THE RECOGNITION OF ALLAAH سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى

In the explanation of the verse, “We (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى ) have not Created jinn and man, except that they must worship Me(سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) .” (Dhaariyaat 56)
Sayyiduna Mujaahid رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ narrates from Sayyiduna Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ,
“They must worship Me (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)” means, “They must recognize Me (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).”
(Al -Mujaalasatu wa Jawaahirul-Hikam)

There is a famous statement wherein Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى States,
“I (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) was a Hidden Treasure (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). I (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Loved to be Recognized. So I (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Created the creation, then I (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Presented Myself (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) to them, by which they recognized Me (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).”

Great scholars of Ahadeeth have stated that these are not the words of Sayyiduna Rasulullah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم.
Mulla Ali Qaari رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ states that the meaning is however correct, as it is derived from the above verse and the explanation of Sayyiduna Ibn Abbaas رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ.
Hadhrat Maalik ibn Deenaar رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ said, “The people of the world have left the world, whereas they have not tasted the most enjoyable thing in it.”
When he was asked what that was, he replied, “The Recognition of Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى. ” (Hilyatul-Awliyaa)

Umme- Dardaa رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ said, “The most virtuous type of knowledge is the Recognition of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).”
(Jamiu bayaanil ilmi wa fadhlihi)

From this statement of Umme-Dardaa رَضِيَ اللهُ عَنْهُ, a poet beautifully states, “The best of us, is he who has the most amount of Recognition. When one Recognizes Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), he will worship Him (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).”
((Jamiu bayaanil ilmi wa fadhlihi)

In the explanation of the verse, “Who believes in Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), then Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Guides his heart,” (Taghaabun)
Hadhrat Ibn Juraij رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ states, “Whoever attains that level of imaan by which Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is Recognized, then his heart is rightly-guided.”
(Al Mujaalasatu wa Jawaahirul-Hikam)

Hadhrat Yahya ibn Dhurais رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ and some wise people have said, “People have heard of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), but they have not recognized Him (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) .”
He also said, “Only that portion is regarded as your life, in which you obeyed Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). As for that portion in which you disobeyed Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), then do not count it as life.”
(Al Mujaalasatu wa Jawaahirul-Hikam)

Hadhrat Fadl Raqqaashi رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ said, “I found the knowledge (i.e. real knowledge) of people in four things:
1. To Recognize your Sustainer (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)
2. To know what He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Will Do with you
3. To know what He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) Wants from you
4. To know how to come out from your sins.
(Al Mujaalasatu wa Jawaahirul-Hikam )

Hadhrat Abu Muadh رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ states, “I was informed that the first time the wisdom of (Sayyiduna) Luqmaan (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام) was realized was when he was captured. He came out of the ship.
His master came to him and hit his chest, saying, “I think that you are an evil slave.”
(Sayyiduna) Luqmaan (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام) said, “The evil slave is he who does not recognize Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).”
(Al Mujaalasatu wa Jawaahirul-Hikam no. 228)

Hadhrat Hakeem ibn Ja’far رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ says, “I heard Abu Abdullah Baraathi saying many times,
’By Recognition of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), acts of worship become easy for those who wish to practise; by being pleased with Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) in His Planning (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), they become disinclined to this world, and they are happy with whatever Decision is passed for them.’”
((Jamiu Bayaanil Ilmi wa Fadhlihi)

Hadhrat Hassaan ibn Atiyyah رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ said, “When a person increases his knowledge of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), people become closer to him.” (Daarimi no. 401)

Imam Ghazaali رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ writes,
“In short, the most exalted knowledge and its limit, is the recognition of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). This is an ocean whose depths can never be reached. People who achieve the highest level of this knowledge, are the Ambiyaa عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام, then the Awliyaa (رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ) then those closest to them. It has been narrated that that someone saw a dream of two wise people from the past, in a masjid.
One of them had a paper in which the following was written, “If you have done everything well, then never think that you have done anything well until you recognize Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and know that He (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is the Originator of Causes (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), and the Creator of all things (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).”
In the other hand, a paper read, “Before I recognized Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), I would drink and qench my thirst. After recognizing Him (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), I become satiated without even drinking.”

One should however remember that our minds are extremely limited. We can merely gain a minute amount of the Recognition of Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, and there is no end to His Recognition سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
A person should continuously endeavour to increase his knowledge of Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى.
Even Sayyiduna Rasulullaah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم was Commanded to supplicate:

رَّبِّ زِدْنِي عِلْمً
“O My Sustainer (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), increase me in knowledge. (TaaHaa)

Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى States :

“If all the trees on earth were pens, and the sea their ink, with seven seas behind it, the words of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) would not be exhausted. Surely Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) is Mighty(سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى), Wise (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).” (Luqmaan)

Allamah Shabbir Ahmad Uthmaani رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ writes, “If all the trees of the world were to be cut, and made into pens and all the seas turned into ink, and another seven seas are brought to assist them [as ink], and the entire creation is made to start writing within its respective limits, you would still not be able to write all those things which display and portray the Virtues, Grandeur and Might of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).
Those who are engaged in this writing will spend their entire lives doing so, the pens will break, due to being constantly dipped in the ink, the ink will run out, and yet the Praises and Virtues of Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) will not come to an end.
How can limited and finite forces be used to accomplish something that is Unlimited and Infinite?”

It is for this reason that Sayyiduna Rasulullaah صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم said,
لاَ اُحْصِيْ ثَنَاءً عَلَيْكَ اَنْتَ كَمَا اَثْنَيْتَ عَلى نَفْسِكَ
“O Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)! I cannot enumerate Your Praises (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى). You (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) are as You (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى) have praised Yourself (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).” (Muslim)

Hadhrat Abu Aamir Jurjaani رَحْمَةُ اللهِ عَلَيْهِ said, “I was standing on the side of Salma in Arafah. I heard him saying, “O Allaah (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى)! I complain to you of my lack of Knowledge of You (سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى).”
(Al Mujaalasatu wa Jawaahirul-Hikam)

This series has been prepared with the intention that our recognition of Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى should Insha Allah increase. Remember there is no limit to Recognizing Him سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى, as He سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى is Infinite.
This seriesis a mere starting point in the Quest of Divine Recognition. May Allaah سُبْحَانَهُ وَتَعَالَى Grant us the reality, and make this series a means of our salvation in this world and the hereafter. Ameen.