Skip to content
Assabile

Quran verses about the unseen (ghayb)

الغيب

16 verses in 13 surahs · 3 subtopics

The unseen, these verses teach, is hidden even from the messengers: the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ declares that he does not know it, and even the jinn were unaware of Solomon’s death. Yet Allah may reveal it to whom He wills among His messengers, and believing in the unseen is an obligation for the believers.

Verses gathered from a topical index of the Quran, in Mushaf order; every verse is quoted in full.

Subtopics

Choose a subtopic to show only its verses.

16 verses

Al-Baqarah2:3

ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ ۝٣

Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,

Ali ’Imran3:44

ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يُلْقُونَ أَقْلَٰمَهُمْ أَيُّهُمْ يَكْفُلُ مَرْيَمَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ يَخْتَصِمُونَ ۝٤٤

That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you, [O Muḥammad]. And you were not with them when they cast their pens as to which of them should be responsible for Mary. Nor were you with them when they disputed.

Ali ’Imran3:179

مَّا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيَذَرَ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ عَلَىٰ مَآ أَنتُمْ عَلَيْهِ حَتَّىٰ يَمِيزَ ٱلْخَبِيثَ مِنَ ٱلطَّيِّبِ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُطْلِعَكُمْ عَلَى ٱلْغَيْبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَجْتَبِى مِن رُّسُلِهِۦ مَن يَشَآءُ فَـَٔامِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦ وَإِن تُؤْمِنُوا۟ وَتَتَّقُوا۟ فَلَكُمْ أَجْرٌ عَظِيمٌ ۝١٧٩

Allāh would not leave the believers in that [state] you are in [presently] until He separates the evil from the good. Nor would Allāh reveal to you the unseen. But [instead], Allāh chooses of His messengers whom He wills, so believe in Allāh and His messengers. And if you believe and fear Him, then for you is a great reward.

Al-Ma’idah5:94

يَٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لَيَبْلُوَنَّكُمُ ٱللَّهُ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنَ ٱلصَّيْدِ تَنَالُهُۥٓ أَيْدِيكُمْ وَرِمَاحُكُمْ لِيَعْلَمَ ٱللَّهُ مَن يَخَافُهُۥ بِٱلْغَيْبِ فَمَنِ ٱعْتَدَىٰ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ فَلَهُۥ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ ۝٩٤

O you who have believed, Allāh will surely test you through something of the game that your hands and spears [can] reach, that Allāh may make evident those who fear Him unseen. And whoever transgresses after that - for him is a painful punishment.

Al-Ma’idah5:116

وَإِذْ قَالَ ٱللَّهُ يَٰعِيسَى ٱبْنَ مَرْيَمَ ءَأَنتَ قُلْتَ لِلنَّاسِ ٱتَّخِذُونِى وَأُمِّىَ إِلَٰهَيْنِ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ قَالَ سُبْحَٰنَكَ مَا يَكُونُ لِىٓ أَنْ أَقُولَ مَا لَيْسَ لِى بِحَقٍّ إِن كُنتُ قُلْتُهُۥ فَقَدْ عَلِمْتَهُۥ تَعْلَمُ مَا فِى نَفْسِى وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ مَا فِى نَفْسِكَ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ عَلَّٰمُ ٱلْغُيُوبِ ۝١١٦

And [beware the Day] when Allāh will say, "O Jesus, Son of Mary, did you say to the people, 'Take me and my mother as deities besides Allāh?'" He will say, "Exalted are You! It was not for me to say that to which I have no right. If I had said it, You would have known it. You know what is within myself, and I do not know what is within Yourself. Indeed, it is You who is Knower of the unseen.

Al-An’am6:50

قُل لَّآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَىَّ قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِى ٱلْأَعْمَىٰ وَٱلْبَصِيرُ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ ۝٥٠

Say, [O Muḥammad], "I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allāh or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel. I only follow what is revealed to me." Say, "Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?"

Al-A’raf7:188

قُل لَّآ أَمْلِكُ لِنَفْسِى نَفْعًا وَلَا ضَرًّا إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ وَلَوْ كُنتُ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ لَٱسْتَكْثَرْتُ مِنَ ٱلْخَيْرِ وَمَا مَسَّنِىَ ٱلسُّوٓءُ إِنْ أَنَا۠ إِلَّا نَذِيرٌ وَبَشِيرٌ لِّقَوْمٍ يُؤْمِنُونَ ۝١٨٨

Say, "I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allāh has willed. And if I knew the unseen, I could have acquired much wealth, and no harm would have touched me. I am not except a warner and a bringer of good tidings to a people who believe."

