Quran Universe
13:42

وَقَدۡ مَكَرَ ٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبۡلِهِمۡ فَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡمَكۡرُ جَمِيعٗاۖ يَعۡلَمُ مَا تَكۡسِبُ كُلُّ نَفۡسٖۗ وَسَيَعۡلَمُ ٱلۡكُفَّـٰرُ لِمَنۡ عُقۡبَى ٱلدَّارِ

Waqad makara allatheena min qablihim falillahi almakru jameeAAan yaAAlamu ma taksibu kullu nafsin wasayaAAlamu alkuffaru liman AAuqba alddari

And those before them had plotted, but to Allah belongs the plan entirely. He knows what every soul earns, and the disbelievers will know for whom is the final home.

Word by word
  1. وَقَدۡAnd certainly
  2. مَكَرَplotted
  3. ٱلَّذِينَthose who
  4. مِن(were) from
  5. قَبۡلِهِمۡbefore them
  6. فَلِلَّهِbut for Allah
  7. ٱلۡمَكۡرُ(is) the plot
  8. جَمِيعٗاۖall
  9. يَعۡلَمُHe knows
  10. مَاwhat
  11. تَكۡسِبُearns
  12. كُلُّevery
  13. نَفۡسٖۗsoul
  14. وَسَيَعۡلَمُand will know
  15. ٱلۡكُفَّـٰرُthe disbelievers
  16. لِمَنۡfor whom
  17. عُقۡبَى(is) the final
  18. ٱلدَّارِthe home
Ar-Ra'd · 13:42Madinah

They plotted, but all planning belongs to Allah.

Who gets the good end

The plots
those beforeplotted against messengers
but
Allah's planknows every soul's deeds
gives
the good endto those who fear Him
Who wins in the end
the schemersseem to be winning
the messengers' followersthe final home

Ibn Kathir says people before them plotted to drive the messengers out, but Allah planned against them. He knows what every soul earns. The followers of the messengers get the good end, in this life and the next.

Someone at work is quietly working against you, taking credit, whispering to the manager. You lie awake planning a counter-move. You are not the only planner in this room. Stay honest; Allah sees all of it.

If I do not out-plot them, they will win.

All planning is Allah's; I just need to stay on the honest path.

Try this

Next time you feel schemed against, say Hasbiyallah and choose the honest action.

Related8:3027:50
Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

And verily, those before them did devise plots, but all planning is Allah's. He knows what every person earns, and the disbelievers will know who gets the good end (final destination)(42)

The Disbelievers plot, but the Believers gain the Good End

Allah says,

وَقَدْ مَكَرَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ

(And verily, those before them did devise plots,) against their Messengers, they wanted to expel them from their land, but Allah devised plots against the disbelievers and gave the good end to those who fear Him. Allah said in other Ayat,

وَإِذْ يَمْكُرُ بِكَ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لِيُثْبِتُوكَ أَوْ يَقْتُلُوكَ أَوْ يُخْرِجُوكَ ۚ وَيَمْكُرُونَ وَيَمْكُرُ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيْرُ الْمَاكِرِينَ

(And (remember) when the disbelievers plotted against you to imprison you, or to kill you, or to get you out; they were plotting and Allah too was plotting; and Allah is the Best of those who plot.)[8:30], and,

وَمَكَرُوا مَكْرًا وَمَكَرْنَا مَكْرًا وَهُمْ لَا يَشْعُرُونَ - فَانظُرْ كَيْفَ كَانَ عَاقِبَةُ مَكْرِهِمْ أَنَّا دَمَّرْنَاهُمْ وَقَوْمَهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ

(So they plotted a plot, and We planned a plan, while they perceived not. Then see how was the end of their plot! Verily, We destroyed them and their nation, all together.)[27:50-51] Allah said next,

يَعْلَمُ مَا تَكْسِبُ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ

(He knows what every person earns,) meaning, He alone knows all secrets and concealed thoughts and will reckon each person according to his work,

(وَسَيَعْلَمُ الْكَافِرُ)

and the Kafir (disbeliever) will know

الْكُفَّارُ 

or the Kuffar (disbelievers) according to another way of reciting,

لِمَنْ عُقْبَى الدَّارِ

(who gets the good end.) who will earn the ultimate and final victory, they or the followers of the Messengers. Indeed, the followers of the Messengers will earn the good end in this life and the Hereafter, all thanks and praise is due to Allah.