A Beneficial Note
The Lord—exalted is He—summons His servants in the Quran to know Him by two paths. The first is to contemplate His works; the second is to reflect on His verses and ponder them. The former are His visible signs, while the latter are His audible, intelligible signs.

1. The first kind is exemplified by His words: “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth, the alternation of night and day, and the ships that sail the sea for the benefit of people…” to the end of the verse ⦗al-Baqarah: 164⦘; and by His words: “Indeed, in the creation of the heavens and the earth and the alternation of night and day are signs for people of discernment (190)” ⦗Āl ʿImrān: 190⦘—and similar passages abound in the Quran.

2. The second kind is illustrated by His words: “Do they not then contemplate the Quran?” ⦗al-Nisāʾ: 82⦘; “Have they not reflected on the Word?” ⦗al-Muʾminūn: 68⦘; and “This is a blessed Book We have sent down to you so that they may ponder its verses” ⦗Ṣād: 29⦘—and like calls are likewise plentiful.

As for created effects, they point to actions, and the actions point to attributes. Every effect testifies to an agent who produced it, which necessarily entails His existence, power, will, and knowledge, for a voluntary act cannot proceed from what is non-existent, nor from one devoid of ability, life, knowledge, or volition.

Furthermore, the diverse particularizations found within created things indicate the will of the Doer and show that His action is not an automatic process that repeats in an unvarying fashion (1). The benefits, purposes, and praiseworthy goals embedded in them point to His wisdom; the good, beneficence, and kindness they contain point to His mercy; the seizing, vengeance, and punishment they contain point to His wrath; and what they contain of honoring and drawing near—