Holy Rasool Knows (Episode – 03)

The definition of ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb [knowledge of unseen] and the information related to the ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb which Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has bestowed on the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  were mentioned in the light of Quranic Ayahs in the previous issues (‘Mahnamah Faizan-e-Madinah’ – Jumadal Aula and Jumadal Ukhra, 1440 Hijri). Let’s now read the information related to the ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  in the light of blessed Ahadees and enlighten our minds and hearts.

6 Sayings of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ

1 Sayyiduna Abu Musa Ash’ari رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has stated: The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  was asked such questions which were disliked. When many [questions] were asked, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  became displeased. Then, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  said to people, ‘سَلُوْنِی’ I.e. Ask me whatever you wish. A person humbly asked, ‘يَا رَسُولَ اللّٰہِ مَنْ اَبِی’ I.e. Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ , who is my father? He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  responded, ‘اَبُوكَ حُذَافَةُ’ I.e. Huzafah is your father. Then, a second person stood up and humbly asked, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ! Who is my father?’ He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  responded, ‘Saalim Maula Shaybah is your father.’ When Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq-e-A’zam رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ observed the state of Rasool’s luminous face, he رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ humbly said, ‘Ya Rasoolallah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ! We make Taubah to Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ.’ (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 1, pp. 51, Hadees 92)

2 Ameer-ul-Mu’mineen Sayyiduna ‘Umar Farooq-e-A’zam رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has stated: One day, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  was standing amongst us. He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  started telling us from the birth of creation until the Heaven dwellers reached their abodes in the Heaven and the Hell dwellers reached their abodes in the Hell. The one who remembered it, remembered it; the one who forgot it, forgot it. (Sahih Bukhari, vol. 2, pp. 375, Hadees 3192)

In the explanation of this blessed Hadees, Hakeem-ul-Ummat Mufti Ahmad Yar Khan Na’eemi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ  تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: This Wa’z [speech] of the Beloved Rasool ( صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ) was from the Fajr Salah till the Maghrib Salah. He صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  did not stop his blessed Wa’z in between for any other work except for Zuhr Salah and ‘Asr Salah. It is also a Mu’jizah of the Beloved Rasool ( صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ) to deliver information [of everything] from Ibtida [the beginning] to Intiha [the end] in a day, like Sayyiduna Dawood عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام would recite the complete blessed Zaboor while saddling a horse. It is mentioned in some narrations that in this blessed Wa’z, even the movement of the wing by a bird, the movement of a drop, and the movement of a particle were mentioned. Everything of the past and each and everything of the future were mentioned. It is a very concrete proof of Rasool’s Kulli ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb [knowledge regarding entire creation] and this Hadees is the Tafseer [explanation] of these Ayahs: ‘وَ عَلَّمَكَ مَا لَمْ تَكُنْ تَعْلَمُؕ-’ or ‘وَ یُعَلِّمُكُمْ مَّا لَمْ تَكُوْنُوْا تَعْلَمُوْنَ   ’.

Mufti Sahib has further stated: Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has told all Ghayb [unseen] to the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  and he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  remembered it. Rasoolullah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  has stated, ‘وَ تَجَلّٰى لِی كُلُّ شَیْءٍ وَعَرَفْتُ’. Then the Beloved Rasool ( صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ) told all this to Sahabah but none of them remembered all of it. This is the difference between this teaching and that teaching; some remembered more, some remembered less and some remembered nothing. In short, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ taught His Beloved everything and the Beloved Rasool ( صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ ) told everything to Sahabah in the Wa’z, like Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ taught all the names to Sayyiduna Aadam (عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام), ‘وَ عَلَّمَ اٰدَمَ الْاَسْمَآءَ كُلَّهَا’, and Sayyiduna Aadam عَلَيْهِ السَّلَام did not teach, in fact told all those names to the angels, ‘فَلَمَّاۤ اَنْۢبَاَهُمْ’; this difference should be kept in mind. (Mirat-ul-Manajih, vol. 7, pp. 563)

3 Sayyiduna Mu’aaz Bin Jabal رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  said: I saw my Rab عَزَّوَجَلَّ. He عَزَّوَجَلَّ placed His Hand of Power between my shoulders; I felt its coolness in my chest; ‘فَتَجَلّٰى لِی كُلُّ شَیْءٍ وَعَرَفْتُ’, i.e. at the same time, everything became known to me and I recognized everything. (Sunan-ut-Tirmizi, vol. 5, pp. 160, Hadees 3246)

