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Is the scholars' interpretation of the Almighty's saying: (تجري بأعيننا) "It sails under Our eyes" and (فإنك بأعيننا) "for verily you are under Our eyes" as "under Our sight" or "under the sight of Our eyes" considered anthropomorphism (Tashbih) or corporealization (Tajseem), or an allegorical interpretation (Ta’weel) and nullification (Ta’teel) of the attribute of the eye, especially since they did not affirm that Allah sees with an eye, and they did not say "and we do not know how"? And what is meant by "بأعيننا" "under Our eyes" in these verses?

1 min readAlso available in العربية

The "Eye" is an established attribute of Allah the Almighty, and it is an essential attribute related to sight. The interpretation of the verses as "under Our sight" or "under the sight of Our eyes" is correct and does not lead to allegorical interpretation (ta'wil) or anthropomorphism (tajseem), because it affirms the Eye and affirms its necessary implication, which is sight. This indicates that the Salaf understood the meanings of these attributes.

As for anthropomorphism and resemblance, it is to say: "An eye like an eye," whereas "an eye by which He sees" is an affirmation of the reality of the Eye without resemblance. The Ahl al-Sunnah have unanimously agreed that Allah's attributes are real, not metaphorical.

Prophetic traditions, such as the hadith of the Dajjal and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) placing his finger on his eye when reciting "All-Hearing, All-Seeing," affirm the reality of the attribute of the Eye for Allah.

Ibn Khuzaymah differentiates between the eye of the Creator and the eye of the created by stating that Allah's Eye is eternal and does not perish, and it sees everything without hindrance, whereas human eyes are temporal and perishable, seeing only what is near and not seeing behind barriers. This distinction negates any resemblance between the eye of the Creator and the eye of the created, and it demonstrates the ignorance of those who accuse those who affirm the attributes of resembling Allah to His creation.

Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026

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