سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 284
لِّلَّهِ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ وَإِن تُبْدُوا۟ مَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَآءُ وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿284﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
To Allâh belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in your ownselves or conceal it, Allâh will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allâh is Able to do all things.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
لِّلَّهِ
lillahi
To Allah (belongs)
مَا
mā
whatever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ
l-samāwāti
the heavens
وَمَا
wamā
and whatever
فِى
fī
(is) in
ٱلْأَرْضِ ۗ
l-arḍi
the earth
وَإِن
wa-in
And if
تُبْدُوا۟
tub'dū
you disclose
مَا
mā
what
فِىٓ
fī
(is) in
أَنفُسِكُمْ
anfusikum
yourselves
أَوْ
aw
or
تُخْفُوهُ
tukh'fūhu
you conceal it
يُحَاسِبْكُم
yuḥāsib'kum
will call you to account
بِهِ
bihi
for it
ٱللَّهُ ۖ
l-lahu
Allah
فَيَغْفِرُ
fayaghfiru
Then, He will forgive
لِمَن
liman
[to] whom
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
He wills
وَيُعَذِّبُ
wayuʿadhibu
and He will punish
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ ۗ
yashāu
He wills
وَٱللَّهُ
wal-lahu
And Allah
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
كُلِّ
kulli
every
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
thing
قَدِيرٌ
qadīrun
(is) All-Powerful
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 285,284) ➊ { لِلّٰهِ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ:} This is the reason for «وَ اللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُوْنَ عَلِيْمٌ» mentioned in the previous verse, meaning that when Allah is the Owner of everything in the heavens and the earth, then understand well that whatever you do, Allah is fully aware of it.
➋ {يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللّٰهُ: } From this it is understood that there will be accountability even for the actions of the heart, but this refers to those actions of the heart over which a person has control and which he firmly intends, such as faith, disbelief, the resolve and firm intention to do a good or bad deed. For example, if a person harbors disbelief in his heart, or intends to steal or commit adultery, but does not get the opportunity to express disbelief or to act upon stealing or adultery, then he will certainly be held accountable for it. As for those thoughts that are beyond a person's power and control, that come and go on their own, if a person does not give them a place in his heart, then there will be no accountability for them, as is mentioned in the last verse of this Surah «لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفْسًا اِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ». Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the verse «لِلّٰهِ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ…» was revealed, the Companions became very worried. They presented themselves before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said that we are performing acts like prayer, fasting, etc., but according to this verse (accountability for what is in the heart), it will be very difficult. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you also want to say {”سَمِعْنَا وَ عَصَيْنَا“} like the People of the Book? Rather, you should say: [ سَمِعْنَا وَ اَطَعْنَا، غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَ اِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ ] 'We have heard and we obey. Our Lord! We seek Your forgiveness, and to You is the return.'" When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) accepted this, Allah revealed the next verse: «اٰمَنَ الرَّسُوْلُ بِمَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَّبِّهٖ» and abrogated the verse «اَوْ تُخْفُوْهُ يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللّٰهُ», and when the next verse: « لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفْسًا اِلَّا وُسْعَهَا » was revealed, after every supplicatory sentence in it, Allah said: [ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ ] "I have done so." [مسند أحمد : 413/2، ح : ۹۳۶۳۔ مسلم، الإیمان، باب بیان تجاوز اللہ … : ۱۲۵ ] It should be clear that here, the meaning of the second verse abrogating the first is that the ambiguity in the first verse was clarified. Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also used the word 'abrogation' in the sense of clarification." In another narration from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The thoughts and whispers that come into the hearts of my Ummah have been forgiven for my Ummah, as long as they do not speak of them or act upon them." [مسلم، الإیمان، باب تجاوز اللہ عن … : ۱۲۷۔ بخاری : ۵۲۶۹ ] (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani)
➌ { لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ اَحَدٍ مِّنْ رُّسُلِهٖ:} That is, it is not that we believe in some prophets and deny others, rather we believe in all the prophets.
➋ {يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللّٰهُ: } From this it is understood that there will be accountability even for the actions of the heart, but this refers to those actions of the heart over which a person has control and which he firmly intends, such as faith, disbelief, the resolve and firm intention to do a good or bad deed. For example, if a person harbors disbelief in his heart, or intends to steal or commit adultery, but does not get the opportunity to express disbelief or to act upon stealing or adultery, then he will certainly be held accountable for it. As for those thoughts that are beyond a person's power and control, that come and go on their own, if a person does not give them a place in his heart, then there will be no accountability for them, as is mentioned in the last verse of this Surah «لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفْسًا اِلَّا وُسْعَهَا ». Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him) says that when the verse «لِلّٰهِ مَا فِي السَّمٰوٰتِ وَ مَا فِي الْاَرْضِ…» was revealed, the Companions became very worried. They presented themselves before the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and said that we are performing acts like prayer, fasting, etc., but according to this verse (accountability for what is in the heart), it will be very difficult. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Do you also want to say {”سَمِعْنَا وَ عَصَيْنَا“} like the People of the Book? Rather, you should say: [ سَمِعْنَا وَ اَطَعْنَا، غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَ اِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيْرُ ] 'We have heard and we obey. Our Lord! We seek Your forgiveness, and to You is the return.'" When the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) accepted this, Allah revealed the next verse: «اٰمَنَ الرَّسُوْلُ بِمَاۤ اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْهِ مِنْ رَّبِّهٖ» and abrogated the verse «اَوْ تُخْفُوْهُ يُحَاسِبْكُمْ بِهِ اللّٰهُ», and when the next verse: « لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّٰهُ نَفْسًا اِلَّا وُسْعَهَا » was revealed, after every supplicatory sentence in it, Allah said: [ قَدْ فَعَلْتُ ] "I have done so." [مسند أحمد : 413/2، ح : ۹۳۶۳۔ مسلم، الإیمان، باب بیان تجاوز اللہ … : ۱۲۵ ] It should be clear that here, the meaning of the second verse abrogating the first is that the ambiguity in the first verse was clarified. Hafiz Ibn Qayyim (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "The Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) also used the word 'abrogation' in the sense of clarification." In another narration from Abu Hurairah (may Allah be pleased with him), the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "The thoughts and whispers that come into the hearts of my Ummah have been forgiven for my Ummah, as long as they do not speak of them or act upon them." [مسلم، الإیمان، باب تجاوز اللہ عن … : ۱۲۷۔ بخاری : ۵۲۶۹ ] (Ibn Kathir, Shawkani)
➌ { لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ اَحَدٍ مِّنْ رُّسُلِهٖ:} That is, it is not that we believe in some prophets and deny others, rather we believe in all the prophets.
