Al-Qur'an Surah Al-'Ankabut Verse 3

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Indeed We have tested those who were before them. So Allah will surely know the ones who are truthful, and He will surely know the liars.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

We certainly tested those before them. And ˹in this way˺ Allah will clearly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are liars.

Ruwwad Translation Center

We certainly tested those who came before them. For Allah will surely make known those who are truthful and those who are liars.

A. J. Arberry

We certainly tried those that were before them, and assuredly God knows those who speak truly, and assuredly He knows the liars.

Abdul Haleem

We tested those who went before them: God will certainly mark out which ones are truthful and which are lying.

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And assuredly We have tempted those who were before them. So Allah will surely know those who are true and He will surely know the liars.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

We did test those before them, and Allah will certainly know those who are true from those who are false.

Abul Ala Maududi

for We indeed tested those who went before them? Allah will most certainly ascertain those who spoke the truth and those who lied.

Ahmed Ali

We had tried those who were before them so that God knew who spoke the truth, and who were liars.

Ahmed Raza Khan

We indeed tested those before them – so Allah will surely test the truthful, and will surely test the liars.

Ali Quli Qarai

Certainly We tested those who were before them. So Allah shall surely ascertain those who are truthful, and He shall surely ascertain the liars.

Ali Ünal

We certainly tested those who preceded them. (This is Our unchanging way) so that God will certainly mark out those who prove true (in their profession of faith) and He will certainly mark out those who prove false.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Whereas We did already try those who were before them with hardships. Allâh will surely bring to light those who are true in their faith as He will bring to light also the liars (by putting them into troubles).

English Literal

And We had tested those who (were) from before them, so God knows (E) those who were truthful, and He knows (E) the liars/deniers/falsifiers.

Faridul Haque

We indeed tested those before them – so Allah will surely test the truthful, and will surely test the liars.

Hamid S. Aziz

Do men imagine that they will be left alone because they say, "We believe," and not be tested?

Hilali & Khan

And We indeed tested those who were before them. And Allah 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 Allah knows all that before putting them to test).

Maulana Mohammad Ali

I, Allah, am the best Knower.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And certainly We tried those before them, so Allah will certainly know those who are true and He will certainly know the liars.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Lo! We tested those who were before you. Thus Allah knoweth those who are sincere, and knoweth those who feign.

Muhammad Sarwar

We had certainly tried those who lived before them to make sure who were truthful in their faith and who were liars.

Qaribullah & Darwish

We tried those who have gone before them. Allah knows those who are truthful and those who lie.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And We indeed tested those who were before them so that Allah will indeed know those who are true, and He will know those who are liars.

Wahiduddin Khan

We certainly tried those who have gone before them, so God will certainly distinguish between those who are truthful and those who are lying.

Talal Itani

We have tested those before them. God will surely know the truthful, and He will surely know the liars.

Tafsir jalalayn

And certainly We tried those who were before them. So God shall surely know those who are sincere, in their faith -- a knowledge of direct vision -- and He shall surely know those who are liars, regarding it.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

And We indeed tested those who were before them so that Allah will know those who are true, and will know those who are liars.

meaning, He will make know which are sincere in their claim to be believers from those who are lying.

Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, knows what has happened in the past and what is yet to come, and He knows how that which will not happen would have happened if it were to happen.

All the Imams of Ahlus-Sunnah wal-Jama`ah are agreed on this.

This is the view of Ibn Abbas and others concerning phrases such as the Ayah,
إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ
(only that We know). (2;143),

Meaning, only to see -- because seeing has to do with what is there, but knowledge is broader than seeing, since it includes what is not present as well as what is.
The Evildoers cannot escape from Allah

Allah said;

أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ يَعْمَلُونَ السَّيِّيَاتِ أَن يَسْبِقُونَا سَاء مَا يَحْكُمُونَ