The Qur’an and the Unseen

Q: How does the Qur’an inform us of the Unseen?

The Qur’an contains knowledge of the unseen, or the ghayb, which is beyond any sort of perception; it also presents much of the history of bygone nations and predictions about the near or distant future. As the exact knowledge of the unseen belongs to God exclusively, neither the Prophets nor any other people have knowledge of the future and cannot acquire true knowledge of the past or even of the present except through the Revelation. If we look at such information and knowledge of the unseen in the Qur’an, we can see that the majority is concerned with the people living in the past. Even if some of this information is found in other heavenly books, we can see that their Qur’anic equivalents differ in many aspects and are sometimes quite the contrary. As for information about the time period when the Qur’an descended, or that of later periods, there are many facts that would have been impossible for a human being to know revealed in the Qur’an. God Himself states that each of these is a miracle of the realm of the unseen:

With Him are the keys to the Unseen; none knows them but He. And He knows whatever is on land and in the sea; and not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain in the dark layers of earth, nor anything green or dry, but is (recorded) in a Manifest Book. (An’am 6:59) An evaluation of Qur’anic information pertaining to the Unseen under three headings, past, present, and future, will help us to better understand this matter.

1. Information pertaining to the past: Life stories of many Prophets, starting with Prophet Adam, the first man and ending with Prophet Muhammad, the seal of the Messengers, and the incidents that occurred between them and their communities, the stories of tyrants who lived in the past and the people who were tortured by them are all narrated in the Qur’an. God Almighty informs us in the following verses that the majority of such narrations were not known by those who lived in the Arabian Peninsula before the revelation of the Qur’an:

Those are accounts of some exemplary events of the unseen (a time and realm beyond any created’s perception) that We reveal to you, (O Messenger). Neither you nor your people knew them before this. Then (seeing that there is no substantial difference between the conditions in which the Messengers carried out their missions and the reactions they encountered) be patient (with their reactions and their persistence in unbelief). The (final, happy) outcome is in favor of the God-revering, pious. (Hud 11:49)

(All that We have told you about Moses and the Book granted to him is a Revelation We reveal to you, O Muhammad, for) you were not present on the spot lying to the western side (of the valley) when We decreed the Commandment (the Torah) to Moses, nor were you a witness (to what happened there). But (after them) We brought into being many generations and long indeed were the ages that passed over them. (The information you give about them is also that which We reveal to you, just as what you tell about what happened concerning Moses in Midian is also a Revelation. For) neither did you dwell among the people of Midian so that you are conveying to them (the Makkan people) Our Revelations (about what Moses did in Midian).

Rather, We have been sending Messengers (to convey Our Revelations). And neither were you present on the side of the Mount Sinai when We called out (to Moses), but (We reveal all this to you) as a mercy from your Lord so that you may warn a people to whom no warner has come before you, so that they may reflect and be mindful. (Qasas 28:44-46)

(O Messenger:) that is of the tidings of the things of the unseen (the things that took place in the past and have remained hidden from people with all their truth), which We reveal to you, for you were not present with them when they drew lots with their pens about who should have charge of Mary; nor were you present with them when they were disputing (about the matter). (Al ‘Imran 3:44)

The information which the Qur’an provides concerning the past is only the kind of information that can be known by way of oral tradition over the generations, but not through reason or intelligence. Such narration is something that can only be attempted by literate people. The Prophet to whom the Qur’an was revealed could neither write nor read, but what he recited sounds as if he had participated in these events and was well acquainted with all these incidents. In fact, these incidents were all narrated by God with Whom all secrets of the realm of the Unseen reside and they were not the personal knowledge of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him.

1. Information pertaining to the present: The Qur’an provides information about some facts that pertain to the time period of its revelation. These are regarded as unknowable for both the Prophet and his people. Matters pertaining to God Himself, the angels, jinn, Paradise, and Hell may be considered to be examples in this regard. The Qur’an speaks of matters like the Attributes and deeds of God Almighty, His Essence, the features of the angels and the characteristics of Paradise and Hell. All these matters cannot be comprehended with the eye or the senses, but are rather realities conceivable only via Revelation.

