The Implications of Believing in God’s Absolute Knowledge
Belief in God’s absolute knowledge has several significant implications, including the following:
- The certainty that only God – may He be exalted – possesses knowledge of the unseen. As stated in the Quran: “Say, ‘None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah’”. Therefore, a believer who trusts in God’s exclusive knowledge of the unseen finds no comfort in the predictions of astrologers or diviners. This absolute knowledge is often revealed through some of His prophets, as indicated by the verse: “Except for one whom He has approved of as a messenger, and indeed, He sends before him and behind him.”
- Believers acknowledge that God – the Most High – understands the innermost thoughts and secrets of human beings. This awareness leads to self-discipline and the avoidance of sinful behavior, as nothing escapes God’s knowledge. He knows what is concealed and what is even more hidden, prompting individuals to introspect and strive to please their Creator while steering clear of sins. This is supported by the verse: “And know that Allah knows what is within yourselves, so beware of Him.”
- There is an inherent motivation to utilize one’s time and lifespan in righteous deeds while avoiding prohibited actions. Believers strive to maintain a sense of God’s constant observation and reverence, as they will be accountable for all their deeds on the Day of Judgment. This is underscored by the verse: “Indeed, the hearing, the sight, and the heart—all of those will be questioned.”
Understanding God’s Knowledge
A Muslim firmly believes that God – the Most High – is all-knowing, encompassing everything that exists in the universe. He is aware of what resides within souls and the secrets of hearts, and He desires His servants to acknowledge and have faith in this. As stated in the Quran: “Allah is He who created seven heavens and of the earth, their like. The command descends between them so that you may know that Allah has power over all things and that Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge.” The ultimate goal is for the servant to comprehend, recognize, and submit to their Lord and His attributes. God – the Most Gracious – loves those who are knowledgeable and bestows His knowledge upon whom He wills. He has graciously taught humanity what they did not know, including language, meaning, and terms, among other things essential to know their Creator, as mentioned in the verse: “He taught man that which he knew not.” One of God’s beautiful names is “Al-‘Alim,” meaning the All-Knowing, encompassing knowledge of everything within the universe.
God’s knowledge includes everything—both existent and non-existent, possible and impossible. He is aware of the lifespans, provisions, movements, behaviors, and actions of all individuals before they are created, as well as before the creation of the heavens and the earth. The verse states: “The Knower of the Unseen; not a single atom’s weight is hidden from Him in the heavens or on the earth, nor is there anything smaller or larger than that but it is in a clear Record.” He is aware of those who falsely hope for a return to this world to believe when He knows they are lying, as stated: “And if they were returned, they would return to that which they were prohibited from, and indeed, they are liars.” Furthermore, He knows the fate of children who pass away young and how they would have acted if they had lived, and by His mercy, He admits them to Paradise. When the Prophet Muhammad – peace be upon him – was asked about the children of polytheists, he responded: “Allah knows best what they would have done.” This knowledge of God – the Most High – is eternal, existing before the creation of all beings, and is recorded in the Preserved Tablet even before the creation of the heavens and the earth.
The Attribute of Perfection of God
God – the Most High – possesses all the attributes of perfection, including the attribute of knowledge. His eternal knowledge encompasses everything that has been and everything that will be, including the unseen, which no one among His creation can access except for what He chooses to disclose to some of His prophets as a means of support. The attribute of knowledge is a firmly established attribute of God – the Most High – referenced throughout numerous Quranic verses, such as: “We will surely relate to them with knowledge, and we were not absent.” and “And no female conceives or gives birth except with His knowledge.” Thus, the followers of the Sunnah and the Community assert God’s attribute of knowledge over all things and events at all times and places, in addition to His knowledge of the unseen. The Quran states: “And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is in the land and the sea, and not a leaf falls but that He knows it, nor a grain in the darknesses of the earth, nor anything moist or dry except that it is in a clear Record.” Even if all of humanity gathered to encompass God’s knowledge, they would not succeed.