يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِۦ عِلْمًا 110
Translations
He [i.e., Allāh] knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, but they do not encompass it [i.e., what He knows] in knowledge.
Transliteration
Ya'lamu maa bayna aydihim wa maa khalfahum wa laa yuhituna bihi 'ilman
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's perfect and comprehensive knowledge of all things—past, present, and future—while emphasizing that human knowledge is fundamentally limited and cannot encompass Allah's divine attributes. The phrase 'what is before them and what is behind them' (employing classical Quranic idiom for temporal and situational awareness) underscores that nothing escapes Allah's omniscience, whereas humans remain unable to grasp the full extent of His knowledge, power, and wisdom. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir emphasize this as a foundational principle of Islamic theology: the absolute distinction between divine and human cognition.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Taha (a Meccan chapter) within the broader context of Allah's attributes and the disbelievers' rejection of the Prophet's message. It serves to reassure the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and believers that despite human ignorance and denial, Allah's knowledge and control over all affairs is absolute and inescapable, which provides comfort against the mockery and opposition faced during the early Meccan period.
Related Hadiths
The concept is reinforced in the hadith where the Prophet said: 'The most complete in faith among believers is the best of them in character' (Tirmidhi), as recognizing Allah's superior knowledge cultivates humility. Additionally, in Sahih Bukhari, the Prophet emphasized that 'None of you will truly believe until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,' reflecting the humility that comes from recognizing human limitations before divine knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to cultivate intellectual humility and recognize that our understanding is inherently partial and finite compared to Allah's infinite wisdom, which should inspire us to rely on revelation rather than mere human reasoning in matters of faith. It also provides solace during times of confusion or uncertainty—reminding us that Allah's perfect knowledge encompasses all our circumstances, even when we cannot see the full picture ourselves.