Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 284

Mufti Taqi Usmani

To Allah belongs what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. If you disclose what is in your hearts or conceal it, Allah shall hold you accountable for it, then He will forgive whom He wills and punish whom He wills. Allah is powerful over everything.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

To Allah ˹alone˺ belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Whether you reveal what is in your hearts or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. He forgives whoever He wills, and punishes whoever He wills. And Allah is Most Capable of everything.

Ruwwad Translation Center

To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth. Whether you reveal what is within yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills, for Allah is Most Capable of all things.

A. J. Arberry

To God belongs all that is in the heavers and earth. Whether you publish what is in your hearts or hide it, God shall make reckoning with you for it. He will forgive whom He will, and chastise whom He will; God is powerful over everything.

Abdul Haleem

Whatever is in the heavens and in the earth belongs to God and, whether you reveal or conceal your thoughts, God will call you to account for them. He will forgive whoever He will and punish whoever He will: He has power over all things.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Allah's is whatsoever is in the heavens and Whatsoever is in the earth, and whether ye disclose that which is in your soul or conceal it, Allah will reckon with you therefor, then He will forgive whomsoever He will, and torment whomsoever He will, And Allah is over everything Potent.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

To Allah belongeth all that is in the heavens and on earth. Whether ye show what is in your minds or conceal it, Allah Calleth you to account for it. He forgiveth whom He pleaseth, and punisheth whom He pleaseth, for Allah hath power over all things.

Abul Ala Maududi

To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. " Allah will call you to account for what is in your minds whether you disclose it or hide it. He, however, had full authority to pardon or punish anyone He pleases, for Allah has complete power over everything.

Ahmed Ali

To God belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth; and whether you reveal what is in your heart or conceal it, you will have to account for it to God who will pardon whom He please and punish whom He will, for God has the power over all things.

Ahmed Raza Khan

To Allah only belongs all whatever is in the heavens and all whatever is in the earth; and whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, Allah will take account of it from you; so He will forgive whomever He wills and punish whomever He wills; and Allah is Able to do all things.

Ali Quli Qarai

To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. Whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, Allah will bring you to account for it. Then He will forgive whomever He wishes and punish whomever He wishes, and Allah has power over all things.

Ali Ünal

To God belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth; whether you reveal what is within yourselves (of intentions, plans) or keep it secret, God will call you to account for it. He forgives whom He wills (either from His grace or His grace responding to the repentance of the sinful), and He punishes whom He wills (as a requirement of His justice). God has full power over everything.

Amatul Rahman Omar

To Allâh belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth, and whether you reveal that which is in your minds or conceal it Allâh will call you to account for it. Then He will protect whomsoever He will and will punish whomsoever He will. And Allâh is Possessor of full power to do all He will.

English Literal

To God what is in the skies/space and what is in the earth/Planet Earth, and if you show what is in yourselves or you hide it, God counts/calculates (with) you with it, so He forgives to whom He wills/wants and tortures whom He wills/wants, and God (is) on every thing capable/powerful .

Faridul Haque

To Allah only belongs all whatever is in the heavens and all whatever is in the earth; and whether you disclose what is in your hearts or hide it, Allah will take account of it from you; so He will forgive whomever He wills and punish whomever He wills; and Allah is Able to do all things.

Hamid S. Aziz

Allah´s is what is in heaven and in the earth, and if you show what is in your souls, or hide it, Allah will call you to account; and He forgives whom He will, and punishes whom He will, for Allah is Able to do all things.

Hilali & Khan

To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in your ownselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is Able to do all things.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

To Allah belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth. And whether you manifest what is in your minds or hide it, Allah will call you to account according to it. So he forgives whom He pleases and chastises whom He pleases. And Allah is Possessor of power over all things.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Whatever is in the heavens and whatever is in the earth is Allah's; and whether you manifest what is in your minds or hide it, Allah will call you to account according to it; then He will forgive whom He pleases and chastise whom He pleases, and Allah has power over all things.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Unto Allah (belongeth) whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth; and whether ye make known what is in your minds or hide it, Allah will bring you to account for it. He will forgive whom He will and He will punish whom He will. Allah is Able to do all things.

Muhammad Sarwar

God belongs whatever is in the heavens and the earth. God will call you to account for all that you may reveal from your souls and all that you may conceal. God will forgive or punish whomever He wants. God has power over all things.

