27 Preface ۞ وَلَو بَسَطَ اللَّهُ الرِّزقَ لِعِبادِهِ لَبَغَوا فِي الأَرضِ وَلٰكِن يُنَزِّلُ بِقَدَرٍ ما يَشاءُ ۚ إِنَّهُ بِعِبادِهِ خَبيرٌ بَصيرٌYusuf AliIf God were to enlarge1 the provision for His Servants, they would indeed transgress beyond all bounds through the earth; but he sends (it) down in due measure as He pleases.2 For He is with His Servants Well-acquainted, Watchful.It may be objected that all prayers, even of good people, are not answered. The reply is: (1) that even everyone who is good does not necessarily know what is best for him, for the values in this life are curiously distorted; and (2) on account of their want of knowledge, if everyone got all he asked for, there would be chaos and confusion, and “transgression beyond bounds through the earth”, for the different interests are so intermingled and balanced that some measure must be observed in granting people’s wishes. This measure is best supplied by the watchful care of God and His perfect knowledge of all our real needs.As He pleases is here almost equivalent to as He thinks best.