Say: 'I do not have the power to acquire benefits or to avert harm from myself, except by the Will of Allah. Had I possessed knowledge of the unseen, I would have availed myself of much that is good, and no harm would have touched me. But I am only a warner and a bearer of glad tidings for a nation who believe. 7:188 QaribullahIt is said the reason Allah revealed this verse is:
(Say: For myself I have no power to benefit, nor power to hurt…) [7:188]. Said al-Kalbi: “The people of Mecca said: ‘O Muhammad, does not your Lord inform you about lower prices before they go up, and thus you buy and make profit? And does He not inform you about the land which is about to suffer drought and, thus, you travel to a land which is more fertile?’ And so Allah, exalted is He, revealed this verse”. Asbab Al-Nuzul by Al-WahidiMohammed therefore according to the Pagans used Allah's knowledge to selfishly improve his lifestyle, but he replies in his response to the Meccans (or for Muslims: Allah commands Mohammed to respond) by negating such foolishness:
Say: 'I do not have the power to acquire benefits or to avert harm from myself, except by the Will of Allah. Had I possessed knowledge of the unseen, I would have availed myself of much that is good, and no harm would have touched me. But I am only a warner and a bearer of glad tidings for a nation who believe. 7:188 QaribullahHere's how another translation puts it:
Say, "I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allah 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." 7:188 Sahih IntlThe tafsirs confirm this point:
That is, "I cannot tell you the exact time of Resurrection because I myself do not know anything about the unseen. Had I possessed any knowledge of the future, I would not have suffered any harm because I would have avoided it and achieved many benefits because of my fore knowledge. Therefore it is very foolish on your part to ask me about it merely to test my Prophethood." Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an
Say: ‘I have no power to bring benefit, to attract it to, myself, or hurt, to repel it, except as God wills. Had I knowledge of the Unseen — that which is hidden from me, I would have acquired much good, and adversity, in the way of impoverishment and otherwise, would not touch me, since I would take precautions against such [adversity] by avoiding what is harmful. I am but a warner, to disbelievers, of the Fire, and a bearer of good tidings, of Paradise, to a people who believe’. Al-Jalalayn
(Say) O Muhammad, to the people of Mecca: (For myself I have no power to benefit) to bring benefit, (nor power to hurt) to drive away harm, (save that which Allah willeth) to do with me of benefit or harm. (Had I knowledge of the Unseen) benefit and harm, (I should have abundance of wealth) of benefit, (and adversity) harm (would not touch me) it is also said that this means: if I knew when punishment would descend upon you, I would do good in abundance out of gratitude and no grief or sadness for you would touch me because of it; it is also said that this means: If I knew when I was to die, I would do good and perform righteous works in abundance and hardship would not touch me; it is also said that this means: If I knew the timing of droughts, lack of harvest and of rises in prices, I would amass good in abundance and hardship would not touch me. (I am but a warner) of the Fire, (and a bearer of good tidings) of Paradise (unto folk who believe) in Paradise and hell. Tanwîr al-Miqbâs min Tafsîr Ibn ‘Abbâs
Allah commanded His Prophet to entrust all matters to Him and to inform, about himself, that he does not know the unseen future, but he knows of it only what Allah informs him. Allah said in another Ayah,((He Alone is) the All-Knower of the Ghayb (Unseen), and He reveals to none His Ghayb.) ﴿72:26﴾ Ad-Dahhak reported that Ibn `Abbas said that, (If I had the knowledge of the Ghayb (Unseen), I should have secured for myself an abundance of wealth.) refers to money. In another narration, Ibn `Abbas commented, "I would have knowledge of how much profit I would make with what I buy, and I would always sell what I would make profit from, ("and no evil should have touched me.'') and poverty would never touch me.'' Ibn Jarir said, "And others said, `This means that if I know the Unseen then I would prepare for the years of famine during the prosperous years, and in the time of high cost, I would have prepared for it.''' `Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam also commented on this Ayah; ("and no evil should have touched me. ''), "I would have avoided and saved myself from any type of harm before it comes.'' Allah then stated that the Prophet is a warner and bearer of good news. He warns against the torment and brings good news of Paradise for the believers - Ibn KathirIt is therefore completely affirmed that Mohammed denies having possessed such knowledge to affect his life in such a manner. Mohammed then agrees with the premise in the pagan argument, that he would use such knowledge to improve his own life, but then retaliates by claiming: why hasn't that come to pass? Therefore he does not possess such knowledge or power:
- If Mohammed possessed the divine power/knowledge to improve his life he would have done it
- Mohammed did not do it
- Therefore he did not possess the divine power and knowledge
However while Mohammed had denied possessing divine knowledge that produces power to bring wealth, goodness and avoid calamity, he is also confirming he in fact does possess this divine knowledge given to him by Allah!
