Arabic term (edited): ����� ����

-

Arabic term (edited): ����� ����

to know God

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 1 hr 15 mins (2004-04-28 19:09:11 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

God Cognizance معرفة الله, acknowledgement معرفة إقرار, recognition معرفة حب وشوق, etc..

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 5 hrs 52 mins (2004-04-28 23:46:44 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

To Nesrin and Awadh,
I agreed to \"Theosophy\" as a suggested word but would not use it in my own translation (if it were) because I know it is kind of a \"sufi\" term. Therefore, I also agree with your comments above.

Arabic term (edited): معرفة الله

I am just adding the following info to help in the selection of the right word. My vote goes simply to : Knowledge of God. I hope this additional information will be useful to you.


theosophy (thçŏs'əfç) [Gr.,=divine wisdom], philosophical system having affinities with mysticism and claiming insight into the nature of God and the world through direct knowledge, philosophical speculation, or some physical process. This system of thought differs from many other philosophical positions in that it begins with an assumption of the absolute reality of the essence of God, from which it deduces the essentially spiritual nature of the universe. Other assumptions frequently found in theosophical doctrine are that God is the transcendent source of all being and all good; that evil exists in the world because of human desire for finite goods and may be overcome by complete absorption in the infinite; and that sacred writings and doctrines are interpreted through allegory. This is the position of much speculative mysticism. However, mysticism generally confines itself to the soul's relation to God, while the theosophist uses these theories to formulate a complete philosophy of humanity and nature.
History

The Neoplatonists, the Gnostics, and the kabbalists are generally considered types of theosophists. Jakob Boehme, regarded as the father of modern theosophy, developed a complete theosophical system attempting to reconcile the existence of an all-powerful and all-good God with the presence of evil in the world. The philosophy and theology of Asia, especially of India, contain a vast body of theosophical doctrine. Modern theosophy draws much of its vocabulary from Indian sources. The Theosophical Society, with which theosophy is now generally identified, was founded in 1875 by Helena Petrovna Blavatsky; associated with her were H. S. Olcott and W. Q. Judge. Blavatsky wrote The Secret Doctrine (1888, repr. 1964) and Key to Theosophy (1931, rev. ed. 1969). An active exponent of theosophy in Europe, America, and the East was Annie Besant, who added many works to the literature on the subject.

The Columbia Electronic Encyclopedia, Sixth Edition

Religious philosophy or speculation about the nature of the soul based on mystical insight into the nature of God.
often Theosophy The system of beliefs and teachings of the Theosophical Society, founded in New York City in 1875, incorporating aspects of Buddhism and Brahmanism, especially the belief in reincarnation and spiritual evolution.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Arabic term (edited): ����� ����

Theosophy is a specific term, and I doubt it applies here, and all suggestions above focus on creating a term (a noun to be specific), but the context strikes me as talking about a process, the process of knowing God and how it is usually achieved. Also, a process leaves the action incomplete, somthing you would expect when it comes to knowledge about God! Frankly, it is no God that you can totally know! Just an idea.

Arabic term (edited): ����� ����

The word Allah is the name of God. It is a proper name, and as thus cannot be translated. It is very unlike god or God in the sense that it cannot have a plural or feminine forms. You may say god, gods, godess or godesses. It make no difference whether it is a Capital G or a small g, because there are many people whose belief is as such. The above context is obviously Islamic. Therefore, the name Allah is the one that should be used.
As for "Knowledge of Allah", it is a bit ambiguous because it may also refer to the Knowledge which Allah possesses.