Knowledge of the Unseen (Ilme-Gaib)

1) Narrated Aisha: There are three things, and anyone who affirmed even one of them fabricated the greatest lie against Allah. These three things are: (1) That Muhammad (Peace be upon him) saw Allah (2) That Muhammad (Peace be upon him) concealed anything from the Book of Allah and (3) That Muhammad (Peace be upon him) knew the unseen, or could predict the future. (Sahih Muslim Part I; Book of Faith; Chapter LXXVIII, page 111-112; 9^th edition).

2) On the day when Allah will gather the Messengers together, and ask: ‘What was the response ye received (from men to your teaching)?’ they will say: ‘we have no knowledge: it is Thou who knowest in full all that is hidden.’ (Surah 5 Al-Maida Verse 109).

3) With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge: there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered), but is (inscribed) in a Record clear (to those who can read). (Surah 6, Al-An’am, Verse 59).

4) They ask thee about the (final) Hour - when will be its appointed time? Say: ‘The knowledge thereof is with my Lord (alone): none but He can reveal as to when it will occur....’ (Surah 7, Al-Ar’af, Verse 187 Part).

5) Say:’ I have no power over any good or harm to myself except as Allah Willeth. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I should have multiplied all good: and no evil should have touched me: I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings to those who have faith’. (Surah 7, Al-Ar’af, Verse 188).

6) ....say: ‘The Unseen is only for Allah (to know), then wait ye: I too will wait with you’. (Surah 10, Yunus, Verse 20).

7) Say: ‘I have no power over any harm or profit to myself except as Allah Willeth. To every People is a term appointed! .... (Surah 10, Yunus, Verse 49 Part).

8) ‘I tell you not that with me are the Treasures of Allah, nor do I know what is hidden, nor claim I to be an angel....’ (Surah 11, Hud, Verse 31 Part).

9) Say: None in the heavens or on earth, except Allah, knows what is hidden: nor can they perceive when they shall be raised up (for Judgment). (Surah 27, An-Naml, verse 65).

10) Verily the knowledge of the Hour is with Allah (alone). It is He Who sends down rain, and He Who knows what is in the wombs.  Nor does anyone know what it is that he will earn on the morrow: Nor does anyone know in what land he is to die. Verily with Allah is full knowledge and He is acquainted (with all things) (Surah 31, Luqman, verse34).

11) Behold, thy Lord said to the angels: "I will create a vicegerent on earth." They said: "Wilt Thou place therein one who will make mischief therein and shed blood? - whilst we do celebrate Thy praises and glorify Thy holy (name)?" He said: "I know what ye know not.  And He taught Adam the names of all things; then He placed them before the angels, and said: "Tell me the nature of these if ye are right."  They said: "Glory to Thee, of knowledge We have none, save what Thou Hast taught us: In truth it is Thou Who art perfect in knowledge and wisdom." He said: "O Adam! Tell them their natures." When he had told them, Allah said: "Did I not tell you that I know the secrets of heaven and earth, and I know what ye reveal and what ye conceal?" (Surah 2, Al-Baqarah, verses 30 to 33).

12) There came Our messengers to Abraham with glad tidings. They said, "Peace!" He answered, "Peace!" and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf. But when he saw their hands went not towards the (meal), he felt some mistrust of them, and conceived a fear of them. They said: "Fear not: We have been sent against the people of Lut."(Surah 11, Hud, 69-70).

13) "O Adam! Dwell thou and thy wife in the Garden, and enjoy (its good things) as ye wish: but approach not this tree, or ye run into harm and transgression." Then began Satan to whisper suggestions to them, in order to reveal to them their shame that was hidden from them (before): he said: "Your Lord only forbade you this tree, lest ye should become angels or such beings as live forever." And he swore to them both, that he was their sincere adviser. (Surah 7, Al-Ar’af, verses 19-21).

14) At length when the messengers arrived among the adherents of Lut, He said: "Ye appear to be uncommon folk."(Surah 11, Hud, 61-62).

15) Has the Story of the Disputants reached thee? Behold, they climbed over the wall of the private chamber; when they entered the presence of David, and he was terrified of them, they said: "Fear not: we are two disputants, one of whom has wronged the other: Decide now between us with truth, and treat us not with injustice, but guide us to the even Path. (Surah 38, Sad, verses 21-22).

16) And he took a muster of the Birds; and he said: "Why is it I see not the Hoopoe? Or is he among the absentees? "I will certainly punish him with a severe penalty, or execute him, unless he brings me a clear reason (for absence)." But the Hoopoe tarried not far: he (came up and)

said: "I have compassed (territory) which thou hast not compassed, and I have come to thee from

Saba' with tidings true. (Surah 27, Al-Naml, verses 20-21-22).

17) When the caravan left (Egypt), their father said: "I do indeed scent the presence of Joseph: Nay, think me not a dotard." They said: "By Allah, truly thou art in thine old wandering mind." Then when the bearer of the good news came, he cast (the shirt) over his face, and he forthwith regained clear sight. He said: "Did I not say to you, ´I know from Allah that which ye know not?” (Surah 12, Yusuf, verses 94-95-96).