Say: 'I do not have the power to acquire benefits or to avert harm from myself, except by the Will of Allah. Had I possessed knowledge of the unseen, I would have availed myself of much that is good, and no harm would have touched me. But I am only a warner and a bearer of glad tidings for a nation who believe. 7:188 Qaribullah
Say, "I hold not for myself [the power of] benefit or harm, except what Allah 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." 7:188 Sahih Intl
And else where:
He knows the unseen and He does not allow anyone to know His secrets except those of His Messengers whom He chooses. Except to him whom He chooses as an apostle; for surely He makes a guard to march before him and after him, (Messenger) so that He would know that the Messengers have conveyed the message of their Lord. He encompasses all that is with them and He keeps a precise account of all things". 72:26-28 Muhammad Sarwar
Allah will not leave the believers in the condition in which you are till He separates the wicked from the good, nor will Allah let you know the unseen. But Allah chooses of His (Prophetic) Messengers whom He wishes, (to receive knowledge thereof). So believe in Allah and His (Prophetic) Messengers, and if you believe and ward off (evil), then yours will be a vast reward. 3:179So while Mohammed attempts to negate the argument that his Lord informed him of thing in advance that may change the course of his life in a good way, he clearly ends up affirming it!
Mohammed does have substantial the power and knowledge to change his life when Allah reveals and wills this, which is exactly what the Pagans had thought of Mohammed in the first place, Allah informed Mohammed of coming disaster or productivity so that Mohammed could avoid harm and profit from favour. So far from Allah refuting the pagans, he ends up confirming the pagans!
Other examples of Mohammed knowing in advance and therefore taking the right actions (given to him by Allah) to increase his own favor and avoid his own pain is given by a Sheikh:
If those people perceive that Allah will not give victory to his Laws and His religion, and that Allah has written defeat to be upon the Muslims forever, and that there is no breaking out of that, then why did Allah send down the Book? Why did He send down the Prophets? Why did he decree the Religion? Why did he make Islam more powerful and above all other religions? Why did he abrogate all other teachings and methods, all other religions and ways of life with the bringing of Islam if He never meant to give it victory?
That is why Allah says:
“If anyone thinks that Allah will not help Muhammad in this world and the hearafter, let them stretch out a rope to the ceiling and cut themselves off, then let them see whether their plan will remove that which enrages them.” [Al-Hajj: 15]
In other words, the scholars have explained this verse that whomever thinks that Allah will not give victory to Muhammad in this life and in the hereafter, then let them hang themselves from their ceilings if that is frustrating them. For sure Allah is going to give victory to His Prophet for sure, as He has said:
“We surely will give aid to our Prophets and those who believed in this world and on the day when the witnesses will stand forth. The Day when the oppressors’ excuses will be of no benefit to them, to them is the curse, and to them is the worst of dwellings.” [Ghaafir: 51-52]
Allah also says:
“And We have sent down Our words to Our slaves that We have sent, they are surely to be aided, and that Our soldiers are surely to be victorious.” [Assaafaat: 171-173]
And Allah also says:
“Those who oppose Allah and His Prophets, they will be in disgrace. Allah has written My Prophets and I will be victorious.” [Al-Mujaadalah: 20-21]
So, if the causes of victory have been achieved, then Allah will definitely give victory to those who have achieved it, but if they are defeated, they are only defeated due to them, failing to achieve the causes of victory.
This nation learns and is taught by what Allah decrees upon it, and the Prophet has taught us from his Sunnah how he aids his Lord and his Lord aids him.
Allah has said:
“Oh you who believe, if you give aid to Allah, Allah will aid you and strengthen your foothold.” [Muhammad: 7]
He also said:
“If Allah was to give you aid, there will be no victor over you, but if He was to not, then who will ever give you aid after Him? On Allah let the believers rely.” [Aal-Imraan:160]
Allah does that which He wishes to do, and He has written down destiny and what He decrees before He created the heaves and the earth by 50,000 years. Therefore, whatever happens on this planet is written with Him. Allah knows and you know not. Sheikh Abdus-Salaam ZoudTherefore the co-partnership of Allah and Mohammed made it completely inevitable Mohammed was going to be successful and victorious in this life and the here after, therefore the benefit to Mohammed in both
Mohammed may have negated to the pagans he had any divine knowledge necessary to accumulate wealth or goodness (except by Allah's will), but then here we have a perfect example of the Quran and Sunnah confirming the pagans, as it turns out all of the booty belongs to Allah and his Messenger!
