Surah 101. Al-Qariah The Shocker - English Translation

The surah Al-Qāri‘ah (“The Striking Calamity”) is a Meccan surah consisting of 11 verses. Revealed in the early Meccan period, it aims to awaken hearts to the Day of Judgment, described as a cataclysm that will shatter the order of the universe.

Classical commentators such as Ibn Kathīr and Al-Qurṭubī explain that this surah vividly introduces the divine balance (al-mīzān) where every deed will be weighed, determining salvation or loss.

Main Teachings and Key Insights

• Eschatological imagery: mankind will be “like scattered moths,” and mountains “like fluffed wool.” (verses 4–5)
• The weighing of deeds (al-mīzān): the ultimate judgment is based on the weight of one’s good deeds. (verses 6–9)
• Two clear outcomes: a “pleasant life” for those with heavy scales, and “Hāwiyah” (the abyss) for those with light ones. (verses 7, 9–11)
• Impactful and pedagogical tone: the repetition of “And what can make you know…” emphasizes the gravity and mystery of the Final Hour. (verses 3, 10–11)

The surah reminds of Allah’s perfect justice and the moral urgency of preparing for one’s accountability before Him, as conveyed by the Prophet ﷺ.

Structure and Main Themes

• Verses 1–3: Interrogative introduction — “The Striking Calamity! What is the Striking Calamity?” setting a tone of awe and fear.
• Verses 4–5: Cosmic upheaval — humanity dispersed and mountains reduced to dust.
• Verses 6–9: The divine balance — heavy scales lead to eternal bliss; light scales to loss.
• Verses 10–11: Definition of Hāwiyah: a blazing fire. (نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌ)

The tone is striking and solemn, confronting the listener with the inevitability of divine judgment and moral accountability.

Key Verse

The doctrinal core of the surah lies in verses 6–7:

فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ * فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ

Then as for he whose scales are heavy [with good deeds], he will be in a pleasant life.

Why are these verses key?

• They establish the central principle of divine justice: salvation is determined by the balance of one’s deeds.
• They embody the theology of responsibility: every action has weight and consequence in God’s judgment.
• They bridge the surah’s cosmic imagery (vv.1–5) with its final outcome (vv.10–11), forming its moral climax.

In essence, Al-Qāri‘ah condenses the reality of the final upheaval and the justice of divine reckoning into a few powerful verses — a direct call to conscious faith and preparation for the ultimate Return to Allah.