قُلِ اللَّهُ أَعلَمُ بِما لَبِثوا ۖ لَهُ غَيبُ السَّماواتِ وَالأَرضِ ۖ أَبصِر بِهِ وَأَسمِع ۚ ما لَهُم مِن دونِهِ مِن وَلِيٍّ وَلا يُشرِكُ في حُكمِهِ أَحَدًا
Say: ‘Allah knows best how long they remained. To Him belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth. How well does He see! How well does He hear! They have no guardian besides Him, and none shares with Him in His judgement.’
EXEGESIS
Ghayb (unseen) means that which cannot be perceived or known. As such, nothing is hidden from God because there is nothing that He does not perceive or know. He is the Knower of the sensible and the unseen (ghayb) (6:73). He knows both those things which people can know and perceive, and those they cannot.
Abṣir bi-hi wa asmiʿ (how well does he see, how well does he hear) is a statement of wonder that means mā abṣarahu wa mā asmaʿuhu; it is meant to impart that there is no one who can see or hear better than God, and nothing is hidden from Him. The statement of wonder also conveys that what God sees and hears is beyond the capacity of what people can perceive.
It has also been suggested that it is an imperative statement that means abṣirhum wa asmiʿhum, (make them see and make them hear [the signs of God]). That is make them see the truth and listen to what God has revealed about the issue.
Walī (guardian) has many meanings, depending on the context. Here it is referring to the authority that God has over creation, guiding and commanding them and deciding their affairs, like the guardian of a child.
EXPOSITION
This verse continues from the previous and is establishing why the number of years mentioned in that verse is the correct amount.
Say: the address is to the Prophet, that he should reply to those who might argue with him about the duration the People of the Cave slept.
Allah knows best how long they remained: the tone and manner of this statement implies that there was some disagreement amongst people as to how long the People of the Cave slept, and God is commanding that His word should be taken as the authority on the matter.
As we saw in the commentary of the previous passages, the Quranic account of the story, its details, and even the disagreements that people had about it, is a decisive reply to the questions posed by people to the Prophet and clear proof of his prophethood, as he could not have known these things of his own accord. At the same time the Quranic account removes the Christian elements from the story and instead approaches it in a more universal manner, highlighting the important lessons that can be derived from the story.
To Him belongs the unseen (ghayb) of the heavens and the earth: the reason why God knows best how long they remained in the cave is that He is aware of everything. Often in the Quran God speaks of knowing the unseen: Knower of the unseen (72:26), Indeed Allah knows the unseen of the heavens and the earth (49:18). In this verse however He speaks of ownership of the unseen (To Him belongs).
Ownership of the unseen is meant to convey His intimate and close knowledge; the owner of something is best aware of the minutiae of that thing, and God is the owner of all, even the things of which we have no awareness.
The expression of ownership is also perhaps used to impart that the nature of His knowledge is different to ours. It is not limited in scope or depth, To Allah belongs the unseen of the heavens and the earth. The matter of the hour is just like the twinkling of an eye, or [even] swifter (16:77). Matters hidden and unseen to people, veiled by the passing of centuries or obscured in the far future, are not so for God. While people may debate about how many centuries passed while the People of the Cave slept and about the details of their story, the truth is that they are taking a shot at the invisible (ghayb) (verse 22). For God it does not matter if it was centuries ago or if it has not happened yet, for these constraints do not apply to Him and have no meaning as He is not bound by time or place. This is all closely linked to the main theme. Only the one who knows fully the unseen can give the ‘true account’ of the details of an event, and only He fully understands their true purpose and final outcome.
There may also be a deeper and subtler way of understanding this statement. What we see and experience in this world is rooted in a higher realm from which it emanates. It is as if this visible world is a dim reflection of that higher reality which is invisible. Thus, the unseen of the heavens and the earth may refer to that higher realm. Anyone having access to that realm could have access to the knowledge of all that is and happens in this world, let alone the one who owns that reality. That is why Tabatabai understands the pronouncement more literally, saying the ownership of the unseen here does not refer to knowledge at all, but actual ownership. In this sense this statement declares that God owns everything, both the seen reality of this world and its unseen reality, which is a preamble to the former.
How well does He see! How well does He hear!: the sight and hearing of God cannot be compared to human perception. He does not possess a physical form or organs. For Him, big or small, far or near, opaque or clear, hidden or exposed, past, present or future, all are equal, and nothing is hidden from His gaze.
They have no guardian besides Him: Him is referring to God. They might be referring to the dwellers of the heavens and the earth. It has also been suggested that They is referring to the People of the Cave, and it means that it was none other than God who was a watcher over them and kept them alive for all those years. Alternatively, it could be a warning to those who denied the revelation received by the Prophet and argued with him about the version of events he had related regarding the People of the Cave. God is warning them that they have no one to manage their affairs but Him, so how can they claim they know more than Him?
And none shares with Him in His judgement: the previous statement intended to negate the possibility of any guardian for people independent of God, while this statement negates that anyone should share in guardianship (wilāyah) with Him. Or it could be that guardianship and judgement are meant as two separate things, like the ruler who appoints judges to judge on his behalf. In this case God is proclaiming that no one shares in either role and He is both absolute sovereign and judge over all. This latter understanding seems more appropriate.
This also acts as a proof of God being best aware of what happened to the People of the Cave, as how could He be the sole judge over them if He is not aware of what happened to them?
INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS
- Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways!
- In whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge.
- And no creature is hidden from his sight, but all are naked and exposed to the eyes of him to whom we must give account.
[1] Tibyan, 7/32.
[2] Tabrisi, 6/715.
[3] Baydawi, 3/278-279.
[4] Qurtubi, 10/388.
[5] Tabrisi, 6/715.
[6] Mizan, 13/276.
[7] Mizan, 13/276-277.
[8] Alusi, 8/241.
[9] Zamakhshari, 2/716; Baydawi, 3/279.
[10] Razi, 31/453; Qurtubi, 10/388.
[11] Qurtubi, 10/388.
[12] Mizan, 13/277; Nemuneh, 12/393.
[13] Mizan, 13/277.
[14] Mizan, 13/277-278.
[15] Romans 11:33.
[16] Colossians 2:3.
[17] Hebrews 4:13.