I can think of three ways a Muslim may attempt to reconcile such a contradiction.
- Objection 1
Mohammed did not receive divine knowledge and power to change his life when he himself desired this knowledge, but only when God decided to reveal to the apostle the power and knowledge to avoid harm and gain benefit. The Meccans were objecting to the fact that Mohammed had at his disposal, or at his whim, the power to gain favor and avoid pain, but Mohammed was commanded to say he is self reliant only on when God reveals it.
- Objection 2
Perhaps then to reconcile this contradiction we could say Mohammed by himself (without Allah) does not possess knowledge of the unseen, but with Allah he does in fact possess some knowledge of the unseen.
- Objection 3
Mohammed only had some divine knowledge revealed to him by Allah, but not all of Allah's unseen divine knowledge. The pagans are therefore expecting Mohammed to have power over his life, while the Quran is simply negating Mohammed has all knowledge or power except what Allah gives him. The idea here is Mohammed is saying "I only know what Allah reveals to me, in that sense I can avoid harm and gain benefit, but in the specific manner you raise I do not have that power or knowledge since Allah hasn't revealed it to me". Therefore instead of having a general application, the Quran is being precise and specific to these specific objections raised by the pagan, and then giving a general application that Mohammed couldn't know anything except from his Lord.
There are several problems with this explanation. Firstly the Quran no where specifies the exact objections raised against Mohammed, and it rather gives a generic application in it's response that is rather ambigious. Further more, while Mohammed maybe negating knowledge of the specific events raised by the pagans, it is clear however Allah and Mohammed are seemingly wrong since they both possess wealth from booty by Allah's direct will.
Further more the interpretation of this verse cannot be precisely clear that Mohammed is indeed denying negation of these specific events:
In the first sentence Allah says "'I do not have the power to acquire benefits or to avert harm from myself, except by the Will of Allah."
Here is a clear affirmation that Mohammed does have the power to gain benefits and avoid harm because of Allah's will.
So does this negate the charges? No.
Secondly, the next sentence says: "Had I possessed knowledge of the unseen, I would have availed myself of much that is good, and no harm would have touched me."
Here Mohammed is seemingly negating to possess any and all knowledge of the unseen in the statement: "Had I possessed knowledge of the unseen" which is generic and all inclusive. However rather than stating this is a contradiction from the verse sentence, lets put it together with the first sentence, it must comport with "I do not have the power to acquire benefits or to avert harm from myself", and likewise "I am merely a warner with glad tidings", must comport to the idea that Mohammed by himself has no power to change his destiny through supernatural knowledge but was merely presenting a message. Therefore the only way to resolve these seemingly conflicting passage is to assert all three sentences are compatible with the first sentence which negates an ordinary human Mohammed possessing such capabilities. However with the will of Allah on his side, Mohammed does possess such knowledge, and thus again only confirms the pagans, that Allah specifically informs Mohammed of future events.
Finally
What is even more disturbing is that Mohammed clearly meets one of the criterion to be the True God, offered up by the Quran:
And they have taken besides Him gods, who do not create anything while they are themselves created, and they control not for themselves any harm or profit, and they control not death nor life, nor raising (the dead) to life. S. 25:3 ShakirHowever while the pagan gods do not control any benefit or harm for themselves, it is clear that Mohammed does indeed have this power given to him by Allah!
Say: 'I do not have the power to acquire benefits or to avert harm from myself, except by the Will of Allah. Had I possessed knowledge of the unseen, I would have availed myself of much that is good, and no harm would have touched me. But I am only a warner and a bearer of glad tidings for a nation who believe. 7:188 QaribullahThus Mohammed with the power given to him by Allah was able to do the very things the false pagan gods could not do!
Some Muslims may argue that Mohammed could not have divine power over gaining benefit and avoiding harm without Allah and thus he needed Allah's assistance where as Allah had no assistance. But the pagans had the exact same concept about their false deities. The false pagan deities were completely dependent on Allah to have power over benefit and harm, they believed Allah was the source of all the pagan divinities and their powers, so merely saying that because Allah gave Mohammed divine power and knowledge, does not negate the fact that Mohammed now shares in a portion of this divine power to benefit his own life, which is the exact specification used to distinguish between true deity and false deity!
