Tafseer al-Qariah

TEACHER’S BOOK: AL-QARIAH By Ustaz Yusra OVERVIEW SURAH ICON OF THE SURAH: moths INTRODUCTION Surah al-Qariah is a Meccan surah. “al-Qariah” means the shocker, something frightening. The surah is named so to portray the frightening situation during the Day of Judgment. It is the time where humans are scattering like moths. They are likened to moths due to the purposelessness of their aimless wandering, trying to find protection from the horror of that day. It is also the day where mountains are destroyed and become like cotton wools, floating around here and there. Furthermore, it is also the day where human deeds are weighed on the scales (mizan). Those who are heavy in good deeds will live a happy life in the hereafter while those who are light in good deeds will have Hell as his home. Allah Announces About the Shocker. VERSE 1 & 2: “The Shocker.” Allah starts the surah with a declaration of something to be given attention to, one of the names of the Day of Judgment. The day is named so because of its frightening situation. It is the day where humans will be horrified of their coming fate. The Shocker Is Impossible to Imagined. VERSE 2-3: “What is the Shocker? What will make you know what The Shocker is?” Then Allah asks whether we know about what is the Shocker. The question does not seek any answer. In fact, the question cannot be answered. It is asked only as a provocation,

to demonstrate our inability in answering the question. This is because we are unable to imagine the horror of that Shocker. People Are Like Moths. VERSE 4: “The Day when people will be like scattered moths.” Allah then continues to describe the Shocker, describing in things that will shock our imagination. Allah likened the people on that day to moths. Moths are insects that fly scatteredly and are attracted towards anything that is bright. They also have a tendency to harm themselves. People, on that day, are liken to that. They will run here and there without knowing where to escape to, unbeknown to them everything will be destroyed. Mountains will become like scattered wool. VERSE 5: “And the mountains will be like scattered wool.” On that day, everything will be destroyed. Mountains will be vanquished like scattered wool. This is the very reason why people are unable to escape because when the mountains are flattened into dust, nothing can be clearly seen. There is no place to hide, therefore, there is no place to run to. Rewards for Heavy Scales in good deeds. VERSE 6-7: “As for he whose scales are heavy. He will have a pleasant life.” On the Day of Judgement, everyone will be anxious about their fate in the Hereafter. They will realise that those with scales that are heavy in good deeds, they will enjoy a peaceful life, during the Day of Judgment, as well as in the hereafter.

Misfortune for Light Scales. VERSE 8-9: “But as for he whose scales are light. His home is the Abyss.” However, if a person’s scale is light in good deeds, he will not be saved from the abyss of Hell. Allah Asks About the Abyss. VERSE 10: “Do you know what it is?” Then Allah asks again about the Abyss in the same provocative manner as at the beginning of the surah. As usual, mankind is unable to answer because it is beyond their ability of understanding the unseen things (‫)الغيب‬. Allah Answers His Own Question. “A Raging Fire.” Allah, again, answers His own question. It is to show that only He knows what is unknown to mankind. So, what is this Abyss? It is a Hellfire that has been fired up for a long period that the fire turns black. SUMMARY Surah al-Qariah relates to surah al-Takathur in a manner that it tells the consequences of being greedy of worldly possessions and about insufficient good deeds on the weighing scales. The Surah also relates to surah al-Asr by prophesizing what will come at the end of time.