of Nokounam, (Session 130)
The Noble Quran, like a radiant lamp, serves as humanitys guide across all epochs, and the second verse of Surah Al-Baqarah, ذَٰلِكَ الْكِتَابُ لَا رَيْبَ ۛ فِيهِ ۛ هُدًى لِلْمُتَّقِينَ الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ الصَّلَاةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ
(This is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for the righteous; who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them), as one of the fundamental verses, elucidates the characteristics of the pious and the concept of the unseen. The notion of the unseen, akin to a revealing key, opens a window towards the hidden realities of existence and necessitates a profound analysis from philosophical, theological, and linguistic perspectives. This work, employing a scientific and systematic approach, interprets this verse with a focus on the concept of the unseen, explicating all its dimensions in an exalted language befitting academic audiences.
Analysis and Elucidation
The concept of the unseen in the phrase الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ
(those who believe in the unseen) is like a shadow contrasted with the light of perception. The unseen is a relative attribute, defined in relation to creation, referring to hidden aspects of realities beyond the reach of human sensory perception. This concealment does not signify non-existence but rather the limitations of human cognition. In contrast to perception, which concerns tangible and observable phenomena, the unseen pertains to the inner nature of entities and truths concealed from human sight.
This definition distinguishes the unseen from imaginary or illusory matters. The unseen, like the essence of a gem, exists in itself but is accessible only through epistemic means and faith. This perspective situates the unseen within the ontology of the Quran, presenting it as an integral part of existing realities.
Analysis and Elucidation
The unseen has no meaning in the presence of Divine absolute knowledge, for God, like an infinite ocean, encompasses all realities and beings. The verse أَنِّي أَعْلَمُ غَيْبَ السَّمَاوَاتِ وَالْأَرْضِ
(Al-Baqarah: 33; I know the unseen of the heavens and the earth) indicates that the unseen, in its essence, is witnessed by God. The unseen only acquires meaning within the domain of creation and refers to matters beyond the knowledge of all.
This distinction, like a clear line between Divine absolute knowledge and limited human knowledge, emphasises the comprehensiveness of Divine knowledge and the relativity of the unseen within the realm of creation. God is the Knower of the unseen and the witnessed; no reality is concealed from His knowledge.
Analysis and Elucidation
Philosophically, the unseen is akin to a bridge between the mind and reality, defined as a secondary intelligible. A secondary intelligible is a predicate whose presentation occurs in the mind, yet whose attribution is realised externally. For example, in the proposition Zaid is standing, Zaid is the primary intelligible (the mental subject) and standing is the secondary intelligible (the predicate with external attribution). The unseen, as an attribute, is relative and belongs to an existing real entity.
This definition places the unseen within the framework of Islamic philosophy, distinguishing it from purely mental or imaginary concepts. The unseen, like attributes such as knowledge or standing, is externally connected to the essence of an existent, yet its perception within the mind of creation is relative.
Analysis and Elucidation
The unseen, like a pervasive garment, applies to all beings and accompanies the entirety of existence. In the verse الَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِالْغَيْبِ
, belief in the unseen includes faith in revelation, heavenly scriptures, and transcendent truths, all encompassed by the attribute of the unseen. This concept encompasses not only metaphysical matters such as angels and the hereafter but also hidden aspects of material affairs such as the inner reality of the heavens and the earth.
This viewpoint presents the unseen as an all-encompassing concept that contains all hidden truths, and belief therein signifies the comprehensiveness of the faith of the pious.
Analysis and Elucidation
The Noble Quran, like a clear mirror, contrasts the unseen with perception, defining it as the inner nature of entities and the hidden aspects of realities. The verse عَالِمُ الْغَيْبِ وَالشَّهَادَةِ
(Al-Anam: 73; Knower of the unseen and the witnessed) clearly demonstrates this contrast. Perception belongs to the domain of sensory cognition, while the unseen pertains to rational or faith-based cognition.
This opposition, like two wings of knowledge, enables access to hidden truths through faith and revelation, emphasising the comprehensiveness of Divine knowledge.
Analysis and Elucidation
The Noble Quran, like an inexhaustible treasure, is the best source for an accurate understanding of the term and concept of the unseen. This book, by presenting numerous examples and concepts, defines the unseen comprehensively and reduces the need for other lexical sources in Quranic studies. The word ghayb appears approximately 59 times (48 times with the definite article), providing a coherent framework for comprehending this concept.
This self-sufficiency, like a clear spring, frees researchers from dispersing among extraneous non-Quranic sources and underscores the necessity of intimate engagement with the Quran to apprehend realities.
Analysis and Elucidation
The unseen, like the inner essence of a gem, refers to the hidden aspects of entities, including the inner nature of the heavens and the earth. The verse ذَلِكَ أَنْبَاءُ الْغَيْبِ
(Hud: 49; That is the news of the unseen) refers to the concealed news and truths revealed to the prophets, which are hidden from the view of creation but present and manifest in Divine knowledge.
This definition introduces the unseen as the inner essence of existence, clearly elucidated in numerous verses, such as the unseen news given to the prophets.
