FatwaFederal TerritoriesCreed (Aqidah)
bersyariat tetapi tidak kenal Allah?
What is meant by 'knowing Allah but not His commands' and 'knowing Allah's commands but not Allah'?
Short answer
Both expressions are figurative terms: al-arif billah (one who knows Allah) and al-arif bi amrillah (one who knows Allah's commands).
A reference, not a fatwa. First sentence of the summary below — read the original fatwa and consult your state authority before acting.
- Authority
- Federal Territories Mufti Office
- Date
- Status
- Opinion (irsyad)
- Series
- Al-Kafi li al-Fatawi
- Topic
- Creed (Aqidah)
No evidence of gazettement in the source — this is not a gazetted fatwa.
Summary
Both expressions are figurative terms: al-arif billah (one who knows Allah) and al-arif bi amrillah (one who knows Allah's commands). Al-arif billah includes love of Allah and knowledge of tawhid according to the Sufi method, and one way to attain it is by reflecting on creation rather than on the Essence of Allah. Al-arif bi amrillah refers to those who know the sharia and its rulings, namely jurists skilled in acts such as prayer, fasting and zakat. The fatwa states that it is best to combine both kinds of knowledge, since lacking one leaves a person unbalanced.
Written in our own words from the original fatwa — check the source before acting on it.
Al-Arif billah membawa maksud 'orang yang mengenal Allah'. Ini termasuklah mahabbah kepada Allah Taala dan ilmu tauhid mengikut kaedah tasawuf.
Read the full fatwa on the Federal Territories website (new tab)
How to cite
Cite the original fatwa and its authority. Rujuk Fatwa is only where you found it.
Federal Territories Mufti Office. “bersyariat tetapi tidak kenal Allah?”, 21 January 2016. https://muftiwp.gov.my/ms/artikel/al-kafi-li-al-fatawi/1724-bersyariat-tetapi-tidak-kenal-allah. Found via Rujuk Fatwa: https://rujukfatwa.com/en/fatwa/meaning-of-knowing-allah-and-his-commands/