LESSON 8: “The Messenger did not know the future”
Some people cling to the alleged role of the Prophet (SAW) as a foreteller of future events beyond the Qur’an. They do this to justify ahadith, but firstly it does not affect any argument about the Qur’an being enough, and secondly it represents a glaring contradiction to Islam:
“On the day when Allah will assemble the messengers, then say: What answer were you given? They shall say: We have no knowledge, surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things.”
5:109
(Essentially he did not know what people would do once he passed. We can rule out prophecies of conquests (for example).)
“Say: I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?”
6:50
(Revelation was only the Qur’an (2:23, 2:63, 2:91, 2:176, 6:19, 6:114-115, 6:157, 7:144-147, 7:169-171, 12:111, 17:9, 17:88, 18:27, 20:123-124, 21:27, 21:45, 22:16, 22:54, 23:73, 28:56, 39:23, 45:6 etc.).)
“They ask you about the hour, when will be its taking place? Say: The knowledge of it is only with my Lord; none but He shall manifest it at its time; it will be momentous in the heavens and the earth; it will not come on you but of a sudden. They ask you as if you were solicitous about it. Say: Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know. Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah please; and had I known the unseen I would have had much of good and no evil would have touched me; I am nothing but a warner and the giver of good news to a people who believe.”
7:187-188
(The Day of Judgement is sudden, and therefore there can be no “warning signs”. Quite clearly he did not know the future, and he could not guide himself past following the Revelation. How then could we expect him to guide us?)
“On the day when Allah will assemble the messengers, then say: What answer were you given? They shall say: We have no knowledge, surely Thou art the great Knower of the unseen things.”
5:109
(Essentially he did not know what people would do once he passed. We can rule out prophecies of conquests (for example).)
“Say: I do not say to you, I have with me the treasures of Allah, nor do I know the unseen, nor do I say to you that I am an angel; I do not follow aught save that which is revealed to me. Say: Are the blind and the seeing one alike? Do you not then reflect?”
6:50
(Revelation was only the Qur’an (2:23, 2:63, 2:91, 2:176, 6:19, 6:114-115, 6:157, 7:144-147, 7:169-171, 12:111, 17:9, 17:88, 18:27, 20:123-124, 21:27, 21:45, 22:16, 22:54, 23:73, 28:56, 39:23, 45:6 etc.).)
“They ask you about the hour, when will be its taking place? Say: The knowledge of it is only with my Lord; none but He shall manifest it at its time; it will be momentous in the heavens and the earth; it will not come on you but of a sudden. They ask you as if you were solicitous about it. Say: Its knowledge is only with Allah, but most people do not know. Say: I do not control any benefit or harm for my own soul except as Allah please; and had I known the unseen I would have had much of good and no evil would have touched me; I am nothing but a warner and the giver of good news to a people who believe.”
7:187-188
(The Day of Judgement is sudden, and therefore there can be no “warning signs”. Quite clearly he did not know the future, and he could not guide himself past following the Revelation. How then could we expect him to guide us?)
“Say: I am only a mortal like you; it is revealed to me that your god is one Allah, therefore whoever hopes to meet his Lord, he should do good deeds, and not join any one in the service of his Lord.”
18:110
(If Prophet Muhammad is only a mortal like everyone else, then like everyone else he cannot tell the future.)
“Men ask you about the hour; say: The knowledge of it is only with Allah, and what will make you comprehend that the hour may be nigh.”
33:63
(i.e. Muhammad (SAW) did not actually know the signs of the End Times.)
“Say: I am not the first of the messengers, and I do not know what will be done with me or with you: I do not follow anything but that which is revealed to me, and I am nothing but a plain warner.”
46:9
(Muhammad (SAW) had no mission past delivering the Qur’an. He did not bring any other Revelation, and nor was he an explainer. This ayah rules out any ahadith describing “intercession” (and there is quite a number!). Any hadith where the plight of Messengers or people is described should henceforth be discarded, especially those describing Muslim conquests.)
“Men ask you about the hour; say: The knowledge of it is only with Allah, and what will make you comprehend that the hour may be nigh.”
33:63
(i.e. Muhammad (SAW) did not actually know the signs of the End Times.)
“Say: I am not the first of the messengers, and I do not know what will be done with me or with you: I do not follow anything but that which is revealed to me, and I am nothing but a plain warner.”
46:9
(Muhammad (SAW) had no mission past delivering the Qur’an. He did not bring any other Revelation, and nor was he an explainer. This ayah rules out any ahadith describing “intercession” (and there is quite a number!). Any hadith where the plight of Messengers or people is described should henceforth be discarded, especially those describing Muslim conquests.)
“Do they then wait for aught but the hour that it should come to them all of a sudden? Now indeed the tokens of it have (already) come, but how shall they have their reminder when it comes on them?”
47:18
(The signs of the End Times had already occurred. 47:10 provides an idea of this:
“Have they not then journeyed in the land and seen how was the end of those before them: Allah brought down destruction upon them, and the unbelievers shall have the like of it.”
47:10.)
47:18
(The signs of the End Times had already occurred. 47:10 provides an idea of this:
“Have they not then journeyed in the land and seen how was the end of those before them: Allah brought down destruction upon them, and the unbelievers shall have the like of it.”
47:10.)
“The Knower of the unseen! so He does not reveal His secrets to any, except to him whom He chooses and who is a messenger. Then surely He makes a guard to march before him and after him, so that He may know that they have truly proclaimed the messages of their Lord, and He encompasses what is with them and He records the number of all things.”
72:26-28
(These ayat clarify that the only part of the unseen that is revealed is the Message.)
Let us look at the purpose of the “Night Journey”:
“And nothing could have hindered Us that We should send signs except that the ancients rejected them; and We gave to Samood the she-camel-- a manifest sign-- but on her account they did injustice, and We do not send signs but to make (men) fear. And when We said to you: Surely your Lord encompasses men; and We did not make the vision which We showed you but a trial for men and the cursed tree in the Quran as well; and We cause them to fear, but it only adds to their great inordinacy.”
17:59-60
“And He revealed to His servant what He revealed. The heart was not untrue in (making him see) what he saw. What! do you then dispute with him as to what he saw? And certainly he saw him (perhaps Gabriel) in another descent, at the farthest lote-tree; near which is the garden, the place to be resorted to. When that which covers covered the lote-tree; the eye did not turn aside, nor did it exceed the limit. Certainly he saw of the greatest signs of his Lord.”
53:10-18
Muhammad (SAW) received a major sign (additional but complimentary to the Message) just as previous Messengers did. He may have received more Qur’anic ayat (signs) whilst on this journey, but it is clear that the purpose here was to see Paradise (although barely visible). This is the trial for us: to see whether we care or believe.
To say he received knowledge of the future is contradictory to the prior ayat listed, and innovates on the purpose of these signs.
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