Recitation by Mishary Al-Alfasy
It is derived from the word inshaqqat in the first verse. Inshaqqat is
infinitive which means to split asunder, thereby implying that it is the Surah
in which mention has been made of the splitting asunder of the heavens.
Period of Revelation
This too is one of the earliest Surahs
to be revealed at Makkah. The internal evidence of its subject matter indicates
that persecution of the Muslims had not yet started; however, the message of the
Qur'an was being openly repudiated at Makkah and the people were refusing to
acknowledge that Resurrection would ever take place when they would have to
appear before their God to render an account of their deeds.
Theme and Subject Matter
Its theme is the Resurrection and
Hereafter.
In the first five verses not only have the state of
Resurrection been described vividly but an argument of its being true and
certain also have been given. It has been stated that the heavens on that Day
will split asunder, the earth will be spread out plain and smooth, and it will
throw out whatever lies inside it of the dead bodies of men and evidences of
their deeds so as to become completely empty from within. The argument given for
it is that such will be the Command of their Lord for the heavens and the earth;
since both are His creation. they cannot dare disobey His Command. For them the
only right and proper course is that they should obey the Command of their Lord.
Then, in vv 6-19 it has been said that whether man Is conscious of this fact
or not, he in any case is moving willy nilly to the destination when he will
appear and stand before his Lord. At that time all human beings will divide into
two parts: first those whose records will be given in their right hands: they
will be forgiven without any severe reckoning; second those whose records will
be given them behind their back. They will wish that they should die somehow,
but they will not die; instead they will be cast into Hell. They will meet with
this fate because in the world they remained lost in the misunderstanding that
they would never have to appear before God to render an account of their deeds,
whereas their Lord was watching whatever they were doing, and there was no
reason why they should escape the accountability for their deeds. Their moving
gradual]y from the life of the world to the meting out of rewards and
punishments in the Hereafter was as certain as the appearance of twilight after
sunset, the coming of the night after the day, the returning of men and animals
to their respective abodes at night, and the growing of the crescent into full
moon.
In conclusion, the disbelievers who repudiate the Qur'an instead of
bowing down to God when they hear it, have been forewarned of a grievous
punishment and the good news of limitless rewards has been given to the
believers and the righteous.