The Effusion of Unseen (Ghaybī) Sciences in Various Spheres of Human Life, Centered on the Verse "Alastu"

Abstract

AbstractThe verse "Alastu" is among the verses of the Quran that has brought valuable horizons to scholars in the fields of ontology, anthropology, and even epistemology. In this regard, it not only unveils the depth of human sciences in the realms prior to the realization of individual souls, but also, with the aid of interpretive narrations, proves multiple levels of the effusion of sciences beyond the material world for humanity. The present fundamental study, by content analysis method, aims to discover and analyze the quantity and quality of unseen (Ghaybī) sciences before and after birth for humankind. The findings of this article indicate that, based on intra-religious evidence, unseen (Ghaybī) sciences are generally effused four times for humankind: "Before birth and in the realm of Alastu", "During earthly life", "In sleep", and "After death". Essentially, apart from the first instance, in the other three instances, there are differences depending on the existential capacity of each human being, in terms of being acquired or non-acquired, as well as in terms of being sudden or gradual. Another finding is that the ranking of human beings depends on the second effusion, that is, after birth and throughout earthly life, and is dependent on the path of perfection-seeking and voluntary sciences in the course of earthly life. Furthermore, some effusions, according to divine expediency, are accompanied by unawareness and become unconscious, such as the first and third presentations. Also, the fourth presentation is a matter of degree and depends on the cognitive development of each person in earthly life