involve a voice, going so far as to hold that the first is accompanied by seeing Him, is like someone who equates the two by holding that neither involves a voice.

Moreover, His speaking by revelation is of a lower rank than His speaking to Moses, peace be upon him, from behind a veil, as established by mass-transmitted reports from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, and from the Companions and Successors. If the former involved seeing Him directly, it would rank higher than the latter. Yet none of the early generations said this. Anyone among those who affirm the divine attributes who makes this claim is like those Jahmī Ittihādīs and others who make such claims, alleging that Allah Most High addresses them through revelation in their hearts in a manner superior to His addressing Moses son of ʿImrān from behind the veil of letters, sounds, the tree, and the like. All of this is falsehood and distortion.

ʿĀ’ishah cited this verse to deny that Muhammad saw his Lord, and no one said