Generally Accepted Translations of the Meaning
Muhammad Asad
[for] He knows all that lies open before men and all that is hidden from them, whereas they cannot encompass Him with their knowledge
M. M. Pickthall
He knoweth (all) that is before them and (all) that is behind them, while they cannot compass it in knowledge
Yusuf Ali (Saudi Rev. 1985)
He knows what (appears to His creatures as) before or after or behind them: but they shall not compass it with their knowledge
The Clear Quran, Dr. Mustafa Khattab
He ˹fully˺ knows what is ahead of them and what is behind them, but they cannot encompass Him in ˹their˺ knowledge.
Safi Kaskas
God knows what is before them and what will be after them, but they cannot contain Him with their knowledge.
Wahiduddin Khan
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they cannot encompass Him with their knowledg
Shakir
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they do not comprehend it in knowledge
Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar
He knows what is in advance of them and what is behind them and they will not comprehend Him in knowledge.
T.B.Irving
He knows what lies in front of them and what is behind them, while they do not embrace any knowledge about Him.
Abdul Hye
He (Allah) knows what is before them, what is behind them, and they will never compass any knowledge (about Him).
The Study Quran
He knows that which is before them and that which is behind them, and they encompass Him not in knowledge
Talal Itani & AI (2024)
He knows their past and future, and they can’t comprehend His knowledge.
Talal Itani (2012)
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot comprehend Him in their knowledge
Dr. Kamal Omar
He knows whatever is between their hands and whatever is behind them and they comprehend it not (in their) knowledge
He knows what is before them and what is behind them while they do not encompass any knowledge about Him
Muhammad Mahmoud Ghali
He knows whatever is before (Literally: between their hands) them, and whatever is behind them, and they do not encompass Him in knowledge
Muhammad Sarwar
God knows all that is in front of them and behind them and they can not encompass His knowledge
Muhammad Taqi Usmani
He knows what is in front of them and what is behind them, and they do not encompass Him in (their) knowledge
Shabbir Ahmed
This information is given by Him Who knows their past and their future, while none encompasses His Knowledge
Dr. Munir Munshey
He knows all that lies ahead of them as well as everything about their past. Others do not know at all
Syed Vickar Ahamed
He knows what is before (them now), or after or behind them (in the Hereafter): And what they shall not understand it with what they know
Allah knows what is [presently] before them and what will be after them, but they do not encompass it in knowledge
[The Monotheist Group] (2011 Edition)
He knows their present and their future, and they do not have any of His knowledge
Abdel Haleem
He knows what is before and behind them, though they do not comprehend Him
Abdul Majid Daryabadi
He knoweth that which is before them and that which is behind them, and they, encompass it not with their knowledge
Ahmed Ali
He knows what is before them and hidden from them, but they cannot grasp it with their knowledge
Aisha Bewley
He knows what is in front of them and behind them. But their knowledge does not encompass Him.
Ali Ünal
He knows what lies before His servants (especially on Judgment Day) and whatever (of intentions, or speech, or actions) they have left behind, whereas they cannot comprehend Him with their knowledge
Ali Quli Qara'i
He knows that which is before them and that which is behind them, but they cannot comprehend Him in their knowledge
Hamid S. Aziz
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they comprehend not His knowledge
Ali Bakhtiari Nejad
He knows what is in front of them and what is behind them, and they do not comprehend His knowledge.
A.L. Bilal Muhammad et al (2018)
He knows what is before, after, and behind them, but they will not understand it with their knowledge
Musharraf Hussain
He knows what they achieved and what they failed to achieve, but they don’t know that.
Maududi
He knows all that is ahead of them and all that is behind them, while the others do not know
[The Monotheist Group] (2013 Edition)
He knows their present and their future, and they do not have any of His knowledge.
Mohammad Shafi
HE knows what they are aware of, and what they are not aware of, and what is beyond the sphere of their knowledge
Controversial or status undetermined works
Ahmed Raza Khan (Barelvi)
He knows whatever is before them and whatever is behind them, and their knowledge can not encompass Him.
He knows their past and their future, while none encompasses His knowledge.
Hasan Al-Fatih Qaribullah
He knows what is before them and behind them, and they do not comprehend Him in knowledge
Maulana Muhammad Ali
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, while they cannot comprehend it in knowledge
Muhammad Ahmed & Samira
He knows what (is) between their hands and what (is) behind them, and they do not comprehend/envelope with (about) Him knowledge
Bijan Moeinian
He knows their past and their future and none has His knowledge
Faridul Haque
He knows all that is before them and all that is behind them, whereas their knowledge cannot encompass it
Sher Ali
HE knows all that is before them and all that is behind them, but they cannot compass it with their knowledge
Dr. Mohammad Tahir-ul-Qadri
He knows all those (things) which are ahead of them and which are behind them, and they cannot encompass His (knowledge) with (their) knowledge
Amatul Rahman Omar
(God the Almighty) knows all that is before (-the people - their future) and all that is behind them (-their past); they cannot encompass Him with (their) knowledge
Muhsin Khan & Muhammad al-Hilali
He (Allah) knows what happens to them (His creatures) in this world, and what will happen to them (in the Hereafter), and they will never compass anything of His Knowledge
New, Partial, or In Progress Translations
Fode Drame
He knows what is before them and what is behind them but they do not encompass Him in knowledge.
Munir Mezyed
He has full knowledge of whatever is before them and whatever is behind them, whereas they cannot encompass His knowledge.
Sahib Mustaqim Bleher
He knows what lies before them and behind them and they do not grasp Him in knowledge.
Linda “iLHam” Barto
He knows what is before and after them, but they will not encompass it with their knowledge.
Fadel Soliman, Bridges‘ Translation
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, and they cannot encompass Him with knowledge.
Irving & Mohamed Hegab
He knows what lies in front of them and what is behind them, while they do not embrace any knowledge about Him.
Samy Mahdy
He knows what is between their hands and what is behind them, and they are not encompassing with it a knowledge.
Sayyid Qutb
He knows all that lies open before them and all that is hidden from them, whereas they cannot have thorough knowledge of Him.
Ahmed Hulusi
He knows what is before them and behind them (their past and future)... They cannot encompass His knowledge.
Sayyed Abbas Sadr-Ameli
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they (people) do not comprehend Him in (their) knowledge
He knows fully well what they have brought of doings or handiwork into His presence and He knows their past which they do not presently comprehend with their minds nor do they know what Allah has for them in store
Mir Aneesuddin
He knows that which is before them and that which is behind them but they cannot encompass it in(their) knowledge.
The Wise Quran
He knows what is before them and what is behind them, but they do not comprehend knowledge of Him.