إِلَّا مَا شَآءَ ٱللَّهُ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ يَعْلَمُ ٱلْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ 7
Translations
Except what Allāh should will. Indeed, He knows what is declared and what is hidden.
Transliteration
Illa mā shāa Allāh, innahu ya'lamu al-jahru wa mā yakhfā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that nothing occurs except by the will of Allah, and emphasizes His complete knowledge of all things—both what is spoken openly and what is concealed in hearts. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir explain this as a fundamental principle of Islamic belief (qadar), teaching that human free will operates within Allah's divine will, and that His omniscience encompasses all visible and hidden matters, making Him the ultimate judge of intentions and deeds.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-A'la, a Meccan surah focused on glorifying Allah's majesty and highlighting His attributes of perfection. The broader context of the surah emphasizes divine transcendence and humanity's need to purify themselves through remembrance of Allah. This particular verse reinforces the theme of Allah's absolute knowledge and will as central to the surah's message.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The greatest supplication is du'a' (supplication), and the closest a servant comes to their Lord is in the middle of the night.' (Tirmidhi) This relates to the ayah's theme of Allah's knowledge of hidden matters. Additionally, the hadith 'Verily Allah knows what you will do before you do it' (Sahih Muslim) directly parallels the ayah's emphasis on Allah's comprehensive knowledge.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to recognize that their plans and desires are ultimately subject to Allah's will, encouraging humility and trust in divine wisdom while motivating them to maintain integrity in both public conduct and private intentions, knowing that Allah sees and knows everything.