In addition, we can see that the Qur’an relates certain incidents that pertain to the time of the Prophet. Such incidents were perceptible only after being mentioned in the Revelation. The following verse, which discloses some secrets of the hypocrites, is an example of this:

Among the people there is he whose conversation on (the affairs of) the present, worldly life fascinates you, and he calls on God to bear testimony to what is in his heart, yet he is most fierce in enmity. When he leaves (you) or attains authority, he rushes about the land to foment disorder and corruption therein and to ruin the sources of life and human generations. Surely God does not love disorder and corruption. (Baqara 2:204-205)

This verse is said to have been revealed about Ahnas ibn Sharik. This hypocrite was a person with whom the tribe Banu Zuhra had made an alliance. He came to the Prophet declaring that he had converted to Islam. He spoke politely to the Prophet, in a kind and affectionate manner, swearing that he had converted to Islam. But, after he had left the presence of the Prophet, he went to the farm of some Muslims and burned their harvest and destroyed their animals. Similarly, the Masjid al-Dhirar (the small mosque near Medina built by the hypocrites at that time to distract the early Muslim community; it was demolished on the order of the Prophet) is another example of this. We find the following statements in the Qur’an about these hypocrites and their mosque, which was used as a base for fifth-columnist activities:

Some among the hypocrites – who have adopted a mosque out of dissension and unbelief, in order to cause division among the believers, and use as an outpost to collaborate with him who before made war on God and His Messenger – will certainly swear: “We mean nothing but good (in building this mosque)”, whereas God bears witness that they are surely liars. Do not stand in that mosque to do the Prayer. The mosque that was founded on piety and reverence for God from the very first days (in Madinah) is worthy that you should stand in it for the Prayer. In it are men who love to be purified (of all spiritual and moral blemishes). God loves those who strive to purify themselves. (Tawba 9:107-108)

The strong warnings in the Qur’an informed the Prophet about the hypocrites’ intentions and their actions were prevented.

1. Information pertaining to the future: Many predictions concerning important future incidents are one of the miraculous aspects of the Qur’an; whatever is predicted in the Qur’an either has come true or will come true when its time is due. This means that the one who is relating the words must be the All-Knowing Supreme Being. The following samples related to this matter clearly show this:
2. The prediction that the Byzantine Romans would be victorious:

The Byzantine Romans have been defeated in the lands close-by, but they, after their defeat, will be victorious within a few (nine) years – to God belongs the command (the absolute judgment and authority) both before and after (any event) – and at the time (when the Romans are victorious), the believers will rejoice because of God’s help leading them to victory. He helps whom He wills to victory. He is the All-Glorious with irresistible might, the All-Compassionate (especially towards His believing servants). (Rum 30:1-4)

The Eastern Roman and Persian empires were the two super powers during the early years of the Revelation. The Eastern Romans were People of the Book and the Persians were fire-worshippers. In 614, the Roman lands of Jerusalem and Palestine had been occupied by the Persians and they had even come down to Alexandria and advanced as far as the capital city of Constantinople, present-day Istanbul. Due to this victory, both the Persians and the Meccan polytheists were extremely pleased. Since the Persians’ victory had been so great no one thought it possible that the Byzantine Romans could turn defeat into victory in only nine years. Now, the above verse predicted not only the victory of the Byzantine Romans over the Zoroastrian Persians in just a few years, but it also predicted that the Muslims would be victorious over the polytheists and would consequently be pleased. When the above verses were revealed, Abu Bakr told the polytheists who were pleased by the defeat of the Byzantine Romans: “God’s Messenger has informed us that God will not enlighten your days. I swear by God that within a couple of years the Byzantine Romans will certainly be victorious over the Persians.” Ubayy ibn Khalaf bet Abu Bakr ten camels that the Byzantine Romans would not be victorious within three years. When the Prophet came to know of this, he said: “The Qur’an has used the word Bidh, which applies to a number up to ten. Therefore, make the bet for ten years and increase the number of camels to a hundred.” When Abu Bakr met Ubayy ibn Khalaf once more, he asked Abu Bakr: “I presume you are unhappy with your bet.” Upon this Abu Bakr bet a hundred camels for ten years. And Ubayy accepted the deal. Finally, the Byzantine Romans became victorious over the Persians, and this was the very year when Muslims had achieved a decisive victory against the Meccan polytheists at Badr. Later, Abu Bakr demanded and received those 100 camels from the heirs of Ubayy and took them before the Prophet who ordered, “Give them away in charity.”

