Can the Imams obtain knowledge of ghaib?

Overview: Previous posts have discussed topics such as whether the Imams (as) have qualities such as knowledge of ghaib and knowing all languages, as well as the origins of the belief that they possess knowledge of ghaib. Many readers had argued that even if it is proven that they do not inherently have knowledge of ghaib, ahadith state that whenever the Imams (as) want to know something then they know it. While it is true that there is a whole section in Kafi on that, but all ahadith in it are weak. Nevertheless, this post discusses how those ahadith (regardless of their unreliability) have been interpreted by scholars to be related to religious knowledge only and not knowledge of ghaib.

"Knowledge of the Imam is inherent or obtained?" by Shaikh Ali Ibrahim Abdul Aal, published on "Al Qalam" magazine (run by Bahraini Hawza students in Qum, established under the supervision of Ayatullah Isa Ahmad Qasim's office)

في سؤال وجه إلى العلامة في أنّه هل يوجد تنافي بين كون علمهم (عليهم السلام) موروثاً من النبي (صلَّى الله عليه وآله) وبين الروايات الناصّة على أنّهم «إذا شاؤوا علموا»؟ فأجاب العلامة ما ترجمته بأنّ علمهم الذي تلقوه على قسمين: قسم مثل البديهيات لا يغيب عن خاطرهم أبداّ، وقسم آخر يحتاج إلى التأمل والالتفات والذي يكون على نحو أنّهم «إذا شاؤوا علموا» وهذا الثاني يشبه ملكة الاجتهاد التي تكون عند الفقيه المجتهد، من حيث إنّه في سائر أوقاته لا يكون ملتفتاً إليها ولكن متى ما تعرض إليه الناس بمسألة أو مسائل وحصل له التوجه النفساني فإنّه يتمكن من الإجابة، وهكذا الإمام (عليه السلام) متى ما توجه إلى مقام النورانية فإنّ المطالب تصير حاضرة عنده

In response to the question of is there a contradiction between the Imams (as) inheriting knowledge from the Prophet (pbuh) and the narrations which state that "when they (as) want [to know ghaib] then they know it" - posed to Ayatullah Syed Muhammad Hussain Tabatabai - he replied that the knowledge of the Imams (as) is of 2 types. The first type consists of basic general knowledge which is always present with them and is never hidden from them, and the second type requires concentration and focus - and is of the type "when they want [to know it] they know it" - and this second type is similar to the skill of ijtehad (deducing Islamic laws) which is possessed by the mujtahid (Islamic jurist), in the sense that the mujtahid does not exercise ijtehad round the clock but whenever people present to him religious questions and he gets the opportunity for mental focus, he is then able to answer those questions. Similar to this, when the Imam (as) focuses with spirituality, then the required knowledge is gained by him (as).*

*Translator's note: Scholars say that piety aids in seeking Islamic knowledge, and this is exactly the case with the Imams (as), as they used to focus with piety so Allah made the acquisition of Islamic knowledge, not ghaib, easy for them.