Qaribullah & Darwish

To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Whether you reveal what is in your hearts or hide it Allah will bring you to account for it. He will forgive whom He will and punish whom He will; He has power over all things.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is able to do all things.

Wahiduddin Khan

All that the heavens and the earth contain belongs to God, whether you disclose what is in your minds or keep it hidden. God will bring you to account for it. He will forgive whom He will and punish whom He pleases: He has power over all things.

Talal Itani

To God belongs everything in the heavens and the earth. Whether you reveal what is within your selves, or conceal it, God will call you to account for it. He forgives whom He wills, and He punishes whom He wills. God is Able to do all things.

Tafsir jalalayn

To God belongs all that is in the heavens and the earth. Whether you disclose, manifest, what is in your hearts or hide it, of evil and resolve for it, God shall take you to account for it, informing you of it on the Day of Resurrection. Then He will forgive whom He will, to forgive, and chastise whom He will, to chastise (both verbs are apocopated [fa-yaghfir, `he will forgive', wa-yu`adhdhib, `he will chastise'] if taken as the responses to the conditional, in tubd, `if you proclaim'; but they may also be read with a final nominative inflection [yaghfiru, yu`adhdhibu] in which case, it would [constitute a new clause and] follow on from an implicit fa- huwa, `then He'). And God has power over all things, including reckoning with you and requiting you.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Would the Servants be Accountable for What They Conceal in Their Hearts

Allah says;

لِّلَّهِ ما فِي السَّمَاواتِ وَمَا فِي الَارْضِ وَإِن تُبْدُواْ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ اللّهُ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاء وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ



To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it.

Allah states that His is the kingship of the heavens and earth and of what and whoever is on or between them, that He has perfect watch over them. No apparent matter or secret that the heart conceals is ever a secret to Him, however minor it is.

Allah also states that He will hold His servants accountable for what they do and what they conceal in their hearts.

In similar statements, Allah said,

قُلْ إِن تُخْفُواْ مَا فِى صُدُورِكُمْ أَوْ تُبْدُوهُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى السَّمَـوَتِ وَمَا فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ

Say (O Muhammad);"Whether you hide what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it, and He knows what is in the heavens and what is in the earth. And Allah is able to do all things) (3;29)

and,

يَعْلَمُ السِّرَّ وَأَخْفَى


He knows the secret and that which is yet more hidden. (20;7)

There are many other Ayat on this subject.

In this Ayah (2;284), Allah states that He has knowledge of what the hearts conceal, and consequently, He will hold the creation accountable for whatever is in their hearts. This is why when this Ayah was revealed, it was hard on the Companions, since out of their strong faith and conviction, they were afraid that such reckoning would diminish their good deeds.

Imam Ahmad recorded that Abu Hurayrah said,

"When

لِّلَّهِ ما فِي السَّمَاواتِ وَمَا فِي الَارْضِ وَإِن تُبْدُواْ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ يُحَاسِبْكُم بِهِ اللّهُ فَيَغْفِرُ لِمَن يَشَاء وَيُعَذِّبُ مَن يَشَاء وَاللّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ


To Allah belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on the earth, and whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it, Allah will call you to account for it. Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is able to do all things.

was revealed to the Messenger of Allah, it was very hard for the Companions of the Messenger.

The Companions came to the Messenger and fell to their knees saying, `O Messenger of Allah! We were asked to perform what we can bear of deeds;the prayer, the fast, Jihad and charity. However, this Ayah was revealed to you, and we cannot bear it.'

The Messenger of Allah said,

أَتُرِيدُونَ أَنْ تَقُولُوا كَما قَالَ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابَيْنِ مِنْ قَبْلِكُمْ سَمِعْنَا وَعَصَيْنَا بَلْ قُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِير

Do you want to repeat what the People of the Two Scriptures before you said, that is, `We hear and we disobey!' Rather, say, `We hear and we obey, and we seek Your forgiveness, O our Lord, and the Return is to You.

