ghaib

Ghaib, الغيب, is an Arabic term meaning “the unseen” or “the hidden.” In Islamic discourse it refers to realities beyond human perception, including future events, hidden aspects of existence, and inner realities of beings. The word derives from the triliteral root gh-y-b and is used across Arabic, Urdu, Persian, and related languages.

In Islamic doctrine, knowledge of the ghaib is considered to be the exclusive province of God. The Qur’an and hadith convey that no one in the heavens or on earth knows the unseen except Allah, and that He reveals portions of the unseen to chosen messengers by revelation. Prophets may convey certain ghaib to people, but only as much as God permits. This framework distinguishes between what is known to God alone and what is disclosed to human beings through revelation or signs.

The concept of ghaib covers a range of topics within faith, including belief in the existence of God, angels, the Day of Judgment, and divine decree. Belief in the ghaib is often described as a component of faith (iman) in God and His unseen order. In everyday language, ghayb can also refer more broadly to the future or other hidden things, depending on context.

In cultural contexts, the term has appeared in discussions of mysticism, fortune-telling, or occult practices. Mainstream Islamic scholarship generally treats knowledge of the unseen as something God reserves and warns against seeking or claiming ghaib knowledge through illicit means or superstition. See also ilm al-ghayb and related Qur’anic and hadith literature.