Al-Furqaan (The Criterion)

25. “And on the day when the heaven shall burst asunder with the clouds and the angels shall be sent down descending (in ranks).”

26. “The dominion that day in truth shall belong to the Beneficent Lord, and a hard day shall it be for the unbelievers.”

Again, the discussion of Resurrection and the destiny of wrongdoers on that day continues where it says:

“And on the day when the heaven shall burst asunder with the clouds and the angels shall be sent down descending (in ranks).”

The Arabic word /qamam/ is derived from the word /qam/ that means to cover something. Because cloud covers sun, it is called ‘Qamam’. Also the sorrow that covers heart is called ‘Qam’.

This noble verse is in fact an answer to the polytheists’ demand and one of their pretexts, for they expected that Allah and the angles who are among clouds, according to the old fables and legends, come to them to invite them to the Truth.

In the Jews’ myths we also read that Allah sometimes appears among clouds.¹

The holy Qur’an answers them, implying that a day (in which wrongdoers are punished and their meaningless words are finished) the angels (not Allah) will be sent down to them.

Now, what is the purpose of separation of the sky and heaven? Some say that it means intuition, rising of curtail of ignorance, and showing of the invisible world. That is on that day, man is bestowed a perceiving and viewing capacity that is different from today’s. He sees angels who are descending from the above world.

Another commentary is that the sky and heaven means celestial bodies that explode one after the other one. The cloud that is created by these explosions and bursting of mountains, covers the sky. Thus the celestial bodies will burst asunder and in the same time their resulting clouds are with them.

Many verses of the holy Qur’an, especially those of the short Suras that are at the end of the Qur’an, express this truth that on the threshold of resurrection some great changes and a strange revolution and transformation happen throughout the universe; mountains will burst and scatter in air like dust, sun and stars will lose their light, even the existing distance between moon and sun will abolish, and a strange shake and earthquake will happen throughout the earth.

Yes, on such a day the bursting of heaven (celestial bodies) and covering sky with a dense cloud is a natural matter.

This very commentary can be said in another way:

The intensity of changes and explosion of stars and planets cause that the sky can be covered with a dense cloud, but there are sometimes some openings inside this cloud. Thus, the sky that in the ordinary state is seen with the natural eye will be separated with these clouds of great explosion.

Then one of the clearest characteristics of that day is referred to through the next verse, where it says:

“The dominion that day in truth shall belong to the Beneficent Lord...”

Even those who have some kind of transient, mortal limited, virtual sovereignty in this world will leave their apparent government, and sovereignty will belong to His pure essence from every aspect and dimension, and because of this, as the Qur’an says:

“...and a hard day shall it be for the unbelievers.”

Yes, on that day that virtual powers will completely diminish and sovereignty will be particular to Allah, the disbelievers’ shelters will be destructed, and the tyrannical powers will disappear, though they were also naught in this world before His Will, but here they were apparently powerful and important.

But in resurrection, where the fact will manifest and unfaithful persons’ imaginations and dreams will blow out, to what they can resort when they face divine punishments. That is why that day will be very difficult for them, while believers will have an easy and comfortable day.

’Abū Sa‘id Khidri says that when the Prophet (p.b.u.h) was reciting the verse saying:

“...in a Day whereof the span is fifty thousand years”,2

which shows that the day of Resurrection is equal to 50 thousand years, he said:

“What a strange long day it is!”

The Prophet (S) said:

“I swear by The One in Whose hand my life is, that that Day will become light for the believer as short as the time is spent for performing one ritual prayer in this world.”3

Carefully studying other verses of the holy Qur’an shows why that day is hard for pagans. On one side, we read in Surah Al-Baqarah, No. 2, verse 166:

“(On the day) when those who were followed disown those who followed (them), and they would see the torment, and their ties (between them) are cut asunder.”

On the other side, we read in Surah AL-Lahab, No. 111, verse 2:

“His wealth avails him not, neither what he had earned.”

And also we read in Surah Ad-Dukhan, No. 44, verse 41:

“The day on which a friend shall not avail (his) friend aught, nor shall they be helped.”

Even intercession that is the only way of salvation is for those sinners that have some relationship with Allah and His friend:

“...Who is it that can intercede with Him save by His leave?...”4

Also they will not be allowed to apologize on that day, let alone to the acceptance of their unreasonable excuses:

“Nor will it be open to them to put forth excuses.”5