Hud11:31

وَلَآ أَقُولُ لَكُمْ عِندِى خَزَآئِنُ ٱللَّهِ وَلَآ أَعْلَمُ ٱلْغَيْبَ وَلَآ أَقُولُ إِنِّى مَلَكٌ وَلَآ أَقُولُ لِلَّذِينَ تَزْدَرِىٓ أَعْيُنُكُمْ لَن يُؤْتِيَهُمُ ٱللَّهُ خَيْرًا ٱللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ إِنِّىٓ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ ۝٣١

And I do not tell you that I have the depositories [containing the provision] of Allāh or that I know the unseen, nor do I tell you that I am an angel, nor do I say of those upon whom your eyes look down that Allāh will never grant them any good. Allāh is most knowing of what is within their souls. Indeed, I would then be among the wrongdoers [i.e., the unjust]."

Yusuf12:81

ٱرْجِعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰٓ أَبِيكُمْ فَقُولُوا۟ يَٰٓأَبَانَآ إِنَّ ٱبْنَكَ سَرَقَ وَمَا شَهِدْنَآ إِلَّا بِمَا عَلِمْنَا وَمَا كُنَّا لِلْغَيْبِ حَٰفِظِينَ ۝٨١

Return to your father and say, 'O our father, indeed your son has stolen, and we did not testify except to what we knew. And we were not witnesses of the unseen.

Yusuf12:102

ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ أَنۢبَآءِ ٱلْغَيْبِ نُوحِيهِ إِلَيْكَ وَمَا كُنتَ لَدَيْهِمْ إِذْ أَجْمَعُوٓا۟ أَمْرَهُمْ وَهُمْ يَمْكُرُونَ ۝١٠٢

That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal, [O Muḥammad], to you. And you were not with them when they put together their plan while they conspired.

Al-Kahf18:72

قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَن تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِىَ صَبْرًا ۝٧٢

[Al-Khiḍr] said, "Did I not say that with me you would never be able to have patience?"

Maryam19:78

أَطَّلَعَ ٱلْغَيْبَ أَمِ ٱتَّخَذَ عِندَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ عَهْدًا ۝٧٨

Has he looked into the unseen, or has he taken from the Most Merciful a promise?

Al-Anbya21:49

ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَهُم مِّنَ ٱلسَّاعَةِ مُشْفِقُونَ ۝٤٩

Who fear their Lord unseen, while they are of the Hour apprehensive.

Saba34:14

فَلَمَّا قَضَيْنَا عَلَيْهِ ٱلْمَوْتَ مَا دَلَّهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَوْتِهِۦٓ إِلَّا دَآبَّةُ ٱلْأَرْضِ تَأْكُلُ مِنسَأَتَهُۥ فَلَمَّا خَرَّ تَبَيَّنَتِ ٱلْجِنُّ أَن لَّوْ كَانُوا۟ يَعْلَمُونَ ٱلْغَيْبَ مَا لَبِثُوا۟ فِى ٱلْعَذَابِ ٱلْمُهِينِ ۝١٤

And when We decreed for him [i.e., Solomon] death, nothing indicated to them [i.e., the jinn] his death except a creature of the earth eating his staff. But when he fell, it became clear to the jinn that if they had known the unseen, they would not have remained in humiliating punishment.

Fatir35:18

وَلَا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَىٰ وَإِن تَدْعُ مُثْقَلَةٌ إِلَىٰ حِمْلِهَا لَا يُحْمَلْ مِنْهُ شَىْءٌ وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَىٰٓ إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ ٱلَّذِينَ يَخْشَوْنَ رَبَّهُم بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَأَقَامُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمَن تَزَكَّىٰ فَإِنَّمَا يَتَزَكَّىٰ لِنَفْسِهِۦ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ ٱلْمَصِيرُ ۝١٨

And no bearer of burdens will bear the burden of another. And if a heavily laden soul calls [another] to [carry some of] its load, nothing of it will be carried, even if he should be a close relative. You can only warn those who fear their Lord unseen and have established prayer. And whoever purifies himself only purifies himself for [the benefit of] his soul. And to Allāh is the [final] destination.

Ya-Sin36:11

إِنَّمَا تُنذِرُ مَنِ ٱتَّبَعَ ٱلذِّكْرَ وَخَشِىَ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ فَبَشِّرْهُ بِمَغْفِرَةٍ وَأَجْرٍ كَرِيمٍ ۝١١

You can only warn one who follows the message and fears the Most Merciful unseen. So give him good tidings of forgiveness and noble reward.

