Surah 69

Surah 69:18

"On that Day you will (all) be presented – not a secret of yours will be hidden."
A Mention of the Horrors of the Day of Judgement Verses 69:13-18
Show Full Scripture Context (69:13-18) — 6 Verses
Verse 13

فَإِذَا نُفِخَ فِي ٱلصُّورِ نَفۡخَةٞ وَٰحِدَةٞ

When a single blast is blown on the trumpet,

Verse 14

وَحُمِلَتِ ٱلۡأَرۡضُ وَٱلۡجِبَالُ فَدُكَّتَا دَكَّةٗ وَٰحِدَةٗ

and the earth and the mountains are lifted up and shattered with a single shattering,

Verse 15

فَيَوۡمَئِذٖ وَقَعَتِ ٱلۡوَاقِعَةُ

on that Day the falling will fall,

Verse 16

وَٱنشَقَّتِ ٱلسَّمَآءُ فَهِيَ يَوۡمَئِذٖ وَاهِيَةٞ

and the sky will be split open, (for) on that Day it will be frail,

Verse 17

وَٱلۡمَلَكُ عَلَىٰٓ أَرۡجَآئِهَاۚ وَيَحۡمِلُ عَرۡشَ رَبِّكَ فَوۡقَهُمۡ يَوۡمَئِذٖ ثَمَٰنِيَةٞ

and the angels (will stand) on its borders, and they will bear the throne of your Lord above them on that Day – eight (of them).

Verse 18

يَوۡمَئِذٖ تُعۡرَضُونَ لَا تَخۡفَىٰ مِنكُمۡ خَافِيَةٞ

On that Day you will (all) be presented – not a secret of yours will be hidden.

Allah informs of the horrors that will take place on the Day of Judgement. The first of these events is the blowing of fright (into the Trumpet), which will be followed by the blowing of destruction when everyone in the heavens and the earth will be struck down except whoever Allah wills. Then, after this will be the blowing of standing before the Lord 'of all that exists, and the resurrection, and the gathering. And this is that blowing. It is emphasized here that it is one blowing, because the command of Allah cannot be opposed or prevented, and it does not need to be repeated or stressed. Thus, Allah goes on to say, (And the earth and the mountains shall be removed from their places, and crushed with a single crushing.) meaning, they will be stretched out to the extent of the surface (of the earth) and the earth will change into something else other than the earth. (Then on that Day shall the Event occur.) meaning, the Day of Judgement. (And the heaven will be rent asunder, for that Day it will be frail and torn up.) Ibn Jurayj said, "This is like Allah's statement, And the heaven shall be opened, it will become as gates. (78:19)" Ibn 'Abbas said, "It (the sky) will be torn apart and the Throne will be near it." (And the angels will be on its sides,) The word Malak here is referring to the species of angels (all of them); meaning the angels collectively will be standing on the sides of the heavens. Ar-Rabi' bin Anas said concerning Allah's statement, (And the angels will be on its sides,) "This means that they will be standing on what has been ground to powder of the heavens looking at the people of the earth." Concerning the statement of Allah, (and eight angels will, that Day, bear the Throne of your Lord above them.) means, on the Day of Judgement eight angels will carry the Throne. Abu Dawud recorded from Jabir bin 'Abdullah that the Messenger of Allah said, "I was permitted to speak about one of the angels among those angels who carry the Throne of Allah. Between the lobe of his ear to his shoulder is the distance of seven hundred years (of travelling)." This is the wording recorded by Abu Dawud.

The Children of Adam being presented before Allah

Concerning the statement of Allah, (That Day shall you be brought to Judgement, not a secret of you will be hidden.) meaning, 'you will all be presented to the Knower of the secrets and private counsels. He is the One from Whom none of your affairs are hidden. He is the Knower of all things apparent, secret and hidden.' This is the reason that Allah says, (not a secret of you will be hidden.) Imam Ahmad recorded from Abu Musa that the Messenger of Allah said, "The people will be exhibited three times on the Day of Judgement. The first two presentations will be (their) arguing and offering excuses. During the third presentation the pages (records) will fly into their hands. Some of them will receive the records in their right hands and some will receive them in their left hands." Ibn Majah and At-Tirmidhi both recorded this Hadith.

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.