سُوْرَةُ التَّكْوِيْرِ
Surah At-Takwir (81) — Ayah 24
وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ ﴿24﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And he (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) withholds not a knowledge of the Unseen.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمَا
wamā
And not
هُوَ
huwa
he (is)
عَلَى
ʿalā
on
ٱلْغَيْبِ
l-ghaybi
the unseen
بِضَنِينٍۢ
biḍanīnin
a withholder
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 24) {وَ مَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِيْنٍ:’’ضَنِيْنٌ‘‘} Miserly, meaning he (the Prophet) does not keep to himself the matters of the unseen that He informs him of, but conveys them to the Ummah. Aisha (may Allah be pleased with her) says: [ مَنْ حَدَّثَكَ أَنَّ مُحَمَّدًا صَلَّی اللّٰهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ كَتَمَ شَيْئًا مِّمَّا أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ، فَقَدْ كَذَبَ، وَاللّٰهُ يَقُوْلُ: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا الرَّسُوْلُ بَلِّغْ مَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ » ] [ بخاري، التفسیر، باب : «یا أیھا الرسول بلغ…» : ۴۶۱۲ ] "Whoever tells you that Muhammad (peace be upon him) concealed anything that was revealed to him, he has certainly lied, because Allah Almighty said: « يٰۤاَيُّهَا الرَّسُوْلُ بَلِّغْ مَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكَ مِنْ رَّبِّكَ » [ المائدۃ : ۶۷ ] 'O Messenger! Convey whatever has been revealed to you from your Lord.'"
Some people have inferred from this verse that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) knew the unseen, because only someone who possesses something can be miserly with it. However, Allah Almighty has clearly stated: « قُلْ لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ » [ النمل : ۶۵ ] "(O Prophet!) Say, none in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah." From this, it is clear that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) does not withhold from people the matters of the unseen that have been told to him. The reality is that if a person is informed of some matters of the unseen, that does not make him the Knower of the unseen, because he only knows as much as he has been told, not more. Otherwise, if for this reason the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is considered the Knower of the unseen because Allah has informed him of many matters of the unseen, then the Ummah would also have to be considered the Knower of the unseen, because whatever was told to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he conveyed all of it to the Ummah by Allah's command.
Some people have inferred from this verse that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) knew the unseen, because only someone who possesses something can be miserly with it. However, Allah Almighty has clearly stated: « قُلْ لَّا يَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ الْاَرْضِ الْغَيْبَ اِلَّا اللّٰهُ » [ النمل : ۶۵ ] "(O Prophet!) Say, none in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah." From this, it is clear that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) does not withhold from people the matters of the unseen that have been told to him. The reality is that if a person is informed of some matters of the unseen, that does not make him the Knower of the unseen, because he only knows as much as he has been told, not more. Otherwise, if for this reason the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is considered the Knower of the unseen because Allah has informed him of many matters of the unseen, then the Ummah would also have to be considered the Knower of the unseen, because whatever was told to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him), he conveyed all of it to the Ummah by Allah's command.
