Reflection on the Fate of Past Nations and Allah's Omniscience

Fatir — Verses 44–45 | Explore this Quran theme on Muallim

أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ وَكَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً ۚ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا ٤٤

Have they not travelled in the land, and seen what was the end of those before them, and they were superior to them in power? Allah is not such that anything in the heavens or in the earth escapes Him. Verily, He is AllKnowing, AllOmnipotent.

أَوَلَمْ يَسِيرُوا فِي الْأَرْضِ
Have they not travelled in the land,
فَيَنظُرُوا كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
and seen what was the end of those before them,
وَكَانُوا أَشَدَّ مِنْهُمْ قُوَّةً ۚ
and they were superior to them in power?
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُعْجِزَهُ مِن شَيْءٍ فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَلَا فِي الْأَرْضِ ۚ
Allah is not such that anything in the heavens or in the earth escapes Him.
إِنَّهُ كَانَ عَلِيمًا قَدِيرًا
Verily, He is All-Knowing, All-Omnipotent.

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرًا ٤٥

And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned, He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth, but He gives them respite to an appointed term, and when their term comes, then verily, Allah is Ever AllSeer of His slaves.

وَلَوْ يُؤَاخِذُ اللَّهُ النَّاسَ بِمَا كَسَبُوا
And if Allah were to punish men for that which they earned,
مَا تَرَكَ عَلَىٰ ظَهْرِهَا مِن دَابَّةٍ
He would not leave a moving (living) creature on the surface of the earth,
وَلَٰكِن يُؤَخِّرُهُمْ إِلَىٰ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۖ
but He gives them respite to an appointed term,
فَإِذَا جَاءَ أَجَلُهُمْ
and when their term comes,
فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ كَانَ بِعِبَادِهِ بَصِيرًا
then verily, Allah is Ever All-Seer of His slaves.