When the people accepted this statement and their tongues recited it, Allah sent down afterwards,

امَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُوْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ امَنَ بِاللّهِ وَمَليِكَتِهِ وَكُتُبِهِ وَرُسُلِهِ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّن رُّسُلِهِ وَقَالُواْ سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا غُفْرَانَكَ رَبَّنَا وَإِلَيْكَ الْمَصِيرُ


The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah, His Angels, His Books, and His Messengers. (They say,) "We make no distinction between one another of His Messengers ـ and they say, "We hear, and we obey. (We seek) Your forgiveness, our Lord, and to You is the return (of all)." (2;285)

When they did that, Allah abrogated the Ayah (2;284) and sent down the Ayah,

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلااَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لَا تُوَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا

Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error," until the end." (2;286)

Muslim recorded it with the wording;

"When they did that, Allah abrogated it (2;284) and sent down,

لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلااَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَعَلَيْهَا مَا اكْتَسَبَتْ رَبَّنَا لَا تُوَاخِذْنَا إِن نَّسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا

Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned. "Our Lord! Punish us not if we forget or fall into error." (2;286)

Allah said, `I shall (accept your supplication),'

رَبَّنَا وَلَا تَحْمِلْ عَلَيْنَا إِصْرًا كَمَا حَمَلْتَهُ عَلَى الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِنَا


"Our Lord! Lay not on us a burden like that which You did lay on those before us (Jews and Christians)" (2;286)

Allah said, `I shall (accept your supplication),'

رَبَّنَا وَلَا تُحَمِّلْنَا مَا لَا طَاقَةَ لَنَا بِهِ


"Our Lord! Put not on us a burden greater than we have strength to bear." (2;286)

Allah said, `I shall (accept your supplication),'

وَاعْفُ عَنَّا وَاغْفِرْ لَنَا وَارْحَمْنَأ

أَنتَ مَوْلَانَا فَانصُرْنَا عَلَى الْقَوْمِ الْكَافِرِينَ

"Pardon us and grant us forgiveness. Have mercy on us. You are our Mawla (Supporter and Protector) and give us victory over the disbelieving people." (2;286)

Allah said, `I shall."'

Imam Ahmad recorded that Mujahid said,

"I saw Ibn Abbas and said to him,

`O Abu Abbas! I was with Ibn Umar, and he read this Ayah and cried.'

He asked, `Which Ayah?'

I said,
وَإِن تُبْدُواْ مَا فِي أَنفُسِكُمْ أَوْ تُخْفُوهُ
(And whether you disclose what is in yourselves or conceal it).

Ibn Abbas said, `When this Ayah was revealed, it was very hard on the Companions of the Messenger of Allah and worried them tremendously. They said;O Messenger of Allah! We know that we would be punished according to our statements and our actions, but as for what occurs in our hearts, we do not control what is in them.'

The Messenger of Allah said,

قُولُوا سَمِعْنَا وَأَطَعْنَا

Say, `We hear and we obey.'

They said, `We hear and we obey.'

Thereafter, this Ayah abrogated the previous Ayah,
امَنَ الرَّسُولُ بِمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْهِ مِن رَّبِّهِ وَالْمُوْمِنُونَ كُلٌّ امَنَ بِاللّهِ
(The Messenger believes in what has been sent down to him from his Lord, and (so do) the believers. Each one believes in Allah), until,
لَا يُكَلِّفُ اللّهُ نَفْسًا إِلااَّ وُسْعَهَا لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ
(Allah burdens not a person beyond his scope. He gets reward for that (good) which he has earned, and he is punished for that (evil) which he has earned). (2;285-286)

Therefore, they were pardoned what happens in their hearts, and were held accountable only for their actions."'

The Group recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

إِنَّ اللهَ تَجَاوَزَ لِي عَنْ أُمَّتِي مَا حَدَّثَتْ بِهِ أَنْفُسَهَا مَالَمْ تَكَلَّمْ أَوْ تَعْمَل

Allah has pardoned my Ummah for what they say to themselves, as long as they do not utter it or act on it.

The Two Sahihs recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,

قَالَ اللهُ إِذَا هَمَّ عَبْدِي بِسَيِّيَةٍ فَلَا تَكْتُبُوهَا عَلَيهِ فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا سَيِّيَةً وَإِذَا هَمَّ بِحَسَنَةٍ فَلَمْ يَعْمَلْهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا حَسَنَةً فَإِنْ عَمِلَهَا فَاكْتُبُوهَا عَشْرًا

Allah said (to His angels),

"If My servant intends to commit an evil deed, do not record it as such for him, and if he commits it, write it for him as one evil deed.

If he intends to perform a good deed, but did not perform it, then write it for him as one good deed, and if he performs it, write it for him as ten good deeds.