Prophets’ Knowledge of Unseen
We read in Verses 26-27 of Surah Al-Jinn: “He is the Knower of the unseen and does not disclose His Unseen to anyone, except only to a Messenger that He has chosen, and He sends guardians before him and behind him.”
This is while in Verse 59 of Surah Al-An’am, God says: “With Him are the keys of the unseen, none knows them but He. He knows that which is in the land and sea. No leaf falls except He knows it, and there is no grain in the darkness of the earth, fresh or withered, but is recorded in a clear Book.”
So if such verses consider the knowledge of the unseen to be only with God, how can one prove that prophets or Imams (AS) also have it?
The answer is that the knowledge of the unseen is basically for God and if the prophets and Imams (AS) have it, too, God has given it to them. They do not have it on their own.
In one secret event, when one of the Holy Prophet’s (PBUH) wife asked him how he knew of it, he answered: “The All-aware and All-knowing one has told me.”
Therefore, first of all, verses and Hadiths that say no one but God has the knowledge of the unseen do not contradict those that say the Prophet (PBUH) has the knowledge of the unseen.
Second, the knowledge of the unseen is of two kinds: one that is only for God and no one else will posses. But there are some issues that belong to the realm of the unseen but God gives knowledge about them to His Awliya (saints).
Third, the prophets and Imams (AS) do not have the knowledge of the unseen without referring to the knowledge of God. They will know when they refer to the knowledge of God. Like when I refer to the phone book to get somebody’s phone number. Without referring to the phone book we would not know it.
Fourth, prophets know (the knowledge of the unseen) in some cases and not in other cases. Sometimes having the knowledge of the unseen is not an asset. For example, in Laylat al-Mabit when Imam Ali (AS) slept in the bed of the Prophet (PBUH) so that the polytheists could not kill him, it would not have been a valuable act if he had known in advance that no danger would threaten his life.
Fifth, they sometimes know and sometimes don’t. God sometimes turns on the light for them and they can see and sometimes He does not turn the light on and they cannot see.
Another question is whether Imams (AS) have the knowledge of the unseen as well.
The answer is that according to Verses 26-27 of Surah Al-Jinn, God says He does not give the knowledge of the unseen to any except one whom He is pleased with and then refers to the prophet as an example.
Another question that may be raised is that if the prophet and Imams (AS) have the knowledge of the unseen, why did they not resolve their problems, for example why they didn’t prevent the death of their relatives?
One who is given a government car should not use it for personal purposes. Or police officers are given weapons to use in their fight against crimes. They cannot use the weapons for other purposes.
That is the same with prophets and Imams. God has given them three assets: 1- Miracle 2- knowledge of the unseen and 3- Mustajab prayer (their prayers will be answered by God). But they do not use them for personal purposes. Imam Hussein (AS) and his family and companions were thirsty in Karbala, but he did not pray for quenching the thirst.
If prophets and Imams used these powers for resolving their own problems, how could they be role models for others?
They are only allowed to use them to invite people to God and not for personal issues.
