I just heard Sh Hamza Yusuf share a fascinating insight.

The Qur'an often refers to the totality of creation as "al-a'alameen". Indeed, the Qur'an opens by calling God "Lord of al-a'alameen".

The plain meaning of this term is "the worlds".

But it carries another meaning too.

Apparently "al-a'alameen" also carries the meaning 'a tool by which something is known'.

(This shouldn't be too surprising: 'ilm = knowledge, 'alam = knower, and so on.)

Accordingly, the language God chose to reveal his Book in, and the term He chose to describe creation, indicates that the very essence of creation is it is that by which God is known.

This helps elucidate so much else in the Qur'an.

All of creation is described as signs of God, and we are repeatedly enjoined to observe, listen, reason, ponder, reflect, travel, investigate, etc creation.

Makes sense: creation is that by which we can know God, after all.

This also comports with Sh Abdal Hakim Murad's description of the Qur'an as, above all else, hymns glorifying the Creator and His Creation.

(Though I would query this being the *primary* function of the Qur'an, given that it oft describes itself as a guidance for humanity.)

Moreover, the Qur'an says "laysa kamithlihi shay" (there is nothing like His likeness) - ie God is twice over disanalogous from creation.

The use of the term "al-a'alameen" tells us not to despair. We can nevertheless know God through creation, despite His radical otherness.

(The fact that He is closer to us than our jugular vein - Qur'an 50:16;

that He has breathed from His Soul (ruh) into us - 15:29, 32:9, 38:72;

and that we have His signs inside of ourselves - 41:53

also help establish this conclusion.)

I do not know Arabic yet, so I cannot evaluate (or even properly comprehend) Sh Hamza Yusuf's claim.

He makes it between around 3m 30 and 5m 30 of this video:

I should clarify - the first 4 tweets are me transmitting what I heard from Sh HY, the rest are my own thoughts