Written and collected by Zia H Shah MD

Abstract:
This article explores and defends the Islamic concept of God’s omniscience through scientific, philosophical, and theological lenses. We examine how classical Islamic theology – echoing the Qur’an and scholars like Al-Ghazālī and Ibn Taymiyyah – affirms that God’s knowledge encompasses all things, from the grand sweep of cosmic history to the fall of a single leaf quran.com. We then integrate insights from Christian and Jewish thought (e.g. Augustine’s vision of God’s “eternal present” and Maimonides’ resolution of foreknowledge vs free will) to show a broad monotheistic understanding of divine knowledge sparknotes.comchabad.org. Using Einstein’s theory of relativity, we illustrate how modern physics – with its merging of space and time – can conceptually support the idea of a God who transcends time and beholds past, present, and future as one quoteinvestigator.com. Likewise, we address quantum mechanics and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, arguing that fundamental indeterminacy in nature poses no threat to an all-knowing deity. Objections from atheists and secular philosophers (such as “foreknowledge negates free will” or “omniscience is impossible in a quantum world”) are analyzed and refuted. We explain how God’s knowledge can coherently encompass the totality of time, probability, and apparent randomness without contradiction. Drawing on relevant physicists, philosophers, and theologians, this comprehensive study finds that rather than undermining faith, modern science can deepen our appreciation for the doctrine of divine omniscience in Islam – a doctrine rooted in revelation yet wonderfully resonant with reason.

Introduction

In Islam, God (Allah) is understood to be Al-ʿAlīm – the All-Knowing – whose knowledge has no limits. To the believer, this omniscience of God is not a mere abstract dogma but a source of comfort and awe: “With Him are the keys of the unseen – no one knows them except Him. He knows whatever is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but He knows it…” (Qur’an 6:59) quran.com. Classical Islamic theology has grappled with the implications of such absolute knowledge for centuries, developing nuanced positions on questions of predestination, human free will, and the nature of time. Today, these age-old theological discussions intersect intriguingly with scientific discoveries. Modern physics – especially Einstein’s relativity and quantum mechanics – has altered our understanding of time, causality, and uncertainty in the universe. Could these scientific frameworks be reconciled with, or even lend support to, the Islamic doctrine of God’s all-encompassing knowledge?

This article takes up that challenge, positioning itself at the confluence of theology, philosophy, and science. We will first outline the Islamic conception of divine omniscience, drawing on Qur’anic verses and the insights of renowned theologians like Abū Ḥāmid al-Ghazālī and Taqī al-Dīn Ibn Taymiyyah. We will also incorporate the comparative perspectives of Christian and Jewish thinkers – for example, St. Augustine’s and Maimonides’ meditations on God’s knowledge – to enrich our understanding and address common philosophical puzzles (notably the tension between foreknowledge and human free will). Then, turning to science, we will examine how Einsteinian relativity’s portrayal of time as a dimension can illuminate the idea of God’s timeless knowledge of all events. We will likewise tackle quantum mechanics and Heisenberg’s uncertainty principle, exploring why the existence of genuine indeterminacy or probability in nature does not undercut an omniscient Creator. Along the way, we engage with secular objections, such as the claim that if the future is known infallibly by God, human freedom is illusory, or the claim that an all-knowing mind cannot exist in a universe governed by quantum uncertainty. Through reasoned argument and evidence – with citations from both scripture and scientific thought – we aim to demonstrate that God’s omniscience, as affirmed in Islam, remains coherent and robust in light of modern knowledge. In fact, contemporary science may prompt us to conceive of divine knowledge in even more awe-inspiring ways, reinforcing the Quranic declaration that “Allah has encompassed all things in knowledge.” (Qur’an 65:12) quran.com.

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