معرفت کلامی

The idea of knowing God is regarded every individual’s most fundamental religious thought. Imam Sajjad’s saying, “O, my lord, my knowledge is my proof for thou” indicates a kind of this thought which should be analyzed. There can be two explanations for this phrase. One is that this phrase indicates knowing God by God, the concept which appears in different forms in the explanations of philosophers from Avicenna to Allamah Tabatabaii. This knowledge known as “proof of the righteous” is defined as the best way of knowing God, and its counterpart is external and internal knowledge. The second explanation for the above-mentioned phrase indicates the relationship with God and inclination towards Him. This explanation is obtained through paying close attention to another meaning of the term “proof”. From this viewpoint, Man’s knowledge of God is regarded the guide and means of his entrance into God’s court, talking to Him and making demand from Him.