أَعِندَهُ عِلمُ الغَيبِ فَهُوَ يَرىٰ

Does he have the knowledge of the unseen so that he sees?

EXPOSITION

Referring to the person previously described, God questions on what basis does he feel so confident in his hereafter. Does he have access to the hidden knowledge of God so that he sees his future, and because of that he feels sure of his status in the hereafter? Truly, no one can promise themselves paradise in the hereafter: Say: ‘I am not a novelty among the apostles, nor do I know what will be done with me, or with you. I just follow whatever is revealed to me’ (46:9).

This is similar to the attitude of the wealthy owner of the two gardens described in Sūrat al-Kahf: He entered his garden while he wronged himself. He said: ‘I do not think that this will ever perish, and I do not think that the hour will ever set in. And even if I am returned to my Lord I will surely find a resort better than this’ (18:35-36). The overconfidence and hubris of such people seeps into their views of God and the hereafter. What little faith he may have is often tainted with doubt and beset by pride. He thinks his worldly gains are solely due to his own superior intelligence and hard work. This has made him think he must certainly also be God’s favoured in the hereafter and can succeed there as well, if any hereafter even exists.

This verse is in contrast to verse 30, That is the ultimate reach of their knowledge, which explained that their knowledge does not extend to the affairs of the hereafter.^{‎[1]Razi, 29/273.} Often, those with limited knowledge of an issue think themselves to know all there is to know about it. The reality is that what man knows cannot even be compared to God’s knowledge.

For more on the knowledge of the unseen, see the commentary on verse 6:59 and 3:44.

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Those who viewed the previous verse to mean a specific person pledging to take on another’s punishment opine that this means: how can he know that another person can take on punishment on his behalf?^{‎[2]Tabrisi, 9/272; Tabari 27/42; Zamakhshari, 4/427; Baghawi, 4/313; Nemuneh, 22/548.}

Tabatabai connects the knowledge of the unseen to this world, saying that the verse is questioning the person on how he knows, and what gives him such certainty, that if he were to continue giving from his wealth in the way of God that he would run out of wealth and become poor?^{‎[3]Mizan, 19/45.}

[1] Razi, 29/273.
[2] Tabrisi, 9/272; Tabari 27/42; Zamakhshari, 4/427; Baghawi, 4/313; Nemuneh, 22/548.
[3] Mizan, 19/45.