An inquirer asks about the meaning of the hadith of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him and his family), “Reflect upon the creation, not upon the Creator.”

The well-established principle in the creed of Muslims is that Allah, Exalted and Glorified be He, is unlike anything whatsoever, as He informs us,
“There is nothing like unto Him, and He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing” (Quran, 42: 11). Accordingly, a Muslim should not reflect on the Essence of Allah Almighty in terms of physical form or image, for this is a grave mistake that entails likening Allah Almighty to His creation. What a Muslim should do is contemplate the signs of Allah’s power, the manifestations of His greatness, and the marvels of His creation, so that faith in Him may be increased, without reflecting on His Essence.[1]

The prohibition of reflecting upon the Essence of Allah Almighty is based on the fact that He is transcendent above likeness to His creation, and that nothing created resembles Him. His attributes differ from those of creation, and nothing pertaining to the Creator involves any imperfection found in creation. To Him belong attributes of absolute perfection and the Most Beautiful Names. Allah is beyond anything that the mind may conceive. The inability to comprehend is itself comprehension, and delving into the essence of the Lord is tantamount to associating partners with Him.
Glory be to Him Who has granted creation no means of knowing Him except by recognizing their inability to attain such knowledge.

And Allah Almighty knows best.