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
فَٱعْلَمْ أَنَّهُۥ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا ٱللَّهُ وَٱسْتَغْفِرْ لِذَنۢبِكَ وَلِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَـٰتِ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مُتَقَلَّبَكُمْ وَمَثْوَىٰكُمْ
So know, [O Muḥammad], that there is no deity except Allāh and ask forgiveness for your sin and for the believing men and believing women. And Allāh knows of your movement and your resting place.
لَن تَنفَعَكُمْ أَرْحَامُكُمْ وَلَآ أَوْلَـٰدُكُمْ ۚ يَوْمَ ٱلْقِيَـٰمَةِ يَفْصِلُ بَيْنَكُمْ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ
Never will your relatives or your children benefit you; the Day of Resurrection He will judge between you. And Allāh, of what you do, is Seeing.
وَلَن يُؤَخِّرَ ٱللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِذَا جَآءَ أَجَلُهَا ۚ وَٱللَّهُ خَبِيرٌۢ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ
But never will Allāh delay a soul when its time has come. And Allāh is Aware of what you do.
إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عِندَهُۥ عِلْمُ ٱلسَّاعَةِ وَيُنَزِّلُ ٱلْغَيْثَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى ٱلْأَرْحَامِ ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌ مَّاذَا تَكْسِبُ غَدًا ۖ وَمَا تَدْرِى نَفْسٌۢ بِأَىِّ أَرْضٍ تَمُوتُ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلِيمٌ خَبِيرٌۢ
Indeed, Allāh [alone] has knowledge of the Hour and sends down the rain and knows what is in the wombs. And no soul perceives what it will earn tomorrow, and no soul perceives in what land it will die. Indeed, Allāh is Knowing and Aware.