for they capture from the unbelievers wealth with which they are able to fight them once again. Such is Allah’s bounty, as the Prophet—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—said: “I have been given five things that were not granted to any prophet before me… among them: war-booty has been made lawful for me, whereas it was not lawful for anyone before me.”

The ḥadīth also contains one of Allah’s signs: the hands of those who had embezzled (ghulūl) stuck to the Prophet’s hand. This runs counter to ordinary experience, yet Allah is able to do all things. Normally, when one hand shakes another it can be withdrawn at once, but the hands of those who had embezzled could not be withdrawn; they remained attached to the Prophet’s hand. This was a sign, for the Prophet does not know the unseen.

Among the lessons of the ḥadīth is that the prophets do not know the unseen—this is obvious—except for what Allah discloses to them; on their own they have no knowledge of it.

There are many proofs of this in the life of our Prophet Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—where numerous matters were concealed from him, as Allah says: “She said, ‘Who informed you of this?’ He replied, ‘The All-Knowing, the All-Aware informed me.’” (al-Tahrīm 66:3). As for him, he did not know the unseen.

Even his Companions—may Allah be pleased with them—could be with him while concealing things from him. One day Abū Hurayrah—may Allah be pleased with him—was with the Prophet while in a state of major ritual impurity, so he withdrew to perform ghusl (a full ritual bath). When he returned, the Prophet asked, “Where were you, Abū Hurayrah?” Thus the Messenger