وَأَنَّ عَلَيْهِ ٱلنَّشْأَةَ ٱلْأُخْرَىٰ 47
Translations
And that [incumbent] upon Him is the other [i.e., next] creation.
Transliteration
Wa anna alayhi an-nasha'ata al-akhrah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms that upon Allah rests the responsibility and power to bring about the final resurrection and the afterlife. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir emphasize that this statement establishes Allah's absolute authority over creation and the Hereafter, refuting those who deny resurrection. Al-Qurtubi notes that the particle 'anna' (that/indeed) introduces a divine decree, underscoring that the second creation is not merely possible but divinely ordained and guaranteed.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah An-Najm, a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of Islam when polytheists vehemently denied the concept of bodily resurrection. The surah addresses core Islamic beliefs, and this particular ayah counters the prevalent Meccan skepticism about the Hereafter by asserting Allah's omnipotence over both creation and resurrection.
Related Hadiths
Related to Surah Yasin 36:79 where the Prophet (peace be upon him) affirmed that Allah 'knows every creation' and is capable of resurrection. Also thematically related to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari where the Prophet described how Allah will resurrect people on the Day of Judgment, emphasizing divine power over the second creation.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that resurrection is not a matter of philosophical debate but a divine certainty—Allah alone possesses the power to create and recreate. For modern readers, this teaches that faith in the Hereafter should be rooted in confidence in Allah's absolute power rather than rational doubt or materialist objections.
Related Ayahs
إِنَّمَا قَوْلُنَا لِشَىْءٍ إِذَآ أَرَدْنَـٰهُ أَن نَّقُولَ لَهُۥ كُن فَيَكُونُ
Indeed, Our word to a thing when We intend it is but that We say to it, "Be," and it is.
ءَأَنتُمْ تَخْلُقُونَهُۥٓ أَمْ نَحْنُ ٱلْخَـٰلِقُونَ
Is it you who creates it, or are We the Creator?
قُلِ ٱللَّهُمَّ مَـٰلِكَ ٱلْمُلْكِ تُؤْتِى ٱلْمُلْكَ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتَنزِعُ ٱلْمُلْكَ مِمَّن تَشَآءُ وَتُعِزُّ مَن تَشَآءُ وَتُذِلُّ مَن تَشَآءُ ۖ بِيَدِكَ ٱلْخَيْرُ ۖ إِنَّكَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍ قَدِيرٌ
Say, "O Allāh, Owner of Sovereignty, You give sovereignty to whom You will and You take sovereignty away from whom You will. You honor whom You will and You humble whom You will. In Your hand is [all] good. Indeed, You are over all things competent.
وَلَئِن سَأَلْتَهُم مَّنْ خَلَقَ ٱلسَّمَـٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضَ لَيَقُولُنَّ ٱللَّهُ ۚ قُلْ أَفَرَءَيْتُم مَّا تَدْعُونَ مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ إِنْ أَرَادَنِىَ ٱللَّهُ بِضُرٍّ هَلْ هُنَّ كَـٰشِفَـٰتُ ضُرِّهِۦٓ أَوْ أَرَادَنِى بِرَحْمَةٍ هَلْ هُنَّ مُمْسِكَـٰتُ رَحْمَتِهِۦ ۚ قُلْ حَسْبِىَ ٱللَّهُ ۖ عَلَيْهِ يَتَوَكَّلُ ٱلْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
And if you asked them, "Who created the heavens and the earth?" they would surely say, "Allāh." Say, "Then have you considered what you invoke besides Allāh? If Allāh intended me harm, are they removers of His harm; or if He intended me mercy, are they withholders of His mercy?" Say, "Sufficient for me is Allāh; upon Him [alone] rely the [wise] reliers."