Surah 10

Surah 10:61

"You are not (engaged) in any matter, nor do you recite any recitation of it, nor do you do any deed, except (that) We are witnesses over you when you are busy with it. Not (even) the weight of a speck on the earth or in the sky escapes from your Lord, nor (is there anything) smaller than that or greater, except (that it is recorded) in a clear Book."
Everything Small or Large is within the Knowledge of Allah Verses 10:61
Show Full Scripture Context (10:61) — 1 Verse
Verse 61

وَمَا تَكُونُ فِي شَأۡنٖ وَمَا تَتۡلُواْ مِنۡهُ مِن قُرۡءَانٖ وَلَا تَعۡمَلُونَ مِنۡ عَمَلٍ إِلَّا كُنَّا عَلَيۡكُمۡ شُهُودًا إِذۡ تُفِيضُونَ فِيهِۚ وَمَا يَعۡزُبُ عَن رَّبِّكَ مِن مِّثۡقَالِ ذَرَّةٖ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَلَا فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِ وَلَآ أَصۡغَرَ مِن ذَٰلِكَ وَلَآ أَكۡبَرَ إِلَّا فِي كِتَٰبٖ مُّبِينٍ

You are not (engaged) in any matter, nor do you recite any recitation of it, nor do you do any deed, except (that) We are witnesses over you when you are busy with it. Not (even) the weight of a speck on the earth or in the sky escapes from your Lord, nor (is there anything) smaller than that or greater, except (that it is recorded) in a clear Book.

Allah informed His Prophet that He knows and is well acquainted with all of the affairs and conditions of him and his Ummah and all of creation and its creatures at all times - during every hour and second. Nothing slips or escapes from His knowledge and observation, not even anything the weight of a speck of dust within the heavens or earth, or anything that is smaller or larger than that. Everything is in a manifest Book, as Allah said: {And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden and unseen), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but He knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.} [6:59]. He stated that He is Well-Aware of the movement of the trees and other inanimate objects. He is also Well-Aware of all grazing beasts. He said: {There is not a moving creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you.} [6:38]. He also said: {And no moving creature is there on earth but its provision is due from Allah.} [11:6]. If this is His knowledge of the movement of these things, then what about His knowledge of the movement of the creatures that are commanded to worship Him? Allah said: {And put your trust in the Almighty, the Most Merciful, Who sees you when you stand up, and your movements among those who fall prostrate} [26:217-219]. That is why Allah said: {Neither you do any deed nor recite any portion of the Qur'an, nor you do any deed, but We are Witness thereof when you are doing it.} meaning, 'We are watching and hearing you when you engage in that thing.' When Jibril asked the Prophet about Ihsan, he said: "It is that you worship Allah as if you are seeing Him. But since you do not see Him, be certain that He is watching you." [1] Muslim 1:37.

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.