سُوْرَةُ الإِسۡرَاءِ
Surah Al-Israa (17) — Ayah 51
أَوْ خَلْقًا مِّمَّا يَكْبُرُ فِى صُدُورِكُمْ ۚ فَسَيَقُولُونَ مَن يُعِيدُنَا ۖ قُلِ ٱلَّذِى فَطَرَكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ ۚ فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ إِلَيْكَ رُءُوسَهُمْ وَيَقُولُونَ مَتَىٰ هُوَ ۖ قُلْ عَسَىٰٓ أَن يَكُونَ قَرِيبًا ﴿51﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
"Or some created thing that is yet greater (or harder) in your breasts (thoughts to be resurrected, even then you shall be resurrected)." Then, they will say: "Who shall bring us back (to life)?" Say: "He Who created you first!" Then, they will shake their heads at you and say: "When will that be?" Say: "Perhaps it is near!"
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
أَوْ
aw
Or
خَلْقًۭا
khalqan
a creation
مِّمَّا
mimmā
of what
يَكْبُرُ
yakburu
(is) great
فِى
fī
in
صُدُورِكُمْ ۚ
ṣudūrikum
your breasts
فَسَيَقُولُونَ
fasayaqūlūna
Then they will say
مَن
man
Who
يُعِيدُنَا ۖ
yuʿīdunā
will restore us
قُلِ
quli
Say
ٱلَّذِى
alladhī
He Who
فَطَرَكُمْ
faṭarakum
created you
أَوَّلَ
awwala
(the) first
مَرَّةٍۢ ۚ
marratin
time
فَسَيُنْغِضُونَ
fasayun'ghiḍūna
Then they will shake
إِلَيْكَ
ilayka
at you
رُءُوسَهُمْ
ruūsahum
their heads
وَيَقُولُونَ
wayaqūlūna
and they say
مَتَىٰ
matā
When (will)
هُوَ ۖ
huwa
it (be)
قُلْ
qul
Say
عَسَىٰٓ
ʿasā
Perhaps
أَن
an
that
يَكُونَ
yakūna
(it) will be
قَرِيبًۭا
qarīban
soon
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
51. Or even if you become any other creation, that seems harder in your minds [61] (still Allah will resurrect you). Then they will say: "Who will bring us back to life?" Say: "He who created you the first time." Then they will shake their heads at you and ask: "When will that be [62]?" Say: "Perhaps it is near."
[61] That is, you think that when our bones decay and disintegrate and mix with the soil, becoming mere dust, then how will we be created again? However, dust is still such a thing that is porous, and water and air can enter it, which are essential elements for life. Every kind of vegetation also grows from it. But if you were to become something hard, like stone, into which neither water nor air can enter, and whose particles and elements are much more tightly bound and joined together than those of dust, or if you were to become something even harder than stone, such as iron, or any even harder thing that may come to your mind, even then Allah has the power to resurrect you alive from that hard thing.
[62]
The Objections of the Disbelievers Regarding Resurrection After Death:
Then the second question of these polytheists is: who is that being who will create us again? The answer to this, which Allah Almighty has given at this place and at many other places as well, is that the being who created you the first time can also create you the second time. And it is clear that creating for the second time is easier than creating for the first time. Upon hearing this answer, they mockingly nod their heads and say, "Alright, we understand this, but tell us, when will such an event occur?" This is their third question. To specify the exact time of this event is against the will of Allah, just as telling someone the exact time of their death or telling a disobedient nation the exact time when punishment will descend upon them is against Allah's will, because this would nullify the very purpose of man's creation and trial. Therefore, the answer to this question is that the occurrence of something that is certain is always near, just as every person's death is certain, but its exact time is not known, and it can come at any time, even now. Therefore, it should be considered near.
[61] That is, you think that when our bones decay and disintegrate and mix with the soil, becoming mere dust, then how will we be created again? However, dust is still such a thing that is porous, and water and air can enter it, which are essential elements for life. Every kind of vegetation also grows from it. But if you were to become something hard, like stone, into which neither water nor air can enter, and whose particles and elements are much more tightly bound and joined together than those of dust, or if you were to become something even harder than stone, such as iron, or any even harder thing that may come to your mind, even then Allah has the power to resurrect you alive from that hard thing.
[62]
The Objections of the Disbelievers Regarding Resurrection After Death:
Then the second question of these polytheists is: who is that being who will create us again? The answer to this, which Allah Almighty has given at this place and at many other places as well, is that the being who created you the first time can also create you the second time. And it is clear that creating for the second time is easier than creating for the first time. Upon hearing this answer, they mockingly nod their heads and say, "Alright, we understand this, but tell us, when will such an event occur?" This is their third question. To specify the exact time of this event is against the will of Allah, just as telling someone the exact time of their death or telling a disobedient nation the exact time when punishment will descend upon them is against Allah's will, because this would nullify the very purpose of man's creation and trial. Therefore, the answer to this question is that the occurrence of something that is certain is always near, just as every person's death is certain, but its exact time is not known, and it can come at any time, even now. Therefore, it should be considered near.
