e. since) disproves their eternity, the word "qad" (that denotes nearness of time of occurrence), disproves their being from ever and the word "lawla" (if it were not) keep them remote from perfection. Through them the Creator manifests Himself to the intelligence, and through them He is guarded from the sight of the eyes.

مُؤَلِّفٌ بَيْنَ مُتَعَادِيَاتِهَا، مُقَارِنٌ بَيْنَ مُتَبَايِنَاتِهَا، مُقَرِّبٌ بَيْنَ مُتَبَاعِداتِهَا، مُفَرِّقٌ بَيْنَ مُتَدَانِيَاتِهَا. لاَ يُشْمَلُ بِحَدّ، وَلاَ يُحْسَبُ بِعَدٍّ، وَإِنَّمَا تَحُدُّ الاْدَوَاتُ أَنْفُسَهَا، وَتُشِيرُ الاْلاَتُ إِلَى نَظَائِرِهَا، مَنَعَتْهَا «مُنْذُ» الْقِدْمَةَ، وَحَمَتْهَا «قَدُ» الاْزَلِيَّةَ، وَجَنَّبَتْهَا «لَوْلاَ» التَّكْمِلَةَ. بِهَا تَجَلَّى صَانِعُهَا لِلْعُقُولِ، وَبِهَا امْتَنَعَ عَنْ نَظَرِ الْعُيُونِ.

Stillness and motion do not occur in Him, and how can that thing occur in Him which He has Himself made to occur, and how can a thing revert to Him which He first created, and how can a thing appear in Him which He first brought to appearance. If it had not been so, His Self would have become subject to diversity, His Being would have become divisible (into parts), and His reality would have been prevented from being deemed Eternal. 

If there was a front to Him there would have been a rear also for Him. He would need completing only if shortage befell Him. In that case signs of the created would appear in Him, and He would become a sign (leading to other objects) instead of signs leading to Him. Through the might of His abstention (from affectedness) He is far above being affected by things which affect others.

لاَ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ السُّكُونُ وَالْحَرَكَةُ، وَكَيْفَ يَجْرِي عَلَيْهِ مَا هُوَ أَجْرَاهُ، وَيَعُودُ فِيهِ مَا هُوَ أَبْدَاهُ، وَيَحْدُثُ فِيهِ مَا هُوَ أَحْدَثَةُ ؟! إِذاً لَتَفَاوَتَتْ ذَاتُهُ، وَلَتَجَزَّأَ كُنْهُهُ، وَلاَمْتَنَعَ مِنَ الاْزَلِ مَعْنَاهُ، وَلَكَانَ لَهُ وَرَاءٌ إِذْ وُجِدَ لَهُ أَمَامٌ، وَلاَلْـتَمَسَ الـتَّمامَ إِذْ لَزِمَهُ النُّقْصَانُ. وَإِذاً لَقَامَتْ آيَةُ الْمَصْنُوعِ فِيهِ، وَلَتَحَوَّلَ دَلِيلاً بَعْدَ أَنْ كَانَ مَدْلُولاً عَلَيْهِ، وَخَرَجَ بِسُلْطَانِ الاْمْتِنَاعِ مِنْ أَنْ يُؤَثِّرَ فِيهِ مَا يُؤثِّرُ فِي غَيْرِهِ.

He is that which does not change or vanish. The process of setting does not behove Him. He has not begotten any one lest He be regarded as having been born. He has not been begotten otherwise He would be contained within limits. He is too High to have sons. He is too purified to contact women. Imagination cannot reach Him so as to assign Him quantity. Understanding cannot think of Him so as to give him shape. Senses do not perceive Him so as to feel Him. Hands cannot touch Him so as to rub against Him. He does not change into any condition. He does not pass from one state to another. Nights and days do not turn Him old. Light and darkness do not alter Him.

الَّذِي لاَ يَحُولُ وَلاَ يَزُولُ، وَلاَ يَجُوزُ عَلَيْهِ الاْفُولُ لَمْ يَلِدْ فَيَكُونَ مَوْلُوداً، وَلَمْ يُولَدْ فَيَصِيرَ مَحْدُوداً، جَلَّ عَنِ اتِّخَاذِ الاْبْنَاءِ، وَطَهُرَ عَنْ مُلاَمَسَةِ النِّسَاءِ. لاَ تَنَالُهُ الاْوْهَامُ فَتُقَدِّرَهُ، وَلاَ تَتَوَهَّمُهُ الْفِطَنُ فَتُصَوِّرَهُ، وَلاَ تُدْرِكُهُ الْحَوَاسُّ فَتُحِسَّهُ، وَلاَ تَلْمِسُهُ الاْيْدِي فَتَمَسَّهُ. وَلاَ يَتَغَيَّرُ بِحَال، وَلاَ يَتَبَدَّلُ فِي الاْحْوَالِ، وَلاَ تُبْلِيهِ اللَّيَالي وَالاْيَّامُ، وَلاَ يُغَيِّرُهُ الضِّيَاءُ وَالظَّلاَمُ،

He cannot be described through (the possession of) parts, or through limbs and organs, or by a an accidental quality or alteration or portions. It cannot be said that He has a limit or extremity, or end or termination; nor do things control Him so as to raise Him or lower Him, nor does anything carry Him so as to bend Him or keep Him erect. He is not inside things or outside them. He conveys news, but not with the tongue or voice. He listens, but not with the holes of the ears or the organs of hearing. He says, but does not utter words. 

