Allah, the Exalted, informs that He is responsible for the provisions of all the creatures that dwell in the earth, whether they are small, large, sea-dwelling or land-dwelling. He knows their place of dwelling and their place of deposit. This means that He knows where their journeying will end in the earth and where they will seek shelter when they wish to nest. This place of nesting is also considered their place of deposit. `Ali bin Abi Talhah and others reported from Ibn `Abbas that he said concerning the statement,

[رِزْقُهَا وَيَعْلَمُ]

(And He knows its dwelling place) that it means where it resides. In reference to the statement,

[مُسْتَقَرَّهَا]

(and its deposit.) he (Ibn `Abbas) said it means where it will die. Allah informs us that all of this is written in a Book with Allah that explains it in detail. This is similar to Allah's statement,

[وَمَا مِن دَآبَّةٍ فِى الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ طَائِرٍ يَطِيرُ بِجَنَاحَيْهِ إِلاَّ أُمَمٌ أَمْثَـلُكُمْ مَّا فَرَّطْنَا فِى الكِتَـبِ مِن شَىْءٍ ثُمَّ إِلَى رَبِّهِمْ يُحْشَرُونَ ]

(There is not a moving creature on earth, nor a bird that flies with its two wings, but are communities like you. We have neglected nothing in the Book, then unto their Lord they (all) shall be gathered.) [6:38], and

[وَعِندَهُ مَفَاتِحُ الْغَيْبِ لاَ يَعْلَمُهَآ إِلاَّ هُوَ وَيَعْلَمُ مَا فِى الْبَرِّ وَالْبَحْرِ وَمَا تَسْقُطُ مِن وَرَقَةٍ إِلاَّ يَعْلَمُهَا وَلاَ حَبَّةٍ فِى ظُلُمَـتِ الاٌّرْضِ وَلاَ رَطْبٍ وَلاَ يَابِسٍ إِلاَّ فِى كِتَـبٍ مُّبِينٍ ]

(And with Him are the keys of the Ghayb (all that is hidden and unseen), none knows them but He. And He knows whatever there is in the land and in the sea; not a leaf falls, but he knows it. There is not a grain in the darkness of the earth nor anything fresh or dry, but is written in a Clear Record.) [6:59]

[وَهُوَ الَّذِى خَلَقَ السَّمَـوَتِ وَالاٌّرْضَ فِى سِتَّةِ أَيَّامٍ وَكَانَ عَرْشُهُ عَلَى الْمَآءِ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلاً وَلَئِن قُلْتَ إِنَّكُمْ مَّبْعُوثُونَ مِن بَعْدِ الْمَوْتِ لَيَقُولَنَّ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ إِنْ هَـذَآ إِلاَّ سِحْرٌ مُّبِينٌ - وَلَئِنْ أَخَّرْنَا عَنْهُمُ الْعَذَابَ إِلَى أُمَّةٍ مَّعْدُودَةٍ لَّيَقُولُنَّ مَا يَحْبِسُهُ أَلاَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمْ لَيْسَ مَصْرُوفاً عَنْهُمْ وَحَاقَ بِهِم مَّا كَانُواْ بِهِ يَسْتَهْزِءُونَ ]

(7. And He it is Who has created the heavens and the earth in six Days and His Throne was over the water, that He might try you, which of you is the best in deeds. But if you were to say to them: "You shall indeed be raised up after death,'' those who disbelieve would be sure to say, "This is nothing but obvious magic.'') (8. And if We delay the torment for them till a determined Ummah (term), they are sure to say, "What keeps it back'' Verily, on the day it reaches them, nothing will turn it away from them, and they will be surrounded by (or fall in) that at which they used to mock!)