This is the first article of the series: "God is Seen in Bible versus Quran"
The Bible says that the Lord God, the Almighty Creator, was seen many times; yet the Bible declares that No one has ever seen God at any time.
The Noble Quran says that No one has ever seen the Almighty Creator in the life of this world; yet, only the believers will see Him in the Hereafter.
Scientifically speaking, In the life of this world, man is not able to see many creatures; man can not see by his naked eye the too small creatures like the bacteria and the too huge creatures like the very far giant Stars. Our eyes are handicapped to see such creatures and we have to use some instruments like the microscope and telescope to see the bacteria and the far stars respectively.
Hence, why that our eyes cannot see many of the Lord God's creatures and can see the Almighty Creator?
Nevertheless, how could the believers see the Lord in the Hereafter?
Allah will make man' sight acute, very sharp, piercing and able to perceive what man used to reject and deny in the life of this world.
However, the believers are the only people allowed to see their Lord, the Almighty Creator.
On the other hand, the disbelievers will see the Eternal Fire, the Angels of chastisement etc.
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?? In the Bible: The Lord God is Seen (1)
In the Bible: God is seen many times
Yet, No one has ever seen God at any time!
In the Bible, the Lord God, the Almighty Creator, was seen for many times. According to the Bible, Abraham was the first man ever who has seen the Lord God. Not only that, but Abraham was too lucky to see the Lord God for three successive times.
Abraham was the first man who has seen the Lord God. Abraham has seen God for three times.
Nevertheless, the Bible declares, for three times, that No one has ever seen the Lord God at any time.
The Lord God is seen according to Genesis 12:7, 17:1 and 18:1
No one has ever seen the Lord God according to Exodus 33:20, John 1:18 and 1 John 4:12
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? The Lord God is seen according to the following three verses:
1) Genesis 12:7
New International Version: The LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built an altar there to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
American Standard Version: And Jehovah appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto Jehovah, who appeared unto him.
English Standard Version: Then the LORD appeared to Abram and said, "To your offspring I will give this land." So he built there an altar to the LORD, who had appeared to him.
King James Version: And the LORD appeared unto Abram, and said, Unto thy seed will I give this land: and there builded he an altar unto the LORD, who appeared unto him.
2) Genesis 17:1
New International Version: When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the LORD appeared to him and said, "I am God Almighty; walk before me and be blameless.
American Standard Version: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, Jehovah appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
English Standard Version: When Abram was ninety-nine years old the LORD appeared to Abram and said to him, "I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless,
King James Version: And when Abram was ninety years old and nine, the LORD appeared to Abram, and said unto him, I am the Almighty God; walk before me, and be thou perfect.
3) Genesis 18:1
New International Version: The LORD appeared to Abraham near the great trees of Mamre while he was sitting at the entrance to his tent in the heat of the day.
American Standard Version: And Jehovah appeared unto him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
English Standard Version: And the LORD appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, as he sat at the door of his tent in the heat of the day.
King James Version: And the LORD appeared unto him in the plains of Mamre: and he sat in the tent door in the heat of the day;
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? Yet, No one has ever seen the Lord God in the following three verses
1) Exodus 33:20
New International Version: But," he said (the LORD said to Moses) you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live."
American Standard Version: And he said, Thou canst not see my face; for man shall not see me and live.
English Standard Version: But," he said, "you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live."
King James Version: And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.
2) John 1:18
New International Version: No one has ever seen God…
American Standard Version: No man hath seen God at any time…
English Standard Version: No one has ever seen God…
King James Version: No man hath seen God at any time…
3)1John 4:12
New International Version: No one has ever seen God…
American Standard Version: No man hath beheld God at any time…
English Standard Version: No one has ever seen God…
King James Version: No man hath seen God at any time…
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?? In the Quran: The Lord God is NOT Seen (1)
Verse 6:103
QARIB: no eye can see him, though he sees all eyes. he is the subtle, the aware.
SHAKIR: vision comprehends him not, and he comprehends (all) vision; and he is the knower of subtleties, the aware
PICKTHAL: vision comprehendeth him not, but he comprehendeth (all) vision. he is the subtile, the aware.
YUSUFALI: no vision can grasp him, but his grasp is over all vision: he is above all comprehension, yet is acquainted with all things.
The meanings of the verse:
Vision cannot attain Him, that is, human eyes cannot see Him.
Vision cannot encompass Him; but He attains all vision, that is to say, He perceives them, whereas they cannot perceive Him; it is not possible in the case of anyone other than Him to attain all vision while vision cannot attain Him or encompass Him in knowledge.
In other words, Vision comprehends Him not in this world, nor do created beings see what He sees. Sights will not comprehend the modality of seeing Him in the Hereafter nor will created beings be able to see Him in this world.
Nevertheless, He comprehends all vision in this world and in the Hereafter: He sees that which human beings do not see and nothing escapes or is hidden from Him.
In addition, He is the Subtle in His actions whose knowledge surrounds His created beings; He is the Subtle in dealing with His servants. He is the Aware of His created beings and their actions.
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? On the Day of Judgment, your sight will be acute, very sharp and piercing.
Verse 50: 22
QARIB: (it will be said): 'of this you have been heedless. therefore, we have now removed your covering. today your sight is sharp. '
SHAKIR: certainly you were heedless of it, but now we have removed from you your veil, so your sight today is sharp
PICKTHAL: (and unto the evil-doer it is said): thou wast in heedlessness of this. now we have removed from thee thy covering, and piercing is thy sight this day.
YUSUFALI: (it will be said:) "thou wast heedless of this; now have we removed thy veil, and sharp is thy sight this day!"
The meanings of the verse:
O children of Adam, you are in heedlessness, in ignorance and oblivion of the Day of Judgment.
‘Verily, in the life of this world, you were oblivious of this, that has befallen you on this day; So now Allah has removed from you your covering, and so your sight on this day is acute’, it is very sharp and piercing and is able to perceive what you used to reject in the life of this world.
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? Only the Believers will see their LORD in the Hereafter
Verses 75: 22-23
QARIB: on that day there shall be radiant faces, gazing towards their lord.
SHAKIR: (some) faces on that day shall be bright, looking to their lord
PICKTHAL: that day will faces be resplendent, looking toward their lord;
YUSUFALI: some faces, that day, will beam (in brightness and beauty); - looking towards their lord;
The meanings of the verses:
On that day, the Day of Resurrection, the faces of the believers who are true in their faith will be resplendent, beautiful, seemly, radiant and tender. Why?
Because, these faces are looking towards their Lord, glorified and exalted be He, they behold the Countenance of their Lord and are not veiled from Him.
It is said that the reward for works is Paradise, and the reward for the realization of Allah is the vision of Him, Mighty and Majestic is He.
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Back to my question to the smart and interested reader:
Are the Scholars truthful when they claim that the Quran quoted from the Bible?
