20. `Ali ibn Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn `Imran al-Daqqaq said: Muhammad ibn Abu `Abd Allah al-Kufi said: Musa ibn `Imran al-Nakha`I said on the authority of al-Husayn ibn Yazid al-Nawfali, on the authority `Ali ibn Abu Hamzah, on the authority of Abu Basir that I asked Abu `Abd Allah al-Sadiq to:

“Enlighten me about Allah, the Mighty and High. Will the Believers see Him on the Day of Judgment?” He responded: “Yes, In fact, they have even seen Him before the Day of Judgment.” So I enquired: “When?” He answered: “When He said to them: Am I not your Lord? They said: Yes!”1 Then he was quiet for a while and then spoke: “Verily, the Believers see Him in this world before the Day of Judgement. Do you not see Him at this moment?” Abu Basir says I said to him: “May I be your ransom! Can I narrate this on your authority?” He replied: No, If you relate this, the ignorant denier will argue with you regarding its meaning. He will assume that this is anthropomorphism, and will disbelieve. The vision of the heart is not the same as the vision of the eyes. Exalted is Allah from what the anthropomorphists [mushabbahum] and apostates [mulhidum] attribute to Him! 21. Ahmad ibn Ziyad ibn Ja`far al-Hamadani said: `Ali ibn Ibrahim said on the authority of his father Ibrahim ibn Hashim, on the authority of `Abd al-Salam ibn Salih al-Hirawi that I asked `Ali ibn Musa al-Rida : “O son of the Messenger of Allah! What do you say about the tradition of the Ahl al-Hadith1 that the Believers shall visit their Lord in Paradise from their own places?” Hence, he replied: O Abu al-Salt! Verily, Allah, the Blessed and exalted, favored his Prophet Muhammad over all of His Creation. He favored him above all the Prophets and the angels. He made obedience to the Prophet obedience to Allah. He made following the Prophet following Allah. He made visiting the Prophet in this world and the Hereafter like visiting him.2 Thus, He, the Mighty and High, has said: Whoever obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys Allah.3 And has said: Surely those who swear allegiance to you do but swear allegiance to Allah; the hand of Allah is above their hands. And the Prophet said: Whoever visits me in my life or after my death, has indeed visited Allah.’ The place of the Prophet in Paradise is the most elevated place. Thus, whoever visits him in his place in Paradise from his own place, has certainly visited Allah, the Blessed and Exalted. I then asked him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah, then what is the meaning of the report which they have transmitted that the reward of saying `there is no god but Allah’ is looking at the face of Allah?” So he responded: O Abu al-Salt! Whoever claims that Allah ha a face like a human face has indeed disbelieved. The Face of Allah is, in fact, His Prophets, Messengers and Proof, may the blessings of Allah be upon them. They are the ones through whom Allah is noticed, through whom people turn to His Religion, and through whom Allah is witnessed. Hence, Allah, the Mighty and High, says: Everyone on it must pass away. And there will endure forever the Face of your Lord, the Lord of glory and honor.2 And He, the Mighty and High, says: Everything is perishable but His Face.3 Therefore, looking at Prophets of Allah, His Messengers and Proofs in their places is a great reward for the Believers on the Day of Judgment. Hence, the Prophet has said: “Whoever hates my Household and Progeny, will not see me, and I will not see him on the Day of Judgment.” And he said: “Verily, there is among you who will not see me after they have parted from me” O Abu al-Salt! Verily, Allah, the Blessed and Exalted, is not limited to place. Vision and imagination do not comprehend Him. I then enquired from him: “O son of the Messenger of Allah! Inform me about Paradise and Hell. Are they already created?” He replied: “Certainly! And the Messenger of Allah surely entered Paradise and saw Hell, when he ascended to Heaven.” I asked him: “There are people who say: they are both decreed, but not created yet.” So he answered: Such people are not from us, and we are not from them. Whosoever denies the creation of Paradise and Hell belies the Prophet and belies us. Such people do not follow our authority, and will remain in hell-fire. Allah, the Mighty and High, says: This is the hell which the guilty called a lie. Round about shall they go between it and hot, boiling water.4 And the Prophet said: When I ascended to Heaven, Jibra`il took me by the hand, and brought me to Paradise. He gave me some dates from Paradise, and I ate them, producing semen in my loins. When I came down to Earth and had contact with Khadijah , she became pregnant with Fatimah . Thus, Fatimah is a human houri [hawra’insiyyah]. Whenever I long for the perfume of Paradise, I smell the scent of my daughter Fatimah .