أَمْ عِندَهُمُ ٱلْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ 47
Translations
Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?
Transliteration
Am AAindahumu al-ghaybu fahum yaktubun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah presents a rhetorical question challenging the disbelievers' claims, asking whether they possess knowledge of the unseen (al-ghayb) that would allow them to write down false revelations about Allah. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this is a scathing refutation of those who accused the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) of fabricating the Quran, implying that only those with access to divine knowledge could produce such a text. The ayah emphasizes that knowledge of the unseen realm belongs exclusively to Allah, and no human has the capacity to invent divine revelation.
Revelation Context
This ayah occurs within the context of Surah Al-Qalam, a Meccan surah that defends the Prophet against accusations of being a poet or a madman, and refutes claims that he fabricated the Quran. The broader passage addresses the disbelievers' rejection of the Quran and their attribution of false motives to the Prophet's mission.
Related Hadiths
The hadith in Sahih Bukhari (3.48.80) where the Prophet said, 'The most truthful word uttered by a poet is the statement of Luqman [though he was not a poet]: 'Verily it is not...' relates thematically to distinguishing between human eloquence and divine revelation. Additionally, Surah Al-Anam (6:50) contains the related statement from the Prophet: 'Say, I do not tell you that with me are the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that only Allah possesses complete knowledge of the unseen, and humans cannot claim access to divine secrets or ability to produce divinely-inspired text. It encourages trust in the authenticity of the Quranic message and recognition of human intellectual limitations compared to divine wisdom.