and the praise offered to Him? All His most beautiful names form part of His praise and of what is said in praise of Him. Since this is so, the more thoroughly a person knows His names and attributes, the more thoroughly he knows Allah.

Indeed, the more a person knows the names and attributes of the Prophet, may Allah bless him and grant him peace, the more he knows the Prophet. Someone who knows that he is a prophet is not like someone who knows that he is a messenger; someone who knows that he is a messenger is not like someone who knows that he is the last of the messengers; and someone who knows that he is the last of the messengers is not like someone who knows that he is the foremost of Adam’s descendants. Nor is someone who knows this like someone who knows the distinctions Allah has granted him: intercession, the Pool, the Praiseworthy Station, the religion, and his other virtues, may Allah bless him and grant him peace.

Not everyone who is unaware of one of his distinctive qualities is thereby a disbeliever. Indeed, many believers have never heard of many of his virtues and distinctive qualities. Likewise, not everyone who is unaware of some of Allah’s names and attributes is thereby a disbeliever, for many believers have never heard much of what His Messenger said in describing Him and reporting about Him.

These considerations and others like them demonstrate the varying degrees of faith within the heart. As for the differences between people in their outward words and deeds, these are plain to everyone. And Allah knows best.