وَكُلَّ شَىْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَـٰهُ كِتَـٰبًا 29
Translations
But all things We have enumerated in writing.
Transliteration
Wa-kulla shay'in ahsaynahu kitaban
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah has recorded and enumerated all things in a comprehensive Book (the Preserved Tablet, or Lawh al-Mahfuz). Ibn Kathir explains that nothing escapes Allah's knowledge or divine record—every action, deed, and occurrence is meticulously documented. Al-Qurtubi emphasizes this demonstrates Allah's perfect omniscience and serves as a reminder of ultimate accountability on the Day of Judgment.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Naba, a Meccan chapter focused on affirming core Islamic beliefs including resurrection, divine knowledge, and God's comprehensive power. The surah's overall context emphasizes the certainty of the Day of Judgment and Allah's complete knowledge of all creation, making this ayah part of a broader reassurance to believers about divine justice.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The first thing Allah created was the pen, and He said to it: Write. It said: O Lord, what shall I write? He said: Write the decree of all things until the Hour comes.' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi) - This directly relates to the concept of divine recording mentioned in the ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah should inspire believers to maintain consciousness of Allah (taqwa) in all their actions, knowing that nothing is hidden from Him and all deeds are recorded for the Day of Judgment. It provides comfort that justice is guaranteed—no deed, whether good or harmful, goes unnoticed or unrewarded.
Related Ayahs
وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا۟ مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ وَلَـٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِۦ بَصِيرًۢا
And if Allāh were to impose blame on the people for what they have earned, He would not leave upon it [i.e., the earth] any creature. But He defers them for a specified term. And when their time comes, then indeed Allāh has ever been, of His servants, Seeing.
رَّبُّكُمْ أَعْلَمُ بِكُمْ ۖ إِن يَشَأْ يَرْحَمْكُمْ أَوْ إِن يَشَأْ يُعَذِّبْكُمْ ۚ وَمَآ أَرْسَلْنَـٰكَ عَلَيْهِمْ وَكِيلًا
Your Lord is most knowing of you. If He wills, He will have mercy upon you; or if He wills, He will punish you. And We have not sent you, [O Muḥammad], over them as a manager.
نَّحْنُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يَسْتَمِعُونَ بِهِۦٓ إِذْ يَسْتَمِعُونَ إِلَيْكَ وَإِذْ هُمْ نَجْوَىٰٓ إِذْ يَقُولُ ٱلظَّـٰلِمُونَ إِن تَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا رَجُلًا مَّسْحُورًا
We are most knowing of how they listen to it when they listen to you and [of] when they are in private conversation, when the wrongdoers say, "You follow not but a man affected by magic."
رَبَّنَآ إِنَّكَ تَعْلَمُ مَا نُخْفِى وَمَا نُعْلِنُ ۗ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ
Our Lord, indeed You know what we conceal and what we declare, and nothing is hidden from Allāh on the earth or in the heaven.