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THE AHL AL-BAYT'S KNOWLEDGE OF THE UNSEEN


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Is believing in the Ahl al-Bayt's (AS) knowledge of the unseen considered ghulu?

 

Given that the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) have described as exaggerators those who attribute things to them that they have not stated,[1] one of the challenging issues concerning the virtues of the Ahl al-Bayt (AS) is the affirmation of the knowledge of the unseen for them (AS).  Initially, it should be stated that ghulu means excess and going beyond the limit, [2] and knowledge of the unseen (ilm al-ghaib) in the literal sense means knowing hidden things, [3] and in technical terms, it refers to awareness of hidden matters and things that are not perceivable by the senses. [4]

Knowledge of the unseen is divided into two types based on who possesses it:

Inherent and independent knowledge of the unseen: This refers to a type of awareness of the unseen that is not acquired from anyone else. This type of knowledge of the unseen is unlimited and is exclusive to Allah, and no one else shares this knowledge with Him. [5]

Numerous Quranic verses mention this type of knowledge of the unseen:

“Say: None in the heavens and earth knows the unseen except Allah, and they perceive not when they shall be raised.” [6]

In another verse, it is stated from the Prophet (s): “And if I knew the unseen, I should have acquired much good, and no evil should have touched me. I am only a warner and a bringer of glad tidings to a people who believe.” [7]

Shia scholars have also considered this type of knowledge exclusive to Allah, stating that some exaggerators (ghulat) and those who delegate authority (mufawwida) have attributed this type of knowledge of the unseen to the Infallible Imams (AS). [8]

Acquired or dependent knowledge of the unseen: This is a type of awareness of the unseen that Allah has granted to some of His servants. [9] All Imami scholars believe that the awareness of the divine prophets and the Infallible Imams (AS) of the unseen is of this type, which is by Allah's permission and teaching, and they acquire this type of knowledge of the unseen from Allah in a limited manner.

Some Quranic verses point to this type:

“[He is] the Knower of the unseen, and He reveals to none His unseen, except to a messenger [whom] He has chosen…”[10]

And based on the verse "I will inform you of what you eat and what you store in your houses",[11] the ability to inform people of their hidden secrets by Jesus and his awareness of the unseen secrets was one of the miracles and signs of his truthfulness for his people.

The knowledge of the unseen in narrations

In the narrations issued by the Ahl al-Bayt (AS), these two types of knowledge of the unseen are also mentioned:

One is the knowledge that only God knows, and the other is the knowledge that God taught to the angels and then to the Prophet (SAW) and his Ahl al-Bayt (AS).

Asbagh ibn Nobata narrated that he said: I heard Amir al-Mu'minin (AS) say: "Allah has two kinds of knowledge; a knowledge that He has kept to Himself and has not made any of His prophets or any of His angels aware of it. And that is what Allah Almighty has said: ''Indeed, the knowledge of the Hour is only with Allah; He sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs, and no one knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no one knows in what land he will die,''[12] and another knowledge that He has made His angels aware of, so whatever His angels have become aware of, Muhammad and his household have also become aware of, and whatever Muhammad and his household have become aware of, great and small among us have become aware of until the Day of Resurrection." [13]

In another narration; Abi Basir, from Imam Sadiq (AS), narrated that he said: "God has two kinds of knowledge; a knowledge that no one knows except Him, and a knowledge that He has taught to His angels and Messengers. So whatever He has taught to His angels and Messengers, we (Ahl al-Bayt) know it." [14]

Or when Amir al-Mu'minin informed about future events, one of Imam's companions said: O Amir al-Mu'minin, you have been given the knowledge of the unseen. The Imam smiled and said to that man, who was from the tribe of Kalb: O brother Kalbi, this is not the knowledge of the unseen, it is a knowledge that I have learned from the Prophet. The knowledge of the unseen is the knowledge of the Resurrection and of the matters that Allah Almighty has enumerated in His Book: "Allah is the one with the knowledge of the Resurrection, and He is the one who sends down the rain, and He knows what is in the wombs, and no one knows what he will earn tomorrow, and no one knows in what land he will die...". [15] Allah Almighty knows what is in the wombs: boy or girl, ugly or beautiful, generous or miserly, happy or unhappy, one who is fuel for Hell, or a companion of the Prophets in Paradise. This is the knowledge of the unseen, which none knows but Allah, and other than this is knowledge that Allah taught to His Prophet (SAW), who then taught it to me, and asked God for it to reside in my chest, and for my ribcage to contain it. [16]