Analysis and Elucidation
The unseen, like a treasure in the Divine treasury, belongs to the knowledge of God, and hidden matters from creation are manifest in His knowledge. The verse وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ
(Al-Anam: 59; And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him) emphasises this truth. The keys of the unseen are the means to access hidden realities that lie solely within Gods knowledge.
This concept, like a key in hand, invites humanity to strive to reach the hidden realities through knowledge and intimate connection with the Quran.
Analysis and Elucidation
The unseen, in the realm of human behaviour, is like a sacred sanctuary referring to matters concealed from the eyes of others. The verse وَالْصَّالِحَاتُ قَانِتَاتٌ حَافِظَاتٌ لِلْغَيْبِ
(An-Nisa: 34; Righteous women are devoutly obedient and guard what is unseen) demonstrates that righteous women preserve sanctity and hidden affairs in the absence of their husbands.
Analysis and Elucidation
All beings, particularly human beings, akin to a garden filled with diverse flowers, possess a form of relative infallibility that manifests in relation to the ghayb (matters hidden from others). Absolute infallibility, comparable to a unique flower, is exclusive to the Prophets and the Immaculate Imams who are completely immune to error in the presence of the Truth.
This perspective introduces infallibility as a pervasive attribute that is manifested in varying degrees across beings and reaches its perfection in the infallibles.
Analysis and Elucidation
Ghayb, like a light shining upon beings, pertains to existent and real matters, whereas non-existence lies outside the realm of ghayb. This emphasis, like a clear line, distinguishes the Quranic worldview from non-reality-centred philosophies.
This perspective differentiates the Holy Quran from philosophies such as the Platonic that focus on the world of ideals and unreal concepts, underscoring the reality-centred nature of ghayb.
Analysis and Elucidation
The keys to the ghayb, like golden keys, are the paths to access hidden truths that belong to God, but humans can approach them through struggle and knowledge. These keys reside in the hearts of the saints, Prophets, and sincere believers.
This concept acts as a divine invitation, calling humans to inquiry and endeavour in uncovering unseen truths through the Holy Quran.
Analysis and Elucidation
The verse Indeed, you warn only those who fear their Lord unseen (Fir 35:18), like a heavenly melody, links reverence in the unseen to fear of God in privacy and concealment.
This instance connects ghayb to the domain of worship and personal relationship with God, emphasising the importance of piety and sincerity in privacy.
Analysis and Elucidation
Ghayb al-Ghuyb, like an unattainable summit, refers to the Divine Essence that is the inner reality of all hidden matters and upon which no name can be conceived. This level transcends divine determinations and names and is described in Islamic mysticism as the level of unity or indefiniteness.
This concept, like an infinite door, invites the Divine saints to strip away determinations and draw nearer to the Divine Essence, a process requiring profound mystical struggle.
Analysis and Elucidation
The Divine saints, like birds soaring in the sky of knowledge, first perceive the inner reality of objects and then comprehend their outward appearance, in contrast to ordinary humans who perceive the outward before the inner. This perception is like a light shining from the inside to the outside, a result of attaining the stages of the ghayb.
This difference, like a view from the rooftop instead of the doorstep, enables the saints to see the entirety and comprehensiveness of things, distinguishing their knowledge from that of others.
Analysis and Elucidation
Intimacy with the Holy Quran, like a clear river, is a path to accessing hidden truths. Study, contemplation, and emotional connection with the Quran, like a wise teacher, imprint the truths within the human heart.
This viewpoint presents the Quran as more than a written text, portraying it as a living teacher that instructs humans in the paths to the ghayb.
Analysis and Elucidation
Mere memorisation of the Quran, like hoarding a treasure without utilisation, cannot fulfil the cognitive and practical needs of society. Understanding and insight into the Quran, like keys to open the doors of knowledge, must take precedence.
This critique underscores the necessity of moving from the outward to the inward in Quranic engagement and directs religious knowledge towards applicability and responsiveness to contemporary needs.
Analysis and Elucidation
The Holy Quran, like a book from the future, is a scientific and modern source that speaks of realities and truths devoid of any illusion or fantasy. This book, like a comprehensive map, offers a reality-centred worldview free from non-existence.
This perspective presents the Quran as a timeless book, exempt from philosophical ambiguity by virtue of logic and reality-centredness, capable of guiding all scientific and social domains.
The interpretation of the verse That is the Book about which there is no doubt, a guidance for the righteous; Who believe in the unseen and establish prayer and spend out of what We have provided for them serves as a window to knowledge, elucidating the concept of ghayb as one of the most profound Quranic discussions. Ghayb, like the inner reality of a jewel, is a relative attribute that points to hidden aspects of existence and, in opposition to testimony, indicates the limitations of human perception. The Holy Quran, by presenting numerous instances, introduces ghayb as an existent reality accessible through revelation, struggle, and intimacy with the self. The Divine saints, by perceiving the inner reality of things, attain high stages of unseen knowledge, whereas the ordinary human requires Quranic contemplation and insight. The critique of mere Quranic memorisation calls for re-evaluation of educational approaches and stresses understanding and practical application of the Quran. The Quran, as a scientific and modern book with a reality-centred worldview, is a comprehensive guide to accessing unseen truths and addressing contemporary issues.
