Tafsir of Al-`Ankabut 29:3

Surah Al-'Ankabut (The Spider): Verse 3

And certainly did We try those before them, and Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful, and He will surely make evident the liars.

Allah mentions what necessitates their consolation: Indeed, Allah dealt with those before them similarly. He did not leave them merely based on their claim, "We are believers," but rather imposed obligations upon them and made obedience incumbent upon them.

Regarding the phrase: {فليعلمن الله الذين صدقوا} (And Allah will surely make evident those who are truthful), there are several interpretations:

1. The view of Muqatil: It means Allah will see them.
2. The view of others: It means Allah will make manifest them.
3. The view of others: It means Allah will distinguish them.

The consensus among commentators is that taking the verse literally seems to imply a renewal of Allah's knowledge. However, Allah already knows the truthful and the liar before any trial. How, then, can it be said that His knowledge occurs at the time of the trial?

We maintain that the verse should be taken literally. Allah's knowledge is an attribute where everything that occurs appears exactly as it occurs.

• Before the obligation (Taklīf): Allah knew that Zayd, for instance, would obey, and 'Amr would disobey.
• At the time of the obligation and action: He knows that Zayd is obedient and the other is disobedient.
• After the action: He knows that one has obeyed and the other has disobeyed.

His knowledge does not change in any of these states; only the known object changes.

We illustrate this with a sensory example (and Allah's example is the highest):

Imagine a pure, polished mirror hung in place, facing a direction, and remaining unmoved. If Zayd, wearing white clothes, passes in front of it, the mirror reflects Zayd in white clothes. If 'Amr, wearing yellow garments, passes, it reflects him likewise. Does anyone imagine that the mirror itself has changed—that its iron composition has altered, or its roundness has been replaced, or its polish has become defective, or that it has moved from its position? No one thinks any of these things. They are certain that the external objects are what change.

Understand Allah's knowledge through this example, but even higher than this example, because the mirror is capable of change, whereas change is impossible for Allah's knowledge.

Therefore, His statement {فليعلمن الله الذين صدقوا} means: That which Allah knows will result in obedience will manifest as obedience, and He will know it as such. And {وليعلمن الكاذبين} means: Whoever claimed to be a believer but was truthful when obligations were imposed will have that truthfulness revealed, and Allah will know it. And whoever claimed it but was a hypocrite, that will also be revealed.

Regarding the difference in wording between {الذين صدقوا} (those who were truthful—verb form) and {الكاذبين} (the liars—active participle form), there is a subtle benefit, even though variation in wording often indicates eloquence:

The active participle (Ism al-Fā'il) often indicates the permanence and establishment of the action (the masdar) within the doer. The past tense verb does not necessarily imply this. For example, one might say “So-and-so drank wine” (verb) versus “So-and-so is a wine-drinker” (participle). The verb form does not imply repetition or deep-rootedness, whereas the participle does, once the action is established.

If this is established, we say: At the time of the revelation of the verse, the context concerned people recently embracing Islam (in the early stages of obligations) and people persistently continuing in disbelief.

• Concerning the believers, He said {الذين صدقوا} (verb form), meaning the truthfulness appeared in them.
• Concerning the disbelievers, He used {الكاذبين} (participle form), which implies stability and continuity in their falsehood.

This is why He said on the Day of Judgment: {يوم ينفع الصادقين صدقهم} (The Day when the truthful will benefit from their truthfulness) (Al-Mā’idah: 119), using the active participle form. This is because on that specific Day, truthfulness will have become deeply rooted in the heart of the believer, which is the Hereafter, unlike the situation in the early days of Islam.

Or do those who do evil deeds think that they will outstrip Us? Evil is what they judge! Whoever would hope for the meeting with Allah—then indeed, the term of Allah is coming. And He is the Hearing, the Knowing.