Surah 14

Surah 14:48

"On the Day when the earth will be changed (into something) other (than) the earth, and the heavens (as well), and they will go forth to God, the One, the Supreme,"
Allah never breaks a Promise Verses 14:47-48
Show Full Scripture Context (14:47-48) — 2 Verses
Verse 47

فَلَا تَحۡسَبَنَّ ٱللَّهَ مُخۡلِفَ وَعۡدِهِۦ رُسُلَهُۥٓۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَزِيزٞ ذُو ٱنتِقَامٖ

Do not think (that) God is going to break His promise to His messengers. Surely God is mighty, a taker of vengeance.

Verse 48

يَوۡمَ تُبَدَّلُ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ غَيۡرَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتُۖ وَبَرَزُواْ لِلَّهِ ٱلۡوَٰحِدِ ٱلۡقَهَّارِ

On the Day when the earth will be changed (into something) other (than) the earth, and the heavens (as well), and they will go forth to God, the One, the Supreme,

Quoted Scripture
"47. So think not that Allah will fail to keep His promise to His Messengers. Certainly, Allah is All-Mighty, All-Able of Retribution."

"48. On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens, and they (all creatures) will appear before Allah, the One, the Irresistible."

Allah affirms His promise,

Quoted Scripture
"So think not that Allah will fail to keep His promise to His Messengers."

His promise to grant them victory in this life and on the Day when the Witnesses shall come forth. Allah affirms that He is All-Able and that nothing He wills escapes His power and none can resist Him. Allah affirms that He is Able to exact retribution from those who disbelieve in Him and deny Him,

{Woe that Day to the deniers!} (77:15)

Allah said here,

Quoted Scripture
"On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens,"

meaning. His promise shall come to pass on the Day when the earth will be changed to an earth other than this earth that we know and recognize. It is recorded in the Two Sahihs that Sahl bin Sa'd said that the Messenger of Allah said,

«On the Day of Resurrection, the people will be gathered on a white (barren), flat earth just like the wheat bread, it has no recognizable features for anyone.»

Imam Ahmad recorded that 'A'ishah said, "I was the first among all people who asked the Messenger of Allah about this Ayah,

Quoted Scripture
"On the Day when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will be the heavens,"

saying, 'O Allah's Messenger! Where will the people be then?' He said,

«On the Sirat.»" Muslim, but not Al-Bukhari, collected this Hadith. At-Tirmidhi and Ibn Majah also recorded it, and At-Tirmidhi said "Hasan Sahih"

Imam Muslim bin Al-Hajjaj recorded in his Sahih that Thawban the servant of the Messenger of Allah said,

"I was standing next to the Messenger of Allah when a Jewish rabbi came to him and said, "Peace be to you, O Muhammad.' I pushed him with such a force that almost caused him to fall down and he asked me why I did that. I said, "Why did you not say, 'O Messenger of Allah?' The Jew said, We call him by the name which his family gave him.' The Messenger of Allah said,

«Muhammad is indeed the name which my family gave me.»

The Jew said, 'I came to ask you about something.' The Messenger of Allah replied,

«Would it benefit you if I replied to your question?»

He said, 'I will hear it with my ear.' The Messenger of Allah poked the ground with a staff he had and said,

«Ask» The Jew said, "Where will the people be when the earth will be changed to another earth and so will the heavens?' The Messenger of Allah said,

«In the darkness before the Bridge (Jasr).» He asked, 'Who will be the first to pass it?' He said, «The poor emigrants (Muhajirin).» He asked, 'What will their (refreshment) be when they enter Paradise?' He said, «The caul of fish liver.» He asked, 'What will they have after that?' He said, «A bull of Paradise which grazed through its pathways will be slaughtered for them.» He asked, 'From what will they drink?' He said, «From a fountain whose name is Salsabil.» He said, 'You have said the truth. I have come to ask you something about which none of the inhabitants of the earth knows, with the exception of a Prophet or one or two other men.' He said, «Would you benefit by me informing you about it?» He replied, 'I would listen. I have come to ask you about the child.' He said, «The fluid of the man is white, and the woman's is yellow. When they meet, if the discharge of the man is greater than that of the woman, then it becomes a male, by Allah's permission. When the womans discharge is greater than the man's, it becomes a female by Allah's permission.» The Jew said, You have told the truth and are indeed a Prophet.' Then he left. So Allah's Messenger said; «He asked me such things that I had no knowledge of it until Allah gave it to me.»

Allah said next,

{and they will appear before Allah}, describing when the creatures will be resurrected before Allah from their graves,

{the One, the Irresistible.} Who has full power and control over all things and to Whom the necks and minds are subservient.

About this Source & Scholarly Authority (Tafsir Ibn Kathir)

Universal Sunni Consensus: Tafsir al-Qur'an al-Azim by Hafiz Ibn Kathir (701–774 AH / 1301–1373 AD) is universally regarded across all major schools of Sunni Islam (traditional, Salafi, Ash'ari) as the most authoritative classical exegesis. It is prized because it relies on Tafsir bil-Ma'thur—interpreting the Quran using the Quran itself, authentic Hadiths of Prophet Muhammad, and recorded statements of the early Companions (Sahabah).

Standard English Edition: This text is from the standard 10-volume English abridgment published by Dar-us-Salam Publications (supervised by Shaykh Safiur-Rahman Al-Mubarakpuri), which is the official, most widely distributed English Quranic commentary in mosques and Islamic libraries worldwide today.