by al-Athram’s narration from Ahmad, or they may be of a different kind, such as the vision that Ibn ‘Abbās reported had occurred in Mecca. This, too, is the view of various groups of scholars. It is not, however, the view of those who say that the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—saw his Lord with his eyes, but only of those who say that he saw Him with his heart alone.

The established reports from Ibn ‘Abbās concerning Muhammad’s vision of his Lord either specify that it was with his heart—as Muslim narrated in his Sahīh, and as Ahmad held according to al-Athram’s narration—or leave it unqualified. I have found no hadith reports from Ibn ‘Abbās in which he said, “He saw Him with his eyes,” except through an anomalous route transmitted by a weak narrator whose report cannot independently serve as proof. That report is contradicted, through the same route, by a more firmly established report. How much less can it serve as proof when it conflicts with the well-known reports? Such is the report related by al-Khallāl: “We were informed by Muhammad ibn ‘Abd Allāh ibn Sulaymān