supplicate: “O Allah, to You belongs all praise. You are the Light of the heavens and the earth and all who are in them. To You belongs all praise. You are the Sustainer of the heavens and the earth and all who are in them.”

The messenger returned and reported, “I do not deny that Allah is light”; I was subsequently informed that he had indeed retracted his view.

Abū al-Hasan al-Ash‘arī said in his al-Ibānah: “Allah Most High says, ‘Allah is the Light of the heavens and the earth. The example of His light is like a niche.’ He thus named Himself Light. According to the Muslim community, light can have only one of two meanings: either light that is heard or light that is seen. Whoever claims that Allah is heard but not seen is mistaken in denying that his Lord can be seen and in rejecting the Book of Allah, Mighty and Majestic, and the words of His Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.”

Judge Abū Ya‘lā said: “As for the words in the hadith of Jābir, ‘While the people of Paradise are enjoying their bliss, a light suddenly shines upon them from above their heads. Behold, the Lord, glorified and exalted be He, has appeared to them from above and says, “Peace