غُلِبَتِ ٱلرُّومُ فِيٓ أَدۡنَى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ غَلَبِهِمۡ سَيَغۡلِبُونَ
Definition:
Inimitability of the Unseen is the Quran's disclosure of matters unknown to any human except by revelation — some fulfilled during the revelation period, some afterward, and some yet to occur.
Three Types:
- Past Unseen: Stories of prophets and prior nations the Prophet had never witnessed — "That is from the news of the unseen which We reveal to you."
- Near Future Unseen: The prophecy that Rome would defeat Persia within a few years after its defeat — which came true exactly.
- Distant Future Unseen: The spread of Islam, signs of the Hour, and the Resurrection.
Significance: An illiterate man in the 7th century could not know these facts except by divine revelation — a testimony to the truth of the message.
Question: Name the three types of inimitability of the unseen, and give an example of the second type.
Answer: Past unseen, near-future unseen, distant-future unseen — example of the second: prophecy of Roman victory over Persia.