and the one who knew Him best said, “I cannot enumerate Your praise; You are as You have praised Yourself.” (1) He also told us that on the Day of Resurrection Allah will inspire him with praises he is presently unable to voice.

There are two broad gateways to this knowledge:

1. Reflecting and contemplating all the verses of the Qur’an, aided by the special understanding granted by Allah and His Messenger.

2. Reflecting on His observable signs in the universe and pondering the wisdom, power, subtle kindness, beneficence, justice, and equity He displays toward His creation.

All of this culminates in having deep insight into the meanings of His Most Beautiful Names—their majesty, perfection, His uniqueness in possessing them, and the way they relate to both creation and command. Such a person becomes discerning concerning His commands and prohibitions, discerning concerning His decree and predestination, discerning concerning His Names and Attributes, and discerning concerning both His religious–legal rulings and His universal, cosmic rulings: “That is the bounty of Allah which He bestows upon whom He wills, and Allah is the possessor of tremendous bounty.” (21) [Al-Hadid: 21]

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Dirhams are of four kinds: a dirham earned in obedience to Allah and spent in a cause pleasing to Allah—this is the best of dirhams; a dirham earned through disobedience to Allah and spent in disobedience to Allah—this is the worst of dirhams; a dirham earned by harming a Muslim and spent in harming a Muslim—this likewise is blameworthy; and a dirham earned through something permissible and spent on a permissible desire—for this there is neither reward nor sin.