6. [al-Anam, Cattle, Mecca 55]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَا إِلاَّ هُوَ...

6: 59. With Him are the keys of the Unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He.

C879. Mafatih: Plural of either miflah, a key, or maftah, a treasure.

Both meanings are implied, and I have accordingly put both in my translation.

...وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ...

He knoweth whatever there is on the earth and in the sea.

...وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِي ظُلُمَاتِ الأَرْضِ...

Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge:

there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth,

...وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٥٩﴾

nor anything fresh or dry (green or withered),

but is (inscribed) in a Record Clear (to those who can read).

C880. This is the mystic Record, the archetypal Plan, the Eternal Law, according to which everything seen and unseen is ordered and regulated.

The simplest things in Nature are subject to His Law. The fresh and the withered, the living and the lifeless-nothing is outside the Plan of His Creation. (R).

Other versions:

6: 59

Asad ……And He knows all that is on land an in sea; and not a leaf falls but He knows it; and neither is there a grain in the earth’s deep darkness, nor anything living or dead [note 49], but is recorded in [His] clear decree.

Pickthall And with Him are the keys of the invisible. None but He knows them. And He knows what is in the land and the sea. Not a leaf falls but He knows it, not a grain amid the darkness of the earth, naught of wet or dry but (it is noted) in a clear record.

Transliteration Wa 'indahu_ mafa_tihul gaibi la_ ya'lamuha_ illa_ huw(a), wa ya'lamu fir barri wal bahr(i), wa ma_ tasqutu miw waraqatin illa_ ya'lamuha_ wa la_ habbatin fi zuluma_til ardi wa la_ ratbiw wa la_ ya_bisin illa_ fi kita_bim mubin(in).

[[ Asad’s note 49 – Lit., “fresh or dry”. ]]

[[ Ali’s notes - 879 Mafatih: Plural of either miftah= a key, or maftah= a treasure. Both meanings are implied, and I have accordingly put both in my translation. (6.59)

880 This is the mystic Record, the archetypal Plan, the Eternal Law, according to which everything seen and unseen is ordered and regulated. There is much mystic doctrine here, explained by beautiful metaphors and illustrations. The simplest things in Nature are subject to His Law. The fresh and the withered, the living and the lifeless-nothing is outside the Plan of His Creation. (6.59)

881 As the rest of His Creation is subject to His Law and Plan, so is man's life in every particular and at every moment, awake or asleep. The mystery of Sleep-" the twin brother of death" - is called the taking of our soul by Him, with the record of all we have done in our waking moments, and this record sometimes appears to us in confused glimpses in dreams. By day we awaken again to our activities, and so it goes on until we fufil the term of our life appointed for this earth. Then comes the other Sleep (death), with the longer record of our Day (Life); and then, in the end comes the Resurrection and Judgment, at which we see everything clearly and not as in dreams, for that is the final Reality. (6.60) ]]

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10. [Yunus, Mecca 51]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَا تَكُونُ فِي شَأْنٍ وَمَا تَتْلُو مِنْهُ مِن قُرْآنٍ...   

10: 61.  In whatever business thou mayest be, and whatever portion thou mayest be reciting from the Qur'án --

...وَلاَ تَعْمَلُونَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ إِلاَّ كُنَّا عَلَيْكُمْ شُهُودًا إِذْ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِ...

and whatever deed ye (mankind) may be doing --

We are Witnesses thereof when ye are deeply engrossed therein.

...وَمَا يَعْزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ وَلاَ فِي السَّمَاء...

Nor is hidden from thy Lord (so much as) the weight of an atom on the earth or in heaven.

...وَلاَ أَصْغَرَ مِن ذَلِكَ وَلا أَكْبَرَ إِلاَّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٦١﴾

And not the least and not the greatest of these things but are recorded in a clear Record.

C1450. There is nothing that men can do but Allah is a witness to it. We may be deeply engrossed in some particular thing and for the time being be quite unconscious of other things. But Allah's knowledge not only comprehends all things, but has all things actively before it.

Nothing is hidden from Him. And His knowledge has another quality which human knowledge has not.

Human knowledge is subject to time, and is obliterated by time. Allah's knowledge is like a Record and endures for ever. And His Record has a further quality which human records have not. The most permanent human record may be quite intelligible to those who make it but may be ambiguous to others and may become unintelligible with the progress of time, as happens almost invariably to the most enduring inscriptions from very ancient times: but in Allah's "Record" or knowledge there is no ambiguity, for it is independent of time, or place, This is the force of Mubin ("clear") here.

