Tafsir of Al-A'raf 7:188

"Say, 'I do not possess for myself benefit or harm...'" Meaning: I do not possess the ability to acquire any benefit for myself, nor to avert any harm. The prepositional phrase, as Abu al-Baqa’ stated, is either connected to the verb amliku (I possess) or is a circumstantial qualifier (hal) derived from naf’an (benefit). The intent is: I do not possess such [ability] at any time whatsoever.

"...except what Allah wills." Meaning: Except at the time of His—Exalted be He—will, by enabling me to do so. In that instance, I would possess it by His will. Thus, the exception is muttasil (connected). Within this, as Shaykh Ibrahim al-Kurani said, is proof that the servant’s power is effective only by the permission and will of Allah Almighty. Others have argued the exception is munqati’ (disconnected), meaning: "But what Allah wills of that shall indeed come to pass." In this interpretation, there is a manifestation of helplessness that is self-evident. The discourse is directed toward establishing his inability to know the Hour in the most perfect manner. The repetition of the command is to show concern for the importance of the response and to alert [the listener] that this is distinct and separate from the first.

"And if I had known the unseen..." Meaning: That which consists of the relationships between things—the conventional causes and effects, or the contradictions that necessitate repulsion and prevention.

"...I would have increased [my acquisition of] good." Meaning: I would have obtained much of the good that is contingent upon arranging causes and removing obstacles.

"And no harm would have touched me." Meaning: The harm that can be avoided by exercising caution against its causes and by using preventative measures to repel it, even if there are types of harm that have no defense. It is as if the absence of harm is a consequence of accumulating good in a general sense; therefore, the second clause does not follow the exact path of the first. The entailment in a conditional sentence does not have to be logical or universal; rather, it suffices that it be conventional in some instances. Many have ruled that in this verse, it is of the conventional type. By this, al-Shihab refuted the claim that knowing a thing does not necessitate having power over it, the root of which is negligence of the intended meaning.

Carrying "good" and "harm" according to what was mentioned is the view held by the majority of investigators. Some interpreted the first as profit in trade and success in fertility, and the second as the opposite, based on what was narrated from al-Kalbi: the people of Mecca said, "O Muhammad, will you not tell us of the cheap price before it rises so we may buy and profit? And of the land that is about to experience drought so we may depart from it to one that is fertile?" Whereupon this was revealed. From Ibn Abbas—may Allah be pleased with them both—it is interpreted as profit in trade and poverty. It has been said the first is the answer to a question and the second is being belied; or the first is engagement in inviting those who have already attained happiness, and the second is the exhaustion resulting from inviting those upon whom the word of punishment has been passed. It has also been attributed to Mujahid and Ibn Jurayj that "the unseen" means death, "good" means multiplying righteous deeds, and "harm" means the opposite. Other interpretations exist, but as you can see, all of them—and among them are those that should not be applied to the interpretation of the Revelation—are secondary.

The mention of "good" preceded the mention of "harm" due to the context of what preceded it, where "benefit" was mentioned before "harm." The structure follows the method of escalation, as it is said: repelling harm is more important than acquiring benefits. Al-Naysaburi mentioned that in the Quran, whenever harm and benefit are brought together, the word for "harm" usually precedes "benefit." This is the original state, because the worshipper worships his Worshipped first out of fear of His punishment, and secondly out of hope for His reward, as indicated by His saying: "They call upon their Lord in fear and hope." Where "benefit" precedes "harm," it is due to the previous occurrence of a word containing the meaning of benefit, such as in this Surah, where the word "guidance" preceded "misguidance" in His saying: "Whoever Allah guides, he is the guided one, and whoever He lets go astray..." etc. In Ar-Ra'd, "obedience" preceded it, and in Al-Furqan, "sweet" preceded it—both being benefits. Let others be judged by this. Ibn Jurayj interprets benefit here as guidance and harm as misguidance, which strengthens the point of the order that this scholar considered, as is not hidden.

This verse has been considered problematic in relation to the established fact that he—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—informed of many unseen matters, and the outcome was as he predicted. This was considered one of his greatest miracles. There is a difference of opinion in the answer: It is said that what is understood from the verse is the denial of his knowledge—peace be upon him—at that time regarding the unseen that is useful for acquiring benefits and repelling harms that have no relation to rulings and laws. The unseen matters that he—peace be upon him—knew are not of that type, and the lack of such knowledge does not impugn his exalted station.

Muslim narrated from Anas and Aisha—may Allah be pleased with them—that he—peace be upon him—passed by people pollinating [palm trees] and said: "If you did not do it, it might still become sound." They did not, and it produced shis (bad dates). He passed by them—peace be upon him—and said: "What did you do?" They replied, "You said such and such." He said: "You are more knowledgeable about the affairs of your worldly life." In another narration of his, he said when told that it became shis: "If it is an affair of your worldly life, then it is your concern, and if it is an affair of your religion, then it is mine." The fact that he—peace be upon him—did not know worldly matters was considered a perfection of his station, for the entire world is nothing in the sight of his Lord.

It is also said that the intent is to deny the continuity of his knowledge—peace be upon him—of the unseen; the use of kana (was/did) for continuity is common. Continuity is also observed in "increasing" and "not being touched." It is also said that "the unseen" refers to the time of the rising of the Hour, because the question was about that, and he—peace be upon him—did not know it and did not inform of it at all. In that case, "good" and "harm" are interpreted in a way that suits that, such as teaching the questioners and not attacking the mission of the Messenger by the disbelievers. It is also said that the al- (the) in "the unseen" is for istighraq (inclusiveness), and he—peace be upon him—did not know every unseen thing, for there is unseen knowledge that Allah Almighty reserved for Himself, such as the knowledge of the essence of His Self—Blessed and Exalted be He—and the time of the Hour, as the verse indicates.

In Lubab al-Ta'wil by al-Khazin, in answer to this, it is stated that it is possible this statement from him—peace be upon him—was by way of humility and politeness; the meaning being: I do not know the unseen except that which Allah makes known to me and decrees for me. It is also possible he said this before Allah made the unseen known to him, and when He did, he informed of it. Or, this speech was issued as an answer to their question, and thereafter Allah revealed to him things of the unseen so that it might be a miracle for him and a sign of the truth of his prophethood—peace be upon him. End quote. This requires reflection, and the words of some investigators point to the preference of the first [view].

"I am not except a warner and a bearer of good tidings..." Meaning: I am only a slave sent for warning and bringing good tidings, and my affair is the acquisition of knowledge related to these, not to grasp unseen matters that have no connection to them. I have revealed of the matter of the Hour that which relates to the warning: that it will inevitably come and that it is near. As for fixing its specific time, it is not something that warning requires; rather, it is something that would undermine it, as its ambiguity, as mentioned previously, is more conducive to obedience and more discouraging of disobedience. The "warner" is mentioned first because the situation is one of warning.

"...for a people who believe." Meaning: Who verify what I have brought. The prepositional phrase is either connected to both descriptions—and the believers benefit from warning just as they benefit from good tidings—or it is connected to the latter, while the connection to the former is omitted, meaning: "a warner to the disbelievers." It was omitted to purify the tongue from them.

Some intended by "the disbelievers" those who persist in disbelief, and by those opposite them, those who believe at any time. In that case, the verse contains encouragement for the disbelievers to generate faith and a warning against persisting in disbelief and tyranny.