أَلَّا يَسْجُدُوا۟ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى يُخْرِجُ ٱلْخَبْءَ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا تُخْفُونَ وَمَا تُعْلِنُونَ 25
Translations
[And] so they do not prostrate to Allāh, who brings forth what is hidden within the heavens and the earth and knows what you conceal and what you declare -
Transliteration
Alla yashjudu lillahi alladhi yukhriju al-khaba'a fi al-samawati wa-al-ardi wa-ya'lamu ma tukhfuna wa-ma tu'lanun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rebukes those who refuse to prostrate to Allah, the One who brings forth hidden things in the heavens and earth and knows all that is concealed and revealed. Ibn Kathir notes this is directed at the disbelievers who deny Allah's omniscience and sovereignty despite the clear signs of His power and knowledge. The verse emphasizes that Allah's complete knowledge of the hidden and the manifest should compel submission and worship.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of the narrative of Sulayman and the ant, where the disbelievers' refusal to acknowledge Allah's signs is being criticized. The broader Meccan context addresses polytheists who rejected monotheism despite witnessing Allah's creation and wisdom. The specific mention of hidden and revealed knowledge serves as evidence against those who claimed idols could intercede or that hidden knowledge was unknown to Allah.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim records that the Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The most complete of believers in faith are those who have the best character.' This relates to the ayah's emphasis on submission to Allah's knowledge and authority. Additionally, Sahih Bukhari contains the hadith about Allah knowing all secrets, supporting the theme of divine omniscience mentioned in this ayah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that Allah's complete knowledge of our inner thoughts and outer actions should motivate sincere worship and submission. For modern readers, it emphasizes that accountability before Allah extends beyond public behavior to intentions and private thoughts, encouraging moral consciousness in all aspects of life.
Related Ayahs
ٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَحْمِلُ كُلُّ أُنثَىٰ وَمَا تَغِيضُ ٱلْأَرْحَامُ وَمَا تَزْدَادُ ۖ وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ عِندَهُۥ بِمِقْدَارٍ
Allāh knows what every female carries and what the wombs lose [prematurely] or exceed. And everything with Him is by due measure.
يَعْلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَمَا يَخْرُجُ مِنْهَا وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَمَا يَعْرُجُ فِيهَا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٱلْغَفُورُ
He knows what penetrates into the earth and what emerges from it and what descends from the heaven and what ascends therein. And He is the Merciful, the Forgiving.
وَمَا تَكُونُ فِى شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُوا۟ مِنْهُ مِن قُرْءَانٍ وَلَا تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلَّا كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ ۚ وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَآ أَصْغَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكْبَرَ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مُّبِينٍ
And, [O Muḥammad], you are not [engaged] in any matter and do not recite any of the Qur’ān and you [people] do not do any deed except that We are witness over you when you are involved in it. And not absent from your Lord is any [part] of an atom's weight within the earth or within the heaven or [anything] smaller than that or greater but that it is in a clear register.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَيْهِ شَىْءٌ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ
Indeed, from Allāh nothing is hidden in the earth nor in the heaven.