He remembers, but does not memorise. He determines, but not by exercising His mind. He loves and approves without any sentimentality (of heart). He hates and feels angry without any painstaking. When He intends to create something He says ‘"..Be" and it is’ (2:117), but not through a voice that strikes (the ears) is that call heard. His speech is an act of His creation. His like never existed before this. If it had been eternal it would have been a second god.

وَلاَ يُوصَفُ بِشَيء مِنَ الاْجْزَاءِ، وَلاَ بِالجَوَارِحِ وَالاْعْضَاءِ، وَلاَ بِعَرَض مِنَ الاْعْرَاضِ، وَلاَ بِالْغَيْرِيَّةِ وَالاْبْعَاضِ. وَلاَ يُقَالُ: لَهُ حَدٌّ وَلاَ نِهَايَةٌ، وَلاَ انقِطَاعٌ وَلاَ غَايَةٌ، وَلاَ أَنَّ الاْشْيَاءَ تَحْوِيهِ فَتُقِلَّهُ أَوْ تُهْوِيَهُ، أَوْ أَنَّ شَيْئاً يَحْمِلُهُ، فَيُمِيلَهُ أَوْ يُعَدِّلَهُ. لَيْسَ فِي الاْشْيَاءِ بِوَالِج، وَلاَ عَنْهَا بِخَارِج. يُخْبِرُ لاَ بِلِسَان وَلَهوَات، وَيَسْمَعُ لاَ بِخُروُق وَأَدَوَات، يَقُولُ وَلاَ يَلْفِظُ، َيَحْفَظُ وَلاَ َ تَحَفَّظُ، وَيُرِيدُ وَلاَ يُضْمِرُ. يُحِبُّ وَيَرْضَى مِنْ غَيْرِ رِقَّة، وَيُبْغِضُ وَيَغْضَبُ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَشَقَّة. يَقُولُ لِمَا أَرَادَ كَوْنَهُ: (كُنْ فَيَكُونُ)، لاَ بِصَوْت يَقْرَعُ، وَلاَ بِنِدَاء يُسْمَعُ، وَإِنَّمَا كَلاَمُهُ سُبْحَانَهُ فِعْلٌ مِنْهُ أَنْشَأَهُ وَمَثَّلَهُ، لَمْ يَكُنْ مِنْ قَبْلِ ذلِكَ كَائِناً، َلَوْ كَانَ قَدِيماً لَكَانَ إِلهاً ثَانِياً. 

It cannot be said that He came into being after He had not been in existence because in that case the attributes of the created things would be assigned to Him and there would remain no difference between them and Him, and He would have no distinction over them. Thus, the Creator and the created would become equal and the initiator and the initiated would be on the same level. He created (the whole of) creation without any example made by someone else, and He did not secure the assistance of any one out of His creation for creating it.

لاَ يُقَالُ: كَانَ بَعْدَ أَنْ لَمْ يَكُنْ، فَتَجْرِيَ عَلَيْهِ الصِّفَاتُ الْـمُحْدَثَاتُ، وَلاَ يَكُونُ بَيْنَهَا وَبَيْنَهُ فَصْلٌ، وَلاَ لَهُ عَلَيْهَا فَضْلٌ، فَيَسْتَوِيَ الصَّانِعُ والْمَصْنُوعُ، وَيَتَكَافَأَ المُبْتَدَعُ وَالْبَدِيعُ. خَلَقَ الْخَلاَئِقَ عَلَى غَيْرِ مِثَال خَلاَ مِنْ غَيْرِهِ، وَلَمْ يَسْتَعِنْ عَلَى خَلْقِهَا بِأَحَد مِنْ خَلْقِهِ.

He created the earth and suspended it without being busy, retained it without support, made it stand without legs, raised it without pillars, protected it against bendings and curvings and defended it against crumbling and splitting (into parts). He fixed mountains on it like stumps, solidified its rocks, caused its streams to flow and opened wide its valleys. Whatever He made did not suffer from any frailty, and whatever He strengthened did not show any weakness.

وَأَنْشَأَ الاْرْضَ فَأَمْسَكَهَا مِنْ غَيْرِ اشْتِغَال، وَأَرْسَاهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ قَرَار، وَأَقَامَهَا بِغَيْرِ قَوَائِمَ، وَرَفَعَهَا بِغَيْرِ دَعائِمَ، وَحَصَّنَهَا مِنَ الاْوَدَ وَالاْعْوِجَاجِ، وَمَنَعَهَا مِنَ التَّهَافُتِ وَالانْفِرَاجِ، أَرْسَى أَوْتَادَهَا، وَضَرَبَ أَسْدَادَهَا، وَاسْتَفَاضَ عُيُونَهَا، وَخَدَّ أَوْدِيَتَهَا، فَلَمْ يَهِنْ مَا بَنَاهُ، وَلاَ ضَعُفَ مَا قَوَّاهُ.

