What is the ruling on saying "Allah knows"?
The names and attributes of Allah are tawqifiyyah (restricted to what is stated in revelation). He, the Exalted, is described with knowledge (al-ʿilm) but not with knowing (al-maʿrifah). This is because al-maʿrifah can imply a newly acquired knowledge, and it also suggests that matters might be hidden from Him, and then He comes to know them. The scope of informing about Allah is broader than that of His names and attributes. Therefore, there is no harm in informing about Allah by saying He "knows" (yadri) or "knows" (yaʿrif), as mentioned in the hadith from the Prophet, peace be upon him: "But Allah knows (yadri), and He will judge between them," and the statement of Umar ibn al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him: "But Allah knows (yaʿrifuhum)." As for the Prophet's saying, peace be upon him: "Recognize Allah (taʿarraf ilā Allāh) in prosperity, and He will recognize you in adversity," this is a special recognition not in the sense of knowledge, but rather in the sense of Allah's recompense to the servant for their good deeds.
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
Read the full answer on Ftawyhttps://ftawy.com/en/questions/3066