This is the point which has been alluded to in this verse...

This is the point which has been alluded to in this verse when He (Glorified and Exalted is He) says: وَ لِلٌّهِ غَيْبُ السَّمٌاوٌاتِ وَ الأَرْضِ “And to Allah belong the unknown secrets of the Heavens and the Earth.” From this verse of the Qur’an and many other verses, we realize that the only One who has complete Knowledge of the Unseen is Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He): وَ عِنْدَهُ مَفٌاتِحَ الْغَيْبِ لاٌ يَعْلَمُهٌا إِلاٌّ هُوَ “And with Him are the keys of the Unseen that no one knows except for Him.” [^1] قُلْ لاٌ يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمٌوٌاتِ وَالأَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ إِلاٌّ اللٌّهُ “Say (O’ Muhammad) no one has knowledge of that which is hidden in the Heavens and the Earth except for Allah.” [^2] Without doubt, Knowledge of the Unseen which is specifically limited to Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and not a single person shares in this knowledge, is the comprehension of the Essence and Pre-Existence of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) which He has not received from anywhere – rather, this is His actual essence and He is free from all sorts of possible obligations, limits and confines.

However, by Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) limiting the allocation of such Knowledge of the Unseen to Himself it does not mean that at times, some of His specific servants cannot be acquainted with some of this hidden knowledge by them.

It has been mentioned in regards to the Prophet of Islam (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) that: عٌالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلاٌ يُظْهِرُ عَلى غَيْـبِهِ أَحَداً إِلاٌّ مَنِ ارْتَضى مِنْ رَسُولٍ “The Knower of the Unseen (Allah) so then He does not make known what is hidden to a single person except those whom He is pleased with from amongst His Messengers.” [^3] According to the clear reading of this verse of the Qur’an, the Prophet (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) had been permitted to have the Knowledge of the Unseen by the permission of Allah (Glorified and Exalted is He) and thus he had been informed of hidden events and issues that would come to pass.

This issue is not only limited to the Prophet of Islam (blessings of Allah be upon him and his progeny) - rather according to the clear verses of the Qur’an, even Prophet `Isa ibn Mariam al-Masih (peace be upon them) was acquainted with a great deal of information that had come from the Knowledge of the Unseen.

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