The view held by the majority of the early generations is that whoever denies that Allah will be seen in the Hereafter is an unbeliever. If knowledge of this has not reached him, he is to be instructed, just as someone whom the laws of Islam have not reached is instructed. If he persists in denial after this knowledge has reached him, he is an unbeliever.

The hadiths and reports concerning this are numerous and well known. Scholars have devoted books to them, such as al-Dāraqutnī’s Book of the Vision of Allah and the works of Abū Nu‘aym and al-Ājurrī. They have also been cited by authors of works on the Sunnah, such as Ibn Battah, al-Lālakā’ī, and Ibn Shāhīn, and, before them, ‘Abd Allāh ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal, Hanbal ibn Ishāq, al-Khallāl, al-Tabarānī, and others. They have also been collected by the compilers of the Sahīh, Musnad, and Sunan collections, as well as others.

As for the question of whether the unbelievers will see Allah, widespread discussion and disagreement over it first arose—as far as we have learned—after three hundred years had passed since the Hijrah. Some scholars refrained from discussing it, while others addressed it and differed, holding three positions. Yet I know of no instance in which those who disagreed over it cursed or shunned one another on its account, for all three groups included people of virtue who adhered to the Sunnah.

Discussion of this question closely resembles discussion of whether the unbelievers will be called to account. By agreement, no one is declared an unbeliever over this question. The correct view is also that no one should be subjected to intolerance or shunned on its account. Abū al-Hasan ibn Bashshār is reported to have said: “One should not pray behind anyone who says that they will be called to account.”

The correct view, held by the majority, is that one may pray behind either group. Indeed, upon careful examination, the disagreement between them almost disappears, although there has been disagreement on this matter among