إِن كَانَتْ إِلَّا صَيْحَةً وَٰحِدَةً فَإِذَا هُمْ جَمِيعٌ لَّدَيْنَا مُحْضَرُونَ 53
Translations
It will not be but one blast, and at once they are all brought present before Us.
Transliteration
In kānat illā sayhatan wāhidatan fa-idhā hum jamīʿun ladaynā muhdarūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Resurrection when all of humanity will be gathered before Allah in an instant—a single blast of the Trumpet (Israfil's horn) will be sufficient to resurrect all souls and bodies at once. Classical exegetes like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that despite the vastness of creation and the millions who have lived, Allah's power makes their resurrection effortless and instantaneous, demonstrating His absolute sovereignty and the certainty of the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within Surah Ya-Sin, a Meccan chapter that emphasizes the reality of resurrection and the afterlife—core themes the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) preached to the polytheists of Mecca who denied bodily resurrection. The surah addresses their doubts about how Allah could resurrect scattered bones and bodies, providing clear affirmations of this divine capability.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The trumpet will be blown, and whoever hears it will tilt his neck while looking towards it. And the first one to hear it will be the one who was preparing the cistern [of water]. The trumpet will be blown again, and all the people of the heavens and the earth will fall dead except those whom Allah wishes.' (Sahih Bukhari 6563). Additionally, Abu Hurairah reported that the Prophet said: 'Between the two blasts of the trumpet there will be forty,' which relates to the sequence of resurrection events. (Sunan Abu Dawud)
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah should inspire awe at Allah's infinite power and strengthen conviction in the Hereafter, reminding believers that death is not an end but a transition, and that all will face Allah's justice. It encourages ethical living and sincere devotion, knowing that one's deeds matter and accountability is certain.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالَ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ هَلْ نَدُلُّكُمْ عَلَىٰ رَجُلٍ يُنَبِّئُكُمْ إِذَا مُزِّقْتُمْ كُلَّ مُمَزَّقٍ إِنَّكُمْ لَفِى خَلْقٍ جَدِيدٍ
But those who disbelieve say, "Shall we direct you to a man who will inform you [that] when you have disintegrated in complete disintegration, you will [then] be [recreated] in a new creation?
أَلَيْسَ ذَٰلِكَ بِقَـٰدِرٍ عَلَىٰٓ أَن يُحْـِۧىَ ٱلْمَوْتَىٰ
Is not that [Creator] Able to give life to the dead?
لَتَرْكَبُنَّ طَبَقًا عَن طَبَقٍ
[That] you will surely embark upon [i.e., experience] state after state.
يَوْمَ تَشَقَّقُ ٱلْأَرْضُ عَنْهُمْ سِرَاعًا ۚ ذَٰلِكَ حَشْرٌ عَلَيْنَا يَسِيرٌ
On the Day the earth breaks away from them [and they emerge] rapidly; that is a gathering easy for Us.