18) They said: "O Moses! Whether wilt thou that thou throw (first) or that we be the first to throw?" He said, "Nay, throw ye first!" Then behold their ropes and their rods- so it seemed to him on account of their magic - began to be in lively motion! So Moses conceived in his mind a (sort of) fear. We said: "Fear not! For thou hast indeed the upper hand: Throw that which is in thy right hand: Quickly will it swallow up that which they have faked, what they have faked is but a magician´s trick: and the magician thrives not, (no matter) where he goes."(Surah 20, Ta-Ha, verses 65-69).

19) So they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had taught knowledge from Our own Presence.  Moses said to him: "May I follow thee, on the footing that thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth which thou hast been taught?"  (The other) said: "Verily thou wilt not be able to have patience with me!" "And how canst thou have patience about things about which thy understanding is not complete?"(Surah 18, Al-Kahf, verses 65 to 68).

20) "As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience."(Surah 18, Al-Kahf, verses 82).

21)  Then, when We decreed (Solomon´s) death, nothing showed them his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his staff: so when he fell down, the Jinns saw plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in the humiliating Penalty (of their Task). (Surah 34, Saba’, verse 14).

22) "He (alone) knows the Unseen, nor does He make any one acquainted with His Mysteries, Except a messenger whom He has chosen: and then He makes a band of watchers march before him and behind him” (Surah 72, Al-Jinn, verses 26-27).

23) To Allah do belong the unseen (secrets) of the heavens and the earth, and to Him goeth back every affair (for decision):  then worship Him, and put thy trust in Him: and thy Lord is not unmindful of aught that ye do. (Surah 11, Hud, verse 123).

24) And Noah called upon his Lord, and said: "O my Lord! Surely my son is of my family! And Thy promise is true, and Thou art the justest of Judges!" He said: "O Noah! He is not of thy family: For his conduct is unrighteous. So ask not of Me that of which thou hast no knowledge! I give thee counsel, lest thou act like the ignorant!" Noah said: "O my Lord! I do seek refuge with Thee, lest I ask Thee for that of which I have no knowledge. And unless thou forgive me and have Mercy on me, I should indeed be lost!"(Surah 11, Hud, 45-46-47).

25) Verily Allah knows (all) the hidden things of the heavens and the earth: verily He has full knowledge of all that is in (men´s) hearts. (Surah 35, Al-Fatir, verse 38).

26) Seest thou not that Allah doth know (all) that is in the heavens and on earth? There is not a secret consultation between three, but He makes the fourth among them, - Nor between five but He makes the sixth, - nor between fewer nor more, but He is in their midst, wheresoever they be: In the end will He tell them the truth of their conduct, on the Day of Judgment. For Allah has full knowledge of all things. (Surah 58, Al-Mujadilah, verse 7)

27) Narrated Abu Huraira, “Allah's Apostle (Peace be upon him) informed (the people) about the death of An−Najashi on the very day he died. He went towards the Musalla (praying place) and the people stood behind him in rows. He said four Takbirs (i.e. offered the Funeral prayer)”. Sahih Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 23, Hadees Number 337; Book of Janaa’iz.

28) Narrated Anas bin Malik: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "Zaid took over the flag and was martyred. Then it was taken by Jafar who was martyred as well. Then 'Abdullah bin Rawaha took the flag but he too was martyred and at that time the eyes of Allah's Apostle were full of tears. Then Khalid bin Al−Walid took the flag without being nominated as a chief (before hand) and was blessed with victory." Sahih Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 23, Hadees Number 338; Book of Janaa’iz.

29) Narrated Abdullah: Allah's Apostle (Peace be upon him) said, "The key of the Unseen are five: Verily with Allah (alone) is the knowledge of the Hour; He sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. No soul knows what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul knows in what land it will die. Verily, Allah is All−Knower, All−Aware." (31.34) Sahih Bukhari: Volume 6, Book 60, Number 151; Tafseer of the Prophet, part 4.

30) Narrated Ibn 'Umar: Allah's Apostle (Peace be upon him) said, "Keys of the unseen knowledge are five which nobody knows but Allah . . . nobody knows what will happen tomorrow; nobody knows what is in the womb; nobody knows what he will gain tomorrow; nobody knows at what place he will die; and nobody knows when it will rain." (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 2, Book 17, Number 149: Book of Dua for Rain [Istisqaa]) (Islambase Publications).

31) Narrated Ar-Rubai bint Muauwidh: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) came to me after consummating his marriage with me and sat down on my bed as you (the sub-narrator) are sitting now, and small girls were beating the tambourine and singing in lamentation of my father who had been killed on the day of the battle of Badr. Then one of the girls said, "There is a Prophet amongst us who knows what will happen tomorrow." The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said (to her)," Do not say this, but go on saying what you have spoken before." (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 5, Book 59, Number 336: Book of Expeditions [Al-Jihan wa’l Siya]) (Islambase Publications). 

32) Narrated 'Abdullah: The Prophet (Peace be upon him) said, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount." 'Abdullah added: The Prophet said, "I am your predecessor at the Lake-Fount, and some of you will be brought in front of me till I will see them and then they will be taken away from me and I will say, 'O Lord, my companions!' It will be said, 'You do not know what they did after you had left.' (Sahih Bukhari: Volume 8, Book 76, Number 578: Book of Softening the Heart [Al-Riqaq]) (Islambase Publications).