He manifests Himself over the earth with His authority and greatness. He is aware of its inside through his knowledge and understanding. He has power over every thing in the earth by virtue of His sublimity and dignity. Nothing from the earth that he may ask for defies Him, nor does it oppose Him so as to overpower Him. No swift-footed creature can run away from Him so as to surpass Him. He is not needy towards any possessing person so that he should feed Him. All things bow to Him and are humble before His greatness. They cannot flee away from His authority to someone else in order to escape His benefit or His harm. There is no parallel for Him who may match Him and no one like Him so as to equal Him.

هُوَ الظّاهِرُ عَلَيْهَا بِسُلْطَانِهِ وَعَظَمَتِهِ، وَهُوَ الْبَاطِنُ لَهَا بِعِلْمِهِ وَمَعْرِفَتِهِ، وَالْعَالي عَلَى كَلِّ شَيْء مِنهَا بِجَلاَلِهِ وَعِزَّتِهِ. لاَ يُعْجِزُهُ شَيْءٌ مِنْهَا طَلَبَهُ، وَلاَ يَمْتَنِعُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَغْلِبَهُ، وَلاَ يَفُوتُهُ السَّرِيعُ مِنْهَا فَيَسْبِقَهُ، وَلاَ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى ذِي مَال فَيَرْزُقَهُ. خَضَعَتِ الاْشْيَاءُ لَهُ، وَذَلَّتْ مُسْتَكِينَةً لِعَظَمَتِهِ، لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ الْهَرَبَ مِنْ سُلْطَانِهِ إِلَى غَيْرِهِ فَتَمْتَنِعَ مِنْ نَفْعِهِ وَضَرِّهِ، وَلاَ كُفؤَ لَهُ فَيُكَافِئَهُ، وَلاَ نَظِيرَ لَهُ فَيُسَاوِيَهُ.

He will destroy the earth after its existence, till all that exists on it will become non-existent. But the extinction of the world after its creation is no more marvelous than its first formation and invention. How could it be otherwise? Even if all the animals of the earth, whether birds or beasts, stabled cattle or pasturing ones, of different origins and species, dull people and sagacious men -- all jointly try to create (even) a mosquito they are not able to bring it into being and do not understand what is the way to its creation. Their wits are bewildered and wandering. Their powers fall short and fail, and return dazzled and weary, knowing that they are defeated and admitting their inability to produce it, also realising that they are too weak (even) to destroy it! 

هُوَ الْمُفْنِي لَهَا بَعْدَ وُجُودِهَا، حَتَّى يَصِيرَ مَوْجُودُهَا كَمَفْقُودِهَا. وَلَيْسَ فَنَاءُ الدُّنْيَا بَعْدَ ابْتِدَاعِهَا بِأَعْجَبَ مِنْ إنْشَائِهَا وَاخْتِرَاعِهَا، وَكَيفَ وَلَوْ اجْتَمَعَ جَمِيعُ حَيَوانِهَا مِنْ طَيْرِهَا وَبَهَائِمِهَا، ومَا كَانَ مِنْ مُرَاحِهَا وَسَائِمِهَا، وَأَصْنَافِ أَسْنَاخِهَا وَأَجْنَاسِهَا، وَمُتَبَلِّدَةِ أُمَمِهَا وَأَكْيَاسِهَا، عَلَى إِحْدَاثِ بَعُوضَة، مَا قَدَرَتْ عَلَى إِحْدَاثِهَا، وَلاَ عَرَفَتْ كَيْفَ السَّبِيلُ إِلَى إِيجَادِهَا، وَلَتَحَيَّرَتْ عُقُولُهَا فِي عِلْمِ ذلِكَ وَتاهَتْ، وَعَجِزَتْ قُوَاهَا وَتَنَاهَتْ، وَرَجَعَتْ خَاسِئَةً حَسِيرَةً ، عَارِفَةً بِأَنَّهَا مَقْهُورَةٌ، مُقِرَّةً بِالْعَجْزِ عَنْ إِنْشَائِهَا، مُذْعِنَةً بِالضَّعْفِ عَنْ إفْنَائِهَا!

Surely, after the extinction of the world, Allah the Glorified will remain alone with nothing else beside Him. He will be, after its extinction, as He was before its production: without time or place or moment or period. At this moment, period and time will not exist, and years and hours will disappear. There will be nothing except Allah, the One, the All-powerful. To Him is the return of all matters. Its initial creation was not in its power; and the prevention of its extinction was (also) not in its power. If it had the power to prevent it, it would have existed for ever.

وَإِنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ، يَعُودُ بَعْدَ فَنَاءِ الدُّنْيَا وَحْدَهُ لاَ شَيْءَ مَعَهُ، كَمَا كَانَ قَبْلَ ابْتِدَائِهَا، كَذلِكَ يَكُونُ بَعْدَ فَنَائِهَا، بِلاَ وَقْت وَلاَ مَكَان، وَلاَ حِين وَلاَ زَمَان، عُدِمَتْ عِنْدَ ذلِكَ الاْجَالُ وَالاْوْقَاتُ، وَزَالَتِ السِّنُونَ وَالسَّاعَاتُ، فَلاَ شَيْءَ إِلاَّ الْوَاحِدُ الْقَهَّارُ الَّذِي إِلَيْهِ مَصِيرُ جَمِيعِ الاْمُورِ، بِلاَ قُدْرَة مِنْهَا كَانَ ابْتِدَاءُ خَلْقِهَا، وَبِغَيْرِ امْتِنَاع مِنْهَا كَانَ فَنَاؤُهَا، وَلَوْ قَدَرَتْ عَلَى الامْتِنَاعِ لَدَامَ بَقَاؤُهَا.

When He made anything of the world, the making of it did not cause Him any difficulty, and the creation of anything which He created and formed did not fatigue Him. He did not create it to heighten His authority nor for fear of loss or harm, nor to seek its help against an overwhelming foe, nor to guard against any avenging opponent with its help, nor for the extension of His domain by its help, nor for boasting (over largeness of His possession) against a partner, nor because He felt lonely and desired to seek its company.

لَمْ يَتَكَاءَدْهُ صُنْعُ شَيْء مِنْهَا إِذْ صَنَعَهُ، وَلَمْ يَؤُدْهُ مِنْهَا خَلْقُ مَا بَرَأَهُ وَخَلَقَهُ، وَلَمْ يُكَوِّنْهَا لِتَشْدِيدِ سُلْطَان، وَلاَ لِخَوْف مِنْ زَوَال وَنُقْصَان، وَلاَ لِلاْسْتِعَانَةِ بِهَا عَلَى نِدٍّ مُكَاثِر، وَلاَ لِلاْحْتِرَازِ بِهَا مِنْ ضِدٍّ مُثَاوِر، وَلاَ لِلاْزْدِيَادِ بِهَا فِي مُلْكِهِ، وَلاَ لِمُكَاثَرَةِ شَرِيك فِي شِرْكِهِ، وَلاَ لِوَحْشَة كَانَتْ مِنْهُ، فَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَسْتَأْنِسَ إِلَيْهَا.

Then after its creation He will destroy it, but not because any worry has overcome Him in its upkeep and administration, or for any pleasure that will accrue to Him, or for the cumbrousness of anything over Him. The length of its life does not weary Him so as to induce Him to its quick destruction. 

But Allah, the Glorified, has maintained it with His kindness, kept it intact with His command and perfected it with His power. Then after its destruction, He will resuscitate it, but not for any need of His own towards it, nor to seek the assistance of any of its things against it, nor to change over from the condition of loneliness to that of company, nor from the condition of ignorance and blindness to that of knowledge and search, nor from paucity and need towards needlessness and plenty, nor from disgrace and lowliness towards honour and prestige.

ثُمَّ هُوَ يُفْنِيهَا بَعْدَ تَكْوِينِهَا، لاَ لِسَأَم دَخَلَ عَلَيْهِ فِي تَصْرِيفِهَا وَتَدْبِيرِهَا، وَلاَ لِرَاحَة وَاصِلَة إِلَيْهِ، وَلاَ لِثِقَلِ شَيْء مِنْهَا عَلَيْهِ. لاَ يُمِلُّهُ طُولُ بَقَائِهَا فَيَدْعُوَهُ إِلَى سُرْعَةِ إِفْنَائِهَا، لكِنَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ دَبَّرَهَا بِلُطْفِهِ، وَأمسَكَهَا بِأَمْرِهِ، وَأَتْقَنَهَا بِقُدْرَتِهِ. ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهَا بَعْدَ الْفَنَاءِ مِنْ غَيْرِ حَاجَة مِنْهُ إِلَيْهَا، وَلاَ اسْتِعَانَة بَشَيْء مِنْهَا عَلَيْهَا، وَلاَ لاِنصِرَاف مِنْ حَال وَحْشَة إلَى حَالِ اسْتِئْنَاس، وَلاَ مِنْ حَالِ جَهْل وَعَمىً إِلَى [حَالِ ]عِلْم وَالْتمَاس، وَلاَ مِنْ فَقْر وَحَاجَة إِلَى غِنىً وَكَثْرَة، وَلاَ مِنْ ذُلٍّ وَضَعَة إِلَى عِزٍّ وَقُدْرَة.

