Whether what Khizr informed Moosa (a.s.)1 regarding which Moosa could
not be patient, not unseen?
Whether whatever Isa (a.s.) said to his people:
وَأُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا تَأْكُلُونَ وَمَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِى بُيُوتِكُمْ
“And I inform you of what you should eat and what you should store in your houses.”2
…is not unseen?
Is the statement of Isa (a.s.) to Bani Israel:
يَـٰبَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ إِنِّى رَسُولُ ٱللَّهِ إِلَيْكُم مُّصَدِّقًۭا لِّمَا بَيْنَ يَدَىَّ مِنَ ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَمُبَشِّرًۢا بِرَسُولٍۢ يَأْتِى مِنۢ بَعْدِى ٱسْمُهُۥٓ أَحْمَدُ ۖ
“O children of Israel! surely I am the apostle of Allah to you,
verifying that which is before me of the Taurat and giving the
good news of an Apostle who will come after me, his name being
Ahmad.”3
…not a part of the unseen?
And what Allah, the Mighty and the High revealed to Prophet Yusuf (a.s.):
لَتُنَبِّئَنَّهُم بِأَمْرِهِمْ هَـٰذَا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ (١٥)
“You will most certainly inform them of this their affair while they do not perceive.”4
يَـٰٓـَٔادَمُ أَنۢبِئْهُم بِأَسْمَآئِهِمْ
“O Adam! inform them of their names.”5
…not from the unseen?
And are all these glad tidings present in Old and New Testament and books
of past people, regarding prophethood of Prophet of Islam (s.a.w.a.), his
description, life history, mention of his Ummah is not information of the unseen?
Whether authentic reports narrated from soothsayers, monks, story-tellers
narrated regarding Holy Prophet (s.a.w.a.) before his birth not the news of unseen?
Is there any hurdle for Almighty Allah to grant to whoever He likes,
knowledge of past and future, knowledge of heavens and earths, knowledge of
formers and latters, and knowledge of angels and prophets? Just as nothing
restrains Him from bestowing intuition and knowledge of whatever He has
created to whoever He likes; as He showed to Ibrahim the kingdoms of heavens
and the earth.
In this instance, it can never be construed as partnership with God no matter
if the knowledge of the knower is in excess. And how much is the difference
between these two knowledges, because the limits of human capacity always
dictate the extent he can acquire knowledge; whether it is knowledge of unseen or
knowledge of intuition. In the same way, divine knowledge about unseen and
intuition is obtained from the Holy Being of Almighty Allah, which is restricted
to Him.
The same applies to the knowledge of angels; if for example Almighty Allah
allows Israfeel to read and become aware of the Protected Tablet – a tablet
containing everything – before his eyes – he definitely does not become the
partner of God in knowing everything.
On the basis of this, it is not possible to compare personal absolute
knowledge with limited acquired knowledge, knowledge which has no limitation
and condition with knowledge, which is limited and restricted, eternal knowledge
with accidental temporary knowledge, original knowledge with knowledge
obtained from another.
Just as the knowledge of Prophet cannot be compared to knowledge of
human beings, because the paths of these knowledges are contradictory, and
specialties and rules derived from knowledge of one do not describe the other;
although commonality is possible.
On the contrary, even the knowledge of jurist cannot be compared to
knowledge of following the rules of Shariah; even though the follower is aware
of all laws, because the source of knowledge of both of them is different.
On the basis of this, knowledge of the unseen in the original and absolute
form is from the qualities of Almighty Allah and restricted to Him and this is
implied in the following verses:
قُل لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَن فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلْغَيْبَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ
“Say: No one in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen but Allah.”6
And the verse:
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَـٰلِمُ غَيْبِ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ (٣٨)
“Surely Allah is the Knower of what is unseen in the heavens and the earth; surely He is Cognizant of what is in the hearts.”7
In the same way, refer to Surah Hujurat 49:18, Surah Jumua 62;8, Surah
Hashr 59:82, Surah Sajdah 32:6, Surah Taghabun 64:18, Surah Hud 11:21, Surah
Araaf 7:188.