وَلَا يَحْسَبَنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ سَبَقُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّهُمْ لَا يُعْجِزُونَ 59
Translations
And let not those who disbelieve think they will escape. Indeed, they will not cause failure [to Allāh].
Transliteration
Wa lā yahsabanna alladhīna kafarū sabaqū. Innahum lā yu'jizūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns the disbelievers not to think they have escaped or outpaced Allah's plan, for they cannot escape His grasp or frustrate His will. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that no matter how the disbelievers flee or think they have evaded divine punishment, they remain within Allah's complete control and knowledge. The ayah conveys that escape from Allah is impossible, and eventually, they will face accountability for their rejection of truth.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Al-Anfal, which was revealed after the Battle of Badr (2 AH). The surah discusses the spoils of war and lessons from that pivotal battle. This particular verse is part of a section addressing the disbelievers' false sense of security and warning them against thinking their worldly power or evasion strategies will save them from divine justice.
Related Hadiths
The concept relates to Surah At-Tariq 86:15-16, where Allah says disbelievers plot and plan, but Allah is the best of planners (Ahsan al-Makireen). Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari regarding the inevitability of divine punishment reinforces this theme of inescapable accountability.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should have absolute trust in Allah's sovereignty and justice, knowing that no oppressor escapes His awareness or judgment, while disbelievers are cautioned that material power or temporary escape does not exempt them from divine reckoning. This ayah encourages patience during trials and confidence that Allah's justice will ultimately prevail.
Related Ayahs
يَسْـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلْأَنفَالِ ۖ قُلِ ٱلْأَنفَالُ لِلَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ ۖ فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَصْلِحُوا۟ ذَاتَ بَيْنِكُمْ ۖ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥٓ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
They ask you, [O Muḥammad], about the bounties [of war]. Say, "The [decision concerning] bounties is for Allāh and the Messenger." So fear Allāh and amend that which is between you and obey Allāh and His Messenger, if you should be believers.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَآءُ بَعْضٍ ۚ إِلَّا تَفْعَلُوهُ تَكُن فِتْنَةٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَفَسَادٌ كَبِيرٌ
And those who disbelieved are allies of one another. If you do not do so [i.e., ally yourselves with other believers], there will be fitnah [i.e., disbelief and oppression] on earth and great corruption.
إِذْ تَسْتَغِيثُونَ رَبَّكُمْ فَٱسْتَجَابَ لَكُمْ أَنِّى مُمِدُّكُم بِأَلْفٍ مِّنَ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةِ مُرْدِفِينَ
[Remember] when you were asking help of your Lord, and He answered you, "Indeed, I will reinforce you with a thousand from the angels, following one another."
وَإِذْ يُرِيكُمُوهُمْ إِذِ ٱلْتَقَيْتُمْ فِىٓ أَعْيُنِكُمْ قَلِيلًا وَيُقَلِّلُكُمْ فِىٓ أَعْيُنِهِمْ لِيَقْضِىَ ٱللَّهُ أَمْرًا كَانَ مَفْعُولًا ۗ وَإِلَى ٱللَّهِ تُرْجَعُ ٱلْأُمُورُ
And [remember] when He showed them to you, when you met, as few in your eyes, and He made you [appear] as few in their eyes so that Allāh might accomplish a matter already destined. And to Allāh are [all] matters returned.