Additional (not necessary) reading:

Quote

From Kitab at-Tawhid:

Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Khalid said, on the authority of some of our scholars that Imam al-Rida (عليه السلام) was passing by a grave from the graves of his Household, so he placed his hand on the grave and said:
"O my God! Your Omnipotence is apparent. However, since You are Shapeless, people are ignorant of You. They try to measure You in a vain efforts to recognize You. However, any measurement of You is other than you. O my Lord! I disassociate myself from those who compare You with Your creation. Nothing is similar to You. My Lord! They cannot comprehend You. If they wanted to recognize You, Your blessings are the best proof for You. O my God! It is sufficient for them to ponder on Your Creation, and to refrain from exploring Your Nature. However, they consider You are your Creation as one and the same. That is why they fail to truly recognize You and consider Your Signs as their Lord and have described you as such. My Lord! You are far above the descriptions of the anthropomorphist."

credit: br. Al muttaqin 

Quote

What is the root from which the word Allah is derived?" The Imam replied, "O Hisham, the word Allah is derived from ’ilah, that is, the One Who is worshipped and the One who is worshipped is supposed to be worth worshipping. The name of Allah is different from His Own self. Whoever worships the name not the meaning has become a heathen and has, in fact, worshipped nothing. Whoever worships the name and its meaning jointly, he becomes a polytheist [concealed/“minor” polytheism] because of worshipping two gods. Whoever worships the meaning of the word Allah only he, in reality, has worshipped the One Allah (God). O Hisham, did you grasp it?"

Hisham requested, "Kindly enlighten me more." The Imam added, "Allah has ninety-nine names [known commonly among muslims]. If each name had a separate meaning then each meaning would have been a god. Allah is One only and all His names stand for just One reality and all these names are other than Allah Himself. O Hisham, bread is the name of something to eat. Water is the name of something to drink. Dress is the name of something to wear on. Fire is the name of something that burns. O Hisham, did you fully grasp the point so you can defend your belief and contest successfully against our opponents, who, along with Allah, the Exalted, the Great, except things other than Him?" Hisham replied, "Yes, I did understand." The Imam said, "O Hisham, may Allah benefit you thereby and grant you steadfastness." Hisham (the narrator) says, "I swear by Allah, no one has ever defeated me on the issue of the Oneness of Allah until now."” - Kitab al Kafi H 310, Ch. 16,

 

Quote

O Bedouin! The statement that ‘Allah is One’ is of four types: Two types cannot be applied to Allah, the Mighty and High; while the two other types can be applied to Him. As for the two types of statements that cannot be applied to Him, the first is the claim that Allah is One in a numerical sense. Such a statement cannot be applied to Allah, because as the One, He has no second, and He is not subject to mathematical calculation. “Do you not see that he who claims that Allah is the third of the three has disbelieved (in Him)?” (Quran)

 

The second statement which cannot be applied to Allah is the claim that He is One with humankind. Since He derives the species from the genus, He cannot be described through anthropomorphism [tashbih]. Our Lord is Higher and more Exalted than this.

 

As for the two types of statements that can be applied to Allah, the first would be to say that He is the One who resembles none. This is a proper description of our Lord. The second statement which can apply to Allah is the statement that He, the Mighty and High, is Alone, in the sense that He is Indivisible in Existence [wujud], Intellect [‘aql], and Thought [wahm]. That is another dignified description of our Lord, the Mighty and High.

 

[Ali bin Hussein]

36 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

This question is primarily for the Shi'a. I was wondering about this because it is quite paradoxical when they make claims towards the Ahlul Sunnah of saying Allah is an anthropomorphic being. If you say it is metaphorical, this is problematic because this means that Allah does not hear nor see whatsoever [as a metaphor is a representative of something that is not literal, and in this case, the sight and hearing of Allah]. This also contradicts his name al-Hayy, which entails that He is living and has the qualities of living things, albeit not limited nor comparable whatsoever.

So my question is to the Shi'a:

How does Allah see and hear?

Allah does not require light to be refracted and focused on to a neurolical surface. That is the literal meaning of seeing. In the absence of light you can not see. Allah does not require light.

Same argument for hearing.

He is unlike anything. He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing} (Q. 42:11)

How he hears or sees we do not know.

But it's not literal in the sense of what hearing and seeing is to created beings.

[Cool]

Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, peace with him, has said, “He, the most Exalted One, is Hearing and Seeing. He hears without a faculty, sees without a tool. Rather, He hears by Himself, sees by Himself

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace with him, has said, “He is Hearing, Seeing; He hears through what He sees, sees through what He hears.

[Nightclaw]

3 minutes ago, Warilla said:

Allah does not require light to be refracted and focused on to a neurolical surface. That is the literal meaning of seeing. In the absence of light you can not see. Allah does not require light.

Same argument for hearing.

He is unlike anything. He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing} (Q. 42:11)

How he hears or sees we do not know.

But it's not literal in the sense of what hearing and seeing is to created beings.

This is another antimony. Either he literally hears or does not. If not, then He is not what the meaning entails. If it is metaphorical, then He does not see nor hear whatsoever and you cannot give any example to compare to such.

[Abu Nur]

42 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

This is another antimony. Either he literally hears or does not. If not, then He is not what the meaning entails. If it is metaphorical, then He does not see nor hear whatsoever and you cannot give any example to compare to such.

