Importance of Al-Ghayb (Unseen) in Imaan

​























​The importance of Al-ghayb (unseen) is very essential part of a Muslim’s Imaan (faith). Without belief in it, one cannot have any faith in Islam. Al-ghayb includes everything that is hidden from our normal senses and perceptions, which includes Allah ﷻ, His angels, jinns (invisible beings), judgment day, existence of hell and paradise, the souls of the dead, life of barzakh (intermediary stage between death and resurrection) and that of hereafter. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ taught that to have faith one has to believe in the following: “Imaan (faith) is to believe in Allah, His Angels, His Books, His Prophets, and the meeting with Him, and to believe in the Resurrection.”[1] All these things belong to the unseen. Al-ghayb does not only include what remains hidden from us in the future but also includes what happened in the past. All the events related to previous prophets are included within what is described as having faith in “His Books, His Prophet”’. The necessity of having faith in all such unseen matters is stressed right in the beginning of the Quran: (Al Quran 2:03) Who have Imaan (faith) in the al-ghayb (unseen), establish salah (prayer), and spend out of what We have provided for them.”[2] The mention of al-ghayb precedes that of salaah (prayer) and zakat (charity) because all righteous actions should be based on belief in al-ghayb. Since it is essential part of Islamic faith, any actions done without this essential factor is equivalent to having no faith at all and Quran teaches us this: (Al Quran 6:158) Are they waiting for the very angels to appear, or your Lord Himself, or maybe some of His signs (such as Day of Judgment)? But on the day some of your Lord’s signs appear, faith will be of no avail to any human being who did not believe before.”[3] Allah ﷻ and His angels are hidden from us in the unseen and will appear on judgment day, thus, we are informed that to believe in Him and His angels is part of faith and absolute essential for doing righteous actions. Any doubts in the concept of al-ghayb will be equivalent to having no faith at all even if one does many good works. There are two angels assigned over each human recording all our actions, as Allah ﷻ said: (Al Quran 50:17) There are two scribes, one each sitting on the right and the left, recording everything.”[4] This record will be provided to us on the Day of Judgment, which is also a major event that lies in the unseen in future: (Al Quran 36:12) and We shall record whatever [deeds] they have sent ahead, and the traces [of good and evil] which they have left behind: for of all things do We take account in a record clear.”[5]
​
Al-ghayb also includes satan and his group of jinn devils who tempt us to evil. To protect ourselves from their machinations it is must to have faith in this matter: (Al Quran 7:27) let not the satan cause you to fall into affliction ….he surely sees you, he as well as his group, from where you cannot see them.”[6] This knowledge pertaining to satan and his tricks is a matter of unseen which is utmost necessary to believe, in order to protect ourselves. Since we were created to know, worship and be obedient to Allah ﷻ, therefore, whatever we do in this life we will experience the results of it in the hereafter, a major event in unseen. Paradise in Arabic is called Jannah, meaning something that is “hidden”, covered from our normal perceptions, is also part of al-ghayb. Allah ﷻ promises us: (Al Quran 32:17) no soul knows what is hidden for them of that which will refresh the eyes; a reward for what they did.[7] The best reward that will refresh the eyes of those who had faith in al-ghayb and lived in accordance to it, is the sight of their Lord which is impossible to happen in this world as He said: (Al Quran 6:103) No human vision can encompass Him, whereas He encompasses all human vision: for He alone is Unfathomable, AllAware.[8] The promise of vision can only be fulfilled in the hereafter for those who enter paradise: (Al Quran 75:22–23) [Some] faces, that Day, will be radiant, Looking at their Lord.[9] Indeed what could be best pertaining to the importance of this concept except the sight of our Creator and Lord. Thus faith in al-ghayb is utmost necessary in Islam without which we are unable to understand and fulfill purpose of our life on earth.

References:
[1] Sahih Bukhari Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 300
[2] Al Quran 2:03 – Asad Translation.
[3] Al Quran 6:158
[4] Al Quran 50:17
[5] Al Quran 36:12 – Asad Translation.
[6] Al Quran 7:27
[7] Al Quran 32:17
[8] Al Quran 6:103 – Asad Translation.
[9] Al Quran 75:22–23 – Asad Translation.

---