our faces, made our scales heavy, admitted us to the Garden, and saved us from the Fire?’

He replied, ‘Then the veil will be lifted and they will gaze upon Him. Nothing they are given will be dearer to them than that vision—and that is the “increase.”’

In the Sunan collections, in the ḥadīth of ʿAmmār ibn Yāsir and others, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) supplicated:

‘I ask You for the delight of looking upon Your Face and the longing to meet You.’

This relates to the matter of loving Allah: He is intrinsically worthy of love, He loves Himself, and He loves His believing servants. This is the cornerstone of the entire discussion; it is the foundation of the creed of Abraham with which Allah sent Moses, Jesus, and Muhammad (may Allah’s peace be upon them all). Indeed, it is the very basis of the religion of Islam with which Allah dispatched His messengers and revealed His scriptures. Through it, most of the misconceptions that arise in this area vanish—questions about whether His actions have underlying reasons, about His will and His love, about intrinsic good and evil, and about the broader issues of creation and command.