أَوَلَمۡ يَرَوۡاْ أَنَّا نَأۡتِى ٱلۡأَرۡضَ نَنقُصُہَا مِنۡ أَطۡرَافِهَاۚ وَٱللَّهُ يَحۡكُمُ لَا مُعَقِّبَ لِحُكۡمِهِۦۚ وَهُوَ سَرِيعُ ٱلۡحِسَابِ
Have they not seen that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders? And Allah decides; there is no adjuster of His decision. And He is swift in account.
Allah said,
(Allah blots out what He wills) of the divinely revealed Books,
(and confirms), until the Qur'an, revealed from Allah to His Messenger peace be upon him, abrogated them all. Mujahid commented;
(Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills).) "Except life and death, misery and happiness )i.e., faith and disbelief(, for they do not change.'' Mansur said that he asked Mujahid, "Some of us say in their supplication, `O Allah! If my name is with those who are happy (believers), affirm my name among them, and if my name is among the miserable ones (disbelievers), remove it from among them and place it among the happy ones.'' Mujahid said. "This supplication is good.'' I met him a year or more later and repeated the same question to him and he recited these Ayat,
(We sent it (this Qur'an) down on a blessed night.) Mujahid commented next, "During Laylatul-Qadr (Night of the Decrees), Allah decides what provisions and disasters will occur in the next year of. He then brings forward or back (or blots out) whatever He wills. As for the Book containing the records of the happy (believers) and the miserable (disbelievers), it does not change.'' Al-A`mash narrated that Abu Wa'il, Shaqiq bin Salamah said that he used to recite this supplication often, "O Allah, if You wrote us among the wretched ones, remove this status from us and write us among the blessed ones. If You wrote us among the blessed ones, please let us stay that way, for surely, You blot out and confirm what You will, and with You is the Mother of the Book.'' Ibn Jarir At-Tabari collected this. Similar statements were collected from `Umar bin Al-Khattab and `Abdullah bin Mas`ud, indicating that Allah blots out (or abrogates) and affirms what He wills in the Book of Records. What further supports this meaning is that Imam Ahmad recorded that Thawban said that the Messenger of Allah said,
(A man might be deprived of a provision (that was written for him) because of a sin that he commits; only supplication changes Al-Qadar (Predestination); and only Birr (righteousness) can increase the life span.'') An-Nasa'i and Ibn Majah collected this Hadith. There is also a Hadith recorded in the Sahih that affirms that maintaining the ties of the womb increases the life span. Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said about Allah's statement,
(Allah blots out what He wills and confirms (what He wills). And with Him is the Mother of the Book.) "A man might work in Allah's obedience for a while but he reverts to the disobedience of Him and then dies while misguided. This is what Allah blots out, while what He confirms is a man who works in His disobedience, but since goodness was destined for him, he dies after reverting to the obedience of Allah. This is what Allah confirms.'' It was also reported that Sa`id bin Jubayr said that this Ayah is in the meaning of another Ayah,
(Then He forgives whom He wills and punishes whom He wills. And Allah is able to do all things.) (2:284)
(40. Whether We show you part of what We have promised them or cause you to die, your duty is only to convey (the Message) and on Us is the reckoning.) (41. See they not that We gradually reduce the land from its outlying borders. And Allah judges, there is none to put back His judgment, and He is swift at reckoning.)
وَقَدۡ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡمَكۡرُ جَمِيعً۬اۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَكۡسِبُ كُلُّ نَفۡسٍ۬ۗ وَسَيَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡكُفَّـٰرُ لِمَنۡ عُقۡبَى ٱلدَّارِ
And those before them had plotted, but to Allah belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.
Allah said to His Messenger,
`(Whether We show you) O Muhammad, part of the disgrace and humiliation We have promised your enemies in this life,
(or cause you to die) before that,
(your duty is only to convey We have only sent you to convey to them Allah's Message, and by doing so, you will have fulfilled the mission that was ordained on you,
(and on Us is the reckoning), their reckoning and recompense is on Us.' Allah said in similar Ayat,
(So remind them - you are only one who reminds. You are not a dictator over them - Save the one who turns away and disbelieves. Then Allah will punish him with the greatest punishment. Verily, to Us will be their return, Then verily, for Us will be their reckoning.) (88:21-26) Allah said next,
(See they not that We gradually reduce the land from its outlying borders.) Ibn `Abbas commented, "See they not that We are granting land after land to Muhammad'' Al-Hasan and Ad-Dahhak commented that this Ayah refers to Muslims gaining the upper hand over idolaters, just as Allah said in another Ayah,
(And indeed We have destroyed towns round about you.) (46:27)
(42. And verily, those before them did devise plots, but all planning is Allah's. He knows what every person earns, and the disbelievers will know who gets the good end (final destination).)
وَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ لَسۡتَ مُرۡسَلاً۬ۚ قُلۡ ڪَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ شَهِيدَۢا بَيۡنِى وَبَيۡنَڪُمۡ وَمَنۡ عِندَهُ ۥ عِلۡمُ ٱلۡكِتَـٰبِ
And those who have disbelieved say, "You are not a messenger." Say, [O Muhammad], "Sufficient is Allah as Witness between me and you, and [the witness of] whoever has knowledge of the Scripture."
Allah says,
(And verily, those before them did devise plots,) against their Messengers, they wanted to expel them from their land, but Allah devised plots against the disbelievers and gave the good end to those who fear Him. Allah said in other Ayat,
(And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out; they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the Best of those who plot.) (8:30), and,
(So they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not. Then see how was the end of their plot! Verily, We destroyed them and their nation, all together.) (27:50, 51) Allah said next,
(He knows what every person earns,) meaning, He alone knows all secrets and concealed thoughts and will reckon each person according to his work,)
and the Kafir (disbeliever) will know
or the Kuffar (disbelievers) according to another way of reciting,
(who gets the good end.) who will earn the ultimate and final victory, they or the followers of the Messengers. Indeed, the followers of the Messengers will earn the good end in this life and the Hereafter, all thanks and praise is due to Allah.
(43. And those who disbelieved, say: "You are not a Messenger.'' Say: "Sufficient as a witness between me and you is Allah and those too who have knowledge of the Scripture.'')