[Nesskissabe]

Recently there was a discussion on Ilm al-Ghayb (Knowledge of Unseen), and does the Prophets possess it and so on. Coincidentally i came across a very interesting extract about it in MARIFUL QURAN on the tafseer of Suratul Yusuf 102-109verses.

P.s. This Thread is intended to understand the topic not for discussion or debate. Discussion on such deep topics by us Laymen can be very dangerous.



The Difference between the News of the Unseen and the Knowledge of the Unseen

The statement: ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ ("That is a part of the reports of the unseen We reveal to you.." verse - 102) has appeared in the same words in verse 44 of Surah Al-Imraan in the context of the story of Sayyidah Maryam, that is: ۖ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ; ("That is a part of the reports of the unseen We reveal to you..." - 3:44). Then, with a slight change, the same statement appears in verse 49 of Surah Hud where it is related to the story of Sayyidina Nuh (as) : ۖ تِلْكَ مِنْ أَنبَاءِ الْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهَا إِلَيْكَ ("These are reports from the unseen [events] which We reveal to you..." - 11:49).

From these verses we learn that Allah Ta'ala communicates to his prophets many a news of the unseen through Wahy (revelation). He has particularly blessed our Rasool , known as the Head of all the messengers, with a special portion of the news from the unseen, which is more than that which has been given to all past prophets. This is the reason why the Holy Prophet has informed the Muslim Ummah of many events due to happen right through the day of Qiyamah, either briefly, or in details. All Ahadith given in the Kitab al-Fitan of Hadith books are full of them.

Since common people take the Knowledge of the Unseen ('Ilm al-Ghayb) only in the sense that a person somehow gets to become aware of the news of the unseen, and this quality is found at its best in the Holy Prophet , therefore, they think that the Holy Prophet was 'Alim al-Ghayb (knower of the Unseen). But, the Holy Qur'an has declared in very clear words that: ۚ لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَن فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْ*ضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلَّا اللَّـهُ ("No one in the heavens, or on the Earth, knows the unseen except Allah.." - 27:65) which proves that no one, other than Allah Ta'ala, can be called the 'Alim al-Ghayb or the Knower of the Unseen. The 'Ilm of al-Ghayb (the knowledge of the unseen) is the unique attribute of Allah Ta'ala. Taking an apostle, messenger, prophet or angel as a sharer in this attribute amounts to equating him with Allah, and is what the Christians do, who declare a Rasool to be the son of God, and a partner in Godhead.

The verses of the Holy Quran quoted here make the truth of the matter very clear. It stands settled that the 'Ilm of al-Ghayb (the knowledge of the unseen) is an exclusive attribute of Allah Ta'ala and the only 'Alim al-Ghayb ( the Knower of the Unseen) is Allah jalla thana'uh Himself. However, there are many news of the unseen which Allah Ta'ala does give to his messengers through the medium of Wahy (revelation). This, in the terminology of the Holy Qur'an, is not known as the 'Ilm of al-Ghayb (the knowledge of the unseen). Since common people do not understand this fine difference, they tend to take the 'news of the unseen' as the 'knowledge of the unseen'. This is why when one adheres to the terminology of the Qur'an and asserts that no one, other than Allah, can claim to know what is unseen, they would prefer to differ, rather than accept truth as it is.