in truth, although the rank of one who believes in Allah and knows Him through rational inquiry and inference is higher than that of one who believes in Him with certainty attained without knowledge.

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If we hold that the first obligation is faith in Allah—affirming Him and what He has disclosed about Himself concerning the attributes of His essence and His acts—then rational inquiry and inference leading to knowledge of Allah Most High are also obligatory. Allah has imposed this duty upon His servants and prescribed it as an act of worship, like all other obligatory acts of worship. The evidence for its obligatory nature is the saying of Allah, Mighty and Majestic:

“Say: ‘Consider what is in the heavens and the earth.’ But neither signs nor warnings avail a people who do not believe.” [Yūnus: 101]

He Most High also says:

“Do they not look at the camels, how they were created?” [al-Ghāshiyah: 17], and the rest of the verse.

“And in yourselves—do you not see?” [al-Dhāriyāt: 21]

“Have they not looked at the heaven above them, how We built it and adorned it?” [Qāf: 6], and the rest of the verse.

There are many such passages in the Quran.

Further evidence that rational inquiry and inference are obligatory is that Allah Most High has enjoined knowledge of Him and of the attributes of His essence and His acts in numerous verses of His Book. He Most High says:

“So know that there is no deity except Allah.” [Muhammad: 19]

He also says:

“Know that Allah is severe in punishment, and that Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.” [al-Mā’idah: 98]

“Know that Allah gives life to the earth after its death. We have made the signs clear to you so that you may understand.” [al-Hadīd: 17]

Knowledge of any of this can be attained only through