This Imāmī debates his own leading authorities on that point, such as Hishām [ibn al-Hakam] (1) and others like him, but he cannot conclusively refute them in any respect, just as he cannot conclusively refute the Kharijites in any respect. Despite all the corruption inherent in the position of the Kharijites and the corporealists, only Ahl al-Sunnah are capable of refuting it.
We shall give an example (2) and say: Ahl al-Sunnah unanimously agree that Allah is not seen in this world but will be seen in the Hereafter. [The only matter over which Ahl al-Sunnah have differed is whether the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—saw Him, although the leading authorities of the Sunnah hold that absolutely no one has seen Him with his own eyes in this world] (3)]. It has been reported, however, that one group says that Allah (4) can be seen in this world. Ahl al-Sunnah refute this through the Quran and the Sunnah. Among their arguments is that Moses [peace be upon him] (5) was denied such a vision, so anyone below him is all the more deserving of being denied it. They also cite the Prophet’s words—peace and blessings be upon him:
“Know that none of you will see his Lord until he dies.”
[Muslim narrated it in his Sahīh. This has also been transmitted from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—through multiple routes] (6).
They also refute it through rational arguments, such as demonstrating that the eyes in this world are incapable of such vision, and other similar arguments.
(1) “Ibn al-Hakam” appears only in (ع).
(2) The phrase “we shall give an example” is omitted from (ب) and (أ).
(3) The text between brackets is omitted from (ن) and (م).
(4) (ب) and (أ) read “that He” instead of “that Allah.”
(5) “Peace be upon him” appears only in (ع).
(6) The text between brackets is omitted from (ن) and (م). The word “multiple” appears only in (ع). The hadith was discussed previously at 2/520. I have found it narrated from Ubāda ibn al-Sāmit in the Musnad, 5/324. Its wording is:
“Abd Allāh narrated to us: My father narrated to me: Haywa ibn Shurayh and Yazīd ibn Abd Rabbih narrated to us; they said: Baqiyya narrated to us … from Junāda ibn Abī Umayya, who narrated to them from Ubāda ibn al-Sāmit that he said: The Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—said: ‘I have spoken to you about the Dajjal so much that I fear you may not comprehend. The False Messiah, the Dajjal, is a short, bow-legged man with tightly curled hair. He is one-eyed, and his eye is effaced, neither protruding nor stone-hard. If there is any confusion for you’—Yazīd added, ‘about your Lord’—‘then know that your Lord, Blessed and Exalted, is not one-eyed, and that you will not see your Lord, Blessed and Exalted, until you die.’ Yazīd’s wording was: ‘You will not see your Lord until you die.’”
The hadith is also narrated from Ubāda ibn al-Sāmit, with similar wording, in Ahmad ibn Hanbal’s Kitāb al-Sunna, p. 138 (Salafi Press, Mecca, 1349 AH). It is also narrated there (pp. 138–139) from Abū Umāma al-Bāhilī—may Allah be pleased with him. Ibn Khuzayma likewise narrated it from Abū Umāma in his Kitāb al-Tawhīd, pp. 121–122.