Allah is omniscient

Allah is omniscient

إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

Innallaha wasi 'un 'alim:

"Allah is All-embracing, All-knowing."

(The Qur'an 2.115)

"Allah is omniscient," Shree Chaitanya Mahaprabhu continued.

(Chaitanya-charitamrita, Madhya-lila, 18.191)

According to Mahaprabhu, Allah is omniscient. The term "omniscience" means "all-knowing." So, Allah knows everything. His knowledge is unlimited and perfect. Since Allah is a transcendental Personality His knowledge is also beyond the limits of time and space. The knowledge of Allah is eternal and absolute, while our knowledge is temporary and relative. The Holy Qur'an abounds in evidence of Allah's omniscience.

So the Holy Qur'an says:

Inna llaha wasi 'un 'alim: "Behold! Allah is All-Embracing, All-Knowing." (2.115)

Inna hu ya'lamul jahra wa - ma yakhfa: "Behold! He knows what is manifest and what is hidden." (87.7)

Inna llaha khabirum bi ma ta 'malun: "Behold! Allah is informed of what you do." (5.8)

It is stated in the sura "Al-An'am", or "Cattle":

Wa 'indahu mafatihu lgaybi la ya'lamuha illa hu / wa ya'lamu ma fi lberri we lbahr / wa ma tasqutu miw waraqatin illa ya'lamuha wa la hebbatin fi dulumati lardi wa la retbin wa la yabisin illa fi kitabim mubin: "With Him are the keys of the invisible, the treasures that none knows but He. He knows whatever there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf does fall but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth, nor anything wet or dry but (it is noted) in a clear record." (6.59)

The word "mafatih" is very significant in this verse. Mafatih is a plural of either miftah which means a key, or maftah which means a treasure. Allah is the treasury of knowledge. He is omniscient. Only by His mercy is the hidden treasure of Al-Qur'an revealed to us.

Furthermore it is said in the Holy Qur'an:

Wa lillahi gaybus samaawaati wal-'arzi . . . Wa ma Rabbuka bigafilin 'amma ta'malun: "To Allah do belong the unseen (secrets) of the heaven and the earth. . . . Behold! Your Lord is not unaware of what you do." (11.123)

'Alimu lgaybi we ssahadah / elkabiru lmuta'al: "He is the Knower of the invisible and the visible. He is the Great, the High Exalted." (13.9)

Wa'-lamu 'anallaha bikulli shay-'in 'Alim: "And know that Allah is aware of all things." (2.231)

It is stated in the sura "Al-Hadid", or "Iron":

Ya'-lamu ma yaliju fil-'arzi wa ma yakhruju minha wa ma yanzilu minasama-'i wa ma ya'-ruju fiha: "He knows what enters within the earth and what comes forth out of it, and what comes down from the sky and what ascends up to it." (57.4)

Abdullah Yusuf Ali comments this verse following way:

"Allah watches over man and observes his deeds. His knowledge comprehends all, the earth, heavens, what is in them or above them or whatever is in between them, comes out of them or goes into them, for 'not a leaf does fall but He knows it'." (9, p. 1688)

Furthermore it is explained in the Holy Qur'an:

Wa huwa 'Alimum bi-zatisudur: "And He is the Knower of all that is in the hearts." (57.6)

Wa huwa bi-kulli shay-'in 'alim: "And He is the Knower of all things." (2.29)

Wa mallahu bi-gafilin 'ama ta'-malun: "And Allah is not unaware of what you do." (2.74)

Wallahu 'Alimum biz-zalimin: "And Allah is aware of evildoers." (2.95)

Wa ma taf-'alu min khayrin fa-'innallaha bihi 'Alim: "And whatever good you do Allah is aware of it." (2.215)

Wallahu ya'-lamu wa 'antum la ta'-lamun: "And Allah knows, you know not." (2.232)

Ya'-lamu ma bayna 'aydihim wa ma khalfahum / wa la yuhituna bi-shay-'im min 'ilmihi 'ila bima sha: "He knows that which is in front of them and that which is behind them while they can possess nothing of His knowledge except what He wants them to." (2.255)

This means that Allah knows His creatures' observations and their feelings in their day-to-day life. It also means that Allah knows the past, the present and the future. He knows all past activities of all living entities and He knows what awaits them in the future. Since Allah knows everything about our past activities He awards us accordingly.

Ustad Abdullah Yusuf Ali writes in his commentary:

"Allah's knowledge is absolute, and is not conditioned by Time or Space. To us, His creatures, these conditions always apply. His knowledge and our knowledge are therefore in different categories, and our knowledge only gets some reflection of Reality when it accords with His Will and Plan." (9, p. 115)

Wallahu bima ta'-maluna 'Alim: "And Allah is aware of all that you do." (2.283)

Innallaha la yakh-fa 'alayhi shay-'un-fil-'arzi wa la fis-sama: "From Allah, verily nothing is hidden on the earth or in the heavens." (3.5)

Fa-'innallaha 'alimum-bil-mufsidim: "Allah has full knowledge of those who do mischief." (3.63)

Wallahu 'alimum-bil-mutaqin: "And Allah is aware of those who do right." (3.115)

Innallaha 'alimum-bizatis-sudur: "Allah knows well all the secrets of the heart." (3.119)

Innallaha kana 'ala kulli shay-'in Shahida: "Allah is ever Witness to all things." (4.33)

Wa la yaktumu nallaha hadisa: "And they can hide no fact from Allah." (4.42)

It is explained in the sura "At-Takwir", or "The Folding Up":

Wallahu yak-tubu ma yubayi-tun: "And Allah records what they plan by night." (4.81)

Thus Allah knows the inner, unapparent workings of events better than any human mind can hope to. Nothing is hidden from Allah. Despite the fact that He is one, He knows the hearts of everyone. He is closer to each of us than our own jugular vein; He knows very well all the desires present in our hearts - so great is the inconceivable potency of Allah who is omnipresent and omniscient.

The Holy Qur'an also says:

Innallaha kana bima ta'-maluna Khabira: "Allah is ever informed of all that you do." (4.94)

Wa'-lamu 'annallaha ya'-lamu ma fi 'anfusikum fah-zaruh: "And know that Allah knows what is in your minds, so beware of Him." (2.235)

So, in the Holy Qur'an Allah is called Alim - All-Knowing or Omniscient. He knows everything about everyone at all times. All knowledge belongs to Him. He is the origin of all knowledge. Knowledge, memory and forgetfulness come from Him. If someone accepts God, He gives that person the knowledge to understand Him. If someone rejects God and thus wants to forget Him, Allah gives that person forgetfulness to forget Him. If someone serves God with love and devotion Allah gives such a devotee memory to remember Him always. We can understand Allah only by His causeless mercy. If we please God by our devotional service He will give us sufficient knowledge and intelligence to realize Him. Allah is present everywhere and knows the necessities of everyone. God is omniscient. Allah can understand everyone's desires, because He is within the heart of everyone, even within the atom. He knows everything about the past, the present and the future. However, no one knows Him completely; nor can He be completely described. Such is the wonderful inconceivable quality of Allah.