Quran 2:255 – Who Is God Protecting The Universe Against?
حفظ 1 حَفِظَــهُ, (S, Mgh, Msb, K,) aor. ـَ (K,) inf. n. حِفْظُ, (S, Mgh, Msb,) He kept it, preserved it, guarded it, protected it, or took care of it; (S, K;) namely, a thing; (S;) he prevented it from perishing, or becoming lost; (Mgh, Msb;) namely, a thing, (Mgh,) or property &c.; (Msb;) and hence the saying, (Mgh,) حِفْظٌ is the contr. of نِسْيَانٌ; (M, Mgh;) i. e., it signifies the taking care, being careful; (M;) being mind ful, regardful, attentive, or considerate: (M, K:) [see also 5:] and بِهِ ↓ احتفظ signifies the same as حَفِظَــهُ. (S, Msb.) [Hence,] you say, حَفِظَ المَالَ He kept and tended, or pastured and defended, the camels or the like. (K.) [And حَفِظَ حُرْمَةَ صَاحِبِهِ He was regardful of everything entitled to reverence, respect, honour, or defence, in the character and appertenances of his companion, or friend.] and حَفِظَ السِّرَّ He kept the secret. This is an excerpt from lanes lexicon. I believe a better translation would be preserves or takes care of in this ayah rather than protect which would perhaps have been وقى