الْقَارِعَةُ (1)
(101:1) The Calamity! *1
*1) "Qari'ah " literally means the "striking one" . Qar ` is to strike one thing upon another so severely as to produce a noise. In view of this literal meaning, the word qari'ah is used for a dreadful disaster and a great calamity. At another place in the Qur'an this word has been used for a great affliction befalling a nation. In Surah Ar-Ra`d 31, it has been said: "As for the disbelievers, because of their misdeeds, one affliction or the other dces not cease to visit them every now and then." But, here the word al-Qari'ah has been for the Resurrection and in Surah AI-Haaqqah too the Resurrection has been described by this very epithet (v.4). One should remember that here the whole Hereafter, from the first stage of Resurrection to the last stage of judgement and meting out of rewards and punishments, is being depicted together.