921—Abd al-Rahman ibn Abi Hatim recorded it: Abu Zur'ah and Kathir ibn Shihab al-Madhhiji related to us; they said: Muhammad ibn Sa'id ibn Sabiq related to us; he said: Abu Ja'far—that is, al-Razi—related to us from al-Rabi', from Abu al-Aliyah, concerning His saying:

“Glory be to You! I repent to You, and I am the first of the believers.” [Quran 7:143]

He said: “There were believers before him, but when he said, ‘I am the first of the believers,’ he meant: I am the first to believe this—that no one will see You before the Day of Resurrection.” And He says:

“Vision cannot encompass Him, though He encompasses all vision; and He is the Most Subtle, All-Aware.” [Quran 6:103]

That is, vision cannot encompass Him in this world.

It is also reported from Isma'il ibn Ulayyah, Hisham ibn Ubayd Allah al-Razi, and Nu'aym ibn Hammad regarding His saying, “Vision cannot encompass Him” [Quran 6:103], that it means in this world.