He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them,883 and they cannot intercede except on behalf of one whom He approves. And they, from fear of Him, are apprehensive.
Verse 28 of Surah Al-Anbya (21:28), a Meccan surah, is in juz 17, on page 324 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 74 reciters.
Listen to verse 28 of Surah Al-Anbya
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Tafsir of verse 28
Al-Mukhtasar
He knows their previous and latter actions. They do not ask to intercede except with His permission and on behalf of whom He approves intercession. And they are wary out of their fear of Him, so they do not oppose Him in any command or prohibition.
He knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them14. They cannot intercede except for whom He pleases, and they are fearful in awe of Him.
Notes
[14] See footnote 2:255.
He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him with whom He is pleased. And they stand in awe for fear of Him.
He knoweth what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot intercede except for him whom He accepteth, and they quake for awe of Him.
He knows what is before them, and what is behind them, and they offer no intercession except for those who are acceptable, and they stand in awe and reverence of His (Glory).
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they do not intercede except for him whom He approves and for fear of Him they tremble.
He knows whatever is before them (Literally: between their hands) and whatsoever is behind them, and they do not intercede except for them with whom He is divinely satisfied, and they feel timorous in apprehension of Him.
Allāh - there is no deity except Him, the Ever-Living, the Self-Sustaining. Neither drowsiness overtakes Him nor sleep. To Him belongs whatever is in the heavens and whatever is on the earth. Who is it that can intercede with Him except by His permission? He knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, and they encompass not a thing of His knowledge except for what He wills. His Kursī extends over the heavens and the earth, and their preservation tires Him not. And He is the Most High, the Most Great.
And intercession does not benefit with Him except for one whom He permits. [And those wait] until, when terror is removed from their hearts, they will say [to one another], "What has your Lord said?" They will say, "The truth." And He is the Most High, the Grand.
And it was already revealed to you and to those before you that if you should associate [anything] with Allāh, your work would surely become worthless, and you would surely be among the losers.
Verses with similar wording
They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.
Then, do they not look at what is before them and what is behind them of the heaven and earth? If We should will, We could cause the earth to swallow them or [could] let fall upon them fragments from the sky. Indeed in that is a sign for every servant turning back [to Allāh].
And We appointed for them companions who made attractive to them what was before them and what was behind them [of sin], and the word [i.e., decree] has come into effect upon them among nations which had passed on before them of jinn and men. Indeed, they [all] were losers.
