وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ فَعَلُوهُ فِى ٱلزُّبُرِ 52
Translations
And everything they did is in written records.
Transliteration
Wa kullu shay'in fa'aloohu fi az-zubur
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the fact that all the deeds of the disbelievers are recorded in the divine records (az-zubur), meaning nothing escapes Allah's knowledge or documentation. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret this as emphasizing that every action, whether good or evil, is meticulously recorded by the angels and will be presented as evidence on the Day of Judgment, affirming both divine omniscience and accountability.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Qamar, which discusses the stories of previous nations who rejected their messengers and were destroyed. Verse 52 specifically concludes a passage about the people of 'Ad, reinforcing the surah's theme that Allah's knowledge encompasses all deeds and that punishment came to those who rejected the truth.
Related Hadiths
Related to the concept of divine recording: 'There are two angels with every person recording his deeds; the one on his right records his good deeds and the one on his left records his evil deeds' (Sahih Muslim 2655). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about all deeds being presented to Allah every week.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that no action escapes Allah's awareness, encouraging accountability in both thought and deed, and providing comfort that justice will ultimately prevail as all deeds are perfectly documented for the final judgment.
Related Ayahs
ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ٱلْحَىُّ ٱلْقَيُّومُ ۚ لَا تَأْخُذُهُۥ سِنَةٌ وَلَا نَوْمٌ ۚ لَّهُۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ مَن ذَا ٱلَّذِى يَشْفَعُ عِندَهُۥٓ إِلَّا بِإِذْنِهِۦ ۚ يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ ۖ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِشَىْءٍ مِّنْ عِلْمِهِۦٓ إِلَّا بِمَا شَآءَ ۚ وَسِعَ كُرْسِيُّهُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ ۖ وَلَا يَـُٔودُهُۥ حِفْظُهُمَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَلِىُّ ٱلْعَظِيمُ
Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
ٱلَّذِى يَرَىٰكَ حِينَ تَقُومُ
Who sees you when you arise
ٱلَّذِينَ تَتَوَفَّىٰهُمُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ ظَالِمِىٓ أَنفُسِهِمْ ۖ فَأَلْقَوُا۟ ٱلسَّلَمَ مَا كُنَّا نَعْمَلُ مِن سُوٓءٍۭ ۚ بَلَىٰٓ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌۢ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَعْمَلُونَ
The ones whom the angels take in death [while] wronging themselves, and [who] then offer submission, [saying], "We were not doing any evil." But, yes! Indeed, Allāh is Knowing of what you used to do.
۞ أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِى ٱلْقُبُورِ
But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered