The Prophet Muhammad (saws) did not claim that he knew the unseen, nor did he claim that he possessed Allah’s treasuries.

The (depositories) are used to store money or some other things to be used in times of need. So, the (depositories) of Allah (swt) refer to everything in Allah’s treasuries of provision, gifts, mercy and goodness. The keys of this treasury are with Allah (swt), and not owned by the Messenger of Allah (saws).

(… وَلَا أَعْلَمُ الْغَيْبَ… ) (…or that I know the unseen, …): The Prophet (saws) is not the knower of the unseen, but he is the teller of the unseen which he has been taught by Allah (swt). The word unseen here refers to the things that are hidden from a person and does not have premises through which conclusions can be known. However, it does not include things which are hidden from a person but witnessed by others. For example, if you were told that it is raining right now in Aleppo, while you are in Damascus, this is an information which is hidden from you, but not from those living there. So, it is not classified as the unseen.

(… وَلَا أَقُولُ لَكُمْ إِنِّي مَلَكٌ… ) (…nor do I tell you that I am an angel.…): Meaning, I have not abandoned my humanly characteristics, as in another verse:

 قُلْ إِنَّمَا أَنَا بَشَرٌ مِّثْلُكُمْ يُوحَى إِلَيَّ أَنَّمَا إِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ

(Say, (O Prophet), “I am only a man like you, (but) it has been revealed to me that your God is only One God) (Al-Kahf: 110)

(… إِنْ أَتَّبِعُ إِلَّا مَا يُوحَىٰ إِلَيَّ ۚ… ) (…I only follow what is revealed to me…): The Prophet (saws) did not claim that he was of the angels of the sky. Rather, he is only following what has been revealed to him. As such, Allah (swt) says:

 إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْيٌ يُوحَى (4) عَلَّمَهُ شَدِيدُ الْقُوَى

(It is only a revelation sent down (to him). (4) He has been taught by one (angel) of mighty power) (An-Najm:4-5)

i.e., the Angel Gabriel (PBUH).

(  قُلْ هَلْ يَسْتَوِي الْأَعْمَىٰ وَالْبَصِيرُ ۚ أَفَلَا تَتَفَكَّرُونَ… ) (…Say, “Is the blind equivalent to the seeing? Then will you not give thought?”): Allah (swt) gives a tangible example here: What is the difference between the blind person and the one who can see? The answer is that there is a great difference, for the blind person cannot see, while the other can. Ibn al-Haytham -an Arabian scientist- discovered that the mechanism of sight does not work by light rays coming out of the eye to the thing, so that it can be seen. It in fact works the other way round, the evidence being that if the light is extinguished, the eye cannot see. Therefore, it is the light rays from the thing which goes into the eye, so the eye can see it. Therefore, the blind person is in total darkness, whereas the one who can see is able to see due to the light.

Similarly, there is the light of values and the darkness of ignorance. The darkness of ignorance causes blackness in the thoughts, self, intellect and heart of a human being. However, the one who can see looks through the light of faith. There are some values which, if not known by man, will make things hard for him, cause him unrest and make him stumble, like the blind man. So, the sight is a protection for the human being to avoid obstacles, just like the Holy Quran is a protection for him to steer clear of obstacles. Therefore, the blind and the one who can see cannot be made similar in any way whatsoever.