وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا ٱلْمُسْتَقْدِمِينَ مِنكُمْ وَلَقَدْ عَلِمْنَا ٱلْمُسْتَـْٔخِرِينَ 24
Translations
And We have already known the preceding [generations] among you, and We have already known the later [ones to come].
Transliteration
Wa-laqad 'alimna al-mustaqaddimīna minkum wa-laqad 'alimna al-mustaʾkhirīn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah affirms His complete knowledge of all generations of mankind—both those who came before and those who will come after the time of the Prophet. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir explain this as a declaration of Allah's omniscience encompassing all of time, emphasizing that no human action escapes His awareness regardless of when it occurs. This ayah serves to remind believers of Divine accountability and the futility of attempting to hide deeds from the All-Knowing.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Hijr, a Meccan surah addressing the disbelievers of Mecca who denied the Prophet's message. The broader context deals with Allah's refutation of polytheistic claims and affirmation of monotheism. The ayah fits within the surah's theme of establishing Allah's complete knowledge and power as evidence against those who deny Divine omniscience.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Allah knows what every soul will earn' (Quran 31:34), which the scholars connect to this ayah. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari records that the Prophet emphasized no deed is hidden from Allah, reinforcing the concept of Divine knowledge presented here.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's knowledge transcends time and space, making every action ultimately accountable before Him. It should inspire consciousness of Divine observation (taqwa) in our daily lives, knowing that sincerity and integrity matter eternally regardless of worldly consequences.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَتُعَلِّمُونَ ٱللَّهَ بِدِينِكُمْ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
Say, "Would you acquaint Allāh with your religion while Allāh knows whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth, and Allāh is Knowing of all things?"
وَإِذْ غَدَوْتَ مِنْ أَهْلِكَ تُبَوِّئُ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ مَقَـٰعِدَ لِلْقِتَالِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And [remember] when you, [O Muḥammad], left your family in the morning to post the believers at their stations for the battle [of Uḥud] - and Allāh is Hearing and Knowing -
قُلْ يَـٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنتُمْ شُهَدَآءُ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you avert from the way of Allāh those who believe, seeking to make it [seem] deviant, while you are witnesses [to the truth]? And Allāh is not unaware of what you do."
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.