Ghayb or
Unseen
includes
everything
that is
hidden from
the people
of the
future and
past events,
and what is
not seen.
Ghayb is
exclusive to
Allah’s
knowledge.[1]
Imam Ibn
Katheer
(rahimahullah)
writes in
the Tafseer
of the
following
verse,
“Those who
have faith
in the Ghayb…”[2]
- “They
believe in
Allah,
the Angels,
Books,
Messengers,
the Last
Day, His
Paradise,
Fire and the
meeting of
Him.”
From the
matters of
the Unseen
are those
pertaining
to the
Hereafter,
Barzakh
(life after
death),
Paradise,
Hellfire,
contents of
the womb and
secrets of
the hearts,
as mentioned
in many
Qur’aanic
verses.
Allah says:
“Verily,
Allah! With
Him (Alone)
is the
knowledge of
the Hour, He
sends down
the rain,
and knows
that which
is in the
womb. No
person knows
what he will
earn
tomorrow,
and no
person knows
what land he
will die.
Verily,
Allah is
All-Knower,
All-Aware.”[3]
And:
“No doubt!
They did
fold up
their
breasts that
they may
hide from
Him. Surely,
even when
they cover
themselves
with their
garments, He
knows what
they conceal
and what
they reveal.
Verily, He
is the
All-Knower
of the
(innermost
secrets) of
the
breasts.”[4]
The Pagans
of Mecca at
the time of
Allah’s
Messenger
made many
claims about
the matters
of the
Unseen, like
saying that
they would
have wealth
and status
in the
Hereafter,
or their
claim that
Allah had
daughters.
Allah,
Glorified is
He, rejected
their claims
saying,
“Or have
they a
stairway (to
Heaven), by
means of
which they
listen? Then
let their
listeners
produce some
manifest
proof. “[5]
…this is
because the
Arab Pagans
had no means
of receiving
the
knowledge of
the Unseen.
Even events
from the
past nations
who lived on
the same
earth as
they, were
from the
Ghayb
(unseen) to
them, let
alone the
knowledge of
Allah and
the
Hereafter.
Allah
mentioned
the
conditions
of the
people of
Noah (alaihi
as-salaam)
in the
Qur’aan, and
then said,
“This is
of the news
of the
Unseen,
which we
reveal unto
you (O
Muhammad),
neither you,
nor your
people knew
them before
this.”[6]
Allah does
not reveal
the Ghayb to
anyone
except to
His
Messengers
from amongst
humans and
Angels.
Allah says,
“He is the
Knower of
the Unseen,
and He does
not reveal
His secrets
to anyone.
Except to
him whom He
chooses
namely, a
Messenger of
His.”[7]
Allah has
restricted
this
information
because
reporting
about the
Unseen is
among the
signs of
Prophethood.
Allah
revealed
many matters
of the
Unseen to
His
Messenger,
Muhammad (sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
who informed
us of them.
Thus, he (sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam)
is our one
and only
source of
information
of the Ghayb.
Allah says
about him,
“And He
(Muhammad (sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam))
withhold not
knowledge of
the Unseen”[8]
(i.e. he is
not stingy
in conveying
the
revelation
[see,
Tafseer Ibn
Katheer]).”
Revelation
and Guidance
from Allah
continued
throughout
the 23 year
old life of
the
Prophethood
of Allah’s
Messenger (sallallahu
alaihi
wa-sallam).
Upon his
death, our
source to
knowledge
about the
Unseen and
direct
guidance
from Allah,
the Most
High, has
ended. We
have to
therefore,
suffice with
what has
reached us
from the
Messenger
about the
Unseen.
[1]
See,
“The
Book of
Tawheed”
by
Shaikh
Saleh
al-Fawzan.
