لَّقَدْ أَحْصَىٰهُمْ وَعَدَّهُمْ عَدًّا 94
Translations
He has enumerated them and counted them a [full] counting.
Transliteration
Laqad ahsaahum wa addahum addan
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that Allah has full knowledge and enumeration of all His servants, emphasizing His complete awareness and control over creation. The double mention of counting (ahsa and adda) underscores the absolute precision of Allah's knowledge—nothing escapes His reckoning. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir interpret this as a refutation of the polytheists' claim that Allah is unaware of their actions or that they can hide from His knowledge.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the context of Surah Maryam's refutation of Christian and pagan misconceptions about Allah. The surrounding verses address false beliefs about angels and God's attributes, and this ayah asserts Allah's comprehensive knowledge as a counter to the denial of divine awareness by those who rejected monotheism.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Allah is more aware of where His provision will reach than the one who seeks it' (a thematic connection found in various hadith collections). Additionally, Surah Al-Insan (76:2) relates: 'Indeed, We have created man from a sperm-drop mixture that We may try him; and We made him hearing and seeing.'
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers that Allah's knowledge encompasses all actions and intentions, providing both comfort to the righteous and warning to those who disobey. It should inspire accountability in our daily lives, knowing that nothing is hidden from Allah's sight and that we will be called to account for our deeds.