54 Preface وَمَكَروا وَمَكَرَ اللَّهُ ۖ وَاللَّهُ خَيرُ الماكِرينَYusuf AliAnd (the unbelievers) plotted and planned1, and God too planned, and the best of planners is God. The Arabic makara has both a bad and a good meaning, that of making an intricate plan to carry out some secret purpose. The enemies of God are constantly doing that. But God ? in whose hands is all good?has His plans also, against which the evil ones will have no chance whatever (Cf. 8:30, 13:42, and 27:50).