Bismillahir Rahmanir Raheem

When the Heaven is Split Asunder

Al-Inshiqaq

Makkan Surah
Surahs revealed in Makkah have to do mostly with Iman and establishing Tawheed. Surah Al-Inshiqaq is a Surah revealed in 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 Lord to render an account of their deeds. http://quranexplorer.com/quran/

Outline of Surah
First 5 ayat talk about the events of the Last Day The 6th 15th ayats speak about the current journey of the human being. The 16th 21st ayats are a calling of the human being to reflect upon the signs of nature and especially the idea of nature having gradual change. Finally, in concluding ayats, the disbelievers who repudiate the Qur'an instead of bowing down to Allah the Exalted when they hear it, have been forewarned of a grievous punishment while the good news of limitless rewards has been given to the believers and the righteous.

1. When the sky has split [open]

This is as the saying of Allah the Exalted in Surat Ar-Rahman 37 39: Then when the heaven is rent asunder, and it becomes rosy or red like red-oil, or red hide. Then which of the Blessings of your Lord will you both (jinns and men) deny? So on that Day no question will be asked of man or jinn as to his sin, (because they have already been known from their faces either white or black).

2. And will listen (submissively) to its Lord- and it will be truly bound to (do so) Look at the example of the obedience in the beginning of the Creation, as well as, at the end of the Creation. At the beginning the Heavens say, we come willingly and even at the end, it will split asunder willingly. 41:11: Then He directed Himself to the heaven while it was smoke and said to it and to the earth, "Come [into being], willingly or by compulsion." They said, "We have come willingly." This is the destiny of the Heavens and what it was meant to do. We should reflect that the sky is so beautiful and we enjoy its beauty in this life each day, but it was created to fulfill this purpose on the Day of Judgment, to obey its Lord and split open. Allah the Exalted compares our unwillingness to submit to Allah the Exalted to nature and how it is not disobedient. So is it other than the religion of Allah they desire, while to Him have submitted [all] those within the heavens and earth, willingly or by compulsion, and to Him they will be returned? AliImran 3:83 All of nature is declaring the perfection of Allah the Exalted and yet the human being resists doing so.

3. And when the Earth is stretched forth

Narrated Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him): Allahs Apostle (peace be upon him said), Allah will gather all the human being of early generations as well as late generation on one plain so that the announcer will be able to make them all-hear his voice and the watcher will be able to see all of them [Muslim] Abu Huraira (may Allah be pleased with him) reported, Allahs Messenger said; When the Day of Resurrection happens, Allah will stretch the Earth like leather (flat).Until the point where there will be no place to move except the place where a persons 2 feet are. And I (Muhammad, the Messenger of Allah) (peace be upon him) will be the first to be called. And Jibreel (peace be upon him) will be on the right side of the Most Merciful (Allah). By Allah, this will be the first time Jibreel (peace be upon him) will see his Lord. *Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) will say to Allah+ This is the one (Angel Jibreel) that informed me that You (Allah) have sent him to me. So Allah will reply; Sadaqt You have said the truth This is also evidence that Allah the Exalteds power extends to the Earth. The people such as Firon believed that Allah the Exalted is up in the sky, far removed and that we humans are in charge of the Earth. But this shows that Allah the Exalted has total control over all things.

4. And has cast out all that was within it and become empty.
All treasures and everything in the Earth that people wanted during this life will come out, but at this time, people will not even care about them. All corpses will be cast out and leave their graves and be assembled just as they came from their wombs in the very beginning. Barefoot, naked and uncircumsized. Each person will only care for himself on this day. Abasa 80:37:Every man that day will have enough to make him careless of others. The Earth will empty out entirely. Imagine it as a mother who delivers a child.

5. And has responded to its Lord and was obligated [to do so]
Just like the sky, the earth cant wait to get permission to release its burden. This is because people do so much sin on it, that it cant wait for the Day when it will be able to release its burden. And its only rightful for it to do so. Surat Zilzalah: When the earth is shaken with its [final] earthquake And when the earth throws out its burdens, And man will say: "What is the matter with it?" That Day it will declare its information (about all what happened over it of good or evil). Because your Lord has commanded it. That Day, the people will depart separated [into categories] to be shown [the result of] their deeds. So whoever does an atom's weight of good will see it, And whoever does an atom's weight of evil will see it.

6. O you man, surely you are exerting yourself to your Lord with great exertion, then you will be meeting Him.
We are always working away for milestones and accomplishments in our lives. This applies to all human beings, not just Muslims We are working in toiling labor, meaning there is no distinction between whether it is good or bad, we are always just working. These tiny milestones make us forget where we are headed. What are we doing these works for? Are they for our Lord? Whether they are or not, we will meet Allah the Exalted and all of our works, deeds and labor will be there. There is no break. Each moment is taking us toward Allah the Exalted, when the sky cracks open and the earth stretches, we will surely see.

6. O you man, surely you are exerting yourself to your Lord with great exertion, then you will be meeting Him.
The obedient one does the deeds pleasing to Allah the Exalted and will attain through the deeds the pleasure of Allah on this day. While the disobedient one will bring the wrath of Allah the Exalted.
Anam 6:134: Surely that which you are promised will verily come to pass.

Abu Dawud At-Tayalisi recorded from Jabir, that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said, Jibril (peace be upon him) said, "O Muhammad! - Live how you wish, for verily you will die; - love what you wish, for verily you will part with it; - and do what you wish, for verily you will meet it (your deed). Al-`Awfi recorded from Ibn Abbas that he said explaining, (O man! Verily, you are returning towards your Lord with your deeds and actions, a sure returning), "Whatever deed you do, you will meet Allah with it, whether it is good or bad.''

6. O you man, surely you are exerting yourself to your Lord with great exertion, then you will be meeting Him.
This is not something we should perceive as far off. Quran 42:17: It is Allah who has sent down the Book in truth and [also] the balance. And what will make you perceive? Perhaps the Hour is near. Quran 2:259: Or [consider such an example] as the one who passed by a township which had fallen into ruin. He said, "How will Allah bring this to life after its death?" So Allah caused him to die for a hundred years; then He revived him. He said, "How long have you remained?" The man said, "I have remained a day or part of a day." He said, "Rather, you have remained one hundred years. Look at your food and your drink; it has not changed with time. And look at your donkey; and We will make you a sign for the people. And look at the bones [of this donkey] - how We raise them and then We cover them with flesh." And when it became clear to him, he said, "I know that Allah is over all things competent." Also look at the youth of the Cave who stayed there 309 years and when asked how long they had stayed, they said, perhaps it was one day or part of a day.

Homework
Memorize Surat Al-Inshiqaq 1 6 for Friday, February 1, 2013. Read the English translation of ayats 7 15.
Research whether there are 2 groups of people found in the Quran who will be in the hellfire: 1) Given their book in their left hand 2) Given their book behind their back or if there is another reason that both the left hand and behind the back are mentioned in the Quran for the book of those in the hellfire on the Day of Judgment.
Due Friday, February 1, 2013.

 O Allah, You are pure, I praise You and testify that there is none worthy of worship besides you. I seek forgiveness and pardon from You.