Knowing of what is within the chests
عَلِيمٌۢ بِذَاتِ ٱلصُّدُورِ
ʿalīmun bi-dhāti l-ṣudūr — Knowing of what is within the chests
In all twelve verses given, the phrase bi-dhāti l-ṣudūr occurs attached to ʿalīm ("Knowing"), and in each case it grounds a claim that nothing hidden inside a person escapes Allah's knowledge. Read side by side, the occurrences show the phrase functioning as a fixed formula that closes a wide range of statements — about concealed rage, concealed doubt, folded-up chests, and the alternation of night and day.
The phrase bi-dhāti l-ṣudūr appears in every one of the twelve verses given, and in each it is governed by ʿalīm, "Knowing" (3:119, 3:154, 5:7, 8:43, 11:5, 31:23, 35:38, 39:7, 42:24, 57:6, 64:4, 67:13). The word data marks dhāt as a genitive feminine noun and al-ṣudūr as a genitive masculine plural; the construction is identical in all twelve. What the phrase does in context, however, varies. In 3:119 it follows a description of people who say one thing openly and bite their fingertips in private, so that "what is within the chests" stands against what is said aloud. In 3:154 it closes a passage about people who "conceal within themselves what they do not disclose," and the same verse separately pairs ṣudūr with qulūb: Allah tests "what is in your chests" and refines "what is in your hearts." In 11:5 the phrase answers an image of people who "fold up their chests to hide themselves from Him" — here ṣudūr appears twice, once as the object of their folding and once as what Allah knows. In 67:13 the formula directly follows the alternative "keep your speech hidden, or make it loud," making the chest the register behind both speech modes. Elsewhere the phrase caps statements of broad scope: knowledge of the hidden things of the heavens and the earth (35:38), of whatever is in the heavens and the earth and whatever is concealed or made public (64:4), and even the alternation of night and day (57:6). Across the verses given, the formula consistently locates the object of Allah's knowledge inside the ṣudūr, whatever the surrounding subject matter.
Where it occurs
- 3:119 Closes a scene of people who affirm openly but rage in private, placing what they hide inside the chests under Allah's knowledge.
- 3:154 Ends a passage about people who conceal within themselves what they do not disclose; the same verse also has Allah test what is in the chests and refine what is in the hearts.
- 5:7 Follows a command to be mindful of Allah after recalling the pledge "We have heard and we have obeyed."
- 8:43 Follows the account of Allah showing them to you as few in a sleep, and what would have happened had they been shown as many.
- 11:5 Answers the image of people folding up their chests to hide from Him; ṣudūr appears both as what they fold and as what He knows.
- 31:23 Follows the statement that those who cover the truth return to Allah and will be informed of what they did.
- 35:38 Paired with Allah's knowledge of the hidden things of the heavens and the earth.
- 39:7 Closes a sequence on covering, gratitude, each bearer's burden, and the return to the Lord.
- 42:24 Follows the claim that a lie was fabricated against Allah, and Allah's sealing and effacing.
- 57:6 Attached to the description of night entering day and day entering night.
- 64:4 Follows knowledge of the heavens and the earth and of what is concealed and made public.
- 67:13 Directly follows the alternative of hiding speech or making it loud.
All Qur'anic expressions