‘Ā’ishah, may Allah be pleased with her, said, “Disliking death? We all dislike death.” He, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, corrected her understanding with the explanation contained in the hadith: “The believer sees the bliss awaiting him with Allah, and so Allah loves to meet him”—to the end of the hadith.

This, however, raises a question: if his love of that meeting is due to the bliss he has seen, then his love is for the bliss that he himself will enjoy, not simply for meeting Allah Most High. How, then, is he rewarded with Allah Most High loving to meet him, when his love is not pure, and Allah accepts only deeds that are pure in intention? Please clarify these matters for us with a sound and sufficient answer that fully resolves the question, seeking the abundant reward, if Allah Most High wills.

He replied—may Allah be pleased with him and grant him His pleasure:

Praise be to Allah.

As for “meeting,” a group of the early and later scholars explained it as involving seeing and beholding after travelling and journeying. They said that meeting Allah includes seeing Him, glorified and exalted is He. They cited the verses concerning “meeting” against those Jahmiyyah, such as the Mu‘tazilah and others, who deny that Allah will be seen in the Hereafter.

It is reported that ‘Abdullāh ibn al-Mubārak said, concerning His words:

“So whoever hopes to meet his Lord, let him do righteous deeds and associate no one in the worship of his Lord,”

“He must not show off,” or he said, “He must not tell anyone about it.”

They understood meeting to encompass two meanings: first, journeying to the king; and second, beholding him. As He says:

“O mankind,