Real meaning of the Hadith of Hadhrat Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her)

 There is a Hadith in Sahih Bukhari:

 

Translation of Hadith: Masrooq says: Hadhrat Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her) says: Whoever tells you that Hadhrat Muhammad (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw His Lord, as He is, lies.  Allah Ta’ala says: No sight can grasp His vision but He has encompassed all vision and eyesight. He is the All-Penetrating Viewer, All-Aware. Surah An’aam (6:103)  (Sahih Bukhari, Kitab Ut Tauheed, Hadith No. 7380)

 

This Hadith does not negate “seeing” Allah Ta’ala, but negates seeing Allah Ta’ala, as He is, as Allah Ta’ala and His attributes (qualities) are beyond all measure and boundless.  Seeing Allah Ta’ala, as the Lord is, is impossible.

 

If the negation in this Hadith is taken to be the negation of comprehending Allah Ta’ala, then there is no problem at all.  However, if it is insisted that this Hadith negates vision of Allah Ta’ala per se, then this Hadith is not acceptable when other Marfu’ Hadith, which establish the vision of Allah Ta’ala are present.

 

First reason

 

Other Hadith, which are narrated on the authority of other Sahabah show that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw Allah Ta’ala.  Those Hadith contain the actual words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) Himself like, “I saw Allah Ta’ala” and so on.

 

Of course, these Hadith are Marfu,’ as this is not something, which cannot be deduced by any kind of logic.  When the Sahabah narrate this, obviously they are doing so because the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) said so. 

 

There is a principle of the Imams of Hadith and Fiqh that whatever the Sahabah say about something, which cannot be deduced by logic, then with regard to its ruling, it is a Hadith Marfu’.

 

Therefore, all the Hadith, which the Sahabah narrate about the vision of Allah Ta’ala for the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) are all Marfu’.

 

On the other hand, Hadhrat Aisha Siddiqua (May Allah be well pleased with her) didn’t narrate any Marfu’ Hadith, but gave the reference of a verse of the Holy Quran, which is Hadith Mauquf.  Obviously, the actual words of the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) will be preferred over the deduction of a Sahabi.

 

Second reason

 

The Fuqaha (jurists) of the Ummah have given a principle:

 

Translation: A Hadith which affirms something is always preferred over a Hadith, which negates the same.  (Sharh Muslim Lin Nawawi)

 

We learn from the Hadith, which are narrated by the different Sahabah that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw Allah Ta’ala.  With this principle, the narrations of the Sahabah that the Holy Prophet (Sallallahu alaihi wa sallam) saw Allah Ta’ala will be preferred over the Hadith of Hadhrat Aisha (May Allah be well pleased with her).