SURAH 101 AL-QARIAH

Surah: 101 - سورة القارعة

Al-Qariah – The state of loss / calamity

As the title suggests this surah describes a particular situation that can be faced by any person. Al-Qariah means the state of loss. It could be loss of respect, honor, prestige, image, health wealth or confidence. Here similes are used to explain the calamitous condition dawned upon an agitated mind or a person who faces such a condition. When such a circumstances strike a person, he is in the state of shock. This makes him vulnerable to end his life like a moth that flies into the flame, not realizing that it is a fatal path for him. The surah tries to explain such a plight where an agitated mind is swooned into grief and sorrow by losing their mental balance. Only he can survive from this state whose aspirations are high and are not affected by these momentary phase.

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

With the identification of the System, the Rehman, the Raheem

Translation:

1) الْقَارِعَةُ
 The state of loss

2) مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

What state of loss is?

3) وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْقَارِعَةُ

And what causes you such a state of loss?

4) يَوْمَ يَكُونُ النَّاسُ كَالْفَرَاشِ الْمَبْثُوثِ


It is a ongoing moment when the confused / agitated mind is like swooned moth

5)  وَتَكُونُ الْجِبَالُ كَالْعِهْنِ الْمَنفُوشِ

And even the strongest / toughest of mind is like soft wool (weak & in a broken state)

6) فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

Then whose (mental) balance is dull / laborious / heavy

7) فَهُوَ فِي عِيشَةٍ رَّاضِيَةٍ

In spite of that he spends in self-indulgence luxurious life

8) وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَازِينُهُ

But whose (mental) balance is alleviated

9) فَأُمُّهُ هَاوِيَةٌ

He raised his aspiration to higher things

10)  وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا هِيَهْ
 
And what makes you know what the call is ?

11) نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌ   

It is the fire of extreme eagerness

Meanings:

Al-Qariah = State of loss or honor, shock, magic, sorcery, witchery, a whip, anything with which one beats, cast or to draw etc

Yaum = moment, day, period

Ka-al-Farashi = Like the moth, makes himself the victim, unsteady

Al-Mabsuti = Swooning from grief or sorrow due to some news or information- scattered, dispersed

Al-Jabal = the strong nature man, hard, tough, rough, disposition, firm like Mountain etc

Ka-laehin = Like the wool, broken state etc

An-Naas = Agitated mind or human being,

Al-Manfushi = Loose from within

Saqalat = Heavy, weighty, ponderous, dominant, over powering, exerting influence, important, superior in weight etc

Mawazinahu = His (mental) balance, scale

Isha = Pleasant luxurious life, passed his life in particular manner or state, living well after constrained occupation

Raziyah = Satisfied, content, pleased, favorable, self indulgent etc

Khafat = Lightly, easy going, alleviation, light hearted, quick, sharp etc

Fa-umaho = directed to his course, tended, aim at, endeavor after, pursued to reach, purpose, right way etc

Hawiyah = High aspiration

Hiya = Calling or call, an expression of regret for a thing that passes away etc

Naar = Fire (metaphor)

Hamiyah = Thirst, eagerness, desirous, hovers about object of aim, inclined towards, affected etc

Moral:

Whatever the circumstances, man should possess a composed mental balance. If he loses his balance he could be pulled towards disaster. The pulling forces work like some magician casting his spell on him and he is inclined to take the fatal path like moths. Even the strong, firm personality like mountains cannot resist such forces. So the beloved author of the the book Quran is instructing us to be mentally strong so as to live a life filled with passion (fire). He must mentally alleviate himself so that this trauma does not affect him. This is only possible when he has the fire of eagerness to achieve his goal.

Traditional Translation:

1) The striking hour
2) What is the striking hour ?
3) And what will make you know what the striking hour is ?
4) It is a Day when mankind will be like moths scattered about
5) And the mountains will be carded like wool
6) Then for whose balance will be heavy
7) He will live live a pleasant life
8) But as for him whose balance will be light 
9) He will have his home in hell pit
10) And what will make you know what it is 
11) It is a fiercely blazing fire !

Simile is a figure of speech that directly compare two things through the explicit use of two connecting words (such as like, as, so, than, or various verbs such as resemble). Simile is used only for the purpose of explanation or clarification, it should not be taken in literary sense. The respected author has used simile for the purpose of explanation only. If I say I have been working like a dog. That does not mean I am a dog - The phrase means I've been working very hard. 

Moreover the description of the event is in present tense. To form a future tense in Arabic the prefix (سـ) "sa" is added to the present tense verb, or (سوف) "sawfa". Otherwise you cannot form a future tense without these. Whereas "sawfa" is used for near future tense.

To perceive that above surah relates to "The Dooms Day" is unrealistic way of thinking in which there is no regard for the language's rules. The book "Quran" is a lesson for the present and not for after life. Although it discusses events as an examples for today's life but the main emphasis is how humans can live a peaceful and successful life.