سُوْرَةُ الْاَعْرَافِ
Surah Al-A'raaf (7) — Ayah 188
قُل لَّآ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ لَٱسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوٓءُ ۚ إِنْ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ﴿188﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Say (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم): "I possess no power over benefit or harm to myself except as Allâh wills. If I had the knowledge of the Ghaib (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth, and no evil should have touched me. I am but a warner, and a bringer of glad tidings unto people who believe."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
قُل
qul
Say
لَّآ
lā
Not
أَمْلِكُ
amliku
I have power
لِنَفْسِى
linafsī
for myself
نَفْعًۭا
nafʿan
(to) benefit
وَلَا
walā
and no
ضَرًّا
ḍarran
(power to) harm
إِلَّا
illā
except
مَا
mā
what
شَآءَ
shāa
wills
ٱللَّهُ ۚ
l-lahu
Allah
وَلَوْ
walaw
And if
كُنتُ
kuntu
I would
أَعْلَمُ
aʿlamu
know
ٱلْغَيْبَ
l-ghayba
(of) the unseen
لَٱسْتَكْثَرْتُ
la-is'takthartu
surely I could have multiplied
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْخَيْرِ
l-khayri
the good
وَمَا
wamā
and not
مَسَّنِىَ
massaniya
(could) have touched me
ٱلسُّوٓءُ ۚ
l-sūu
the evil
إِنْ
in
Not
أَنَا۠
anā
(am) I
إِلَّا
illā
except
نَذِيرٌۭ
nadhīrun
a warner
وَبَشِيرٌۭ
wabashīrun
and a bearer of good tidings
لِّقَوْمٍۢ
liqawmin
to a people
يُؤْمِنُونَ
yu'minūna
who believe
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 188) ➊ {قُلْ لَّاۤ اَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِيْ نَفْعًا … :} That is, whatever is happening is by the will of Allah Almighty; I do not even have the personal power or authority to prevent any harm or difficulty from myself, nor to obtain any benefit. So when even the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) does not have this authority, then who else could there be to whom Allah Almighty has granted this authority? See Surah Al-Furqan (3) and Yunus (106, 107). Some people say that he (peace be upon him) truly does not have authority for himself, but he has the authority of benefit and harm for all other people. For this, see Surah Al-Jinn (20 to 22).
➋ {وَ لَوْ كُنْتُ اَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ:} That is, nor am I a knower of the unseen; if it were so, how many benefits are there that I would have gathered in advance, and how many harms are there from which, by being informed beforehand, I would have saved myself. Here, the word {’’ لَوْ ‘‘} (if) proves that even though the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is the best of the messengers, he did not possess knowledge of the unseen, because this is only an attribute of Allah Almighty. See Surah An-Naml (65). Despite this, some ignorant people try to convince that he (peace be upon him) is the knower of the unseen, whereas in some battles his face was wounded, his blessed tooth was martyred, the rings of the helmet pierced his face, his lip was split, he fell from a horse and were injured, and you remained bedridden for several days. When a slander was raised against Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), he remained distressed for a whole month. A Jewish woman mixed poison in food, by eating which some of his companions were martyred, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself continued to feel the effect of that poison till the end. All these incidents are evidence that “if I had known the unseen, no harm would have reached me.” To read about this subject in detail, study Taqwiyatul Iman by Shah Ismail (may Allah have mercy on him) and Talash-e-Haq by Irshadullah Man Sahib.
➌ { اِنْ اَنَا اِلَّا نَذِيْرٌ وَّ بَشِيْرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُّؤْمِنُوْنَ:} From this verse it is known that the greatness which Allah Almighty has given to the Prophets and the Awliya over all people is only that they show the way of Allah, and there is no greatness in the sense that Allah Almighty has given them the power to control the universe, that life and death or benefit and harm are in their authority, or that Allah Almighty has given them knowledge of the unseen so that they can know anyone’s condition whenever they wish. This verse cuts the root of shirk; when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who is the leader of the entire world, does not have authority over the benefit or harm of his own self, nor knowledge of the unseen, then what power does any other prophet or wali or elder or faqir or jinn or angel have to benefit or harm anyone, or to tell any matter of the unseen? However, through revelation, whatever Allah Almighty would inform him, he would know it and inform the people of it. (Wahidi)
➋ {وَ لَوْ كُنْتُ اَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ:} That is, nor am I a knower of the unseen; if it were so, how many benefits are there that I would have gathered in advance, and how many harms are there from which, by being informed beforehand, I would have saved myself. Here, the word {’’ لَوْ ‘‘} (if) proves that even though the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is the best of the messengers, he did not possess knowledge of the unseen, because this is only an attribute of Allah Almighty. See Surah An-Naml (65). Despite this, some ignorant people try to convince that he (peace be upon him) is the knower of the unseen, whereas in some battles his face was wounded, his blessed tooth was martyred, the rings of the helmet pierced his face, his lip was split, he fell from a horse and were injured, and you remained bedridden for several days. When a slander was raised against Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her), he remained distressed for a whole month. A Jewish woman mixed poison in food, by eating which some of his companions were martyred, and the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) himself continued to feel the effect of that poison till the end. All these incidents are evidence that “if I had known the unseen, no harm would have reached me.” To read about this subject in detail, study Taqwiyatul Iman by Shah Ismail (may Allah have mercy on him) and Talash-e-Haq by Irshadullah Man Sahib.
