سورة القارعة
Surah Al-Qari'ah
The Calamity
Surah Al-Qari'ah (The Calamity) is the 101st surah of the Quran. It has 11 verses and is a Meccan surah. Below is the complete Arabic text with an English translation and transliteration, verse by verse.
بِسۡمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحۡمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
ٱلۡقَارِعَةُ﴿١﴾
Alqariʿatu
The Striking Calamity -
مَا ٱلۡقَارِعَةُ﴿٢﴾
Ma alqariʿatu
What is the Striking Calamity?
وَ مَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡقَارِعَةُ﴿٣﴾
Wama adraka ma alqariʿatu
And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?
يَوۡمَ يَكُونُ ٱلنَّاسُ كَٱلۡفَرَاشِ ٱلۡمَبۡثُوثِ﴿٤﴾
Yawma yakoonu alnnasu kaalfarashi almabthoothi
It is the Day when people will be like moths, dispersed,
وَ تَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ٱلۡمَنفُوشِ﴿٥﴾
Watakoonu aljibalu kaalʿihni almanfooshi
And the mountains will be like wool, fluffed up.
فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ﴿٦﴾
Faamma man thaqulat mawazeenuhu
Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds],
فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةࣲ رَّاضِيَةࣲ﴿٧﴾
Fahuwa fee ʿeeshatin radiyatin
He will be in a pleasant life.
وَ أَمَّا مَنۡ خَفَّتۡ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ﴿٨﴾
Waamma man khaffat mawazeenuhu
But as for one whose scales are light,
فَأُمُّهُۥ هَاوِيَةࣱ﴿٩﴾
Faommuhu hawiyatun
His refuge will be an abyss.
وَ مَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا هِيَهۡ﴿١٠﴾
Wama adraka ma hiyah
And what can make you know what that is?
نَارٌ حَامِيَةُۢ﴿١١﴾
Narun hamiyatun
It is a Fire, intensely hot.
Translation: Saheeh International · Transliteration
About this surah
Name
The Surah takes its name from its first word al-qari'ah. This is not only a name but also the title of its subject matter, for the Surah is devoted to the subject of the Resurrection.
Period of Revelation
There is no dispute about this surah being a Makki Surah. Its contents show that this too is one of the earliest Surahs to be revealed at Makkah.
Theme and Subject Matter
Its theme is Resurrection and the Hereafter. At the outset, the people have been alerted and alarmed with: "The Great Disaster! What is the Great Disaster? And what do you know what the Great Disaster is?" After preparing the listeners for the news of the dreadful calamity, the Resurrection has been depicted before them in two sentences, saying that on that Day people will be running about in confusion and bewilderment like many scattered moths around a light, and the mountains uprooted, will fly about like carded wool. Then it has been said that when Allah's Court is established in the Hereafter and the people are called upon to account for their deeds, the people whose good deeds are found to be heavier than their evil deeds, will be blessed with bliss and happiness, and the people whose good deeds are found to be lighter than their evil deeds, will be cast into the deep pit full of burning fire.
Source: Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi - Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Quran