2. The narration that the Prophet would be guarded against his enemies: Many people, primarily the Meccan polytheists, were ferocious enemies of the Prophet after he announced his Prophethood. All of them wanted to kill him. They soon began laying traps and making plots against him. However, none of these plots, traps or attacks yielded any result, as the Prophet was under the custody of the Supreme Creator and because God had guaranteed the Prophet’s safety. The polytheists could not harm the Prophet and could not touch him with their evil intentions. The following verse explains this fact: O Messenger (you who convey and embody the Message in the best way)! Convey and make known in the clearest way all that has been sent down to you from your Lord. For, if you do not, you have not conveyed His Message and fulfilled the task of His Messengership. And God will certainly protect you from the people. God will surely not guide the disbelieving people (to attain their goal of harming or defeating you). (Maeda 5:67)

3. The narration that the Muslims would be victorious: The Qur’an declared that Muslims, even though they were very weak and few in number, particularly in the early periods, would eventually become stronger and finally become victorious over their enemies. Such Qur’anic declarations were made in a period during which the majority of the early Muslims were exposed to a number of forms of torture, while others were forced to migrate from Mecca or their property was confiscated by the polytheists. In fact, under normal circumstances to tell people who find themselves in such a position that they would soon be victorious would be nothing less than ridiculing them. But, God, with His all-encompassing Knowledge, informed the believers of the consequence and of this Qur’anic miracle that would occur in the future; events turned out exactly as written. The following verse predicts and declares the soon-to-be future state:

God has promised those of you who believe and do good, righteous deeds that He will most certainly empower them as vicegerents on the earth (in the place of those who are in power at present), even as He empowered those (of the same qualities) that preceded them, and that, assuredly, He will firmly establish for them their Religion, which He has (chosen and) approved of for them, and He will replace their present state of fear with security (so that they can practice their Religion freely and fully and in peace). They worship Me alone, associating none with Me as partners (in belief, worship, and the authority to order their life). Whoever turns ungrateful after that, such indeed are the transgressors. (Nur 24:55) 4. The narration that the Qur’an will never be challenged: As far as the issue of having something similar to itself created, as seen above, the Qur’an laid out a challenge for all times and places, openly discussing this matter in its verses. The Qur’an displays its miraculous authenticity in the following verse: Say: “Surely, if humankind and jinn were to come together to produce the like of this Qur’an, they will never be able to produce the like of it, though they backed one another up with help and support. (Isra 17:88)

5. The narration that the Prophet and the Companions will peacefully enter Mecca: Both the Prophet and his Companions who migrated to Medina never were able to forget Mecca, the city where they had been raised. But, the dangerous circumstances made them despair of returning there one day. Moreover, they were not able to even imagine being able to safely return there or to be able to circumambulate the Ka’ba to their hearts’ content. Yet, the Qur’an informed them that even under such extremely unpromising circumstances that one day they would enter Mecca in great serenity and safety. The prediction became a reality with the Treaty of Hudaybiya, which in time proved to be a manifest victory. The Prophet’s vision came true when Muslims entered Mecca and completed their minor Pilgrimage in full security: God has assuredly confirmed the vision for His Messenger as true (and will certainly fulfill it) in reality: you will certainly enter the Sacred Mosque, if God wills, in full security, with your heads shaven or your hair cut short, and you will have nothing to fear. But He always knows what you do not know, and (therefore, without allowing you to enter the Mosque this year,) granted you a near victory before this. (Fath 48:27)

6. The narration that the corpse of the Pharoah would be found: The Qur’an declares in the following statement that the body of the Pharaoh, who drowned pursuing Prophet Moses, would not be lost forever, but rather would be found later:

So this day (as a recompense for your belief in the state of despair which will be of no avail to you in the Hereafter), We will save only your body, that you may be a sign for those to come after you. Surely, a good many people among humankind are heedless of Our signs (full of clear warning and lessons). (Yunus 10:92)

This prediction is an explicit Qur’anic miracle, yet at the time of the Prophet there was no knowledge about this matter. As mentioned in the Qur’an, the body of the Pharaoh was found prostrate beside the Nile towards the end of the 19th century. The Pharaoh is now displayed in the hall of royal mummies in the Museum of Egypt.

 

Akgul, Muhittin (2009). The Quran in 99 Questions (Abdullah Erdemli Trans.). New Jersey: Tughra Books. (Originally published in Turkish as Kur’an İklimine Seyahat)