This treatise expounds and interprets verse 59 of Surah Al-Imran from the Holy Qur'an, a verse that, according to religious scholars, is among the deepest and most profound divine verses. It unveils the vastness of God's infinite knowledge and the mysteries concealed within the keys to the unseen. This verse, which holds a special place in supplications such as the Ghafila prayer, opens a window towards recognising divine grandeur and the limitations of human perception. In this work, through a mystical and philosophical lens, the concepts embedded in this verse are examined with meticulous scrutiny. Employing eloquent Persian, an endeavour has been made to convey its spirit and message to the reader in a clear and meaningful manner. The present text, structured with coherence and profound semantic connections, invites the reader to reflect upon divine knowledge, the secrets of the unseen, and humanitys position vis--vis creation.
وَعِنْدَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لَا يَعْلَمُهَا إِلَّا هُوَ ۚ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ ۚ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِنْ وَرَقَةٍ إِلَّا يَعْلَمُهَا وَلَا حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الْأَرْضِ وَلَا رَطْبٍ وَلَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِي كِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ
And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them but He. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it, nor a grain in darknesses of the earth, nor anything moist or dry but that it is in a clear book.
This verse, expressed in a magnificent style, speaks of the infinite knowledge of God and places the keys to the unseen solely in His possession. Subsequently, in a structured and numbered manner, the concepts of this verse and its semantic connections with other Qur'anic verses are elucidated.
Verse 59 of Surah Al-Imran, due to its spiritual and epistemological profundity, has been introduced by religious scholars as one of the weightiest verses of the Holy Qur'an. This verse, recited in supplications such as the Ghafila prayer, opens a window towards understanding monotheism and divine knowledge. The presence of this verse in devotional practices indicates its elevated position in the mystical journey, as though its recitation elevates the soul towards the celestial realm of cognition.
The verse begins with the phrase And with Him (وَعِنْدَهُ), implicitly linking to the command Say (قُل) in preceding verses. This connection obliges the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) to convey the reality of divine knowledge and the exclusivity of the keys to the unseen to the community. This address, like a radiant torch, illuminates the Prophets mission in guiding creation towards monotheism.
The keys of the unseen (مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ) refer to the hidden mysteries known solely to God. These keys, like gateways to unseen realms, lie under divine dominion and none but He has cognizance of them. This concept is linked to another Qur'anic verse: Say, none in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah (An-Naml: 65), which attributes the exclusivity of unseen knowledge to God.
The narrator, through a novel metaphor, likens locking the unseen to securing a chest for protecting a treasure. God, like a wise guardian, preserves the secrets of the unseen from rebellious creatures to prevent their misuse. This divine caution is akin to a mirror that calls upon humans to safeguard their own possessions.
Although the unseen is singular, its keys are innumerable, as if each key opens a door to a portion of divine secrets. This multiplicity demonstrates the breadth and diversity of the mysteries of the unseen, as indicated in the verse And to Allah belong the treasures of the heavens and the earth (Al-Munafiqun: 7), referring to Gods boundless treasures.
The narrator points out that God has created beings aware of the secrets of the unseen, yet even the Noble Prophet (peace be upon him) is unaware of them. This indicates the varying levels of knowledge within creation, as highlighted in the verse And your Lord is most knowing of whoever is in the heavens and the earth (Al-Isra: 55), which refers to distinctions among creatures.
The unseen is not merely divine knowledge but an external reality created by God for certain beings. This reality, like an invisible realm, is affirmed in the verse And indeed We have created above you seven paths (Al-Muminun: 17), alluding to the unseen realms.
The narrator refers to thirty-five occult sciences such as magic, sorcery, geomancy, and astronomy, which have been recorded in written texts but are dangerous and may lead to destruction. These sciences, like hidden fire, necessitate caution, as warned in the verse And they followed what the devils recited during the reign of Solomon (Al-Baqarah: 102), alerting to the perils of satanic knowledge.
The narrator, like a compassionate father, protects his disciples from dangerous occult sciences, as if preventing them from falling into the abyss of destruction. This protection is linked to the verse And fear Allah; Allah teaches you (Al-Baqarah: 282), which regards piety as a precondition for knowledge.
The narrator, by metaphorically describing the difficulty of filling a well and the accumulation of water on a rooftop, refers to human incapacity in resolving problems. This limitation, like a shadow upon human reason, is reflected in the verse And you have not been given of knowledge except a little (Al-Isra: 85).
The narrator fears the collapse of the rooftop due to water, not from God but from the judgement of others. This fear, like a chain on a persons feet, is reprimanded in the verse And they feared the people as they fear Allah (Al-Maidah: 44).
Using a blanket to absorb water is futile, as though human intellect in facing problems is like a straw in a storm. This incapacity is mirrored in the verse And when adversity touches man, he calls upon his Lord (Az-Zumar: 8), which recognises humanitys dependence on God.
The narrator claims to have spent three years within the darkness of the earths deep layers, witnessing strange creatures not mentioned in traditions. This experience, like a journey to the unseen depths, connects with the verse And in the earth are signs for the certain [in faith] (Adh-Dhariyat: 20), which considers the earth full of signs.
No leaf falls without Gods knowledge (Not a leaf falls but that He knows it). This knowledge, like a light piercing through darkness, is affirmed in the verse And with Him is knowledge of the Hour (Az-Zukhruf: 85).
The narrator criticises the views of some philosophers, such as Ibn Sina, who consider Gods knowledge as general. He insists that divine knowledge encompasses the minutest particulars. This critique aligns with religious scholars criticisms of philosophy, as found in works like Tahafut al-Falasifah.
Leaf (وَرَقَةٍ) not only denotes a tree leaf but also any form of paper, such as money in the story of the Companions of the Cave. This inclusiveness is confirmed in the verse And everything We have enumerated in a clear register (Yasin: 12).
No seed in the darkness of the earth escapes Gods knowledge (nor a grain in darknesses of the earth). This knowledge, like a clear spring, is reflected in the verse He knows the treachery of the eyes (Ghafir: 19).
Nothing moist or dry exists except that it is recorded in a clear book (nor anything moist or dry but that it is in a clear book). This recording is affirmed in the verse And there is no absent [thing] from the heaven and the earth but it is in a clear book (An-Naml: 75).
The Clear Book is existence itself, as Imam Ali (peace be upon him) stated: I am the Clear Book (attributed in Nahj al-Balagha). This hadith considers the Perfect Man as a mirror of divine knowledge, yet humanity does not turn towards it.
The narrator, through the metaphor of a camels rein, points to reliance (tawakkul), indicating that God knows everything and humans must trust Him. This reliance is reflected in the verse And whoever relies upon Allah then He is sufficient for him (At-Talaq: 3).
Repeated recitation of this verse, even without the Ghafila prayer, serves as a divine remembrance that brings a person closer to monotheism. This recommendation is confirmed in the verse And remember your Lord within yourself (Al-Araf: 205).
All humans are eligible for prophethood, but God has chosen some. This eligibility is reflected in the verse And We have certainly sent a messenger to every nation (An-Nahl: 36).
