We take it for granted that Allah has infinite knowledge. But what does this mean? Let’s take a “tour,” if you like, of some of the things Allah knows.
There are 6-8 billion people on the face of the earth. That’s 6 * 1000 * 1000 * 1000. That’s a lot of people! Can you imagine learning 6 names? Or 60? Or 6000? But Allah knows their names–all 6,000,000,000 of them. And He knows everything they’re going to do today. And tomorrow. And the day after that. And the day after THAT.
And the day after THAT. In fact, every day, up to the end of their life. If they live ~63 years, that’s about 23,000 days. Multiplied by 6 billion people, that’s a lot of days!
And that’s just humans! Allah knows every creature on the face of the earth–every squirrel running in a tree, every bird soaring in the air, every fish, worm, turtle, squid, octopus, and even things we don’t know about, in the ocean! Wow! How many is that? A lot!
What about weather? Every snowflake is unique! How many snowflakes do you get in a snowstorm? Billions! Each created, crafted uniquely; each flying through a particular path and landing in a particular place. How many times does it rain or snow all over the world in a day? A lot!
Not to mention He knows every plant–every leaf of every plant or petal of every flower; every root of every tree!
Translation: And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except Him. And He knows what is on the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record. [Surah Al-An’aam, verse 59]
This is Allah! This is our Lord–Al-‘Aleem and Al-Khabeer! Subhanallah!
And subhanallah, Allah’s knowledge is even more than this. Check out these two verses:
بَلْ بَدَا لَهُم مَّا كَانُواْ يُخْفُونَ مِن قَبْلُ وَلَوْ رُدُّواْ لَعَادُواْ لِمَا نُهُواْ عَنْهُ وَإِنَّهُمْ لَكَاذِبُونَ
Translation: If you could but see when they are made to stand before the Fire and will say, “Oh, would that we could be returned [to life on earth] and not deny the signs of our Lord and be among the believers.” But what they concealed before has [now] appeared to them. And even if they were returned, they would return to that which they were forbidden; and indeed, they are liars. [Surah Al-An’aam, verses 27-28]
What does this have to do with Allah’s knowledge? And why is Allah calling them liars? Because Allah knows everything that WOULD happen, if it DID happen, and how it would happen!
What does that mean? It means Allah knows, if they sent them back, what they would do–down to every second, down to every atom that moves, He knows. He could send them back–and He knows that if He did, they wouldn’t do what they said–they would just deny Allah again!
Subhanallah! Can anyone know what Allah knows? No! So can anyone be as wise as Allah? No! Because wisdom comes from knowledge, and nobody can match Allah’s knowledge!
Yasir Qadhi. Lecture. AlMaghrib. Light Upon Light: Fundamentals of Faith 102. Metro Toronto Convention Center, July 2007.