In the Sunnah

Hadiths that quote these verses, with their grade of authenticity.

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 2728

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Moses the Messenger of Allah," and then he narrated the whole story about him. Al-Khadir said to Moses, "Did not I tell you that you can have no patience with me." (18.72). Moses then violated the agreement for the first time because of forgetfulness, then Moses…

‏ مُوسَى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ‏"‏ فَذَكَرَ الْحَدِيثَ ‏‏{‏قَالَ أَلَمْ أَقُلْ إِنَّكَ لَنْ تَسْتَطِيعَ مَعِيَ صَبْرًا‏}‏ كَانَتِ الأُولَى نِسْيَانًا، وَالْوُسْطَى شَرْطًا، وَالثَّالِثَةُ عَمْدًا ‏‏{‏قَالَ لاَ تُؤَاخِذْنِي…

Narrated by ’Ubayy ibn Ka‘b + 20 other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 4733

I was a blacksmith in Mecca Once I made a sword for Al-`Asi bin Wail As-Sahmi. When I went to demand its price, he said, "I will not give it to you till you disbelieve in Muhammad." I said, "I shall not disbelieve in Muhammad till Allah make you die and then bring you to life again." He said, "If…

كُنْتُ قَيْنًا بِمَكَّةَ، فَعَمِلْتُ لِلْعَاصِي بْنِ وَائِلِ السَّهْمِيِّ سَيْفًا، فَجِئْتُ أَتَقَاضَاهُ فَقَالَ لاَ أُعْطِيكَ حَتَّى تَكْفُرَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ‏.‏ قُلْتُ لاَ أَكْفُرُ بِمُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم حَتَّى…

Narrated by Khabbāb ibn al-Aratti + 9 other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 4735

I was a blacksmith and Al-Asi Bin Wail owed me a debt, so I went to him to demand it. He said to me. "I will not pay you your debt till you disbelieve in Muhammad." I said, "I will not disbelieve in Muhammad till you die and then be resurrected." He said, "Will I be resurrected after my death? If…

كُنْتُ رَجُلاً قَيْنًا، وَكَانَ لِي عَلَى الْعَاصِي بْنِ وَائِلٍ دَيْنٌ فَأَتَيْتُهُ أَتَقَاضَاهُ، فَقَالَ لِي لاَ أَقْضِيكَ حَتَّى تَكْفُرَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ‏.‏ قَالَ قُلْتُ لَنْ أَكْفُرَ بِهِ حَتَّى تَمُوتَ ثُمَّ…

Narrated by Khabbāb ibn al-Aratti + 9 other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 2091

I was a blacksmith in the Pre-Islamic period, and 'Asi bin Wail owed me some money, so I went to him to demand it. He said (to me), "I will not pay you unless you disbelieve Muhammad." I said, "I will not disbelieve till Allah kills you and then you get resurrected." He said, "Leave me till I die…

كُنْتُ قَيْنًا فِي الْجَاهِلِيَّةِ، وَكَانَ لِي عَلَى الْعَاصِ بْنِ وَائِلٍ دَيْنٌ، فَأَتَيْتُهُ أَتَقَاضَاهُ قَالَ لاَ أُعْطِيكَ حَتَّى تَكْفُرَ بِمُحَمَّدٍ صلى الله عليه وسلم‏.‏ فَقُلْتُ لاَ أَكْفُرُ حَتَّى يُمِيتَكَ…

Narrated by Khabbāb ibn al-Aratti + 9 other versions

Good (hasan) Muwatta Malik 1057

Yahya related to me from Malik that he had heard that Said ibn al-Musayyab disapproved of killing domestic animals that had become wild by any means that game was slain such as arrows and the like. Malik said, "I do not see any harm in eating game which is pierced by a throwing stick in a vital…

سَعِيدَ بْنَ الْمُسَيَّبِ، كَانَ يَكْرَهُ أَنْ تُقْتَلَ الإِنْسِيَّةُ، بِمَا يُقْتَلُ بِهِ الصَّيْدُ مِنَ الرَّمْىِ وَأَشْبَاهِهِ ‏.‏ قَالَ مَالِكٌ وَلاَ أَرَى بَأْسًا بِمَا أَصَابَ الْمِعْرَاضُ إِذَا خَسَقَ وَبَلَغَ…

+ 1 other version

The root غ ي ب in the Quran · All topics · Search “The unseen (ghayb)” in the Quran

Verses gathered from a human-made thematic index of the Quran; the introduction summarises its subtopics. For a legal opinion, consult a scholar.

Tuesday, October 20, 2026 9 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