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Ayah
Word by Word
أَلَمۡ
Do not
تَرَ
you see
أَنَّ
that
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
يَعۡلَمُ
knows
مَا
whatever
فِي
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ
the heavens
وَمَا
and whatever
فِي
(is) in
ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ
the earth
مَا
Not
يَكُونُ
there is
مِن
any
نَّجۡوَىٰ
secret counsel
ثَلَٰثَةٍ
(of) three
إِلَّا
but
هُوَ
He (is)
رَابِعُهُمۡ
(the) fourth of them
وَلَا
and not
خَمۡسَةٍ
five
إِلَّا
but
هُوَ
He (is)
سَادِسُهُمۡ
(the) sixth of them
وَلَآ
and not
أَدۡنَىٰ
less
مِن
than
ذَٰلِكَ
that
وَلَآ
and not
أَكۡثَرَ
more
إِلَّا
but
هُوَ
He
مَعَهُمۡ
(is) with them
أَيۡنَ
wherever
مَا
wherever
كَانُواْۖ
they are
ثُمَّ
Then
يُنَبِّئُهُم
He will inform them
بِمَا
of what
عَمِلُواْ
they did
يَوۡمَ
(on the) Day
ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۚ
(of) the Resurrection
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
بِكُلِّ
of every
شَيۡءٍ
thing
عَلِيمٌ
(is) All-Knower
أَلَمۡ
Do not
تَرَ
you see
أَنَّ
that
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
يَعۡلَمُ
knows
مَا
whatever
فِي
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ
the heavens
وَمَا
and whatever
فِي
(is) in
ٱلۡأَرۡضِۖ
the earth
مَا
Not
يَكُونُ
there is
مِن
any
نَّجۡوَىٰ
secret counsel
ثَلَٰثَةٍ
(of) three
إِلَّا
but
هُوَ
He (is)
رَابِعُهُمۡ
(the) fourth of them
وَلَا
and not
خَمۡسَةٍ
five
إِلَّا
but
هُوَ
He (is)
سَادِسُهُمۡ
(the) sixth of them
وَلَآ
and not
أَدۡنَىٰ
less
مِن
than
ذَٰلِكَ
that
وَلَآ
and not
أَكۡثَرَ
more
إِلَّا
but
هُوَ
He
مَعَهُمۡ
(is) with them
أَيۡنَ
wherever
مَا
wherever
كَانُواْۖ
they are
ثُمَّ
Then
يُنَبِّئُهُم
He will inform them
بِمَا
of what
عَمِلُواْ
they did
يَوۡمَ
(on the) Day
ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِۚ
(of) the Resurrection
إِنَّ
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
Allah
بِكُلِّ
of every
شَيۡءٍ
thing
عَلِيمٌ
(is) All-Knower
Translation
Have you not considered that Allāh knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth? There are not three in a private conversation but that He is the fourth of them,1 nor are there five but that He is the sixth of them - and no less than that and no more except that He is with them [in knowledge] wherever they are. Then He will inform them of what they did on the Day of Resurrection. Indeed Allāh is, of all things, Knowing.
Footnotes
1 - Through His knowledge of them and their secrets.
Tafsir
Have you not seen, [have you not] realised, that God knows all that is in the skies and all that is in the earth? Not secret conversation of three takes place but He is their fourth [companion], by [virtue of] His omniscience, nor of five but He is their sixth, nor of fewer than that or more but He is with them wherever they may be. Then He will inform them of what they did, on the Day of Resurrection. Assuredly God has knowledge of all things.
Explaining the Punishment of the Enemies of the Religion
Allah states that those who defy Him and His Messenger and contradict His commandments,
إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يُحَادُّونَ اللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُ
Verily, those who oppose Allah and His Messenger,
Allah states that those who defy Him and His Messenger and contradict His commandments,
كُبِتُوا كَمَا كُبِتَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
will be disgraced as those before them were disgraced,
meaning, they will be humiliated, cursed and disgraced, just as what happened to their like were before them,
وَقَدْ أَنزَلْنَا ايَاتٍ بَيِّنَاتٍ
And We have sent down clear Ayat.
meaning, none contradicts or opposes them, except a disbeliever, rebellious, sinner,
وَلِلْكَافِرِينَ عَذَابٌ مُّهِينٌ
And for the disbelievers is a disgraceful torment.
meaning, as just recompense for their arrogant refusal to follow, obey and submit to the religion of Allah.
Allah the Exalted said
يَوْمَ يَبْعَثُهُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا
.
On the Day when Allah will resurrect them all together,
referring to the Day of Resurrection when He will gather the early and the latter generations in one area,
..
فَيُنَبِّيُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا
and inform them of what they did.
He will tell them all that they did in detail, whether good or evil,
أَحْصَاهُ اللَّهُ وَنَسُوهُ
Allah has kept account of it, while they have forgotten it.
meaning, Allah recorded and kept all these actions, even though they have forgotten what they did,
وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ شَهِيدٌ
And Allah is Witness over all things.
meaning, nothing escapes His knowledge, and no matter is hidden from Him or escapes His complete observation.
Allah's Knowledge encompasses Creation
Then Allah the Exalted informs of His knowledge encompassing all creation, observing it, hearing their speech and seeing them, wherever they may be and in whatever condition they may be in
أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الاَْرْضِ
مَا يَكُونُ مِن نَّجْوَى ثَلَاثَةٍ
Have you not seen that Allah knows whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is on the earth? There is no Najwa of three,
i.e., secret consultation of three,
إِلاَّ هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلَا خَمْسَةٍ إِلاَّ هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ
وَلَا أَدْنَى مِن ذَلِكَ وَلَا أَكْثَرَ إِلاَّ هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا
but He is their fourth --- nor of five but He is their sixth --- nor of less than that or more but He is with them wheresoever they may be.
meaning, He is watching them, perfectly hearing their speech, whether uttered in public or secret. His angels record all that they say, even though He has better knowledge of it and hears them perfectly, as Allah said;
أَلَمْ يَعْلَمُواْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَاهُمْ وَأَنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَّـمُ الْغُيُوبِ
Know they not that Allah knows their secret ideas, and their Najwa, and that Allah is the All-Knower of the unseen. (9:78),
أَمْ يَحْسَبُونَ أَنَّا لَا نَسْمَعُ سِرَّهُمْ وَنَجْوَهُم بَلَى وَرُسُلُنَا لَدَيْهِمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private Najwa And Our messengers are by them to record. (43:80)
For this reason, several mentioned that there is a consensus among the scholars that this with refers to Allah's knowledge. There is no doubt that this meaning is true, especially if we add to it the certainty that His hearing encompasses all things, as well as His sight. He, the Exalted and Most Honored, is never lacking in knowing all their affairs,
ثُمَّ يُنَبِّيُهُم بِمَا عَمِلُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
And afterwards on the Day of Resurrection He will inform them of what they did. Verily, Allah is the All-Knower of everything.
Imam Ahmad commented, Allah began the Ayah (58:7) by mentioning His knowledge and ended it by mentioning His knowledge.
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