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.