Gnosis (ma‘rifah) is a bounty (birr) which God gives to His servant when He opens for him the door of blessings (¯al¯a’ ) and favor (na‘m¯a), beginning without the servant’s being worthy of that and then granting him guidance (hud¯a) until he believes that this is all from God, granted to him as a grace (minnah) and a favor (ni‘mah) from Him Whom he is unable to thank except by means of His assistance. And this, again, is yet another favor to him from God.
Thus he beholds the bounty (birr ) of God and guards His mystery (sirr ), for He is the bestower of success. The servant does not comprehend the modality (kayf¯ıyah) of His lordship (rub¯ub¯ıyah). However, he knows that He is one and avoids making Him similar to anything else (tashb¯ıh), or denying His attributes (ta‘t.¯ıl ), or attributing to Him a modality (taky¯ıf ), or making Him unjust (tajn¯ıf ). This, then, is faith, which beholds God’s bounty (birr ) and guards His mystery (sirr ).
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