He is the Creator of that sounds and visions, thus He actualized them, so He is aware of it's essence and knows everything about it. As how? By Himself.

[Nightclaw]

38 minutes ago, Abu Nur said:

He is the Creator of that sounds and visions, thus He actualized them, so He is aware of it's essence and knows everything about it. As how? By Himself.

Now if the Ahlul Sunnah say this about other things, is it a problem? It is the exact same thing you are saying. No difference.

[Nightclaw]

1 hour ago, Cool said:

Imam Jafar al-Sadiq, peace with him, has said, “He, the most Exalted One, is Hearing and Seeing. He hears without a faculty, sees without a tool. Rather, He hears by Himself, sees by Himself

Imam Muhammad al-Baqir, peace with him, has said, “He is Hearing, Seeing; He hears through what He sees, sees through what He hears.

No doubt, but I refrain from giving explanations. I say Allah sees, hears, has hands, a face that is unlike anything we know of and imaginable and cannot be compared. The exact definition that you guys say, but somehow it is a problem when we say it. It is truly confusing as to why.

[Ali bin Hussein]

1 hour ago, Nightclaw said:

This is another antimony. Either he literally hears or does not. If not, then He is not what the meaning entails. If it is metaphorical, then He does not see nor hear whatsoever and you cannot give any example to compare to such.

Can you define literal seeing and hearing for me ?

[Nightclaw]

Just now, Warilla said:

Can you define literal seeing and hearing for me ?

So then Allah is blind and deaf, according to those definitions. Not only is He blind, but if we are going into the literal sense, He does not literallly exist, as per his name al-Hayy.

It would have been much easier if you said that He sees and hears like we do not know of and cannot compare. No need to add "it is not literal" because that leaves room for interpretation. End it there and anything further you do not know, because you cannot prove nor disprove it. If anything, any side arguing against you has a stronger side.

You do not know what is a metaphor when it is concerning these things, so do not speak of what you do not know of and speak regarding what you do. Anything further - leave it.

[Ali bin Hussein]

3 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

.It would have been much easier if you said that He sees and hears like we do not know of and cannot compare.

That what I did say. The how we don't know.

I gave my definition of literal hearing and said it's not that.

I'm happy to use the term literal if you can define it in an acceptable way.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Warilla

[Nightclaw]

Just now, Warilla said:

That what I did say. The how we don't know.

I gave my definition of literal hearing and said it's not that.

I'm happy to accept literal if you can define it in an acceptable way.

When it is literal, it is not in the sense of within the context of the universe. He is Vision, Sight, Hearing, Consciousness, etc. He is not limited. He is not bound. He does not forget. He exists. We do not know how Allah looks, but He certainly can hear and see but we do not know how. It has nothing to do with human body parts or anything in creation. Just know the concepts we know of is always referred to from Allah to us is because we do not understand it any other way. Allah hears and sees like nothing else in creation. How? We do not know. Does He literally hear? Yes. Like us? No; and like nothing else that was created, has been created, or will be created.

That is our definition. Same applies to everything else He ascribes to Himself.

[Abu Nur]

38 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

Now if the Ahlul Sunnah say this about other things, is it a problem? It is the exact same thing you are saying. No difference.

No, it is not problem, but sometimes we do have some differences in particular issues and that's fine.

[Nightclaw]

Just now, Abu Nur said:

No, it is not problem, but sometimes we do have some differences in particular issues and that's fine.

Differences will occur in life and nobody will be able to stop this until we reach our graves. That is not my problem. The problem is when the accused are being accused of that which the accusers accuse the accused of.

[MaisumAli]

Then the souls of the believers come to him and they rejoice more over him than any one of you rejoices when his absent loved one comes to him. They ask him: 'What happened to so-and-so, what happened to so-and-so?' They say: 'Let him be, for he was in the hardship of the world. When he says, 'Did he not come here?' They say: 'He was taken to the pit (of Hell).' Come out discontent, subject of Divine wrath, to the punishment of Allah, the Mighty and Sublime; So it comes out like the foulest stench of a corpse.

https://sunnah.com/nasai/21/16

 

If a mere soul can hear and speak without the assistance of the tounge/mouth, and the ears, then what makes you doubt the ability of The Lord Almighty to hear and see without the assistance of phisical parts?

[Ali bin Hussein]

11 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

. We do not know how Allah looks, but He certainly can hear and see but we do not know how.

So we basically said the same thing.

[Nightclaw]

Just now, Warilla said:

So we basically said the same thing.

When you said metaphorically, it entails that Allah does not actually do these things which is problematic. 

[Nightclaw]

2 minutes ago, MaisumAli said:

If a mere soul can hear and speak without the assistance of the tounge/mouth, and the ears, then what makes you doubt the ability of The Lord Almighty to hear and see without the assistance of phisical parts?

Do you know how a soul looks? Are the Angels not made out of light but they still speak? Is Shaytaan not made of fire but he still speaks? Do these aforementioned creation not have parts, such as hands, mouths, wings, arms, legs and whatnot?

