ٱللَّهُ يَبْدَؤُا۟ ٱلْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ 11
Translations
Allāh begins creation; then He will repeat it; then to Him you will be returned.
Transliteration
Allahu yabda'u al-khalqa thumma yu'iduhu thumma ilayhi turja'un
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah affirms Allah's absolute power over creation and resurrection, stating that just as Allah originates creation from nothing, He will resurrect all creatures and return them to Him for final judgment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize this as a powerful argument against those who deny resurrection, since the One who created initially possesses the power to recreate. The ayah establishes the logical connection between Allah's creative power (bada') and His ability to restore life (i'adah), refuting the disbelievers' skepticism about the Day of Judgment.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rum (Chapter 30) is a Meccan surah primarily addressing polytheists and those who denied resurrection. This particular ayah appears in a section where Allah refutes the deniers of the afterlife by pointing to observable patterns in nature and creation as evidence of His power. The context emphasizes that if Allah can create the heavens and earth, He certainly can resurrect humanity.
Related Hadiths
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'The most important thing is the remembrance of death and the afterlife.' (Tirmidhi). Additionally, 'Whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day should believe in resurrection,' emphasizing the connection between faith and accountability before Allah.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that death is not an end but a transition, and that all human actions are ultimately accountable before Allah on the Day of Judgment. It encourages conscious living, ethical behavior, and firm belief in the afterlife as motivations for righteous conduct in this world.