وَإِن مِّن شَىْءٍ إِلَّا عِندَنَا خَزَآئِنُهُۥ وَمَا نُنَزِّلُهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِقَدَرٍ مَّعْلُومٍ 21
Translations
And there is not a thing but that with Us are its depositories, and We do not send it down except according to a known [i.e., specified] measure.
Transliteration
Wa-in min shay'in illa 'indana khazainuhu wa ma nunazziluh illa biqadarin ma'lum
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's absolute ownership and control over all the treasures and sustenance of creation, and that He distributes them in precise, measured amounts according to His infinite wisdom. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that nothing exists in the heavens or earth except that its provision and existence is guarded by Allah, and He alone determines what is sent down to His creation in exact quantities—whether rain, knowledge, wealth, or any other blessing.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan Surah Al-Hijr, which emphasizes Allah's majesty, creative power, and absolute sovereignty. The thematic context addresses the Quranic response to those who deny the afterlife and God's comprehensive knowledge; it reinforces that Allah's control extends over all resources and sustenance, countering materialistic perspectives.
Related Hadiths
The hadith from Sahih Muslim narrated by 'A'ishah in which the Prophet (peace be upon him) stated: 'Actions are judged by intentions' reflects the theme of Allah's precise knowledge and determination of all affairs. Additionally, the hadith in Sahih Bukhari from Abu Hurairah about divine decree (qadar) complements this ayah's message about Allah's measured distribution of all things.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to trust in Allah's perfect wisdom and measured distribution of all blessings, encouraging reliance on Him rather than anxiety over material provisions. It also instills humility by reminding us that all abundance and scarcity, success and difficulty, flow from Allah's precise divine plan.