all vision.’ [al-An‘ām 103]

This, then, is our understanding and interpretation of it—and Allah knows best—not what you claim, O opponent: that ‘I entered into the presence of my Lord in the Garden of Eden’ is like people saying, ‘We have come to You, our Lord, dishevelled and dusty, from every distant pass, so that You may forgive our sins.’

This interpretation is untenable. The things you compare are not alike, for in your narration he says, ‘I saw Him as a curly-haired youth wearing two green garments,’ whereas those people say, ‘We have come to You, our Lord, dishevelled and dusty,’ meaning, ‘We have turned to You, hoping for Your pardon and forgiveness.’ They did not say, ‘We have come to You and seen You as a curly-haired youth wearing two green garments, so that You may forgive us.’ These people sought reward and forgiveness. They did not describe the One to whom they turned in terms of His appearance and clothing, or claim to have seen Him directly, as your hadith does.

Thus, the wording of this hadith is at odds with your explanation, and your interpretation is more objectionable than the hadith itself. So understand this and exercise restraint concerning reports of this kind, for error here is disbelief, and I see that a correct understanding of it has been withheld from you.

Some hadiths reported from the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—were quoted and transmitted by scholars without their interpreting them. Anyone who interpreted them according to his own opinion was regarded by them with suspicion. For I received a letter from