A pious man said to King Mahmood, ‘The fire of Hell is forbidden for one who sees me once.’ King Mahmood said, ‘Your claim is loftier than the claim of the Holy Prophet of God (may peace and blessings of Allah be on him). The non believers like Abu Lahab and Abu Jahl saw him; however, the fire of Hell was not forbidden for them.’
The pious man said, ‘O king, do you not know that God has said:
یَنۡظُرُوۡنَ اِلَیۡکَ وَہُمۡ لَا یُبۡصِرُوۡنَ1
If these people saw and considered him a liar, then, in reality, they did not see him...
If an observer looks with the eyes of love and conviction, then, certainly, there is an effect. The one who looks with hostility and enmity does not succeed to acquire faith.
(Malfuzat, Vol. 6, p. 66)
1 You see them looking towards you, but they see not (Surah al-A‘raf, 7:199). [Publisher]