contentment after the decree, and a life of comfort after death. I ask You for the delight of looking upon Your noble Face and the longing to meet You, without any harmful affliction or any trial that leads astray. O Allah, adorn us with faith and make us guides who are themselves rightly guided.”

This wording has also been transmitted from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, through another chain—I believe it is narrated by Zayd ibn Thābit. Its meaning is also found in the authentic hadith narrated by Suhayb from the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, who said:

“When the people of Paradise enter Paradise, a caller will proclaim: ‘O people of Paradise, Allah has made you a promise that He wishes to fulfil for you.’ They will say: ‘What is it? Has He not brightened our faces, made our scales heavy, admitted us to Paradise, and protected us from the Fire?’ He said: ‘Then He will remove the veil, and they will look upon Him. Nothing He has given them will be dearer to them than looking upon Him. This is the increase.’”

This refers to His words:

“For those who do good is the best reward—and more.”

Thus, he stated that nothing among the blessings they have been given is dearer to them than looking upon Him. If looking upon Him is the dearest of all things to them, it follows that He Himself is the dearest of all things to them. Otherwise, looking upon Him would not be their most cherished form of bliss. For love of seeing follows love of what is seen; the sight of something that is neither loved nor hated in itself cannot be dearer to a person than every form of bliss.

In sum, denial of the vision of Allah, of love, and also of divine speech is well known in the teachings of the Jahmiyyah, the Mu'tazilah, and those who agree with them. The Ash'ariyyah and their followers agree with them regarding