The knowledge of Allah

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

Respected Brother in Islam,

The knowledge of the unseen (علم الغيب) is divided into two categories:

1.      Ilmul Ghaib Kulli (Absolute knowledge of the unseen)

2.      Ilmul Ghaib Juz’i (Partial knowledge of the unseen)

Ilmul Ghaib Kulli is confined to Allah Ta’ala alone. No one has absolute knowledge of the unseen besides Allah Ta’ala. That is understood from the following verse of the Quraan Shareef:

{ وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ} [الأنعام: 59]

Translation: With Him are the keys of the unseen—no one knows them except Him. And He knows what is in the land and sea. Not even a leaf falls without His knowledge, nor a grain in the darkness of the earth or anything—green or dry—but is ˹written˺ in a perfect Record. 

Likewise, Allah Ta’ala says five events which only Allah Ta’ala knows:

{إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌ} [لقمان: 34]

Translation: Indeed, Allah ˹alone˺ has the knowledge of the Hour. He sends down the rain, and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn for tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Surely Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware.

Almighty Allah Ta’ala himself told Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) to proclaim:

قُلْ لَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِنْدِي خَزَائِنُ اللَّهِ وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ [الأنعام: 50]

Translation:  Say Oh Muhammed (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), I do not possess the treasures of Allah Ta’ala and I do not know the unseen, and I am not an angel.

وَلَوْ كُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ لَاسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِيَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَا إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ [الأعراف: 188] 

Translation: Say Oh Muhammed (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam), I do not possess the ability to benefit or harm except that Allah wishes. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I would have accrued much benefit for myself, 

It is clear from the above that Allah Ta’ala alone has absolute knowledge of the unseen. Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) did not have absolute knowledge of the unseen. Yes, Allah Ta’ala bestowed Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) with such knowledge that he needed. Allah also bestowed Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) with Ilmul Ghaib Juz’i, partial knowledge of the unseen.

If Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) had absolute knowledge of the unseen, then he would not suffer in Taa’if. He did not need to wait for a month before Allah Ta’ala revealed Surah Nur and proclaimed the innocence of Aisha (Radiyalllahu Anha). There are many more examples to prove that Rasullullah (Sallallahu Alayhi Wasallam) did not possess Ilmul Ghaib Kulli. 

You may provide exact references of Ibn Hajar Haythamis statement. 

And Allah Ta’ala Knows best

M. Akhtar

Student Darul Iftaa
South Africa

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.