وَعُرِضُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّكَ صَفًّا لَّقَدْ جِئْتُمُونَا كَمَا خَلَقْنَـٰكُمْ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۭ ۚ بَلْ زَعَمْتُمْ أَلَّن نَّجْعَلَ لَكُم مَّوْعِدًا 48
Translations
And they will be presented before your Lord in rows, [and He will say], "You have certainly come to Us just as We created you the first time. But you claimed that We would never make for you an appointment."
Transliteration
Wa'uroodu 'alaa rabbika saffan laqad ji'tumumo-na kamaa khalaqnaa-kum awwala marrah. Bal za'amtum allan naj'ala lakum maw'ida.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when all creation will be presented before Allah in rows/ranks, and Allah will address them, reminding them that they have come before Him in the same state as their initial creation, naked and alone. The ayah refutes the disbelievers' false claim that Allah would never establish an appointed time for resurrection and accountability, emphasizing that their denial does not negate the reality of the Day of Judgment. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note this ayah powerfully counters the arrogance of those who rejected the concept of the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in the Meccan surah Al-Kahf, which addresses the fundamental Islamic beliefs contested by the Quraysh, particularly the resurrection and the Day of Judgment. It is situated within a passage (18:47-50) that vividly depicts the scenes of the Day of Judgment to instill conviction in believers and warn disbelievers.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'On the Day of Resurrection, people will be presented [before Allah] barefoot, naked, and uncircumcised' (Sahih Bukhari 3331). Also related: 'The Day of Judgment will come when people deny it, just as it came when they denied the messengers' (thematic connection in various Quranic passages and hadith collections).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah serves as a powerful reminder that regardless of worldly status, wealth, or power, all humanity will stand equal and bare before Allah on the Day of Judgment, answerable for their deeds. It should inspire believers to prepare spiritually in this life through righteous actions and sincere faith, rather than relying on material possessions or denying the reality of the Hereafter.