Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:8
سُورَةُ الرَّعۡدِ · Medinan · Verse 8 of 43
ٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ مَا تَحْمِلُ كُلُّ أُنثَىٰ وَمَا تَغِيضُ ٱلْأَرْحَامُ وَمَا تَزْدَادُ ۖ وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ عِندَهُۥ بِمِقْدَارٍ
Translation
God knows what every female bears and how much their wombs shrink or swell- everything has its measure with Him;
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
This verse opens by asserting a profound truth about Allah, the Speaker of these words, immediately captivating our attention with His absolute knowledge. It addresses anyone who might wonder about the limits of divine awareness or express doubts about Allah's power to encompass all details.
Allah's Continuous Knowledge
The verse begins with ٱللَّهُ يَعْلَمُ (Allah knows). By starting with His majestic Name, Allah immediately grounds the statement in His divine essence. The use of the present tense verb, "يَعْلَمُ" (ya'lamu, knows), signifies that this knowledge is not a one-time event but a continuous, ever-renewing attribute, always applicable and unfolding. As Ibn Ashur highlights, this stands in contrast to how the Quran might describe past acts of creation, emphasizing the ongoing nature of Allah's awareness.
The Womb's Secrets
The verse then focuses on specific, intricate details: مَا تَحْمِلُ كُلُّ أُنثَىٰ وَمَا تَغِيضُ ٱلْأَرْحَامُ وَمَا تَزْدَادُ (what every female carries, and what the wombs decrease and what they increase).
The word "ما" (what) here is incredibly broad, encompassing not just the offspring itself, but all its states and characteristics: whether it's male or female, complete or incomplete, beautiful or plain, long or short. Scholars like al-Razi and al-Zamakhshari explain that "كُلُّ أُنثَىٰ" (every female) extends this knowledge to all creatures, not just humans, including their physical attributes and destiny.
Then, Allah's knowledge delves into the dynamic processes within the womb. "تَغِيضُ ٱلْأَرْحَامُ" (the wombs decrease) refers to a reduction. This could mean the decrease in the duration of pregnancy, leading to an early birth or miscarriage, or a deficiency in the fetus's growth. Conversely, "تَزْدَادُ" (and they increase) points to an augmentation, such as a pregnancy that extends beyond the typical nine months, or the presence of multiple fetuses (twins, triplets), or even the increase in necessary sustenance. Allah knows all these subtle changes, whether a mother’s womb carries one child or many, whether a pregnancy is brief or prolonged.
Everything is Measured
The verse concludes with an overarching principle: وَكُلُّ شَىْءٍ عِندَهُۥ بِمِقْدَارٍ (and with Him, everything is by measure). This powerful statement acts as a comprehensive summary. "بِمِقْدَارٍ" (bimqdārin) means with a precise, defined measure or estimation. It conveys that Allah's knowledge and control are absolute; nothing occurs randomly or without His pre-ordained decree and perfect planning. Everything has its specific limit and quantity, known to Allah in explicit detail, leaving no room for vagueness or ambiguity. This reinforces His full dominion over every particle and every moment, a refutation, as Ibn Ashur notes, to those who claim God only knows generalities, not specifics.
Source: Ibn Ashur, al-Zamakhshari, al-Razi, al-Jalalayn, al-Muyassar
Sources: Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir), al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Jalalayn
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:8 is discussed in 7 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Ar-Ra'd 13:8 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.