سُوْرَةُ طٰهٰ
Surah Taa-Haa (20) — Ayah 110
يَعْلَمُ مَا بَيْنَ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَمَا خَلْفَهُمْ وَلَا يُحِيطُونَ بِهِۦ عِلْمًا ﴿110﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
He (Allâh) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them (in the Hereafter) but they will never compass anything of His Knowledge.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَعْلَمُ
yaʿlamu
He knows
مَا
mā
what
بَيْنَ
bayna
(is) before them
أَيْدِيهِمْ
aydīhim
(is) before them
وَمَا
wamā
and what
خَلْفَهُمْ
khalfahum
(is) behind them
وَلَا
walā
while not
يُحِيطُونَ
yuḥīṭūna
they encompass
بِهِۦ
bihi
it
عِلْمًۭا
ʿil'man
(in) knowledge
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
110. He knows all that is before them and all that is behind them [79], but they cannot encompass Him in knowledge.
[79]
The Popular Belief in Intercession is Invalid:
In this verse, the reason for the restrictions placed on intercession has been explained: only Allah has knowledge of people's deeds, the circumstances in which those deeds were committed, and their intentions. No one else can possess this knowledge. To understand this, consider the example of a person who goes to an officer and says, "Your subordinate is my friend, so please forgive his mistake." The officer replies, "You are indeed my friend, but do you know all the previous mistakes this person has committed? His record is already very bad. Therefore, forgiving him would also be tantamount to injustice." Exactly the same principle will apply there; it will not be possible for any saint to intercede before Allah by saying, "O Lord, forgive him because he is my special person." In this way, the very root of the belief in intercession is cut off, which common people have attached to their deities or spiritual leaders, thinking that since they are close to Allah, they will intercede and save us.
[79]
The Popular Belief in Intercession is Invalid:
In this verse, the reason for the restrictions placed on intercession has been explained: only Allah has knowledge of people's deeds, the circumstances in which those deeds were committed, and their intentions. No one else can possess this knowledge. To understand this, consider the example of a person who goes to an officer and says, "Your subordinate is my friend, so please forgive his mistake." The officer replies, "You are indeed my friend, but do you know all the previous mistakes this person has committed? His record is already very bad. Therefore, forgiving him would also be tantamount to injustice." Exactly the same principle will apply there; it will not be possible for any saint to intercede before Allah by saying, "O Lord, forgive him because he is my special person." In this way, the very root of the belief in intercession is cut off, which common people have attached to their deities or spiritual leaders, thinking that since they are close to Allah, they will intercede and save us.
