مَآ أَصَابَ مِن مُّصِيبَةٍ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَا فِىٓ أَنفُسِكُمْ إِلَّا فِى كِتَـٰبٍ مِّن قَبْلِ أَن نَّبْرَأَهَآ ۚ إِنَّ ذَٰلِكَ عَلَى ٱللَّهِ يَسِيرٌ 22
Translations
No disaster strikes upon the earth or among yourselves except that it is in a register before We bring it into being - indeed that, for Allāh, is easy -
Transliteration
Mā aṣāba min muṣībatin fī al-arḍi wa-lā fī anfusikum illā fī kitābin min qabli an nabra'ahā. Inna dhālika ʿalā Allāhi yasīr.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's complete knowledge and predestination (qadar), stating that no calamity befalls the earth or your souls except that it is recorded in the Preserved Tablet (Al-Lawh Al-Mahfuz) before creation itself was brought into being. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this emphasizes that all occurrences—both external (in the earth) and internal (in our bodies/souls)—are encompassed by Allah's eternal knowledge and divine decree, and that for Allah to inscribe and execute these matters is easy (yasīr).
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Hadid is a Medinan chapter revealed during the period of consolidation of the Islamic community. This ayah appears in the broader context of the surah's discussion of faith, spending in the way of Allah, and understanding the relationship between divine predestination and human responsibility. The ayah serves to console believers facing difficulties by reminding them of Allah's all-encompassing knowledge and control.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The first thing Allah created was the Pen, and He said to it: Write. So it wrote all that would happen until the Day of Resurrection' (Jami' At-Tirmidhi, Sunan Abu Dawud). Additionally, 'Nothing happens in this world or the next except as Allah has willed it' relates to the concept of qadar discussed in this ayah (Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims to find solace in the belief that all trials and hardships are recorded in Allah's eternal knowledge and serve divine wisdom, encouraging acceptance and patience (sabr) during difficulties while maintaining that nothing escapes Allah's awareness or control.
Related Ayahs
وَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَرُسُلِهِۦٓ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلصِّدِّيقُونَ ۖ وَٱلشُّهَدَآءُ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ لَهُمْ أَجْرُهُمْ وَنُورُهُمْ ۖ وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ وَكَذَّبُوا۟ بِـَٔايَـٰتِنَآ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْجَحِيمِ
And those who have believed in Allāh and His messengers - those are [in the ranks of] the supporters of truth and the martyrs, with their Lord. For them is their reward and their light. But those who have disbelieved and denied Our verses - those are the companions of Hellfire.
هُوَ ٱلْأَوَّلُ وَٱلْـَٔاخِرُ وَٱلظَّـٰهِرُ وَٱلْبَاطِنُ ۖ وَهُوَ بِكُلِّ شَىْءٍ عَلِيمٌ
He is the First and the Last, the Ascendant and the Intimate, and He is, of all things, Knowing.
ٱعْلَمُوٓا۟ أَنَّ ٱللَّهَ يُحْىِ ٱلْأَرْضَ بَعْدَ مَوْتِهَا ۚ قَدْ بَيَّنَّا لَكُمُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ
Know that Allāh gives life to the earth after its lifelessness. We have made clear to you the signs; perhaps you will understand.
وَمَا لَكُمْ أَلَّا تُنفِقُوا۟ فِى سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِلَّهِ مِيرَٰثُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ لَا يَسْتَوِى مِنكُم مَّنْ أَنفَقَ مِن قَبْلِ ٱلْفَتْحِ وَقَـٰتَلَ ۚ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ أَعْظَمُ دَرَجَةً مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنفَقُوا۟ مِنۢ بَعْدُ وَقَـٰتَلُوا۟ ۚ وَكُلًّا وَعَدَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْحُسْنَىٰ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرٌ
And why do you not spend in the cause of Allāh while to Allāh belongs the heritage of the heavens and the earth? Not equal among you are those who spent before the conquest [of Makkah] and fought [and those who did so after it]. Those are greater in degree than they who spent afterwards and fought. But to all Allāh has promised the best [reward]. And Allāh, of what you do, is Aware.