of him. In some narrations, the word al-malak (the angel) appeared, but the reader mistook it for al-Malik (the King), supposing that it referred to Allah. This is erroneous and false.

In short, every hadith stating that “the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, saw his Lord with his own eyes on earth,” that “He descended to earth for him,” that “the gardens of Paradise arise from the footsteps of the True One,” or that “He stepped upon the rock in Jerusalem”—all such reports are false fabrications, by the agreement of Muslim scholars, both hadith specialists and others.

Likewise, anyone who claims to have seen his Lord with his own eyes before death makes a false claim, by the agreement of Ahl al-Sunnah wa-l-Jamā‘ah. They unanimously agree that no believer will see his Lord with his physical eyes until he dies. This is established in Sahīh Muslim, from al-Nawwās ibn Sam‘ān, who reported that when the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, mentioned the Dajjāl, he said:

“Know that none of you will see his Lord until he dies.”

This has also been narrated from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, through other chains of transmission. He warned his community against the trial of the Dajjāl and explained to them that “none of them will see his Lord until he dies,” so that no one should suppose that the Dajjāl he has seen is his Lord.

However, what those who have realized the truths of faith experience—knowledge of Allah, certainty in their hearts, and the witnessing and manifestations experienced by those hearts—has many degrees. When Gabriel, peace be upon him, asked the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, about excellence in worship, he said:

“Excellence in worship is to worship Allah as though you see Him; and though you do not see Him, He sees you.”