Tafseer of The Splitting Open · Al-Inshiqaaq · 84:23
And Allah is most knowing of what they keep within themselves.
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 statement: وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ ("And Allah knows best what they keep within themselves") — He, exalted be His remembrance, says: and Allah knows best what the breasts of these polytheists (mushrikīn) keep within themselves of denial of the Book of Allah and His messenger.
And in accordance with what we have said about this, the exegetes have spoken.
* A mention of those who said that:
Muḥammad ibn ʿAmr told me, he said: Abū ʿĀṣim told us, he said: ʿĪsā told us; and al-Ḥārith told me, he said: al-Ḥasan told us, he said: Warqāʾ told us — both — on the authority of Ibn Abī Najīḥ, on the authority of Mujāhid, concerning His statement: يُوعُونَ ("they keep within themselves"), he said: they conceal.
Yūnus told me, he said: Ibn Wahb informed us, he said: Ibn Zayd said concerning His statement: وَاللَّهُ أَعْلَمُ بِمَا يُوعُونَ ("And Allah knows best what they keep within themselves"), he said: a man stores away his goods and his possessions, this here and that there; thus does Allah know what deeds they keep within themselves. And evil deeds are among that which their hearts keep within themselves, and therein is gathered, of these deeds, the good and the evil. The hearts, then, are the storehouse of all these deeds, the good and the evil. He knows what they keep hidden and what they make public. And indeed, He has preserved for you that which no one knows what it is, of the Qurʾān and of other matters. So fear Allah, and beware lest you bring upon the noble side of these deeds anything of this filth that corrupts them.
Ibn ʿAbd al-Aʿlā told us, he said: Ibn Thawr told us, on the authority of Maʿmar, on the authority of Qatāda, concerning His statement: يُوعُونَ ("they keep within themselves"), he said: in their breasts.
