mean: “You know what I know, but I do not know what You know.” The same applies to the remaining verses.

As for the Prophet’s words (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), reporting from the Lord of Might, “If he remembers Me within himself, I remember him within Myself,” the meaning is: “If he remembers Me without anyone else knowing of it, I remember him by bestowing My favors and kindness upon him, without any of My servants knowing of it.” This is because remembrance within oneself means inward speech and remembrance concealed within the self, and such a thing is impossible with respect to Allah Most High.

As for his words, “Glory be to Allah, in a measure equal to the weight of His Throne and commensurate with His own pleasure,” what is meant is what Allah approves for Himself and His essence—that is, glorification befitting Him.

As for the Prophet’s words (may Allah bless him and grant him peace), “He wrote a decree binding upon Himself,” the meaning is that He wrote a decree and made compliance with it obligatory. The words “upon Himself” emphasize and reinforce its obligatory and binding force.

Thus it is established that “self” in these passages means His essence, and that the purpose of using this word is to reinforce and emphasize the meaning.