Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (845)

“Have you not considered that Allah knows all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth? No three people confer privately without Him being their fourth, nor five without Him being their sixth, nor fewer or more than that without Him being with them wherever they may be. Then, on the Day of Resurrection, He will inform them of what they did. Indeed, Allah has full knowledge of all things.”

Thus, He informs us of the vastness of His knowledge and that it encompasses everything in the heavens and on earth, whether minute or great.

“No three people confer privately without Him being their fourth, nor five without Him being their sixth, nor fewer or more than that without Him being with them wherever they may be.” What is meant by His being with them is that His knowledge encompasses whatever they discuss privately and conceal among themselves. Hence He says: “Indeed, Allah has full knowledge of all things.” Then Allah Most High says:

﴿أَلَمْ تَرَ أَنَّ اللَّهَ يَعْلَمُ مَا فِي السَّمَاوَاتِ وَمَا فِي الأرْضِ مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلاثَةٍ إِلا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلا خَمْسَةٍ إِلا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلا أَدْنَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَلا أَكْثَرَ إِلا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كَانُوا ثُمَّ يُنَبِّئُهُمْ بِمَا عَمِلُوا يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾ . ولهذا أخبر عن سعة علمه وإحاطته بما في السماوات والأرض من دقيق وجليل. وأنه ﴿مَا يَكُونُ مِنْ نَجْوَى ثَلاثَةٍ إِلا هُوَ رَابِعُهُمْ وَلا خَمْسَةٍ إِلا هُوَ سَادِسُهُمْ وَلا أَدْنَى مِنْ ذَلِكَ وَلا أَكْثَرَ إِلا هُوَ مَعَهُمْ أَيْنَمَا كَانُوا﴾ والمراد بهذه المعية معية العلم والإحاطة بما تناجوا به وأسروه فيما بينهم، ولهذا قال: ﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِكُلِّ شَيْءٍ عَلِيمٌ﴾ ثم قال تعالى: