(1–15) “In the name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful. When the sky is split apart * and hearkens to its Lord, as it must * and when the earth is spread out * and casts out all that is within it and becomes empty * and hearkens to its Lord, as it must * O man, you are laboring toward your Lord with strenuous labor, and you will meet Him * Then as for the one who is given his record in his right hand * he will receive an easy reckoning * and return to his family rejoicing * But as for the one who is given his record from behind his back * he will cry out for destruction * and burn in a Blaze * Indeed, he was once among his family rejoicing * and thought that he would never return * Yes indeed! His Lord was always All-Seeing of him.”
Allah Most High says, explaining the tremendous changes that will befall the great bodies of creation on the Day of Resurrection: “When the sky is split apart”—that is, it will be rent asunder, its parts will separate, its stars will be scattered, and its sun and moon will be darkened.
“And hearkens to its Lord”—that is, it listens to His command, gives ear, and attends to His address. It is only right that it should do so, for it is subjugated and governed under the authority of a mighty King who has subjected it. No command of His is disobeyed, and no decree of His is defied.
“And when the earth is spread out”—that is, it will shake and convulse, its mountains will be blown away, and every structure and landmark upon it will be leveled. It will thus be made flat, and Allah Most High will stretch it out as a hide is stretched until it becomes immensely vast, spacious enough to accommodate all the people gathered for Judgment despite their great number. It will become a flat and level plain in which no dip or rise can be seen.
“And casts out all that is within it”—the dead and the treasures.
“And becomes empty” of them. The Trumpet will be blown, and the dead will emerge from their graves onto the face of the earth. The earth will also bring forth its treasures until they resemble a huge column. All creation will behold them and bitterly regret the very things over which they once competed.
“And hearkens to its Lord, as it must. O man, you are laboring toward your Lord with strenuous labor, and you will meet Him”—that is, you are striving toward Allah, performing deeds subject to His commands and prohibitions, and proceeding toward Him with either good or evil. You will then meet Allah on the Day of Resurrection and will assuredly receive recompense from Him: by grace if you are blessed, or by justice if you are wretched (1).
He therefore explained the recompense in detail, saying: “Then as for the one who is given his record in his right hand”—these are the people of felicity.
“He will receive an easy reckoning.” This is the easy presentation before Allah: Allah will have him acknowledge his sins, until, when the servant thinks that he is ruined, Allah [Most High] will say to him, “I concealed them for you in this world, and I shall conceal them for you today.”
“And return to his family” in Paradise “rejoicing,” because he has escaped the punishment and attained the reward. “But as for the one who is given his record from behind his back”—that is, in his left hand from behind him. (2)
“He will cry out for destruction” because of the humiliation and disgrace and because of the deeds he finds in his record—deeds that he sent ahead without repenting of them. “And burn in a Blaze”—that is, the Blaze will engulf him from every side, and he will be tossed about in its torment. This is because, in this world, “he was once among his family rejoicing.” Resurrection never crossed his mind, though he had done evil, and he did not (3) think that he would return to his Lord and be made to stand before Him.
“Yes indeed! His Lord was always All-Seeing of him.” It would therefore not be fitting for Him to leave him without purpose—neither commanded nor forbidden, neither rewarded nor punished.