Is the Unseen known only to Allah Almighty and His messengers by His permission, or does Allah cause certain unseen matters to occur through some righteous people as a karamah (divine honor) for them? And do the righteous fall under the general meaning of His Almighty saying: "Except for whom He has approved of a messenger"?

Only Allah (the Exalted) knows the absolute unseen, as evidenced by the texts of revelation, such as His (the Exalted) saying: "Say: None in the heavens and the earth knows the unseen except Allah," and "And with Him are the keys of the unseen; none knows them except He."

As for the relative unseen, Allah may reveal some of it to certain people through inspiration, spiritual insight (firasa), or true visions. An example of this is the "Muhaddathun" like Umar ibn al-Khattab, who are inspired individuals through whose tongues Allah causes some unseen matters to be spoken. However, these inspirations must be presented to the Sharia (Islamic law), because the inspired person is not infallible.

Allah has made an exception only for the Messengers in revealing the unseen to them, so that it may be a miracle and a proof of their prophethood, as stated in His (the Exalted) saying: "He does not reveal His unseen to anyone, except to whom He has approved of a Messenger." This does not contradict visions and inspirations, because they are speculative and uncertain, and are not considered knowledge of the unseen. They may be right or wrong, unlike the revelation to the prophets.