سُوْرَةُ الْعَنْكَبُوْتِ
Surah Al-Ankaboot (29) — Ayah 3
وَلَقَدْ فَتَنَّا ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ ﴿3﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allâh will certainly make (it) known (the truth of) those who are true, and will certainly make (it) known (the falsehood of) those who are liars, (although Allâh knows all that before putting them to test).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَقَدْ
walaqad
And indeed
فَتَنَّا
fatannā
We tested
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
مِن
min
(were) before them
قَبْلِهِمْ ۖ
qablihim
(were) before them
فَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ
falayaʿlamanna
And Allah will surely make evident
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
And Allah will surely make evident
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
صَدَقُوا۟
ṣadaqū
(are) truthful
وَلَيَعْلَمَنَّ
walayaʿlamanna
and He will surely make evident
ٱلْكَـٰذِبِينَ
l-kādhibīna
the liars
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.
3. Indeed, We tested those who came before them [2]. Allah will surely make evident [3] those who are truthful and those who are liars.
[2]
The Testing of Believers on the Touchstone of Hardships:
Hazrat Khabbab bin Arat ؓ says that once I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was reclining on a cloth in the shade of the Ka'bah. At that time, we were enduring severe hardships from the polytheists. I said to him ﷺ: "Why do you not pray to Allah?" Upon hearing this, he (left the cushion and) sat up straight. His ﷺ face became red (with anger) and he said: "Before you, there were people who had iron combs run through their flesh and nerves down to the bone, but they would not turn away from their true religion. And saws were placed on the middle of their heads and they were cut into two pieces, but they would not turn away from their religion. And Allah will surely complete this matter (the dominance of truth)." [بخاری۔ کتاب المناقب۔ باب مالقی النبی و اصحابہ من المشرکین بمکۃ]
[3]
The Doctrine of Bada and Its Response:
A misguided sect has derived from ﴿فليعلمن﴾ the belief that as events continue to occur, Allah comes to know of them. In their terminology, they call this belief "Bada." However, from countless verses it is evident that the knowledge of the universe and all the events that occur within it is already with Him. And this knowledge, like His essence, is eternal and everlasting. And from this verse or some other similar verses from which the misconception of Allah's knowledge being acquired arises, the answer is that the division of past, present, and future is only for us humans; for Allah, this division of time is nothing. Because every event, whether according to our understanding it relates to the past, present, or future, for Him it is not unseen but all is witnessed. That is why Allah has mentioned future events in the past tense in countless places. Like ﴿وَنَادٰٓي اَصْحٰبُ الْجَنَّةِ اَصْحٰبَ النَّارِ﴾ [7: 44] and like ﴿اِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ﴾ [1:81], but this is regarding such events that cannot come into human experience and observation. And those events that can come into human experience and observation, their relation will certainly be with the present and future. Therefore, in such places, Allah has used the present tense, and its meaning is not only so that "We may know" or "We may find out," but also so that "you people may know." As is the case at this place, and in many other places such an expression has been adopted. And its second answer is that Allah in reality already knows about every person, what kind of qualities he possesses. But Allah does not give reward or punishment merely on the basis of His knowledge until that matter actually takes a practical form. For example, it is in Allah's knowledge that such and such person will steal at such and such time. But punishment will not be given on this knowledge until that person actually commits theft. In other words, Allah adopts this manner of expression when it relates to the knowledge of other people. In such verses, the translation of "knowledge" can be done as "witnessing" or "seeing," and Hazrat Ibn Abbas ؓ interprets it as «لِيُرِيَنَّ». [ابن كثير]
And if the translation of "knowledge" is done as "knowing," then in this "knowing" others besides Allah will also be included. And some scholars have, in such places, translated the word "knowledge" not as "knowing" but as "making known."
[2]
The Testing of Believers on the Touchstone of Hardships:
Hazrat Khabbab bin Arat ؓ says that once I came to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ while he was reclining on a cloth in the shade of the Ka'bah. At that time, we were enduring severe hardships from the polytheists. I said to him ﷺ: "Why do you not pray to Allah?" Upon hearing this, he (left the cushion and) sat up straight. His ﷺ face became red (with anger) and he said: "Before you, there were people who had iron combs run through their flesh and nerves down to the bone, but they would not turn away from their true religion. And saws were placed on the middle of their heads and they were cut into two pieces, but they would not turn away from their religion. And Allah will surely complete this matter (the dominance of truth)." [بخاری۔ کتاب المناقب۔ باب مالقی النبی و اصحابہ من المشرکین بمکۃ]
[3]
The Doctrine of Bada and Its Response:
A misguided sect has derived from ﴿فليعلمن﴾ the belief that as events continue to occur, Allah comes to know of them. In their terminology, they call this belief "Bada." However, from countless verses it is evident that the knowledge of the universe and all the events that occur within it is already with Him. And this knowledge, like His essence, is eternal and everlasting. And from this verse or some other similar verses from which the misconception of Allah's knowledge being acquired arises, the answer is that the division of past, present, and future is only for us humans; for Allah, this division of time is nothing. Because every event, whether according to our understanding it relates to the past, present, or future, for Him it is not unseen but all is witnessed. That is why Allah has mentioned future events in the past tense in countless places. Like ﴿وَنَادٰٓي اَصْحٰبُ الْجَنَّةِ اَصْحٰبَ النَّارِ﴾ [7: 44] and like ﴿اِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ﴾ [1:81], but this is regarding such events that cannot come into human experience and observation. And those events that can come into human experience and observation, their relation will certainly be with the present and future. Therefore, in such places, Allah has used the present tense, and its meaning is not only so that "We may know" or "We may find out," but also so that "you people may know." As is the case at this place, and in many other places such an expression has been adopted. And its second answer is that Allah in reality already knows about every person, what kind of qualities he possesses. But Allah does not give reward or punishment merely on the basis of His knowledge until that matter actually takes a practical form. For example, it is in Allah's knowledge that such and such person will steal at such and such time. But punishment will not be given on this knowledge until that person actually commits theft. In other words, Allah adopts this manner of expression when it relates to the knowledge of other people. In such verses, the translation of "knowledge" can be done as "witnessing" or "seeing," and Hazrat Ibn Abbas ؓ interprets it as «لِيُرِيَنَّ». [ابن كثير]
And if the translation of "knowledge" is done as "knowing," then in this "knowing" others besides Allah will also be included. And some scholars have, in such places, translated the word "knowledge" not as "knowing" but as "making known."
