Al-'Alim - The All-Knowing
Understanding Allah's complete knowledge of all things, past, present, and future.
Al-'Alim (العليم) signifies Allah's absolute and comprehensive knowledge. Nothing escapes His awareness—not a leaf falls, not a thought forms, not an atom moves without His knowledge. His knowledge is eternal, encompassing what was, what is, and what will be, as well as what would have been had circumstances differed. This attribute inspires consciousness of being observed (muraqabah), honesty in secret as in public, and trust that Allah knows our struggles and efforts even when others do not. It provides comfort that He knows our intentions and circumstances perfectly.
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.
Al-Ghazali taught that truly knowing Allah is Al-'Alim transforms behavior—we become mindful that every action, word, and thought is witnessed.
Quran