These narrations show that the Prophet's household (AS) had access to vast knowledge and are in the hierarchy of divine knowledge after Allah Almighty. This knowledge is in the possession of the Prophet's household (AS) until the Day of Judgment.

Given the definition of the knowledge of the unseen (which is knowledge of hidden matters), it can be stated that the Ahl al-Bayt also knew the unseen; however, their knowledge was given by Allah, and it is a derived knowledge, dependent on God.

It should be noted that the issue of the knowledge of the unseen concerning Prophets and saints is also widely discussed in Islamic narrations, and all Islamic sects have cited numerous examples of the knowledge of the unseen concerning the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) or their Imams and leaders. [17]

Conclusion:

 

Given that the knowledge of the unseen is of two kinds: an inherent and independent knowledge that is unique to Allah Almighty, and a derived and dependent knowledge that Allah has given to some of His saints. The knowledge of unseen matters for the Prophet (SAW) and his household (AS) is established with Allah's permission, and they do not have inherent knowledge and power, but whatever they have is from Allah.  The verses and narrations that deny them the knowledge of the unseen also refer to the denial of inherent and independent knowledge of the unseen. Therefore, if the knowledge of the unseen of the Prophet's household means knowing hidden matters, this is established for the Prophet's household and is not ghulu (exaggeration). However, if the knowledge of the unseen means inherent and independent knowledge, which is specific to Allah Almighty, such an attribution is considered ghulu.

 

 

[1] . Usul al-Kafi: Al-Kulayni, Muhammad ibn Ya’qub, vol. 2, p. 75.

[2] . Kitab al-'Ayn: Al-Farahidi, Khalil ibn Ahmad, vol. 4, p. 446.

[3] . Al-Mufradat fi Gharib al-Quran: Al-Raghib al-Isfahani, Abu al-Qasim al-Husayn ibn Muhammad, p. 616.

[4] . Al-Ghadir: Allamah Amini, vol. 5, p. 52.

[6] . An-Naml: 65. «قُلْ لا یَعْلَمُ مَنْ فِی السَّماواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ الْغَیْبَ إِلاَّ اللَّهُ وَ ما یَشْعُرُونَ أَیَّانَ یُبْعَثُونَ»

[7] . Al-A’raf: 188. «وَ لَوْ کُنْتُ أَعْلَمُ الْغَیْبَ لَاسْتَکْثَرْتُ مِنَ الْخَیْرِ وَ ما مَسَّنِیَ السُّوءُ إِنْ أَنَا إِلاَّ نَذِیرٌ وَ بَشِیرٌ لِقَوْمٍ یُؤْمِنُونَ»

[10] . Al- Jinn: 26-27. «عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ فَلا يُظْهِرُ عَلَى غَيْبِهِ أَحَدًا * إِلاَّ مَنِ ارْتَضَى مِن رَّسُولٍ»

[11] . Al-Imran: 49. «وَ أُنَبِّئُکُمْ بِمَا تَأْکُلُونَ وَ مَا تَدَّخِرُونَ فِی بُیُوتِکُمْ»

[12] . Al-Luqman: 34. «إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ»    

[13] . Basa’ir al-Darajat: Al-Saffar, Muhammad ibn al-Hasan, p. 131.

[15] . Al-Luqman: 34. «إِنَّ اللَّهَ عِنْدَهُ عِلْمُ السَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ الْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْأَرْحَامِ وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ مَاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا وَمَا تَدْرِي نَفْسٌ بِأَيِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ»    

[16] . Nahj al-Balagha: Sayyid Razi, Sermon: 128.

[17] . Payam-e Quran: Nasser Makarem Shirazi, vol. 7, p. 237.

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