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
أَمْ حَسِبْتُمْ أَن تُتْرَكُوا۟ وَلَمَّا يَعْلَمِ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ جَـٰهَدُوا۟ مِنكُمْ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذُوا۟ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلَا رَسُولِهِۦ وَلَا ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلِيجَةً ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
Do you think that you will be left [as you are] while Allāh has not yet made evident those among you who strive [for His cause] and do not take other than Allāh, His Messenger and the believers as intimates? And Allāh is [fully] Aware of what you do.
ثُمَّ بَعَثْنَـٰهُمْ لِنَعْلَمَ أَىُّ ٱلْحِزْبَيْنِ أَحْصَىٰ لِمَا لَبِثُوٓا۟ أَمَدًا
Then We awakened them that We might show which of the two factions was most precise in calculating what [extent] they had remained in time.
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.