Tafseer of Ornaments of gold · Az-Zukhruf · 43:80
Or do they think that We hear not their secrets and their private conversations? Yes, [We do], and Our messengers are with them recording.
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.
And His word: ( Or do they think that We do not hear their secret and their private counsel ) — He says: or do these polytheists (mushrikīn) think regarding Allah that We do not hear what they keep hidden from the people of their words, and that about which they took counsel among themselves and secretly conferred with one another to the exclusion of others, so that We would not punish them for it because it would be hidden from Us.
And His word: ( Yea, and Our messengers are with them and write it down ) — the Exalted, whose praise is exalted, says: nay, We know that about which they secretly took counsel among themselves and what they kept hidden from the people of their secret words, and Our guardians are with them — that is, in their proximity — and write down what they utter of words and speak of speech.
And it is mentioned that this verse came down concerning three men who disagreed with one another about the hearing by Allah, glorified and exalted is He, of the speech of His servants.
* Mention of who said that:
ʿAmr ibn Saʿīd ibn Yasār al-Qurashī related to me, he said: Abū Qutayba related to us, he said: ʿĀṣim ibn Muḥammad al-ʿUmarī related to us, on the authority of Muḥammad ibn Kaʿb al-Quraẓī, he said: while three men were between the Kaʿba and its covering — two from Quraysh and one from Thaqīf, or two from Thaqīf and one from Quraysh — one of the three said: do you think that Allah hears our speech? Then the first said: when you speak aloud He hears it, and when you whisper He does not hear it. The second said: if He hears it when you utter it openly, then He hears it also when you do so in secret. He said: then there came down ( Or do they think that We do not hear their secret and their private counsel? Yea, and Our messengers are with them and write it down ).
And in agreement with what we have said concerning the meaning of His word: ( Yea, and Our messengers are with them and write it down ), spoke the people of interpretation (ahl al-taʾwīl).
* Mention of who said that:
Muḥammad related to me, he said: Aḥmad related to us, he said: Asbāṭ related to us, on the authority of al-Suddī ( Yea, and Our messengers are with them and write it down ) he said: the guardians (al-ḥafaẓa).
Bishr related to us, he said: Yazīd related to us, he said: Saʿīd related to us, on the authority of Qatāda ( Yea, and Our messengers are with them and write it down ): that is, in their proximity.
