Knowledge of the unseen in Islam

Walekumussalam,

To understand this issue, it is important to remember that “knowledge of the unseen” is of two types. The first type is the unseen knowledge that is absolute, complete, and independent, and this belongs only to Allah . Allah knows every hidden thing  past, present, and future without being informed by anyone. This is what is meant in Surah Al-Jinn (26–27), where Allah says that He alone is the Knower of the unseen and that He does not disclose His unseen to anyone except a Messenger whom He chooses. In other words, true, complete, and independent knowledge of the unseen is a unique attribute of Allah alone, and no one shares in it.

The second type is when Allah informs some of His servants about certain unseen matters. This does not mean that they possess independent knowledge of the unseen; rather, it is knowledge granted to them by Allah. That is why the mother of Musa (AS) was inspired by Allah to place her child in the river, with the promise that He would return him to her. Likewise, Maryam (AS) was given the glad tidings of the birth of Isa (AS) through the angels. All of this was information given by Allah, not personal or independent knowledge of the unseen possessed by them.

The scholars have also explained that the Prophets receive knowledge of unseen matters through divine revelation (wahy), while righteous non-prophets may sometimes receive certain information through inspiration (ilham), truthful dreams, or through angels. Therefore, there is no contradiction between the verses of Surah Al-Jinn and the incidents concerning the mother of Musa (AS) or Maryam (AS), because the true and complete knowledge of the unseen belongs only to Allah, and whatever others know is only what Allah chooses to inform them of.