What does Quran 20:52 mean?

Quran 20:52 (Surah Taa-Haa, Ayah 52) translates to: "[Moses] said, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets.""

Which Surah and Juz is Quran 20:52 from?

This ayah is from Surah Taa-Haa (Taa-Haa), the 20th surah of the Quran. It appears in Juz 16.

Are there hadiths related to Quran 20:52?

Yes — there are 5 hadiths related to this ayah from Sahih al-Bukhari, Sahih Muslim.

What tafsir is available for Quran 20:52?

Commentary on this ayah is available from Ibn Kathir, Ibn Kathir, Ibn Abbas, Al-Jalalayn — classical scholars of Quranic exegesis.

What topics does Quran 20:52 relate to?

This ayah connects to these Quranic topics: Knowledge, Prophet Musa, Tawhid, Divine Justice, Scripture & Wisdom.

Ayah 51

قَالَ فَمَا بَالُ ٱلْقُرُونِ ٱلْأُولَىٰ...

20:52Taa-Haa

Ayah 53

ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ لَكُمُ ٱلْأَرْضَ مَهْدًۭا وَسَلَكَ ...

قَالَ عِلْمُهَا عِندَ رَبِّى فِى كِتَٰبٍۢ ۖ لَّا يَضِلُّ رَبِّى وَلَا يَنسَى

Qaala 'ilmuhaa 'inda Rabee fee kitaab, laa yadillu Rabbee wa laa yansaa

[Moses] said, "The knowledge thereof is with my Lord in a record. My Lord neither errs nor forgets."

Themes in this ayah

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Decree & what is written77

Scores run 0–100: how strongly this ayah speaks to a theme. 70+ is central, 50+ is clear, under 50 is weak.

7 other themes with weak connections

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Decree & what is written

20:52Ayah 1135

4 ayahs in Taa-Haa are strongly about Allah’s decree. This is one of them.

← Previous on Decree & what is written20:40[And We favored you] when your sister went and said, 'Shall I direct you to someone who will be responsible for him?' So We restored you to your mother that…Next on Decree & what is written →20:97[Moses] said, "Then go. And indeed, it is [decreed] for you in [this] life to say, 'No contact.' And indeed,

Tafsir

Scholars offer complementary perspectives

View Full Tafsir: Al-Jalalayn on 20:52→

Said he Moses ‘The knowledge thereof that is the knowledge of their otherworldly status is preserved with my Lord in a Book namely the Preserved Tablet al-lawh al-mahfūz and He shall requite them in accordance with it on the Day of Resurrection. My Lord does not err He is never absent from anything nor does He my Lord forget anything.

that he heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "(Moses) said, 'Call me not to account for what I forget and be not hard upon me for my affair (with you)' (18.73) the first excuse of Moses was his forgetfulness."

Sahih Muslim #6175Abdullah reported:Sahih

By Him besides Whom there is no god, there is no chapter in the Book of Allah about which I do not know as to where it was revealed and there is no verse about which I do not know in what context it was revealed, and if I were to know of one having a better understanding of the Book of Allah than I (and I could reach him) on the back of the mule, I would have definitely gone to him on camel's back.

Sahih al-Bukhari #2576Narrated Sa`id bin Jubair:Sahih

A Jew from Hira asked me which one of the two periods Musa (i.e. Prophet Moses) completed. I said, "I don't know, (but wait) till I see the most learned 'Arab and inquire him about it." So, I went to Ibn `Abbas and asked him. He replied, "Moses completed the longer and better period." Ibn `Abbas added, "No doubt, an apostle of Allah always does what he says."

Sahih al-Bukhari #7267Narrated Abu Huraira:Sahih

I heard Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) saying, "Before Allah created the creations, He wrote a Book (wherein He has written): My Mercy has preceded my Anger." and that (Book) is written with Him over the Throne."

Sahih al-Bukhari #4834Narrated `Abdullah:Sahih

The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Why does anyone of the people say, 'I have forgotten such-and-such Verses (of the Qur'an)?' He, in fact, is caused (by Allah) to forget."