Surah Nuh 71:18
سُورَةُ نُوحٍ · Meccan · Verse 18 of 28
ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًۭا
Translation
how He will return you into it and then bring you out again,
English translation: M.A.S. Abdel Haleem.
Meaning and reflection
Wording
Surah Nuh, verse 18, gently invites us to ponder Allah's immense power over life and death. Allah says, "Then He returns you into it, and brings you forth a bringing forth." This short but profound verse, part of Prophet Nuh's call to his people, unfolds a continuous cycle of existence that points to the Creator's absolute authority.
The Cycle of Return
The phrase "ثُمَّ يُعِيدُكُمْ فِيهَا" (then He returns you into it) reminds us of our earthly origins and ultimate destiny after death. The word "فِيهَا" (in it) refers to the earth itself, as al-Jalalayn and al-Zamakhshari explain, signifying our burial within it. The particle "ثُمَّ" (then) marks a natural progression, a transition from our initial creation to this inevitable return. It's a reminder of life's fleeting nature and where our physical journey concludes, setting the stage for what comes next.
The Certainty of Being Brought Forth
The verse continues with "وَيُخْرِجُكُمْ إِخْرَاجًا" (and brings you forth a bringing forth). The crucial point here, highlighted by scholars like al-Zamakhshari, al-Razi, and Ibn Ashur, is the specific wording "إِخْرَاجًا". This is an Arabic grammatical structure known as a *maf'ool mutlaq* (verbal noun) used for emphasis. By repeating the root meaning of the verb ("brings you forth" and "a bringing forth"), the Quran powerfully affirms the certainty of the action. It's not just that Allah *might* bring us forth, but that He *will* bring us forth, absolutely and without any doubt.
Ibn Ashur explains that this emphatic wording directly addresses those who denied the resurrection (al-ba'th). It is Allah's categorical assurance that the return to the earth is not the end; a second, definite emergence awaits. Just as Allah has the power to originate life from the earth and return us to it, He unequivocally has the power to bring us forth again for accountability. This linguistic emphasis leaves no room for doubt about the resurrection, urging us to prepare for that certain day.
Sources: al-Jalalayn, al-Zamakhshari (al-Kashshaf), al-Jadwal fi I'rab al-Quran (Mahmud Safi), al-Razi (Mafatih al-Ghayb), Ibn Ashur (al-Tahrir wa al-Tanwir)
Topics that discuss this verse
Surah Nuh 71:18 is discussed in 4 study guides on Maani. Each guide gathers the key verses, Arabic words and lessons of one Quranic topic.
Reflect on this verse
Open Surah Nuh 71:18 in Maani to reflect on it through the Five Lenses: its wording, its context, what it means for you, its connections across the Quran and its lessons, grounded in classical tafsir.