6:59
With Him are the keys of the unseen, the treasures that none knoweth but He. He knoweth whatever
there is on the earth and in the sea. Not a leaf doth fall but with His knowledge:
there is not a grain in the darkness (or depths) of the earth, nor anything fresh or dry (green or
withered), but is (inscribed) in a record clear (to those who can read).
The Qurʾān emphasizes divine omniscience and decree, stating that no action, recitation, or circumstance escapes God’s awareness and that even the smallest detail is preserved in a clear record (Qurʾān 10:61). A prophetic tradition narrated by ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAmr reports that God determined the destinies of all creatures fifty thousand years before the creation of the heavens and the earth, at a time when the Divine Throne was upon water (Maariful Hadith, n.d., pp. 162–164). Classical commentators explain that the “writing” of destinies should not be understood literally in human terms; rather, it signifies divine determination (taqdīr) beyond human comprehension. In Arabic usage, expressions such as “written” may denote obligation or decree, as seen in Qurʾānic passages regarding fasting and legal retribution (Qurʾān 2:178). Some scholars further interpret references to the “pen” or “tablet” found in later reports as symbolic language rather than literal descriptions, emphasizing that divine attributes differ fundamentally from human actions.
Exegetical reflections also note that the mention of “fifty thousand years” may indicate an immense span of time rather than a precise chronological measure. According to Shah Waliullah, the concept of destiny being “written” can be understood metaphorically as the preservation of all events within a divine realm analogous to memory, where actions and conditions are known prior to their manifestation in the created world (Maariful Hadith).
In a related discussion, Pervez (n.d., pp. 1144–1145) distinguishes between the Qurʾānic terms amr and khalq as two dimensions of divine creative activity. Linguistically, amr conveys meanings such as command, guidance, or directive order, whereas khalq refers to the formation of material existence through the combination of existing elements. The stage of ʿālam al-amr is described as the realm of divine planning or command, in which realities originate beyond human comprehension, while ʿālam al-khalq represents the observable world where creation unfolds according to established laws. Drawing on philosophical reflections cited by Muhammad Iqbal, Pervez argues that Arabic terminology captures distinct phases of creation more precisely than English vocabulary, highlighting the transition from divine command (“Be”) to the material process through which forms emerge.
References:
Abd-Allah, Muhamed. 323 Verses on Science in the Quran . Kindle Edition.
Noomani, Maulana Manzur. (2012). Maariful Hadith