Al-Basīr (The All-Seeing)
In Al-Hilyah, Abu Nu‘aym said that as the Commander of the Believers, ‘Umar ibn al-Khattāb (may Allah be pleased with him), was walking in the streets of Madinah by night, he heard the voice of an old woman saying to her daughter: “Mix the milk with water.” But the daughter said: “Do you not know that ‘Umar forbade mixing milk with water?” The old woman said: “‘Umar is not here to see us.” Thereupon, the daughter, confident of Allah’s watchfulness over them, said: “If ‘Umar cannot see us, the Lord of ‘Umar sees us!”
There are people who lived in this world in a great status, permanent security, enduring happiness, and steadfastness to the truth, being pleased with their servitude to the Almighty Lord. This is for no reason but that they knew that Allah is the All -Seeing of what they do.
Allah’s name “Al-Basīr” occurs 42 times in the Qur’an. Allah Almighty says:
{...Indeed, Allah is All-Seeing of what you do.}
[Surat al-Baqarah: 110]
Our Lord sees everything, no matter how minute it is. He sees the creeping of a black ant in a dark night on a solid rock. He sees what is below the seven earths just as He sees what is above the seven heavens.
He is the All-Seeing,the All-Knowing, and the All-Aware of all things and conditions, open and hidden.
He is the All-Seeing Who sees the creeping of ants under rocks and how food runs within their tiny bodies.
And He sees the treacherous glances of the eyes and their twinkling.
Allah Almighty established the attribute of seeing for Himself. He has two real eyes that befit His majesty. We believe in that without distortion, denial, likening, or twisted interpretation.
{...There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearing,the All-Seeing.}
[Surat ash-Shūra: 11]
The fact that created beings also have sight does not mean that their sight is similar to His. Indeed, the attributes of created beings befit their weakness, inability, and nature; whereas the attributes of the Creator befit His perfection and majesty, Exalted be He.
{...There is nothing like unto Him and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.}
[Surat ash-Shūra: 11]
Out of Allah’s mercy towards His servants, He addresses them gently and urges them to obey Him and be sincere to Him, though He is in no need for them and their worship. In His Noble Book, He repeats
{Indeed, Allah is All-Seeing of what you do}
more than forty times so as to remind the believer and alert the heedless that He is watchful over their deeds
