المعنى الاصطلاحي

Having knowledge of the names, attributes, and actions of Allah, and also His divine law that He has legislated for His slaves.

الشرح المختصر

"Ma‘rifat al-llah" (knowing Allah) is to have understanding of the meanings of His beautiful names, His sublime attributes, and their effects. It is to understand His commands, prohibitions, and all of His rulings; which are His religion and methodology. People differ in their "Ma‘rifat al-llah" and their knowledge of His names, attributes and actions, according to the perfection or deficiency of their knowledge. Knowing Allah is of two types: 1."Ma‘rifah ‘āmmah" (General knowledge): This is the knowledge of Allah, the Exalted, that is instilled in the soul. It is the knowledge that every person has that he is created by a Creator who did the action of creating him; and that He let him pass through different conditions and stages. This type of knowledge is called knowledge of affirmation. Everyone shares this type of knowledge; the righteous and the wicked, the obedient and disobedient among them. 2."Ma‘rifah khāssah" (specific knowledge): This is the knowledge that the people of faith have about their Lord through His names, attributes, statements, and actions. There are two ways to obtain this type of knowledge: a. "Ma‘rifat al-llah" through studying and contemplating His legislative signs; the Qur"an and Sunnah. b. "Ma‘rifat al-llah" through reflecting upon His universal signs in the creation, such as the heavens, the earth, and the wonders of the horizons and the human soul, etc. "Ma‘rifat al-llah" has significant benefits, some of which are: 1. It invites the slave to feel love, exaltation, glorification, reverence, fear and hope in regard to Allah, and urges him to dedicate his deeds sincerely to Him. 2. "Ma‘rifat al-llah" is the greatest means by which the creation achieves the purpose for which it was created; having faith and doing righteous deeds. 3. "Ma‘rifat al-llah" is the key to all that is good in this world and in the hereafter. 4. "Ma‘rifat al-llah", the Almighty and Exalted, is one of the paths leading to Paradise. 5. "Ma‘rifat al-llah" gives tranquility, contentment and happiness to the slave.