Tafseer of The Family of Imraan · Aal-i-Imraan · 3:29
Say, "Whether you conceal what is in your breasts or reveal it, Allah knows it. And He knows that which is in the heavens and that which is on the earth. And Allah is over all things competent.
Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.
The explanation of His saying: قُلْ إِنْ تُخْفُوا مَا فِي صُدُورِكُمْ أَوْ تُبْدُوهُ يَعْلَمْهُ اللَّهُ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأَرْضِ وَاللَّهُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ (29) ("Say: Whether you conceal what is in your hearts or make it public, Allah knows it; and He knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth; and Allah has power over all things").
Abū Jaʿfar said: He, exalted be His praise, means thereby: "qul" ("say"), O Muḥammad (the Prophet ﷺ), to those whom You have commanded not to take the unbelievers (kāfir) as allies in place of the believers = "in tukhfū mā fī ṣudūrikum" ("if you conceal what is in your hearts") of friendly loyalty toward the unbelievers, and you keep it secret, or you reveal that from your souls with your tongues and your deeds and make it visible = "yaʿlamhu Allāh" ("Allah knows it"), it remains not hidden from Him. He says: so harbor no affection for them and show them no loyalty, for then there shall befall you of the punishment of your Lord what you cannot bear, because He knows your concealment and your openness, so that nothing of that remains hidden from Him, and He records it against you, until He requites you for it: the good with good, and the evil with the like thereof, as:
6839 — Mūsā related to me, he said: ʿAmr related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī, he said: He informed them that He knows what they did of that in secret and what they did openly, and He said: "in tukhfū mā fī ṣudūrikum aw tubdūh" ("if you conceal what is in your hearts or make it public").
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And as for His saying: "wa-yaʿlamu mā fī al-samāwāti wa-mā fī al-arḍ" ("and He knows what is in the heavens and what is on the earth"), it means that, since nothing remains hidden from Him that is in a heaven or on an earth, or wherever it may be — how then could there remain hidden from Him, O you people who take the unbelievers as allies in place of the believers, what is in your hearts of inclination toward them with affection and love, or what you show them of help in deed and word.
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And as for His saying: "wa-Llāhu ʿalā kulli shayʾin qadīr" ("and Allah has power over all things"), it means: and Allah has the power to punish you swiftly for your loyalty to them and your support of them against the believers, and for all that He wills of matters; nothing He intends is impossible for Him, and nothing He desires is inaccessible to Him.