وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ ٱلسَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَفَرَّقُونَ 14
Translations
And the Day the Hour appears - that Day they will become separated.
Transliteration
Wa yawma taqoomu as-saa'atu yawma'idhin yatafarraqoon
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when the Hour is established, and on that day people will separate into distinct groups—the righteous from the wicked, the believers from the disbelievers. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, this separation refers to the division of humanity based on their deeds and faith, with each group receiving their appointed end. The emphasis on 'that day' (yawma'idhin) underscores the certainty and specificity of this momentous event when all will be sorted according to divine justice.
Revelation Context
Surah Ar-Rum is a Meccan chapter addressing the pagan Arabs and broader themes of monotheism, resurrection, and divine signs. This particular ayah appears within a passage (30:12-16) that vividly describes the scenes of the Day of Judgment, emphasizing the reality of resurrection which was denied by many of the Meccan polytheists. The surah's context involves responding to doubts about the afterlife.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Day of Judgment will not come until people are divided into groups.' (At-Tirmidhi, classified as hasan). Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Muslim describing the separation of people on the Day of Judgment into groups of believers and disbelievers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that our earthly divisions and associations will mean nothing on the Day of Judgment; what matters is our individual faith and deeds. For believers, it should inspire conscious effort toward righteousness, knowing that on that day, we will be clearly separated and judged according to our sincere intentions and actions.
Related Ayahs
يَوْمَ لَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُمْ كَيْدُهُمْ شَيْـًٔا وَلَا هُمْ يُنصَرُونَ
The Day their plan will not avail them at all, nor will they be helped.
أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one has seen him?
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ ٱتَّبَعُوا۟ لَوْ أَنَّ لَنَا كَرَّةً فَنَتَبَرَّأَ مِنْهُمْ كَمَا تَبَرَّءُوا۟ مِنَّا ۗ كَذَٰلِكَ يُرِيهِمُ ٱللَّهُ أَعْمَـٰلَهُمْ حَسَرَٰتٍ عَلَيْهِمْ ۖ وَمَا هُم بِخَـٰرِجِينَ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ
Those who followed will say, "If only we had another turn [at worldly life] so we could disassociate ourselves from them as they have disassociated themselves from us." Thus will Allāh show them their deeds as regrets upon them. And they are never to emerge from the Fire.
وَمَا كَانَ لَنَا عَلَيْكُم مِّن سُلْطَـٰنٍۭ ۖ بَلْ كُنتُمْ قَوْمًا طَـٰغِينَ
And we had over you no authority, but you were a transgressing people.