Surah Al-Mulk 67:13 — Meaning, Translation & Reflection
سُورَةُ المُلۡكِ · Meccan · Verse 13 of 30
وَأَسِرُّوا۟ قَوْلَكُمْ أَوِ ٱجْهَرُوا۟ بِهِۦٓ ۖ إِنَّهُۥ عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
English: Whether you keep your words secret or state them openly, He knows the contents of every heart.
Bengali: তোমরা তোমাদের কথা গোপনে বল অথবা প্রকাশ্যে বল, তিনি তো অন্তরের বিষয়াদি সম্পর্কে সম্যক অবগত।
Meaning & Reflection
'Whether you keep your words secret or speak them aloud, He knows what is in the hearts.' Ibn Ashur records the setting: some were plotting against the Prophet in whispers, imagining distance made them safe. The verse levels secret and open — both are equally exposed. al-Biqa'i notes that since fear-of-Allah (the previous verse) is a hidden state anyone can claim, this verse follows to say: the One you claim to fear already sees the truth of your inside. Ask yourself: I curate what I say out loud and assume my inner commentary — the resentment, the contempt, the real motive — stays private. This verse closes that gap. If my chest is fully known, is the 'me' inside it someone I would be at peace showing Him?
Grounded in classical tafsir: Ibn Ashur, al-Biqa'i, al-Saadi.
Reflect with the Five Lenses
Maani's framework for Tadabbur (heart-centred reflection) on Surah Al-Mulk 67:13:
- Wording. Look closely at the specific words and structure. Which word stands out, and why might Allah have chosen it here?
- Quranic Worlds. Place the verse in its context — what is happening around it, and what world does it open up?
- Personal Experience. Ask not just what this means, but what it means TO me and FOR me, right now in my life.
- Connections. How does this verse connect to other verses, to the Sunnah, or to themes across the Quran?
- General Lessons. What timeless lesson or action point can I carry away and live by?