Module 5E-03 What is ghaybah

What is ghaybah?

The Arabic term ghaybah comes from the root word ghayb, which means ‘hidden’ or ‘unseen’. Translated as ‘occultation’ it specifically refers to the event or state of being hidden from view and is a temporary disappearance. When something or someone is in ghaybah we cannot see it because something else is between us and the object or person we are trying to view. For example, during its orbit, if our moon covers a planet, it momentarily obscures the planet from our view, and we will only see the planet once the moon passes. While the moon covers the planet it is said to be in hiding or in ghaybah.