Again, nobody is saying that Allah has physical parts, but that argument can easily be countered and should not be used.

[Cool]

40 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

No doubt, but I refrain from giving explanations

You (I mean we) are not obliged to set or give examples/analogies for Him. 

فلا تضرب الله الامثال

43 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

Allah sees, hears, has hands, a face that is unlike anything we know of and imaginable and cannot be compared.

But you (I mean we) should ponder when He sets/gives example for Himself. He has hands, yes, lets see:

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُبَايِعُونَكَ إِنَّمَا يُبَايِعُونَ اللَّهَ يَدُ اللَّهِ فَوْقَ أَيْدِيهِمْ

48:10

 وَمَا رَمَيْتَ إِذْ رَمَيْتَ وَلَـكِنَّ اللّهَ رَمَى 

8:17

 

[Abu Nur]

3 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

Differences will occur in life and nobody will be able to stop this until we reach our graves. That is not my problem. The problem is when the accused are being accused of that which the accusers accuse the accused of.

Yes, we can only present our own proofs and interpretation and understanding, then the individual will decide which version is near to the truth and Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will judge us in hereafter about the right and wrong.

[Nightclaw]

1 minute ago, Abu Nur said:

Yes, we can only present our own proofs and interpretation and understanding, then the individual will decide which version is near to the truth and Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) will judge us in hereafter about the right and wrong.

I do not have an opinion on the word of Allah nor the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). As the greatest men to walk the earth after the Messengers and Prophets of Allah, the companions, I see, hear, and obey. No questions asked.

[Cool]

49 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

The exact definition that you guys say, but somehow it is a problem when we say it

There was a guy name @Cherub786 here, he believes that Allah is literally sitting upon the throne. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) comes & goes. 

What are your views about that?

[Abu Nur]

2 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

I do not have an opinion on the word of Allah nor the guidance of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). As the greatest men to walk the earth after the Messengers and Prophets of Allah, the companions, I see, hear, and obey. No questions asked.

This is not what I meant by doubting or questioning the words of Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) and the Prophet Muhammad (saws). 

[Ansar Shiat Ali]

3 minutes ago, Cool said:

There was a guy name @Cherub786 here, he believes that Allah is literally sitting upon the throne. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) comes & goes. 

What are your views about that?

Good old Cherry, Believes in al Shab al Amred.

[Nightclaw]

1 minute ago, Cool said:

There was a guy name @Cherub786 here, he believes that Allah is literally sitting upon the throne. Allah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَ تَعَالَى) comes & goes. 

What are your views about that?

If someone else were to ask this question, I would have responded. Though to be frank, I do not like you so I will not respond to you. You have been extremely disrespectful to me and us interchanging, talking will not go anywhere in the future other than dragging us both down or wasting time - or both. I have been purposely not responding to whatever you were saying to me in hopes you would stop talking to me because I really do not like you. So for further notice, until you know how to respect people and not cause a sit, please refrain from speaking to me. If you want to continue, then go ahead. I will simply not respond until I feel as if you have the ability to respect.

[Ali bin Hussein]

15 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

When you said metaphorically, it entails that Allah does not actually do these things which is problematic. 

When did I say metaphorical ?

[Nightclaw]

Just now, Warilla said:

When did I say metaphorical ?

 

2 hours ago, Warilla said:

But it's not literal in the sense of what hearing and seeing is to created beings.

Was this not an allusion to metaphorical?

[Cool]

3 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

So for further notice, until you know how to respect people and not cause a sit, please refrain from speaking to me

Please feel free to use "ignore" function if you don't want to see my responses.

I am free to post comments anywhere I deem necessary and I don't need your permission nor I care about whether you like or dislike my response.

5 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

You have been extremely disrespectful to me and us interchanging

That's what "you" feel. But don't expect a respect from me when you pose yourself an Arabic Professor, yet I see you struggling with the meanings of simple verbs.

[Ali bin Hussein]

4 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

 

Was this not an allusion to metaphorical?

Ok let's break it down. You gave only 2 options in your question.

I gave a definition of literal and said it not "that"

You rejected my definition.

So if you want a digital answer please define literal seeing and hearing 

And then we can agree to use literal.

Otherwise let's just stick with we don't know how and ignore your 2 answer only question.

[Nightclaw]

13 minutes ago, Warilla said:

Ok let's break it down. You gave only 2 options in your question.

I gave a definition of literal and said it not "that"

You rejected my definition.

So if you want a digital answer please define literal seeing and hearing 

And then we can agree to use literal.

Otherwise let's just stick with we don't know how and ignore your 2 answer only question.

There was ultimately two options, but it is pointless going back and forth when we agree upon the same thing. But prior to this, you argued against it when I mentioned Allah had hands and a face. 

[Sabrejet]

Allah doesn't have a hand nor face, or any other body parts. Or even parts of any kind. We don't believe that He has a shin, face, hand etc "which are wonderful and imperceptible beyond beyond mortal perception". We don't think He will have a physical, visible form in the afterlife "wonderful and imperceptible beyond all comprehension". Not at all. We reject these ideas.

