upon You and then die would be dearer to me than living without seeing You.” Allah, exalted is He, said: “But look at the mountain”—the greatest mountain in Midian, called Zubayr.

Al-Suddi said: When Allah spoke to Moses, the accursed Satan burrowed into the earth until he emerged between Moses’ feet, and whispered to him: “It is a devil who is speaking to you.” It was then that Moses asked to see Allah, so Allah, exalted is He, said: “You will not see Me.”

Those who deny the vision of Allah have relied upon the apparent wording of this verse, saying: Allah Most High said, “You will not see Me,” and “will never” indicates perpetuity. Yet they have no proof in this. The meaning of the verse is: You will not see Me in this world, or at this present time, for he was asking to see Allah at that time. Moreover, “will never” does not indicate perpetuity, as in His saying, exalted is He: “But they will never wish for it—ever” [al-Baqarah 2:95], informing us about the Jews. Yet He later informs us that they will wish for death in the Hereafter, saying: “O Malik, let your Lord put an end to us!” [al-Zukhruf 43:77], and: “Would that it had been the final end!” [al-Haqqah 69:27].

The proof for this is that Allah did not attribute ignorance to Moses for asking to see Him, nor did He say, “I am not seen,” which would have provided them with an argument. Rather, He made the vision contingent upon the mountain’s remaining firm; and the mountain’s remaining firm at the manifestation is not impossible, if Allah Most High grants it that strength. What is made contingent upon something that is not impossible cannot itself be impossible.

Allah Most High said: “But look at the mountain: if it remains firm in its place, then you will see Me.” Wahb and Ibn Ishaq said: When Moses asked his Lord to see Him, Allah sent mist, thunderbolts, darkness, thunder, and lightning; and these surrounded the mountain upon which Moses stood for four leagues on every side. Allah then commanded (1) the angels of the lowest heaven to pass before Moses. The angels of the lowest heaven passed before him like many bulls, their mouths resounding with declarations of Allah’s transcendence and holiness in mighty voices like the sound of violent thunder.

Then Allah commanded the angels of the second heaven: “Descend upon Moses and pass before him.” So they descended upon him like lions, raising a clamour of declarations of Allah’s transcendence and holiness. The weak servant, the son of Imran, was terrified by what he saw and heard, and every hair on his head and body stood on end. Then he said, “I have certainly regretted my request. Is there anything that can save me from the place in which I am?” The chief and best of the angels said to him, “Moses, bear patiently what you have asked for. What you have seen is but little compared to what remains.”

Then Allah commanded the angels of the third heaven: “Descend upon Moses and pass before him.” They descended like eagles, making a crashing sound and a violent trembling; their mouths resounded with declarations of Allah’s transcendence and holiness like the tumult of a great army, and their colours were like flames of fire. Moses was terrified, his breathing became laboured, and he despaired for his life. The chief and best of the angels said to him, “Remain where you are, son of Imran, until you see that which you will not be able to bear.” Then Allah Most High commanded the angels of the fourth heaven to descend and pass before Moses, son of