believer and unbeliever alike on the Day of Resurrection. Every believer and unbeliever will know that Day that He is their Lord, without any doubt. Allah will accept this from the believer but not from the unbelievers, nor will He excuse them that Day on account of their knowledge of Him and certainty concerning Him. What advantage, then, does the believer have over the unbeliever, in your view, in knowing the Lord on the Day of Resurrection, when neither believer nor unbeliever has any doubt about His Lordship?

Do you not know, al-Marīsī, that anyone who dies without having known during his lifetime, before his death, that Allah is his Lord, and only comes to know Him after death, dies an unbeliever and is destined for the Fire forever? Believing on the Day of Resurrection because of the signs he sees will never benefit him if he did not believe beforehand. What, then, is the significance of the glad tidings that the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) gave the believers concerning seeing their Lord on the Day of Resurrection, if, according to you, every believer and unbeliever is equal in seeing Him that Day, since none has any doubt or misgiving concerning Him?

Have you not heard, al-Marīsī, the words of Allah Most High:

“Our Lord, we have seen and heard, so send us back, and we will do righteousness. Indeed, we are now certain.” {12} [al-Sajdah 12]

“If you could but see when they are made to stand before their Lord! He will say, ‘Is this not the truth?’ They will say, ‘Yes, by our Lord.’” [al-An‘ām 30]

The Exalted has thus stated that the unbelievers will be certain of Him that Day. What, then, of the believers—the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), who asked him, “Shall we see our Lord, exalted is He?”—when they had already