Surah al-Infiṭār is a Makkan surah. (1)

In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful.

“When the sky is split open; when the stars are scattered; when the seas burst forth; when the graves are overturned—every soul will know what it has sent forth and what it has left behind. O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Generous Lord?”

“When the sky is split open”: that is, it is rent apart. “When the stars are scattered”: that is, they fall. “When the seas burst forth”: some of them will flow into others, and the fresh water will mingle with the salt water, so that they become one sea. Al-Rabi‘ said: “They burst forth” means that they overflow.

“When the graves are overturned”: that is, they are excavated, their soil is turned over, and the dead within them are raised alive. One says, “I overturned the basin,” when one turns it over and makes its bottom its top.

“Every soul will know what it has sent forth and what it has left behind.” It was said: “What it has sent forth” refers to righteous or evil deeds, and “what it has left behind” refers to a good or evil practice. It was also said: “What it has sent forth” refers to charities, and “what it has left behind” refers to the estate it leaves behind—as we mentioned in His saying: “Man will be informed that Day of what he sent forth and what he left behind” (al-Qiyamah—13).

“O mankind, what has deceived you concerning your Generous Lord?” That is, what has deceived you and made falsehood seem alluring to you, until you neglected what was obligatory upon you? The meaning is: What has made you feel secure from [His punishment]? (2) ‘Ata’ said: It was revealed concerning al-Walid ibn al-Mughirah.