أَعِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلْغَيْبِ فَهُوَ يَرَىٰٓ 35
Translations
Does he have knowledge of the unseen, so he sees?
Transliteration
A'indahu 'ilmu al-ghaybi fa-huwa yara
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah poses a rhetorical question challenging the pagan Arabs: 'Does he (the disbeliever) possess knowledge of the unseen (al-ghayb) so that he can see (the consequences of his disbelief)?' According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this verse refutes the claim that disbelievers have any real knowledge or foresight regarding divine matters, emphasizing that only Allah possesses knowledge of the unseen. The ayah highlights human limitation and the folly of those who reject divine guidance despite lacking complete knowledge of future consequences.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Najm, which addresses the stubbornness of the Meccan polytheists who rejected the Prophet Muhammad's message. The broader context discusses their baseless objections and arrogant denial of the Quran, using logical refutation to expose the weakness of their position.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 3397: The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The keys of the unseen are five, and none knows them except Allah,' referencing Surah Luqman 34 and related concepts of exclusive divine knowledge. This reinforces the Quranic principle that knowledge of the unseen belongs solely to Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that true wisdom lies in recognizing the limits of human knowledge and submitting to Allah's guidance rather than relying on personal conjecture. It serves as a reminder that arrogance based on incomplete knowledge is a root cause of spiritual blindness and rejection of truth.
Related Ayahs
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one has seen him?
وَإِذَا جَآءُوكُمْ قَالُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا وَقَد دَّخَلُوا۟ بِٱلْكُفْرِ وَهُمْ قَدْ خَرَجُوا۟ بِهِۦ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا كَانُوا۟ يَكْتُمُونَ
And when they come to you, they say, "We believe." But they have entered with disbelief [in their hearts], and they have certainly left with it. And Allāh is most knowing of what they were concealing.
۞ إِلَيْهِ يُرَدُّ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ ۚ وَمَا تَخْرُجُ مِن ثَمَرَٰتٍ مِّنْ أَكْمَامِهَا وَمَا تَحْمِلُ مِنْ أُنثَىٰ وَلَا تَضَعُ إِلَّا بِعِلْمِهِۦ ۚ وَيَوْمَ يُنَادِيهِمْ أَيْنَ شُرَكَآءِى قَالُوٓا۟ ءَاذَنَّـٰكَ مَا مِنَّا مِن شَهِيدٍ
To Him [alone] is attributed knowledge of the Hour. And fruits emerge not from their coverings nor does a female conceive or give birth except with His knowledge. And the Day He will call to them, "Where are My 'partners'?" they will say, "We announce to You that there is [no longer] among us any witness [to that]."
يَعْتَذِرُونَ إِلَيْكُمْ إِذَا رَجَعْتُمْ إِلَيْهِمْ ۚ قُل لَّا تَعْتَذِرُوا۟ لَن نُّؤْمِنَ لَكُمْ قَدْ نَبَّأَنَا ٱللَّهُ مِنْ أَخْبَارِكُمْ ۚ وَسَيَرَى ٱللَّهُ عَمَلَكُمْ وَرَسُولُهُۥ ثُمَّ تُرَدُّونَ إِلَىٰ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلْغَيْبِ وَٱلشَّهَـٰدَةِ فَيُنَبِّئُكُم بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
They will make excuses to you when you have returned to them. Say, "Make no excuse - never will we believe you. Allāh has already informed us of your news [i.e., affair]. And Allāh will observe your deeds, and [so will] His Messenger; then you will be taken back to the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed, and He will inform you of what you used to do."