➌ { اِنْ اَنَا اِلَّا نَذِيْرٌ وَّ بَشِيْرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُّؤْمِنُوْنَ:} From this verse it is known that the greatness which Allah Almighty has given to the Prophets and the Awliya over all people is only that they show the way of Allah, and there is no greatness in the sense that Allah Almighty has given them the power to control the universe, that life and death or benefit and harm are in their authority, or that Allah Almighty has given them knowledge of the unseen so that they can know anyone’s condition whenever they wish. This verse cuts the root of shirk; when the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), who is the leader of the entire world, does not have authority over the benefit or harm of his own self, nor knowledge of the unseen, then what power does any other prophet or wali or elder or faqir or jinn or angel have to benefit or harm anyone, or to tell any matter of the unseen? However, through revelation, whatever Allah Almighty would inform him, he would know it and inform the people of it. (Wahidi)
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
188. 1. This verse is so clear in stating that the Prophet ﷺ is not the knower of the unseen. The knower of the unseen is only Allah, but it is the height of oppression and ignorance that, despite this, the people of innovation insist on attributing the knowledge of the unseen to the Prophet ﷺ. Whereas in some battles, even his blessed teeth were broken, his face was wounded, and the Prophet ﷺ said, "How will this nation succeed which has wounded the head of its Prophet?" These incidents, as well as the following incidents, are recorded in the books of hadith. When Hazrat Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) was accused, he remained anxious and extremely distressed for a whole month. A Jewish woman invited him and mixed poison in the food, which he ate, and the companions also ate, to the extent that some companions died from the poison in the food, and the Prophet ﷺ himself continued to feel the effects of this poison throughout his life. These and many similar incidents make it clear that due to lack of knowledge, he suffered these hardships and had to bear loss, which proves the reality stated by the Quran: "If I had known the unseen, no harm would have touched me."
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
Say, "I have no power to benefit or harm myself, except as Allah wills. If I had knowledge of the unseen, I would have acquired much good and no harm would have touched me. I am only a warner and a bearer of good news for those who believe."
[188]
The Benefits of Knowing the Unseen, Knowledge of the Unseen Belongs to None but Allah:
In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned two benefits of knowing the unseen. One is that the knower of the unseen can gather many benefits for himself; for example, take a common example: if someone knows with certainty that at a certain time the price of a certain thing will rise to a certain extent, he can easily gain much profit and accumulate a lot of wealth. The second is that such a person cannot be afflicted by any harm, because he can think of a remedy in time or even before time. Allah Almighty said to His Messenger to tell the people that I do not have any power over my own benefit or harm, so how can I have power over your or others’ benefit or harm? And the second thing that is understood from this is that when I do not even have so much knowledge of the unseen that I can think of my own benefit or harm, then how can I tell you about the occurrence of the Day of Judgment?
Those Who Claim to Tell the News of the Unseen:
Now, judge those people by this same standard who claim to know the unseen through the movement of stars, palmistry, various methods of divination, or through the knowledge of jafr and ramal, or through their own kashf. What is the reality of their claim? For example, an astrologer or fortune-teller who sits on the footpath selling rings of fate and informs people of their fortunes in various ways—if he really knew this knowledge, could he be in such a miserable state? Could he not become rich in a few days? In the era of the Prophet ﷺ, soothsayers used to tell people the news of the unseen, and for this purpose, great people from far and wide would come to their thresholds and present valuable offerings. In this regard, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days.” [مسلم۔ كتاب السلام، باب تحريم الكهانة ورتيان الكهان بحواله كتاب التوحيدباب 26 ماجاء فى الكهان ونحوهم]
He ﷺ also said, “Whoever goes to a soothsayer and asks him and then believes him to be truthful, he has disassociated himself from what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.” [ابو داؤد۔ كتاب الطب باب فى الكاهن۔ باب الكهانة والتطير]
From these hadiths, it becomes clear by itself that the one who tells the news of the unseen is himself a disbeliever.
[188]
The Benefits of Knowing the Unseen, Knowledge of the Unseen Belongs to None but Allah:
In this verse, Allah Almighty has mentioned two benefits of knowing the unseen. One is that the knower of the unseen can gather many benefits for himself; for example, take a common example: if someone knows with certainty that at a certain time the price of a certain thing will rise to a certain extent, he can easily gain much profit and accumulate a lot of wealth. The second is that such a person cannot be afflicted by any harm, because he can think of a remedy in time or even before time. Allah Almighty said to His Messenger to tell the people that I do not have any power over my own benefit or harm, so how can I have power over your or others’ benefit or harm? And the second thing that is understood from this is that when I do not even have so much knowledge of the unseen that I can think of my own benefit or harm, then how can I tell you about the occurrence of the Day of Judgment?
Those Who Claim to Tell the News of the Unseen:
Now, judge those people by this same standard who claim to know the unseen through the movement of stars, palmistry, various methods of divination, or through the knowledge of jafr and ramal, or through their own kashf. What is the reality of their claim? For example, an astrologer or fortune-teller who sits on the footpath selling rings of fate and informs people of their fortunes in various ways—if he really knew this knowledge, could he be in such a miserable state? Could he not become rich in a few days? In the era of the Prophet ﷺ, soothsayers used to tell people the news of the unseen, and for this purpose, great people from far and wide would come to their thresholds and present valuable offerings. In this regard, the Prophet ﷺ said, “Whoever goes to a fortune-teller and asks him about something, his prayer will not be accepted for forty days.” [مسلم۔ كتاب السلام، باب تحريم الكهانة ورتيان الكهان بحواله كتاب التوحيدباب 26 ماجاء فى الكهان ونحوهم]
He ﷺ also said, “Whoever goes to a soothsayer and asks him and then believes him to be truthful, he has disassociated himself from what was revealed to Muhammad ﷺ.” [ابو داؤد۔ كتاب الطب باب فى الكاهن۔ باب الكهانة والتطير]
From these hadiths, it becomes clear by itself that the one who tells the news of the unseen is himself a disbeliever.
