parvin nabian
Abstract
This study aims to find answer to the question of “what are the limits of human knowledge of God, the Truth?” In response to the above question most scholars admit that God, in His very Essence, is not the object of our knowledge; yet, they agree that we can basically know Him through His ...
Read More
This study aims to find answer to the question of “what are the limits of human knowledge of God, the Truth?” In response to the above question most scholars admit that God, in His very Essence, is not the object of our knowledge; yet, they agree that we can basically know Him through His attributes. Accordingly, to discuss man’s knowledge of God, a group of them adopt assimilation, as an approach; another opt for dissimilation and the third group a way in-between. This paper reviews the above approaches and demonstrates the insufficiency of each. The contention here is that due to the identity between God’s Essence and His attributes, His Attributes, too, fall out of the reach of human perception. Thus the extent to which human being can come to know God is only determined through His acts which are manifestations of His attributes. Beyond doubt, the most perfect knowledge of God can be achieved through His most perfect act, i.e. the Perfect Man, or ideally speaking: Imam. Thus, Man’s true knowledge of God, within the measure of his ability, is only possible as a result of the evolutional movement, manifestation of God’s attributes, attaining to the station of the devoted and the realization of the intuitive wisdom (not just argumentative wisdom). The man who, on the basis of the unity of Being, has reached the unity of intuition can be a mirror capable of showing the Truth in the most perfect manner and can therefore characterize the Truth with his existence (not merely by his words). This is confirmed by His Divine Words in the Holy Quran, saying: “Purity is to Allah from the matters they fabricate. Except the chosen bondmen of Allah.”. According to the above verses, only the purest and the devoted have the permission to describe Him.
