The Infallible Imam's Knowledge of the Unseen from the Perspective of the Quran with Emphasis on Allameh Tabatabaei's View

This study aims to investigate and prove the Imams’ knowledge of the unseen from the perspective of the Quran. The method of discussion in this analytical research is based on thematic interpretation. It is inferred from the verse on vision of the deeds (Tawba: 105) that in addition to Allah and His messenger, a group of believers can also have vision of the truth and reality of people’s deeds in the world. Since such vision is not available to common believers, we mean a kind of vision which is a divine gift bestowed by God on some of His saints, the infallible Imams. It is also inferred from the verse of the people of middle path (Al-Baqarah: 143) that a group of the prophet’s (PBUH) Ummah stand as witness to the Ummah on the day of resurrection. Such testimony will not be possible without foreknowledge of the deeds of God’s servants. Traditional evidence also suggest that in the prophet’s stead, no one except the infallibles Imams has claimed to possess knowledge of the unseen and kingdom of heaven. Some special saints of God possess a level of knowledge of the unseen, but the perfect level is exclusive to the infallible Imams.