What Does It Mean That Allah Is All-Hearing, All-Seeing, and Man Is Hearing and Seeing?
نقرأ في القرآن وصف الله تعالى لنفسه "وهو السميع البصير" ووصفه للإنسان: "فجعلناه سميعا بصيرا"، فما هي دلالة كل وصف من هذه الأوصاف؟
What is the significance of Allah being All-Hearing and All-Seeing compared to man?
In the Holy Quran, both Allah and man are described as "hearing and seeing," but the significance is vastly different. Allah's attributes are perfect and matchless, as "Nothing is like Him." While human perception is limited and misses much, Allah's hearing and seeing absolutely encompass everything in the universe without exception.
Allah describes Himself as the All-Hearing, and He describes Himself as the All-Seeing. He also describes man as hearing and seeing. Yet the hearing of man is different from the hearing of Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, Who says about His Exalted Character: "Nothing is like Him." This means He is Matchless.
How does the Holy Quran distinguish between the hearing of Allah and the hearing of man?
While both are described with the terms "hearing" and "seeing," human hearing is limited and misses many sounds. In contrast, Allah's hearing is perfect, infinite, and matchless, as He declares: "Nothing is like Him."
Does anything escape the knowledge or perception of Allah?
No. As stated in Surah Yunus (10:61), not even an atom's weight on earth or in heaven, nor anything smaller or larger, is hidden from Allah's perfect record and knowledge.
How does Allah's presence relate to private conversations among people?
According to Surah Al-Mujadala (58:7), Allah is fully aware of all private conversations. If three people converse privately, He is their fourth; if five, He is their sixth. He is always with them through His perfect knowledge, regardless of their number or location.
The Infinite Perception of the Creator
As for man, there are sounds which he cannot hear, while Allah, Exalted and Sublime be He, says about His Exalted Character:
1. Encompassing Every Atom
(Not even an atom’s weight is hidden from your Lord on earth or in heaven; nor anything smaller or larger than that, but is written in a perfect Record.) [Yunus 10:61]
2. Knowledge Beyond Human Grasp
(He fully knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but they cannot encompass Him in their knowledge.) [Taha 20:110]
3. The Ultimate Witness
(If three converse privately, He is their fourth. If five, He is their sixth. Whether fewer or more, He is with them wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Judgment, He will inform them of what they have done. Surely Allah has perfect knowledge of all things.) [Al-Mujadala 58:7]
4. Hearing the Quietest Pleas
(Indeed, Allah has heard the argument of the woman who pleaded with you O Prophet concerning her husband.) [Al-Mujadala 58:1]
Scholarly Insight: In the Holy Quran, when an attribute is shared in name between the Creator and the created, the reality of that attribute is fundamentally distinct. The scholars of Islamic Creed explain that human hearing is bound by physical limitations, distance, and frequencies. In absolute contrast, Allah's attribute of Hearing (As-Sami') is infinite, encompassing all whispers and sounds simultaneously across the universe, while even unspoken thoughts are fully known to Him. Affirming these attributes for Allah without likening them to human traits (Tashbeeh) is perfectly summarized by the foundational verse: "Nothing is like Him."
دلالة وصف الله تعالى ووصف الإنسان بالسميع البصير
في القرآن الكريم: وُصف كل من الله عز وجل والإنسان بأنه "سميع بصير"، لكن الدلالة تختلف تماماً. صفات الله كاملة وليس لها مثيل لقوله: "ليس كمثله شيء". فبينما إدراك الإنسان محدود وتغيب عنه الأشياء، فإن سمع الله وبصره يحيطان بكل ذرة في الكون دون استثناء.
إن الله وصف نفسه بالسميع ووصف نفسه بالبصير كما وصف الإنسان أنه سميع وأنه بصير ولكن سمع الإنسان ليس كسمع الله عز وجل. الله قال عن ذاته العلية: "ليس كمثله شيء" أي ليس يماثله شيء.
الإدراك المطلق للخالق
فالإنسان قد تغيب عن سمعه بعض المسموعات بينما الله عز وجل قال عن ذاته العلية:
1. الإحاطة بكل ذرة
(وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْ رَبِّكَ مِنْ مِثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِي السَّمَاءِ وَلَا أَصْغَرَ مِنْ ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْبَرَ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ) [يونس 10: 61]
2. العلم الذي يفوق إدراك البشر
(يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِ عِلْمًا) [طه 20: 110]
3. الشاهد والمحيط بكل شيء
(مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَىٰ ثَلَاثَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلَّا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلَا أَدْنَىٰ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَا أَكْثَرَ إِلَّا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا ۖ ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ) [المجادلة 58: 7]
4. سماع أخفى المناجاة
(قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا) [المجادلة 58: 1]
1. The Foundational Rule: "There is Nothing Like Unto Him" | القاعدة العقدية المحكمة: "ليس كمثله شيء وهو السميع البصير"
Surah Ash-Shura sets the definitive theological principle of divine attributes: "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing" (42:11). The verse combines negation of all human anthropomorphism with the simultaneous affirmation of real divine hearing and sight, establishing that linguistic agreement in name does not mean equality in reality.
لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ (سورة الشورى: 11)
أرست سورة الشورى الميزان العقدي الدقيق في الأسماء والصفات: {لَيْسَ كَمِثْلِهِ شَيْءٌ ۖ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْبَصِيرُ}؛ فنفت المماثلة وأثبتت الصفات؛ لتقرر أن اتفاق الأسماء لا يعني تماثل الحقائق، فصفات الخالق تليق بجلاله وصفات المخلوق تناسب ضعفه.
2. The Infinite Perfection of Divine Hearing and Sight | كمال الإحاطة في سمع الله وبصره
Allah's hearing encompasses all sounds across the cosmos without confusion: a whisper in the dark and the cries of billions in different languages are heard simultaneously, and even the movements of thoughts are known to Him. When the opening of Surah Al-Mujadila was revealed, Aisha, Mother of the Believers, said: "Praise be to Allah whose hearing encompasses all voices." She was sitting in a corner of the same house and could not hear what the woman was saying, yet Allah heard her (Ibn Majah 188; An-Nasa'i 3460).
قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّـهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا (سورة المجادلة: 1)
سمع الله مطلق لا تشتبه عليه الأصوات، ولا يفوته نجوى خفية؛ قالت عائشة متعجبة عند نزول سورة المجادلة: "الحمد لله الذي وسع سمعه الأصوات، لقد جاءت المجادلة إلى النبي ﷺ وأنا في ناحية البيت تشكو زوجها وما أسمع ما تقول، فأنزل الله: {قَدْ سَمِعَ اللَّـهُ قَوْلَ الَّتِي تُجَادِلُكَ فِي زَوْجِهَا}" (رواه ابن ماجه والنسائي).
3. The Created and Fragile Nature of Human Senses | عجز السمع والبصر البشري ومحدوديته بالآلات والأقطار
In contrast, human hearing and sight were created out of nonexistence: "Indeed, We created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may test him; and We made him hearing and seeing" (76:2). Human senses are severely constrained: humans cannot hear beyond narrow frequency wavelengths, cannot see in complete darkness, cannot penetrate walls, and lose their faculties with age or illness.
إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنسَانَ مِن نُّطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَّبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا (سورة الإنسان: 2)
سمع الإنسان وبصره مخلوقان ومسبوقان بعدم: {فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا}؛ وهما محدودان بذبذبات ضيقة، وعرضة للعمى والصمم، ولا يرى الإنسان ما وراء الجدار، ولا يسمع ما بعد بضعة أمتار، مما يظهر عجز المخلوق وافتقاره المستمر.
4. Spiritual Fruits of Realizing Allah's Sight and Hearing | الأثر الإيماني: استشعار المراقبة وتزكية الباطن
Knowing that Allah is As-Sami' and Al-Basir instills profound God-consciousness (Muraqabah) in the heart. The believer guards their tongue against backbiting and falsehood, shields their eyes from forbidden sights, and finds deep comfort knowing their silent distress is seen and heard by the Lord of the worlds.
أَلَمْ يَعْلَم بِأَنَّ اللَّـهَ يَرَىٰ (سورة العلق: 14)
يثمر الإيمان بهذه الأسماء الحسنى دوام المراقبة والحياء من الله؛ فيستحيي المؤمن أن يراه الله حيث نهاه أو يفقده حيث أمره، ويحفظ لسانه عن اللغو وبصره عن الحرام، ويستشعر الأنس بأن ربه يرى كربته ويسمع تضرعه.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
Does describing man as "hearing and seeing" make him similar to Allah?
No, linguistic agreement does not imply ontological equivalence; human faculties are finite and created, while Allah's attributes are uncreated and infinite.
What is the primary Quranic verse refuting similarity between Allah and creation?
Surah Ash-Shura (42:11): "There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing."
What did Aisha say when Surah Al-Mujadila was revealed?
She praised Allah whose hearing encompasses all sounds, hearing the disputing woman while Aisha, sitting in the same house, could not hear what she said.
How does belief in Allah as All-Seeing impact personal conduct?
It fosters deep spiritual vigilance (Muraqabah), leading the believer to guard their deeds, words, and thoughts.