Surah Yunus (10) — Ayah 61

(Ayah 61) ➊ At the beginning of this verse, the two verbs {’’ تَكُوْنُ ‘‘} and {’’ تَتْلُوْا ‘‘ } are in the singular masculine present tense, which means "you," and the two verbs {’’ تَعْمَلُوْنَ ‘‘} and {’’ تُفِيْضُوْنَ ‘‘} are in the plural masculine present tense, which means "you (all)." The commentators have interpreted this in two ways: one is that the first two words are addressed to the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), and the latter two words are addressed to all people. In the text, the translation of the verse has been done accordingly, keeping the words in mind. The second interpretation is that although the first two words are addressed to the Prophet (peace be upon him), all people are included in this as well, which is why the latter verbs are in the plural; the intent is every addressee, as Allah Almighty has said: «{ يٰۤاَيُّهَا النَّبِيُّ اِذَا طَلَّقْتُمُ النِّسَآءَ فَطَلِّقُوْهُنَّ۠ لِعِدَّتِهِنَّ } » [ الطلاق : ۱ ] "O Prophet! When you (people) divorce women, divorce them at their prescribed period." In this, by addressing the Prophet (peace be upon him) at the beginning, the entire Ummah is included. That is, whoever among the people is in any state, whether reciting the Qur'an or performing any other deed, Allah Almighty is witness over him. This interpretation is also Sahih (authentic).
➋ The meaning of {’’ شَاْنٍ ‘‘} is a state, but such a state that holds importance, as He said: «{ كُلَّ يَوْمٍ هُوَ فِيْ شَاْنٍ }» [ الرحمٰن : ۲۹ ] "Every day He is in a (new) state." This word is not used for ordinary or insignificant matters.
➌ Regarding the pronoun in { وَ مَا تَتْلُوْا مِنْهُ : ’’ مِنْهُ ‘‘}, the commentators have mentioned many possibilities as to whom it refers, all of which are correct, but in my view, the easiest and clearest is the one that is apparent from the translation, that is, this pronoun refers to Allah Almighty, because the Qur'an has come from Him, and for referring a pronoun to Allah Almighty, it is not necessary that He be mentioned earlier, because He is always present in every mind.
➍ { وَ لَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ مِنْ عَمَلٍ … :} In this verse, there is a message of comfort for the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) and the Muslims that every act and deed of your servitude is before Us, and for the opponents, there is a warning that whatever misdeeds you commit, as soon as you engage in them, We are also witnesses to them; neither are We unaware of them, nor will you be able to escape their punishment.
➎ { وَ مَا يَعْزُبُ عَنْ رَّبِّكَ مِنْ مِّثْقَالِ ذَرَّةٍ … :} This is a refutation of the statement of some ignorant philosophers that Allah Almighty knows universals but does not know particulars, that only great matters come into His knowledge, not small ones. {’’ ذَرَّةٍ ‘‘} refers to even the smallest ant, as well as the fine particles scattered in the light coming through a skylight, etc. It is said that whether it is the earth or the sky, not even a particle's worth of anything is hidden from Him, nor anything smaller or greater than that, rather all are in the Clear Book. The meaning of the Clear Book is also taken as the Preserved Tablet (Lawh Mahfuz) and also as the knowledge of Allah, the Blessed and Exalted. The verses (59, 60) of Surah Al-An'am are similar in meaning to this verse.

61. 1. In this verse, Allah addresses the Prophet and the believers, stating that He is aware of the conditions of all creatures, and therefore, at every moment, His gaze is upon humans. Nothing, big or small, in the heavens and the earth is hidden from Him. This is the same subject that has already been mentioned in Surah Al-An'am, verse 59: 'With Him are the keys of the unseen, none knows them except Him. He knows whatever is in the land and in the sea. Not a leaf falls but that He knows it. And no grain is there within the darknesses of the earth and no moist or dry [thing] but that it is [written] in a clear record.' He knows the movements of the things present in the heavens and the earth, so how can He be unaware of the actions and movements of humans and jinn, who are obligated and commanded to worship Allah?

61. (O Prophet,) whatever state you may be in, and whatever portion of the Quran you recite, and (O people,) whatever work you are engaged in, We are witnesses over you when you are engrossed in it. Not even an atom’s weight in the earth or in the sky is hidden from your Lord, nor anything smaller or greater, but it is (all) recorded in a clear Book (the Preserved Tablet).

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A Comparison of Your Activities and Those of the Polytheists:

In this verse, both the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and the polytheists of Makkah are addressed simultaneously. A comparative review of their activities is presented: on one side is your blessed self, who has devoted day and night for the guidance of people, exhausting yourself for this very purpose, going to people and reciting the Quran to them, and striving through it; and when people do not believe, you are deeply grieved. On the other side are your opponents, who leave no stone unturned in causing you and your companions pain and suffering, mocking the Muslims, and blocking every path of Islam. Allah Almighty is watching all of this, and not even the smallest thing can be hidden from His sight. Thus, in this verse, the disbelievers are being warned that whatever misdeeds you commit or intend to do, all of it is already within Allah’s knowledge; then He is watching each and every one of your actions, and they are all being recorded. Therefore, be concerned about the outcome of these activities from now on. And to the Prophet, this very thing is being said to console him and to instruct him to be patient.