Quran Universe
30:11

ٱللَّهُ يَبۡدَؤُاْ ٱلۡخَلۡقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُۥ ثُمَّ إِلَيۡهِ تُرۡجَعُونَ

Allahu yabdao alkhalqa thumma yuAAeeduhu thumma ilayhi turjaAAoona

Allah begins creation; then He will repeat it; then to Him you will be returned.

Word by word
  1. ٱللَّهُAllah
  2. يَبۡدَؤُاْoriginates
  3. ٱلۡخَلۡقَthe creation
  4. ثُمَّthen
  5. يُعِيدُهُۥHe repeats it
  6. ثُمَّthen
  7. إِلَيۡهِto Him
  8. تُرۡجَعُونَyou will be returned
Ar-Rum · 30:11Makkah

He began it, He will repeat it, you will return.

The first creation is proof of the second

The cycle
He beginsthe first creation
then
He repeatsthe resurrection
then
you returnto Him, with your deeds
Which is harder
bringing back is impossiblethe dead stay dead
He did the firstthe second is no harder

Ibn Kathir says simply: just as He was able to create in the first place, He is able to repeat it. Then everyone returns to Him on the Day of Resurrection, each repaid according to his deeds.

You see the ultrasound of a baby, a heartbeat out of nothing. Or you hold a newborn niece in the hospital. That is the first creation, happening in front of you. The One who does that can bring you back. And you will return to Him.

Life after death is hard to imagine.

I already exist from nothing. Being brought back is the smaller wonder.

Try this

Next time you see a baby or a seed sprouting, remind yourself: He will bring me back too.

Simplified reflection. Read the tafsir for scholarship.draft
Tafsir Ibn Kathir

Allah originates the creation, then He will repeat it, then to Him you will be returned (11)And on the Day when the Hour will be established, the criminals will be plunged into destruction with despair (12)No intercessors will they have from those whom they made equal with Allah, and they will reject and deny their partners (13)And on the Day when the Hour will be established – that Day shall they be separated (14)Then as for those who believed and did righteous good deeds, such shall be honored and made to enjoy a luxurious life in a Garden of Delight (15)And as for those who disbelieved and denied Our Ayat, and the meeting of the Hereafter, such shall be brought forth to the torment.) Allah sai (16)

اللَّهُ يَبْدَأُ الْخَلْقَ ثُمَّ يُعِيدُهُ 

(Allah originates the creation, then He will repeat it,) Just as He was able to create it in the first place, so He is also able to repeat it.

ثُمَّ إِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَ

(then to Him you will be returned.) on the Day of Resurrection, when each will be requited according to his deeds. Then Allah says:

وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يُبْلِسُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ

(And on the Day when the Hour will be established, the criminals will be plunged into destruction with despair.) Ibn 'Abbas said, "The sinners will be filled with despair." Mujahid said, "The sinners will be exposed;" according to another report he said, "The sinners will grieve."

وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُمْ مِنْ شُرَكَائِهِمْ شُفَعَاءُ 

(No intercessors will they have from those whom they made equal with Allah,) means, the gods whom they used to worship instead of Allah will not intercede for them; they will reject them and betray them despite their desperate need of them. Then Allah says:

وَيَوْمَ تَقُومُ السَّاعَةُ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَفَرَّقُونَ 

(And on the Day when the Hour will be established – that Day shall (all men) be separated.) Qatadah said: "By Allah, this refers to the separation after which there will be no reunion." In other words, if one person is taken up to the highest heights and another is sent down to the lowest depths of Hell, that is the last they will ever see of one another. Allah says:

فَأَمَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ فَهُمْ فِي رَوْضَةٍ يُحْبَرُونَ 

(Then as for those who believed and did righteous good deeds, such shall be honored and made to enjoy a luxurious life in a Garden of Delight.) Mujahid and Qatadah said, "This means, they will enjoy a life of luxury."