When you see verses and ahadith that mention these, these mean something else entirely. The Salafis, in their understandable fear of misinterpreting these, tend to take them at face value, and prefer not to dig into their layers of meaning. That's fine and all, but if they simply derive their meanings from the teachings of Ahlul Bayt (which they won't), then their confusion can be cleared. 

Edited November 25, 2020 by Sabrejet

[Ali bin Hussein]

26 minutes ago, Nightclaw said:

There was ultimately two options, but it is pointless going back and forth when we agree upon the same thing. But prior to this, you argued against it when I mentioned Allah had hands and a face. 

A literal hand is a physical structure with an apposable thumb.

A literal face is a physical structure that is the the forfront of that structure.

Thats my definition literal definition of both terms. Allah has neither.

There are hadith and linguistic evidence to support a metophorical meaning of both hand and face and shin. So I can say it's metaphorical.

Seeing and hearing I haven't found evidence for the metaphor so I say I don't know. But it's not my definition of literal.

In both cases I'm happy to consider any definitions of literal.

Edited November 25, 2020 by Warilla

[Nightclaw]

2 minutes ago, Sabrejet said:

Allah doesn't have a hand nor face, or any other body parts. Or even parts of any kind. We don't believe that He has a shin, face, hand etc "which are wonderful and imperceptible beyond beyond mortal perception". We don't think he will have a physical, visible form in the afterlife "wonderful and imperceptible beyond all comprehension". Not at all. We reject these ideas.

When you see verses and ahadith that mention these, these mean something else entirely. The Salafis, in their understandable fear of misinterpreting these, tend to take them at face value, and prefer not to dig into their layers of meaning. That's fine and all, but if they simply derive their meanings from the teachings of Ahlul Bayt (which they won't), then their confusion can be cleared. 

Allah says He does in the Qur'an. I take His words over your interpretation and meaning. If he does not have any other parts, such as you are claiming, you would have to prove that with His words. He states otherwise in the Qur'an and you say one thing. We do not have an opinion on the word of Allah nor do we interpret it because Allah cannot be compared. It is not a difficult thing to comprehend. If you say Allah hears and sees but not like us, apply that logic to what we say. If you deny it, then deny your own understanding because it is the exact same thing. It would make no sense for you to agree that Allah sees and hears not like us and reject what He says He has in the Qur'an itself and give your own spin on things. That is how the Christians and Jews went astray - altering, distorting, and giving their own meaning other than the apparent meaning in which Allah has revealed.

Again, nobody states Allah will have physical attributes. I do not know why it is so hard to understand when it has been made in previous posts. Allah will not have PHYSICAL attributes nor a PHYSICAL form. Physicality entails Allah being similar to creation - this is not what we believe. You can reject the idea all you would like, but at least understand it. 'Ali ibn Abu Talib nor any of the companions from the Ahlul Bayt ever interpreted it the way you did. They heard and obeyed. They did not give their interpretation. There is no confusion because it is self-explainable. I will summarize it:

Allah not like anything->Allah ascribes things to Himself->Allah has these ascriptions in which He describes not like anything else.

It is not hard to understand because you also say the same thing. Either Allah can hear you or He cannot. If he can, you really have no room to speak against us. If he does not, then you have an extraordinary problem.

وُجُوۡهٌ يَّوۡمَـئِذٍ نَّاضِرَةٌ
اِلٰى رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ
[Some] faces that Day will be radiant,
Looking towards their Lord.

By these verses, you have a problem at hand. Is this also metaphorical? What exactly will the bright faces be looking at if not Allah? If He cannot be seen, then what are they looking at and why are their faces bright? 

Like I said, you will run into problems. Lots of them. Also, be careful how you explain this.

[Nightclaw]

1 minute ago, Warilla said:

A literal hand is a physical structure with an apposable thumb.

A literal face is a physical structure that is the the forfront of that structure.

Thats my definition literal definition of both terms. Allah has neither.

There are hadith and linguistic evidence to support a metophorical meaning of both hand and face. So I can say it's metaphorical.

Seeing and hearing I haven't found evidence for the metaphor so I say I don't know. But it's not my definition of literal.

In both cases I'm happy to consider any definitions of literal.

Not a hand as we know it. As the example I gave before - a clock has a hand. We have hands. The hand of a clock is not the same as the hand of a human. This is a comparison, but Allah cannot be compared. His Hands are not in the physical sense as us humans or anything that has been created ever.

[Ali bin Hussein]

1 minute ago, Nightclaw said:

Not a hand as we know it. As the example I gave before - a clock has a hand. We have hands. The hand of a clock is not the same as the hand of a human. This is a comparison, but Allah cannot be compared. His Hands are not in the physical sense as us humans or anything that has been created ever.

So again you told us what it is not (which I agree with) But to say it is literal you need to define that literal thing.

But you are insisting on using the word literal. So please define this literal hand, face, seeing hearing. So that we may all use it.