[Big A]

And they planned and Allah (also) planned, and Allah is the best of planners.



Before explaining the misconceptions of this Noble Verse, one should look at the context and see whom Allah (SWT) refers to when he says they planned. (Surah Ale-Imran 3:54)



They clearly refers to those who rejected Prophet Isa (AS), who is Jesus, when the verses before it:



But when Isa perceived unbelief on their part, he said who will be my helpers in Allah's way? The disciples said: We are helpers (in the way) of Allah: We believe in Allah and bear witness that we are submitting ones.



Our Lord! We believe in what Thou hast revealed and we follow the apostle, so write us down with those who bear witness.



And they planned and Allah (also) planned, and Allah is the best of planners. (Surah Ale-Imran 3:52-54)



We can see from verse 52 we can see that the ones who verse 54 refers to are those who refused to be the helpers of Prophet Isa (AS) and the ones on whom he perceived disbelief



Many people misinterpret this verse to say that Allah (SWT) is a deceiver and that the Arabic word used here, which is al-makireena, means deceiver.



This is a blatant lie, and this verse does not say that Allah (SWT) deceives. The Arabic word used there is al-makireena which has many meanings, such as to plot, to plan, to scheme, to deceive etc.



There is no translator who uses the word deceive including the non-Muslim translators because it is clear from the context of this verse that the disbelievers, who rejected Prophet Isa (AS), planned against him. However Allah (SWT) planned against them to save his Holy Messiah (AS) from death. Even if it is deceiving, it means that Allah (SWT) deceived them by saving his Messiah, though they believed they had killed him.



Let us also examine Surah al-Anfal 8:30:



And when those who disbelieved devised plans against you that they might confine you or slay you or drive you away; and they devised plans and Allah too had arranged a plan; and Allah is the best of planners. (Surah al-Anfal 8:30)



Firstly, it says that he plans against the disbelievers who plotted against the Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAWW) and Allah (SWT) also plotted and planned against them. There is nothing wrong or deceptive used here by Allah (SWT). In order to protect his Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAWW), he prevented the disbelievers plot. The answer is not very different to that of Surah Ale-Imran 3:54 and even if Allah (SWT) deceived the pagans, he did so by stopping the deceptive plans of the pagans. He deceived them because they expected to kill the Holy Prophet Mohammad (SAWW), but Allah (SWT) destroyed their plan, and he is indeed the best of planners.