Other versions:

10: 61

Pickthall And thou (Muhammad) art not occupied with any business and thou recitest not a lecture from this (Scripture), and ye ( mankind) perform no act, but We are Witness of you when ye are engaged therein. And not an atom's weight in the earth or in the sky escapeth your Lord, nor what is less than that or greater than that, but it is (written) in a clear Book.

Yuksel You do not engage in any business, nor do you recite any from the Quran, nor do you do any work; without us being witnesses over you when you undertake it. Nothing is hidden from your Lord, not even an atom’s weight on earth or in the heavens, nor smaller than that nor larger, but is in a clear book.

Transliteration Wa ma_ taku_nu fi sya'niw wa ma_ tatlu_ minhu min qur'a_niw wa la_ ta'malu_na min 'amalin illa_ 'alaikum syuha_dan iz tufidu_na fih(i), wa ma_ ya'zubu 'ar rabbika mim misqa_li zarratin fil ardi wa la_ fis sama_'i wa la_ asgara min za_lika wa la_ akbara illa_ fi kita_bim mubin(in).

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11. Surah [Hud, Mecca 52]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِي الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ عَلَى اللّهِ رِزْقُهَا...   

11: 6.     There is no moving creature on earth but its sustenance dependeth on Allah:

C1498. Cf. 6:59.

Nothing happens in Creation except by the Word of Allah and with the knowledge of Allah. Not a leaf stirs but by His Will, Its maintenance in every sense is dependent on His Will.

...وَيَعْلَمُ مُسْتَقَرَّهَا وَمُسْتَوْدَعَهَا ...

He knoweth the time and place of its temporary deposit:

C1499. Mustaqarr:  definite abode; where a thing stops or stays for some time, where it is established.

Mustauda: where a thing is laid up or deposited for a little while. Referring to animals,

-        the former denotes its life on this earth;

-        the latter its temporary pre-natal existence in the egg or the womb and its after-death existence in the tomb or whatever state it is in until its resurrection.

... كُلٌّ فِي كِتَابٍ مُّبِينٍ ﴿٦﴾

all is in a clear Record.

C1500. Cf. 6:59 and n. 880, and 10:61 and n. 1450.

Other versions:

11: 6

Asad ……and He knows its time limit[on earth] and its resting-place [after death] [note 9]: all [this] is laid down in [His] clear decree.

Pickthall And there is not a beast in the earth but the sustenance thereof dependeth on Allah. He knoweth its habitation and its repository. All is in a clear record.

Yuksel There is not a creature on earth except that its provision is due from God. He knows their habitat and their depository. All is in a clear record.*

Transliteration Wa ma_ min da_bbatin fil ardi illa_ 'alalla_hi rizquha_ wa ya'lamu mustaqarraha_ wa mustauda'aha_, kullun fi kita_bim

[[ Asad’s note 9 – For this rendering of mustaqarr and mustawda, see note 83 on 6:98. The above reference to God’s all-embracing knowledge….]]

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22. Sura al-Hajj

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَلَمْ تَعْلَمْ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاء وَالْأَرْضِ...

Alam taAAlam anna Allaha yaAAlamu ma fee alssama-i waal-ardi

22: 70. Knowest thou not that Allah knows all that is in heaven and on earth?

...إِنَّ ذَلِكَ فِي كِتَابٍ...

inna thalika fee kitabin

Indeed it is all in a record,

...إِنَّ ذَلِكَ عَلَى اللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ ﴿٧٠﴾

inna thalika AAala Allahi yaseerun

and that is easy for Allah.

C2851. We human beings can only think of knowledge being accurately and permanently preserved by means of a record. Allah's knowledge has all the qualities of a perfect record, and it is moreover complete and comprehensive. This is not difficult for Him from whom flow all knowledge and intelligence.

Asad’s Version:

22:69

[For, indeed,] God will judge between you [all] on Resurrection Day with regard to all on

which you were wont to differ. 83

22:70) Dost thou not know that God knows all that occurs in

heaven as well as on earth? All this, behold, is in [God's] record: verily, [to know] all this is

easy for God.

Other versions:

22:70