Surah Al-Qasas — Verse 70

Key Words and Their Meanings:

• Al-Hamd (الْحَمْدُ): Perfect praise, gratitude, and commendation that is due solely to Allah for His infinite blessings and attributes.
• Al-Ula (الْأُولَىٰ): The first life — meaning this present world (the life of this world before the Hereafter).
• Al-Akhirah (الْآخِرَةِ): The final life — the Hereafter, including the Day of Judgment and eternal life after it.
• Al-Hukm (الْحُكْمُ): The decisive judgment, authority, and command — the final ruling over all matters and all creation.
• Turja‘ūn (تُرْجَعُونَ): You will be returned — meaning you will be brought back to Allah after death for accountability and recompense.

The Tafsir (Explanation):

This noble verse stands as a majestic declaration of Allah’s absolute oneness and His exclusive right to all worship and devotion. Allah — glorified and exalted — proclaims that He alone is the true God, and there is no deity worthy of worship besides Him. Every other object of worship, whether an idol, a human, a celestial body, or any created thing, is false and void. Only Allah, the Creator and Sustainer of all existence, deserves your love, your obedience, and your submission.

The verse then moves to a beautiful and comprehensive praise: "To Him belongs all praise in the first life and the Hereafter." This means that Allah is deserving of perfect praise and gratitude in every moment and every realm. In this world, He showers you with countless blessings — your breath, your health, your family, your provision, and the very faith that guides your heart. Every good thing you experience flows from His mercy, and thus, all thanks and praise belong to Him alone. In the Hereafter, when the believers are admitted into Paradise and witness the eternal bliss prepared for them, their praise will continue — indeed, their final call in Paradise will be: "Glory to You, O Allah!" and their last prayer will be: "All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all worlds." So whether in hardship or ease, in this life or the next, Allah alone is worthy of your gratitude and praise.

Then comes the decisive statement: "And to Him belongs the judgment." This is a powerful reminder that all authority, all command, and all final decisions rest with Allah alone. He is the sole Judge who decides between His creation with perfect justice and wisdom. No one can overturn His decree, no one can object to His ruling, and no one shares even a speck of His authority. This truth should fill your heart with tranquility — for you know that the ultimate justice of this world and the next lies in the hands of the Most Merciful, the Most Wise.

Finally, the verse concludes with a profound call to accountability: "And to Him you will be returned." This is not a threat to frighten you, but a loving invitation to remember your ultimate destination. Every soul will return to its Creator on the Day of Resurrection, where every deed — the small and the great, the hidden and the public — will be brought forth. The One who created you from nothing will bring you back to life, and He will reward the righteous with His eternal mercy and hold the wrongdoers accountable with perfect justice.

A Call to Reflection and Action:

Dear reader, let this verse awaken your heart. If Allah alone is your God, then direct your worship, your hopes, and your fears to Him alone. If all praise belongs to Him, then fill your tongue with gratitude and your life with obedience. If judgment is His alone, then trust His plan even when you do not understand it. And if you will return to Him, then prepare for that meeting with sincere repentance, good deeds, and a heart that longs for His pleasure.

This is the essence of Islam — a pure, unshakable connection between you and your Creator. It is a message of hope, justice, and mercy that frees you from the chains of false worship and worldly anxiety. Embrace it, and you will find peace in this life and eternal success in the next. May Allah make us among those who praise Him in both worlds and who return to Him with hearts full of faith and submission.