What is the Unseen (Ghayb)?
Question
Title: What is the Unseen ( Ghayb )? Question: I have a question on the following verse number 3 from Surah Al-Baqarah: In Surah AL-BAQARA chapter number 2 verse number 3, Allah(swt) states: "Those who believe in the unseen and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them. " Can you please explain this verse according to your understanding and knowledge? What does the word "Unseen" in this verse mean? Is this word refering to everything that is beyond our scope of vision(everything that is invisible to our naked eyes) or it only refers to Almighty Allah? Allah Hafiz. Answer: The verse says: الذين يومنون با الغيب The letter "ب" in Arabic (like the one before " الغيب" in the above verse) can have two main different functions in the sentence: Based on one of these functions, in this verse the letter is equivalent to "in" in English. Accordingly Ghayb here is considered the "subject" of belief. Therefore (as you quoted) the translation will be: "Those who believe IN Ghayb and ..." If the above translation is correct, it is more appropriate to interpret " Ghayb " in a general form that is everything of meta physical nature that human being cannot capture by the physical senses and are required to believe in by Islam. This will be the translation of " Ghayb " as apposed to another Qur'anic term that is " Shahadah " (13:9 ; 23:92 ; 32:6 ; 39:46 ; 59:22 ; 62:8 ; 64:18). This is also the popular view. Based on another main function of "ب" in Arabic, the letter here is equivalent to "with", "while" or "under the condition of" in English. Accordingly Ghayb here is the "state" of belief and not its Subject. Therefore the translation goes as follows: "Those who believe under the condition of Ghayb " (i.e. those who believe in God without seeing him)". Here the combination of " Bil Ghayb " has the similar meaning as in verses like 5:94 ; 21:49 ; 35:18 ; 36:11 ; 50:33 ; 67:12. This interpretation seems to fit better within the context and it is also the understanding of Moiz Amjad and Javed Ahmad Ghamidi. Both of the above interpretations can be wholly or partially supported by Ahadith . Abdullah Rahim August 16, 2005
Answer
Title: What is the Unseen ( Ghayb )? Question: I have a question on the following verse number 3 from Surah Al-Baqarah: In Surah AL-BAQARA chapter number 2 verse number 3, Allah(swt) states: "Those who believe in the unseen and keep up prayer and spend out of what We have given them. " Can you please explain this verse according to your understanding and knowledge? What does the word "Unseen" in this verse mean? Is this word refering to everything that is beyond our scope of vision(everything that is invisible to our naked eyes) or it only refers to Almighty Allah? Allah Hafiz. Answer: The verse says: الذين يومنون با الغيب The letter "ب" in Arabic (like the one before " الغيب" in the above verse) can have two main different functions in the sentence: Based on one of these functions, in this verse the letter is equivalent to "in" in English. Accordingly Ghayb here is considered the "subject" of belief. Therefore (as you quoted) the translation will be: "Those who believe IN Ghayb and ..." If the above translation is correct, it is more appropriate to interpret " Ghayb " in a general form that is everything of meta physical nature that human being cannot capture by the physical senses and are required to believe in by Islam. This will be the translation of " Ghayb " as apposed to another Qur'anic term that is " Shahadah " (13:9 ; 23:92 ; 32:6 ; 39:46 ; 59:22 ; 62:8 ; 64:18). This is also the popular view. Based on another main function of "ب" in Arabic, the letter here is equivalent to "with", "while" or "under the condition of" in English. Accordingly Ghayb here is the "state" of belief and not its Subject. Therefore the translation goes as follows: "Those who believe under the condition of Ghayb " (i.e. those who believe in God without seeing him)". Here the combination of " Bil Ghayb " has the similar meaning as in verses like 5:94 ; 21:49 ; 35:18 ; 36:11 ; 50:33 ; 67:12. This interpretation seems to fit better within the context and it is also the understanding of Moiz Amjad and Javed Ahmad Ghamidi. Both of the above interpretations can be wholly or partially supported by Ahadith . Abdullah Rahim August 16, 2005
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