Refutation of Shirk in
"His Knowledge Encompasses that of
The Preserved Tablet and The Pen"

The verse in the Burda, which the Salafis accuse of being shirk, that states:

- “wa min `uloomika `ilma al-lawhi wa 'l-qalam”

It seems that according to many of the reliable commentaries that this means the Prophet (pbuh) had *all* the knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen.

Shaykh al Islam Ibn Hajar Haytami states:

“[…] And the sense in which knowledge of the Tablet and the Pen is part of some of his sciences, upon him blessings and peace, is that on the night of Isra', Allah Most High showed him everything that is in the Preserved Tablet and added to that other types of knowledge, such as the secrets which pertain to His Essence and Attributes, may He be exalted.” (al -Umdah fi Sharh al-Burda)

Similarly, Mulla `Ali Qari states in his commentary:

“[…] It was also said that Allah Most High showed him, upon him blessings and peace, what the Pen had written in the Preserved Tablet, which is the knowledge of the first and the last, and this is the preponderant explanation (wa-huwa al-az.har) […] the science of the Tablet and the Pen are only a few lines (sut.ur) among the lines of his knowledge and a mere river from the seas of his knowledge….” (al-Zubdah fi Sharh al-Burda)

Also, the great Shafi`i and Ash`ari Shaykh al Azhar, Imam Bajuri, said in his commentary:

“'Wa-min' (and from) in his saying 'wa-min `ulumika' is for tab`eed also [...] meaning the informations Allah Most High showed him, for He, Most High, showed him the sciences of the first and the last…” (Sharh al-Burda)

Shaykh Zadah said in his commentary:

“It may be that Allah Most High showed him, upon him blessings and peace, all that is in the Tablet, and increased him on top of that also, because the Tablet and the Pen are created, so what is in them has a limit, and it is possible for the limited to encompass the limited.” (Hashiyat al-Burdah)