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
ٱلَّذِينَ يَجْتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰٓئِرَ ٱلْإِثْمِ وَٱلْفَوَٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَ ۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَٰسِعُ ٱلْمَغْفِرَةِ ۚ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ إِذْ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَرْضِ وَإِذْ أَنتُمْ أَجِنَّةٌ فِى بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمْ ۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوٓا۟ أَنفُسَكُمْ ۖ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰٓ
Those who avoid the major sins and immoralities, only [committing] slight ones. Indeed, your Lord is vast in forgiveness. He was most knowing of you when He produced you from the earth and when you were fetuses in the wombs of your mothers. So do not claim yourselves to be pure; He is most knowing of who fears Him.
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يَشْفَعُونَ إِلَّا لِمَنِ ٱرْتَضَىٰ وَهُم مِّنْ خَشْيَتِهِۦ مُشْفِقُونَ
He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.
أَوَلَمْ يَرَوْا۟ إِلَى ٱلطَّيْرِ فَوْقَهُمْ صَـٰٓفَّـٰتٍ وَيَقْبِضْنَ ۚ مَا يُمْسِكُهُنَّ إِلَّا ٱلرَّحْمَـٰنُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍۭ بَصِيرٌ
Do they not see the birds above them with wings outspread and [sometimes] folded in? None holds them [aloft] except the Most Merciful. Indeed He is, of all things, Seeing.
۞ أَفَلَا يَعْلَمُ إِذَا بُعْثِرَ مَا فِى ٱلْقُبُورِ
But does he not know that when the contents of the graves are scattered