Miserable is what he decided

Sura 74 of the Quran is entitled The Hidden Secret (Al-Muddath-thir / الـمـدثـر). In this Sura, it discusses a person who refused to accept the proofs of the Quran and claims that the Quran is manmade.

[74:11] Let Me deal with one I created as an individual. [74:12] I provided him with lots of money. [74:13] And children to behold. [74:14] I made everything easy for him. [74:15] Yet, he is greedy for more.

[74:16] He stubbornly refused to accept these proofs. 

(١٦) كَلَّآ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ لِـَٔايَـٰتِنَا عَنِيدًا

[74:17] I will increasingly punish him.

(١٧) سَأُرْهِقُهُۥ صَعُودًا

[74:18] For he reflected, then decided.

(١٨) إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ

[74:19] Miserable is what he decided.

(١٩) فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

[74:20] Miserable indeed is what he decided.

(٢٠) ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

[74:21] He looked.

(٢١) ثُمَّ نَظَرَ

[74:22] He frowned and whined.

(٢٢) ثُمَّ عَبَسَ وَبَسَرَ

[74:23] Then he turned away arrogantly.

(٢٣) ثُمَّ أَدْبَرَ وَٱسْتَكْبَرَ

[74:24] He said, “This is but clever magic! 

(٢٤) فَقَالَ إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ

[74:25] “This is human made.”

(٢٥) إِنْ هَـٰذَآ إِلَّا قَوْلُ ٱلْبَشَرِ

Verses 18-20 make a statement three times regarding the person using the term “qaddara” ( قَدَّرَ ). While this word is translated as “he decided,” it has a richer meaning that may not be as clear in the translation.

[74:18] For he reflected, then he decided.
[74:19] Miserable is what he decided.
[74:20] Miserable indeed is what he decided.

(١٨) إِنَّهُۥ فَكَّرَ وَقَدَّرَ
(١٩) فَقُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ
(٢٠) ثُمَّ قُتِلَ كَيْفَ قَدَّرَ

The Arabic of the Quran uses multiple words that can be translated as “decided,” and each has a slightly different connotation. For example, there is ʿazama ( عَزَمَ ), qaḍā ( قَضَىٰ ), and ḥakama ( حَكَمَ ). Each of these words has a slightly different flavor when used in the context of deciding. Such that ʿazama ( عَزَمَ ) is a decision based on an intention, qaḍā ( قَضَىٰ) is a decision in the form of a decree, ḥakama ( حَكَمَ ) is a decision based on a judgment or ruling.

The term qaddara, used in verses 74:18-20, does not just mean to make a decision but specifically to make a calculated or measured decision. This word comes from the root “q-d-r” ( ق د ر ), and we see this meaning reflected in Lanes Lexicon as well.

Aside from these three occurrences, this word occurs five other times in the Quran. Below are each of these occurrences. Every time it is used it is in the context of making a calculated decision.

[80:19] From a tiny drop, He creates him and designs him.

(١٩) مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُۥ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ

1	min	مِن	From
2	nuṭ’fatin	نُّطْفَةٍ	a tiny drop
3	khalaqahu	خَلَقَهُۥ	He created him,
4	faqaddarahu	فَقَدَّرَهُۥ	then He proportioned / designed him

[87:3] He designs and guides.

(٣) وَٱلَّذِى قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ

1	wa-alladhī	وَٱلَّذِى	And the One who
2	qaddara	قَدَّرَ	He measured / designed
3	fahadā	فَهَدَىٰ	then He guided.

[10:5] He is the One who rendered the sun radiant, and the moon a light, and He designed its phases that you may learn to count the years and to calculate. GOD did not create all this, except for a specific purpose. He explains the revelations for people who know.

 هُوَ ٱلَّذِى جَعَلَ ٱلشَّمْسَ ضِيَآءً وَٱلْقَمَرَ نُورًا وَقَدَّرَهُۥ مَنَازِلَ لِتَعْلَمُوا۟ عَدَدَ ٱلسِّنِينَ وَٱلْحِسَابَ مَا خَلَقَ ٱللَّهُ ذَٰلِكَ إِلَّا بِٱلْحَقِّ يُفَصِّلُ ٱلْـَٔايَـٰتِ لِقَوْمٍ يَعْلَمُونَ

1	huwa	هُوَ	He (is)
2	alladhī	ٱلَّذِى	the One who
3	jaʿala	جَعَلَ	He made
4	l-shamsa	ٱلشَّمْسَ	the sun
5	ḍiyāan	ضِيَآءً	a shining light / radiant,
6	wal-qamara	وَٱلْقَمَرَ	and the moon
7	nūran	نُورًا	a light
8	waqaddarahu	وَقَدَّرَهُۥ	and He measured / calculated / designed for it
9	manāzila	مَنَازِلَ	phases,

[25:2] The One to whom belongs all sovereignty of the heavens and the earth. He never had a son, nor does He have any partners in sovereignty. He created everything in exact measure; He precisely designed everything.

 ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ وَلَمْ يَتَّخِذْ وَلَدًا وَلَمْ يَكُن لَّهُۥ شَرِيكٌ فِى ٱلْمُلْكِ وَخَلَقَ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ فَقَدَّرَهُۥ تَقْدِيرًا

15	wakhalaqa	وَخَلَقَ	and He created
16	kulla	كُلَّ	every
17	shayin	شَىْءٍ	thing
18	faqaddarahu	فَقَدَّرَهُۥ	and He determined / designed / measured it
19	taqdīran	تَقْدِيرًا	(with) exact measure.

[41:10] He placed on it stabilizers (mountains), made it productive, and He calculated its provisions in four days, to satisfy the needs of all its inhabitants.

 وَجَعَلَ فِيهَا رَوَٰسِىَ مِن فَوْقِهَا وَبَـٰرَكَ فِيهَا وَقَدَّرَ فِيهَآ أَقْوَٰتَهَا فِىٓ أَرْبَعَةِ أَيَّامٍ سَوَآءً لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ

1	wajaʿala	وَجَعَلَ	And He placed
2	fīhā	فِيهَا	therein
3	rawāsiya	رَوَٰسِىَ	stabilizers (mountains)
4	min	مِن	from
5	fawqihā	فَوْقِهَا	above it
6	wabāraka	وَبَـٰرَكَ	and He blessed
7	fīhā	فِيهَا	therein,
8	waqaddara	وَقَدَّرَ	and He determined / calculated
9	fīhā	فِيهَآ	therein
10	aqwātahā	أَقْوَٰتَهَا	its sustenance / provisions
11	fī	فِىٓ	in
12	arbaʿati	أَرْبَعَةِ	four
13	ayyāmin	أَيَّامٍ	days
14	sawāan	سَوَآءً	equal / equitable,
15	lilssāilīna	لِّلسَّآئِلِينَ	for those who ask / the enquirers.

Connection to Code 19

In conjunction with the mathematical miracle of the Quran, this makes sense because a disbeliever will be able to calculate, measure, and analyze the 19-based phenomenon of the Quran yet be baffled by what they see only to make the claim that:

[74:24] He said, “This is but clever magic!
[74:25] “This is human made.”

(٢٤) فَقَالَ إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا سِحْرٌ يُؤْثَرُ
(٢٥) إِنْ هَٰذَا إِلَّا قَوْلُ الْبَشَرِ

Additionally, the word قَدَّرَ / qaddara has a gematrical value of:

100 + 4 + 200 = 304 = 19 x 16

If we add the verse numbers where this word occurs in Sura 74 we get:

18 + 19 + 20 = 57 = 19 x 3

Also, the word قَدَّرَ in the 19th verse is the 57th word in Sura 74.