وَقَدْ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَكْرُ جَمِيعًا ۖ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ ۗ وَسَيَعْلَمُ ٱلْكُفَّـٰرُ لِمَنْ عُقْبَى ٱلدَّارِ 42
Translations
And those before them had plotted, but to Allāh belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.
Transliteration
Wa qad makara alladhina min qablihim fa-lillahi al-makru jamian ya'lamu ma taksibu kullu nafsin wa-sayalamu al-kuffaru li-man uqba ad-dar
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah warns that those who came before the disbelievers also plotted against the prophets and truth, yet all schemes ultimately belong to Allah alone—He knows what every soul earns and will reveal the final outcome to the disbelievers. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize that despite human cunning and machinations, Allah's plan is supreme and His knowledge encompasses all actions; the ayah provides reassurance to believers that divine justice will ultimately prevail.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Ar-Ra'd, revealed in Madinah during a period when believers faced opposition and plots from disbelievers and hypocrites. The broader context of this surah addresses the clash between believers and disbelievers, offering reassurance that despite worldly deception and schemes, Allah's truth endures and His justice is inevitable.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Muslim 2889: The Prophet (ﷺ) stated that whoever plots against believers will be punished by Allah. Also relevant is the general principle from Sahih Bukhari 3291 regarding Allah's knowledge of all deeds and intentions, which underpins the ayah's message.
Themes
Key Lesson
No matter how sophisticated the schemes of those who reject truth may be, Allah possesses complete knowledge and sovereignty over all affairs; believers should trust in Allah's justice rather than fear human plots, knowing that the final outcome belongs to the righteous.
Related Ayahs
يَوْمَ هُم بَـٰرِزُونَ ۖ لَا يَخْفَىٰ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ مِنْهُمْ شَىْءٌ ۚ لِّمَنِ ٱلْمُلْكُ ٱلْيَوْمَ ۖ لِلَّهِ ٱلْوَٰحِدِ ٱلْقَهَّارِ
The Day they come forth nothing concerning them will be concealed from Allāh. To whom belongs [all] sovereignty this Day? To Allāh, the One, the Prevailing.
إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَٱلَّذِينَ هَادُوا۟ وَٱلصَّـٰبِـِٔينَ وَٱلنَّصَـٰرَىٰ وَٱلْمَجُوسَ وَٱلَّذِينَ أَشْرَكُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَهُمْ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
Indeed, those who have believed and those who were Jews and the Sabeans and the Christians and the Magians and those who associated with Allāh - Allāh will judge between them on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allāh is, over all things, Witness.
قُلْ إِنَّمَا ٱلْعِلْمُ عِندَ ٱللَّهِ وَإِنَّمَآ أَنَا۠ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ
Say, "The knowledge is only with Allāh, and I am only a clear warner."
وَإِنْ عَزَمُوا۟ ٱلطَّلَـٰقَ فَإِنَّ ٱللَّهَ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And if they decide on divorce - then indeed, Allāh is Hearing and Knowing.