TibyanTafsir Ibn Kathir
Saba ·This commentary covers Verses 3–6

All Praise and the Knowledge of the Unseen belong to Allah Alone

Allah tells us that all praise belongs to Him alone in this world and in the Hereafter, because He is the Giver and Bestower who gives to the people of this world and the Hereafter, the Sovereign and Controller of all. Allah says:

﴿ وَهُوَ ٱللَّهُ لَآ إِلَـٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ‌ۖ لَهُ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ فِى ٱلۡأُولَىٰ وَٱلۡأَخِرَةِ‌ۖ وَلَهُ ٱلۡحُكۡمُ وَإِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ ﴾

(And He is Allah; none has the right to be worshipped but He, all praise is due to Him (both) in the first (i.e., in this world) and in the last (the Hereafter). And for Him is the decision, and to Him shall you (all) be returned.) (28:70). Allah says:

﴿ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ لِلَّهِ ٱلَّذِى لَهُ ۥ مَا فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَمَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ ﴾

(All praise is due to Allah, to Whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth.) meaning, all of it is His dominion and is enslaved by Him and subject to His control, as Allah says:

﴿ وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلۡأَخِرَةَ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ ﴾

(And truly, unto Us (belong) the last (Hereafter) and the first (this world)) (92:13). Then Allah says:

﴿ وَلَهُ ٱلۡحَمۡدُ فِى ٱلۡأَخِرَةِۚ ﴾

(His is all praise in the Hereafter,) for He is the One Who will be worshipped forever and praised for eternity.

﴿ وَهُوَ ٱلۡحَكِيمُ ﴾

and He is the All-Wise, means, in all that He says and does, legislates and decrees.

﴿ ٱلۡخَبِيرُ ﴾

the All-Aware. from Whom nothing at all is hidden or concealed. Malik narrated that Az-Zuhri said, He is All-Aware of His creation, All-Wise in His commands. Allah says:

﴿ يَعۡلَمُ مَا يَلِجُ فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَمَا يَخۡرُجُ مِنۡہَا ﴾

(He knows that which goes into the earth and that which comes forth from it,) meaning, He knows the number of raindrops that sink into the depths of the earth, and the seeds that have been sown, and the things that are hidden in it, and He knows what comes forth from that, how many they are, how they grow and what they look like.

﴿ وَمَا يَنزِلُ مِنَ ٱلسَّمَآءِ ﴾

(and that which descends from the heaven) means, of raindrops and provision, and what ascends into it, i.e., righteous deeds and other things.

﴿ وَهُوَ ٱلرَّحِيمُ ٱلۡغَفُورُ ﴾

(And He is the Most Merciful, the Oft-Forgiving.) means, He is Most Merciful to His servants; He does not hasten to punish them, and He forgives the sins of those who repent to Him and put their trust in Him.

﴿ وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَا تَأۡتِينَا ٱلسَّاعَةُۖ قُلۡ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّى لَتَأۡتِيَنَّڪُمۡ عَـٰلِمِ ٱلۡغَيۡبِۖ لَا يَعۡزُبُ عَنۡهُ مِثۡقَالُ ذَرَّةٍ۬ فِى ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٲتِ وَلَا فِى ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَآ أَصۡغَرُ مِن ذَٲلِكَ وَلَآ أَڪۡبَرُ إِلَّا فِى ڪِتَـٰبٍ۬ مُّبِينٍ۬ • لِّيَجۡزِىَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِۚ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُم مَّغۡفِرَةٌ۬ وَرِزۡقٌ۬ ڪَرِيمٌ۬ • وَٱلَّذِينَ سَعَوۡ فِىٓ ءَايَـٰتِنَا مُعَـٰجِزِينَ أُوْلَـٰٓٮِٕكَ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٌ۬ مِّن رِّجۡزٍ أَلِيمٌ۬ • وَيَرَى ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡعِلۡمَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ إِلَيۡكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ هُوَ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَيَهۡدِىٓ إِلَىٰ صِرَٲطِ ٱلۡعَزِيزِ ٱلۡحَمِيدِ ﴾

(3. Those who disbelieve say: "The Hour will not come to us.'' Say: "Yes, by my Lord, the All-Knower of the Unseen, it will come to you; not even the weight of a speck of dust or less than that or greater escapes His knowledge in the heavens or in the earth but it is in a Clear Book.'') (4. That He may recompense those who believe and do righteous good deeds. Those, theirs is forgiveness and generous provision.) (5. But those who strive against Our Ayat to frustrate them -- those, for them will be a severe painful torment.) (6. And those who have been given knowledge see that what is revealed to you from your Lord is the truth, and that it guides to the path of the Exalted in might, Owner of all praise.)