Why do we sometimes know about Allah but still struggle to feel truly close to Him?

In this powerful reminder, Shaykh Mikaeel Smith explores two of Allah’s beautiful names, Al-Dhāhir (The Manifest) and Al-Bātin (The Hidden), and explains how understanding these names can transform the way we know and connect with Allah. True knowledge of Allah is not simply an intellectual understanding. It should affect the heart, increasing love, shyness (haya), longing for Allah and khushu.

Shaykh Mikaeel Smith also discusses how our upbringing, relationships with our parents and the way religion was taught to us can shape our understanding of Allah. He introduces the idea of a “God image” and encourages us to reshape that understanding by studying and reflecting upon the beautiful names of Allah.

The names Al-Dhāhir and Al-Bātin offer a powe ...