In the explanation of the words ‘فَعَلِمْتُ مَا فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِی الْأَرْضِ’ (i.e. I have known whatever was [present] in the skies and the earth) which are mentioned in the blessed Tirmizi and other Hadees books, great scholar, Shaykh ‘Abdul Haq Muhaddis Dihlvi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ  تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: ‘کِنَایَةٌ عَنْ حُصُولِ جَمِیْعِ الْعُلُوم’ I.e. It is a Kinayah [indirect expression] of receiving all [the types of] knowledge. (Lam’aat-ut-Tanqeeh, vol. 2, pp. 478)

Dear Islamic brothers! The words ‘فَتَجَلّٰى لِی كُلُّ شَیْءٍ وَعَرَفْتُ’ and ‘فَعَلِمْتُ مَا فِی السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِی الْأَرْضِ’ present in these blessed Ahadees are clear and concrete proofs of Kulli [knowledge regarding entire creation] ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb of our Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ .

The meaning of Kulli ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb

Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has blessed our Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  with Kulli ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb. Beware of such evil thought instilled by Satan that it [i.e. having Kulli ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb] means that all the knowledge of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is also known by the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ . Refuting this evil thought instilled by Satan, A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ  تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has stated: We do not claim that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  has gained the knowledge of all that Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ knows because it is Muhaal [not at all possible] for creation. (Ad-Dawlat-ul-Makkiyyah, pp. 64)

Ghazali of his era, ‘Allamah Sayyid Ahmad Sa’eed Kaazimi رَحْمَةُ اللّٰہِ  تَعَالٰی عَلَيْه has explained this very point in the following way: Remember! When you see the word “Kul” [entire] in our speech or literature for the blessed knowledge of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ , do not consider it to be “Kul Ghayr-e-Mutanahi [غیر متناہی] (infinite)”, in fact it is “Kul [i.e. entire] creation” (which is finite)… We do not say “Kul” for the knowledge of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  comparing it with the knowledge of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ because the knowledge of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ is ‘مُحِیْطُ الْکُل’ [i.e. it encompasses everything] and infinite. (Maqalat-e-Kaazimi, vol. 2, pp. 117)

4 Sayyiduna ‘Amr Bin Akhtab Ansari رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has narrated: One day, Rasoolullah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  delivered Khutbah from the Fajr Salah till the sunset; he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  did nothing [else] in between except for [offering] the Salahs of Zuhr and ‘Asr. Sayyiduna ‘Amr Bin Akhtab رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ  has stated: ‘فَأَخْبَرَنَا بِمَا كَانَ وَبِمَا هُوَ كَائِنٌ’ I.e. Whatever had happened and whatever was going to happen till the Day of Judgement was all told by the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ . The one who remembered more is more knowledgeable amongst us. (Sahih Muslim, pp. 1184, Hadees 2892)

5 Sayyiduna ‘Abdullah Bin Mas’ood رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has stated: While returning after the Treaty of Hudaybiyah, at one place, the camels of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  and the blessed Sahabah رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ م dispersed. All of them brought their camels back but the female camel of the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was not found. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  said to me, ‘Bring the female camel from there [i.e. such and such a place].’ So I found the female camel in the same state as the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  had told me. (Al-Mu’jam-ul-Kabeer, vol. 10, pp. 225, Hadees 10548; abridged)

6 Sayyiduna Anas Bin Maalik رَضِیَ اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَنْہُ has stated: On the occasion of Ghazwah Badr, the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  said, ‘This is the place of death of so-and-so Kafir [unbeliever].’ (Rasoolullah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  would say like this) and would place his hand on the ground at different places. Then, no Kafir died at a place even slightly different from the one which Rasoolullah صَلَّى اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰى عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم had told.
(Sahih Muslim, pp. 759, Hadees 4621) It is proved from this Hadees that the Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  also knew who would die when and where.

Please read the information related to the ‘Ilm-e-Ghayb of Rasoolullah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ  in the light of the sayings of the blessed ‘Ulama, Awliya and Muhaddiseen in the issue of the next month.