The Scope of Knowing of God in the Thought of Theological Denominations

"Knowing God" is the highest desired knowledge of every Muslim and has always been the focus of special attention of researchers, but the difference in epistemological foundations and theology has led to diversity of cognitions. In order to discover the truth in this matter, the present article tries to obtain the prevailing view in each of the Islamic schools of thought about the nature and scope of cognition of God and then compares the Islamic schools with each other.
For this purpose, firstly the concept of "cognition of God" has been explained from both quantitative and qualitative aspects. Then, by examining recognizability of God and its extent, we have come to the conclusion that Islamic schools consider it impossible to know the truth of the essence and essential attributes due to His incomprehensibility and also the inability of human cognitive tools to encompass Him, but knowing God through remnants (Āṡār) and proving attributes is possible. Of course, the Esmā'ili school denies even this amount of knowledge of God.