What Does Allah Look Like? Understanding the Concept and Observation
Introduction
Peace be upon you. By the grace of Allah, by the blessing of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, and by sitting at the feet of my mentor and through his insight, I am about to share this knowledge that I have acquired. People often wonder, "What does Allah look like?”
Observations (Mushahadah)
The knowledge that I am about to share consists of observations—observations are what we call “mushahadah,” meaning to witness or observe something. When you begin any task, you observe it—wondering what will happen, how it will unfold, and so on—that is observation. These observations may lead you to ponder what Allah looks like, even though He is beyond human comprehension.
Why Allah is Not Visible
Many people ask why Allah is not visible to us. The question, “What does Allah look like?” is one that puzzles many.
Recognizing Allah through Creation
But how can Allah be seen? Look, the example is that we witness Allah’s power through His creation—when we see the sun, the sky, the earth, the stars, the rain, the clouds—these are all manifestations of Allah’s power. Yet, we also think that there must be a creator behind all of this. But what is the way to recognize Him?
The Heart as a Mirror
Just as a person sees their reflection in a mirror, similarly, the human soul, the human heart, is also like a mirror. However, to mistake this mirror for just a mirror is a mistake. The human heart is indeed like a mirror, reflecting divine light and giving us an understanding of what Allah might look like in terms of His creation and attributes.
Why We Do Not See Allah
When many Sufis say that if you look within yourself, you will see Allah, but when we look inside, we do not see Allah, then what is the issue? The issue is either a misunderstanding of what they meant, or it lies within yourself. Perhaps you have mistaken something that is not truly the heart as the heart. Imagine that if your body were separated from your soul, your body would become lifeless—so which is the heart?
Rust and Ailments of the Heart
So, when you look within yourself and you do not see Allah, have you ever considered whether your heart truly is like a mirror? You might have said that it is, but upon it lies the rust of the world—the rust of worldly love, heedlessness of the divine, and also anger, pride, greed, envy, hatred, backbiting, and all sorts of spiritual ailments. When all these afflictions are present within you, how can you claim to see Allah? As long as these maladies, this rust of sins and vices, remain, the mirror becomes dim, and if more sins accumulate, the mirror may even become black. In such darkness, how can you possibly see Allah?
Understanding Your Own Flaws
First of all, you must understand how many ailments your heart has, how many faults, how much sorrow, what the issues and the harms are, and what defects lie within. Who will reveal all these flaws to you? It is the mirror that shows you these imperfections. But you are not the mirror yourself. Just as when your mouth is stained with grime, and you look into the mirror to see how much dirt is there, in the same way, to see the state of your heart, you also need a mirror.
The Believer as a Mirror
So, who can be that mirror? That mirror is the believer, the believer. As mentioned in the blessed hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, a believer is a mirror to another believer. When you look into a mirror, you see your own reflection, and in the same way, when you sit before a perfect man, a perfect believer, his mirror is so clear, so pure, that it reveals all your ailments and shows you exactly how you are.
Role and Importance of the Believer
Now, who is a believer? A believer is someone who, when you look at them, you are reminded of God. This is a vast topic that we can discuss another time. But the first point is that when you are sitting with a believer and searching for faults, you must understand that those faults actually reside within yourself. After all, the believer is like a mirror—a mirror that is so clear, it never lies and always reflects the truth. You cannot sit in front of a mirror and claim that there are no imperfections in your face, that you are perfectly fine and beautiful.
However, when a perfect man, that is, a perfect believer, looks at you, think of it this way: within him, the divine light and manifestations are so pure that when they interact with your own heart’s mirror, the rust that has accumulated within you is gradually cleansed. In other words, the purity of that perfect believer’s reflection helps to remove the tarnish from your own heart.
Remembrance of Allah through the Perfect Believer
Then that perfect man brings you to the remembrance of Allah. He inspires you with the remembrance of Allah, and with his own eyes—just as the blessed hadith of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him, says that the insight of a believer is to be feared, for he sees with the light of Allah. Therefore, when that perfect man, looks at you through the light of Allah, he sees your heart, and through his gaze and the remembrance of Allah, your heart will be brought into the remembrance of Allah. And in time, as you remain constantly in that remembrance, your heart will begin to become as pure and clear as a mirror.
Maintaining Purity of the Heart
However, as your heart begins to become pure, it can still be affected by satanic whispers and, naturally, the love of the world. Just as when you clean a piece of cloth, dust and dirt can settle on it again, similarly, when a person’s heart is purified, the love of the world can once more cling to it as they engage with worldly matters. Therefore, it becomes important to repeatedly engage in the remembrance of Allah and maintain a connection with your mentor, that perfect believer, so that the worldly dirt does not re-enter, and your heart continues to become even purer. This quest can lead many to wonder, “What does Allah look like?” and deepen their understanding of the divine.