We were sitting with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) that he looked at the full moon and observed: You shall see your Lord as you are seeing this moon, and you will not be harmed by seeing Him. So if you can, do not let -yourselves be overpowered in case of prayer observed before the rising of the sun and its setting, i. e. the 'Asr prayer and the morning prayer. Jarir then recited it:" Celebrate the praise of thy Lord before the rising of the sun and before Its setting" (xx. 130).
Hadith Text & Context
This narration from Sahih Muslim 633a describes a profound moment where the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) used the visible full moon as a tangible analogy for the believers' eventual direct vision of Allah in the Hereafter, emphasizing that this sight will be clear and without any harm.
Scholarly Commentary on the Vision of Allah
The scholars explain that seeing Allah is a core belief of Ahl al-Sunnah wal-Jama'ah, a supreme blessing reserved for the people of Paradise. This vision is not one of comprehension or encompassing His Essence, which is impossible, but a true seeing without knowing 'how'—affirming the reality of the attribute of sight as befits His Majesty.
The comparison to the moon signifies the clarity and certainty of the vision, not its modality. The human eye sees the moon clearly without being harmed, and similarly, the believers will see their Lord in a manner that Allah makes possible, without any detriment, a reality beyond our current worldly perception.
The Connection to the Prescribed Prayers
The Prophet (ﷺ) immediately connected this great promise of the Hereafter to the diligence in performing the Fajr (morning) and 'Asr (afternoon) prayers. These two prayers were specifically highlighted due to the challenges in performing them at their times—Fajr occurs when people are deeply asleep, and 'Asr occurs during the busiest part of the day.
The instruction "do not let yourselves be overpowered" means one must guard these prayers diligently and not be neglectful or overcome by worldly occupations, sleep, or laziness. Their protection is a sign of faith and a means to attain the ultimate reward, which is the vision of Allah.
Exegesis of the Qur'anic Verse
Companion Jarir ibn 'Abdullah (ra) immediately recited the verse, "And glorify the praise of your Lord before the rising of the sun and before its setting," (Qur'an 20:130) demonstrating the perfect harmony between the Qur'an and the Sunnah. The "praise" here refers to the prescribed (obligatory) prayers. "Before the rising" refers to the Fajr prayer, and "before its setting" refers to the 'Asr prayer.
This hadith, found in The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer, thus powerfully links eschatological belief with practical worship, showing that the certainty of the Hereafter must directly translate into unwavering commitment to the most fundamental acts of obedience in this life.