28:69

وَرَبُّكَ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمۡ وَمَا يُعۡلِنُونَ

Warabbuka yaAAlamu ma tukinnu sudooruhum wama yuAAlinoona

And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal and what they declare.

Word by word
  1. وَرَبُّكَAnd your Lord
  2. يَعۡلَمُknows
  3. مَاwhat
  4. تُكِنُّconceals
  5. صُدُورُهُمۡtheir breasts
  6. وَمَاand what
  7. يُعۡلِنُونَthey declare
Al-Qasas · 28:69Makkah

He knows what you hide and what you show.

No gap between inside and outside for Allah


What He knows
what breasts concealthoughts, intentions
what they declarewords, actions
both known to
your Lordequally
The two versions of me
the public mewhat counts
the whole meseen the same

Ibn Kathir says Allah knows what is hidden in their hearts, just as He knows what they do openly. He cites the verse that it is the same whether you conceal speech or declare it, hidden by night or out by day.

You smile at the colleague and resent them inside. You give in public, then complain in private. To Allah there is no backstage. That is uncomfortable, and also freeing: you do not have to perform for Him.

What I keep inside does not really count.

Allah knows my hidden heart exactly as He sees my actions, so I can be honest with Him.

Try this

Tell Allah one hidden feeling you have not admitted to anyone and ask Him to purify it.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir (shared passage from 28:68)

And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses, no choice have they. Glorified is Allah, and exalted above all that they associate (68)And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal (69)And He is Allah; La ilaha illa Huwa, His is the praise in the first and in the last, and His is the decision, and to Him shall you be returned (70)

Allah Alone is the One Who has the Power of Creation, Knowledge and Choice

Allah tells us that He is the only One Who has the power to create and make decisions, and there is no one who can dispute with Him in that or reverse His judgement. His saying:

وَرَبُّكَ يَخْلُقُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَيَخْتَارُ ۗ 

(And your Lord creates whatsoever He wills and chooses,) means, whatever He wills, for what He wills, happens; and what He does not will, does not happen. All things, good and bad alike, are in His Hands and will return to Him.

مَا كَانَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ ۚ

(no choice have they.) is a negation, according to the correct view. This is like the Ayah,

وَمَا كَانَ لِمُؤْمِنٍ وَلَا مُؤْمِنَةٍ إِذَا قَضَى اللَّهُ وَرَسُولُهُ أَمْرًا أَنْ يَكُونَ لَهُمُ الْخِيَرَةُ مِنْ أَمْرِهِمْ ۗ 

(It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allah and His Messenger have decreed a matter that they should have any option in their decision)(33:36). Then Allah says:

وَرَبُّكَ يَعْلَمُ مَا تُكِنُّ صُدُورُهُمْ وَمَا يُعْلِنُونَ

(And your Lord knows what their breasts conceal, and what they reveal.) He knows what is hidden in their hearts, just as He knows what they do openly.

سَوَاءٌ مِنْكُمْ مَنْ أَسَرَّ الْقَوْلَ وَمَنْ جَهَرَ بِهِ وَمَنْ هُوَ مُسْتَخْفٍ بِاللَّيْلِ وَسَارِبٌ بِالنَّهَارِ 

(It is the same whether any of you conceals his speech or declares it openly, whether he be hid by night or goes forth freely by day.)(13:10).

وَهُوَ اللَّهُ لَا إِلَٰهَ إِلَّا هُوَ ۖ 

(And He is Allah; La ilaha illa Huwa,) meaning, He is unique in His divinity, for none is to be worshipped besides Him, and there is no lord who can create what he wills and chooses besides Him.

لَهُ الْحَمْدُ فِي الْأُولَىٰ وَالْآخِرَةِ ۖ 

(His is the praise, in the first and in the last,) in all that He does, He is to be praised for His justice and wisdom.

وَلَهُ الْحُكْمُ

(His is the decision,) that none can put back, because of His might, power, wisdom and mercy.

وَإِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ 

(and to Him shall you be returned.) means, all of you on the Day of Resurrection, and everyone will be rewarded or punished according to his deeds, good and evil alike, and absolutely none of their deeds will be concealed from Him.