Question:
Will the believers and disbelievers see their Lord on the Day of Judgement or Is this specifically for the believers?
Answer:
This is a matter that is differed upon. Imam Shaafi took the view that the disbeliever will not see his Lord.
كَلَّآ إِنَّهُمْ عَن رَّبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَّمَحْجُوبُونَ
No! Indeed, from their Lord, that Day, they will be partitioned
[Al-Mutaffifin 83:15]
Therefore they do not see Allah. As for the believer, he will see his Lord and there is no doubt about this; in Jannah and on the Day of Judgement when held for his judgement.
As for the disbelievers, if they do see their Lord they will not find pleasure in it due to his anger upon them.
The believers on the other hand will enjoy the immense pleasure of seeing his noble face. They will not enjoy any other blessing like it because it is the greatest blessing upon the people of Jannah alongside his pleasure [1]
[1 ] إِذَا دَخَلَ أَهْلُ الْجَنَّةِ الْجَنَّةَ قَالَ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى تُرِيدُونَ شَيْئًا أَزِيدُكُمْ فَيَقُولُونَ أَلَمْ تُبَيِّضْ وُجُوهَنَا أَلَمْ تُدْخِلْنَا الْجَنَّةَ وَتُنَجِّنَا مِنْ النَّارِ قَالَ فَيَكْشِفُ الْحِجَابَ فَمَا أُعْطُوا شَيْئًا أَحَبَّ إِلَيْهِمْ مِنْ النَّظَرِ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
When the people of Paradise enter it, Allah Almighty will say: Would you like anything more? They will say: Have you not brightened our faces? Have you not admitted us into Paradise and saved us from Hellfire? Then, Allah will lift the veil and nothing they are given will be more beloved to them than looking at their Lord Almighty.
[Narrated by Suhayb in Muslim. Hadith Number 181]
وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ جَنَّٰتٍ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ خَٰلِدِينَ فِيهَا وَمَسَٰكِنَ طَيِّبَةً فِى جَنَّٰتِ عَدْنٍۚ وَرِضْوَٰنٌ مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ أَكْبَرُۚ ذَٰلِكَ هُوَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Allah has promised the believing men and believing women gardens beneath which rivers flow, wherein they abide eternally, and pleasant dwellings in gardens of perpetual residence; but approval from Allah is greater. It is that which is the great attainment.
[At-Taubah 9: 72]
Answered by: Shaykh Abu Bilaal Al-Hadhramy – may Allah preserve him
Source: https://t.me/abubilalhami/2632
Answered on: 4 Safr 1441 (3rd October 2019)
Translated by: Abu Sufian Saami ibn Daniel Al-Ghaani