فَلَنَقُصَّنَّ عَلَيْهِم بِعِلْمٍ ۖ وَمَا كُنَّا غَآئِبِينَ 7
Translations
Then We will surely relate [their deeds] to them with knowledge, and We were not [at all] absent.
Transliteration
Fa-lanaqqusanna 'alayhim bi-'ilm wa mā kunnā ghā'ibīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah affirms that He will recount to the people on the Day of Judgment the details of their deeds with complete knowledge, for nothing is hidden from Him. Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari explain that this ayah emphasizes Allah's perfect awareness of all human actions throughout history, and His ability to present irrefutable evidence of these deeds. The phrase 'we were not absent' stresses that Allah's knowledge encompasses everything that occurred, as He is Ever-Present and All-Knowing.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-A'raf, a Meccan surah that extensively discusses the Day of Judgment and Allah's justice in dealing with His creation. It follows the account of various nations and prophets, contextualizing how Allah will judge humanity with absolute justice and knowledge on the Day of Reckoning.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'There is no Day more difficult for the disbelievers than the Day of Judgment, yet it will be but a brief moment for the believers.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi) Additionally, 'On the Day of Judgment, the Qur'an and those who acted by it will be brought forward' (Sahih Muslim), relating to how deeds will be presented with knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that no deed escapes Allah's knowledge and that all actions will be accounted for on the Day of Judgment, encouraging mindfulness in conduct and sincere repentance. It provides solace that justice will ultimately prevail when Allah presents the truth to all creation with perfect knowledge and fairness.
Related Ayahs
يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُسِرُّونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
He knows what is within the heavens and earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare. And Allāh is Knowing of that within the breasts.
هُوَ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ ثُمَّ ٱسْتَوَىٰ عَلَى ٱلْعَرْشِ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۖ وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
It is He who created the heavens and earth in six days and then established Himself above the Throne. He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein; and He is with you wherever you are. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
وَمَن يَعْمَلْ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّةٍ شَرًّا يَرَهُۥ
And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يُجَـٰدِلُونَ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ بِغَيْرِ سُلْطَـٰنٍ أَتَىٰهُمْ ۙ إِن فِى صُدُورِهِمْ إِلَّا كِبْرٌ مَّا هُم بِبَـٰلِغِيهِ ۚ فَٱسْتَعِذْ بِٱللَّهِ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ
Indeed, those who dispute concerning the signs of Allāh without [any] evidence having come to them - there is not within their breasts except pride, [the extent of] which they cannot reach. So seek refuge in Allāh. Indeed, it is He who is the Hearing, the Seeing.