Source: Fatawa Ulama-e-Hadith, Volume 09
Five Unseen Matters in Surah Luqman:
Allah states that knowledge of five unseen matters is known only to Him:
❝ Surely, Allah alone has the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows what is in the wombs. No one knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no one knows in which land he will die. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. ❞
(Surah Luqman: 34)
Keys of the Unseen:
Allah says:
❝ And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. ❞
(Surah Al-An‘am: 59)
This verse clarifies that all keys to the unseen are with Allah, and no creature — not even a prophet or an angel — can access them by their own ability.
❝ He (alone) is the Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone, except to a messenger whom He has chosen. ❞
(Surah Al-Jinn: 26-27)
This verse demonstrates that while prophets are given access to some unseen matters, it is through divine revelation and only limited to what Allah chooses to reveal — it does not constitute complete knowledge of the unseen.
Five Things Known Only to Allah:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
❝ There are five matters which only Allah knows: the time of the Hour, rainfall, what is in the wombs, what a person will earn tomorrow, and where he will die. ❞
(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Istisqa, Hadith 1039; Musnad Ahmad 5/353)
◄ Allah informs some of His messengers of specific unseen matters through revelation, but this does not amount to complete unseen knowledge.
◄ According to Qur’an and Sunnah, no creation possesses full knowledge of the unseen except what Allah Himself reveals.
❖ Question
What is the definition of 'Ilm al-Ghayb (Knowledge of the Unseen)? And do verses 26-27 of Surah Al-Jinn prove that messengers possess knowledge of the unseen?✔ Answer
Alḥamdulillāh! 'Ilm al-Ghayb refers to knowledge or facts that are hidden from human perception and ordinary senses, and only Allah ﷻ has the power to access them. It encompasses matters related to the future, the hidden states of creation, and other realities inaccessible to humans — and this knowledge resides solely with Allah.➊ 'Ilm al-Ghayb in the Qur’an
The Qur’an explicitly states in several places that knowledge of the unseen belongs exclusively to Allah, although He may inform certain chosen ones of some aspects:Five Unseen Matters in Surah Luqman:
Allah states that knowledge of five unseen matters is known only to Him:
❝ Surely, Allah alone has the knowledge of the Hour, He sends down the rain, and knows what is in the wombs. No one knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no one knows in which land he will die. Surely, Allah is All-Knowing, All-Aware. ❞
(Surah Luqman: 34)
Keys of the Unseen:
Allah says:
❝ And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. ❞
(Surah Al-An‘am: 59)
This verse clarifies that all keys to the unseen are with Allah, and no creature — not even a prophet or an angel — can access them by their own ability.
➋ Informing the Messengers of the Unseen
Allah informs certain prophets of specific unseen matters through revelation, as mentioned in Surah Al-Jinn:❝ He (alone) is the Knower of the unseen, and He does not disclose His unseen to anyone, except to a messenger whom He has chosen. ❞
(Surah Al-Jinn: 26-27)
This verse demonstrates that while prophets are given access to some unseen matters, it is through divine revelation and only limited to what Allah chooses to reveal — it does not constitute complete knowledge of the unseen.
➌ 'Ilm al-Ghayb in the Hadith
The Prophet ﷺ also made it clear that complete knowledge of the unseen rests solely with Allah:Five Things Known Only to Allah:
The Prophet ﷺ said:
❝ There are five matters which only Allah knows: the time of the Hour, rainfall, what is in the wombs, what a person will earn tomorrow, and where he will die. ❞
(Sahih Bukhari, Kitab al-Istisqa, Hadith 1039; Musnad Ahmad 5/353)
➍ Do Messengers Possess 'Ilm al-Ghayb?
Surah Al-Jinn (verses 26-27) affirms that Allah informs His messengers of specific unseen matters through revelation. However, this does not imply that messengers possess complete knowledge of the unseen. Rather, the knowledge given to them is specific, limited, and from Allah's own will.➎ Summary
◄ Complete and absolute knowledge of the unseen is solely with Allah.◄ Allah informs some of His messengers of specific unseen matters through revelation, but this does not amount to complete unseen knowledge.
◄ According to Qur’an and Sunnah, no creation possesses full knowledge of the unseen except what Allah Himself reveals.
