كَلَّآ إِذَا دُكَّتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا 21
Translations
No! When the earth has been leveled - pounded and crushed
Transliteration
Kalla idha dukkat al-ardu dakkan dakka
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the Day of Judgment when the earth will be crushed and leveled repeatedly (dakkan dakka - an emphatic repetition emphasizing intensity). The word 'Kalla' (Nay/Never) is a refutation of the disbelievers' denial of the Hereafter, asserting that resurrection will certainly occur. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi explain that the earth's crushing signifies the complete destruction and transformation of the current world order before the establishment of the afterlife.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of Surah Al-Fajr, a Meccan surah that emphasizes the reality of the Day of Judgment and refutes the denials of the Quraysh. The surah builds an argument about divine punishment for the arrogant and unjust, with this particular verse reinforcing the inevitability of the Hour through vivid imagery of cosmic upheaval.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said in a hadith in Sahih Bukhari: 'The Hour will not be established till the sun rises from the west.' This relates thematically to the cosmic transformations before the Day of Judgment mentioned in this ayah. Additionally, Surah Az-Zilzal (99:1-5) provides complementary description of the earth's violent shaking on the Day of Judgment.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches believers to reflect on the certainty of the Hereafter despite worldly distractions and disbelievers' denials, and to recognize that no earthly power or structure is permanent—only accountability before Allah is absolute.
Related Ayahs
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أُوتِىَ كِتَـٰبَهُۥ بِيَمِينِهِۦ
Then as for he who is given his record in his right hand,
وَلَوْ تَرَىٰٓ إِذْ وُقِفُوا۟ عَلَىٰ رَبِّهِمْ ۚ قَالَ أَلَيْسَ هَـٰذَا بِٱلْحَقِّ ۚ قَالُوا۟ بَلَىٰ وَرَبِّنَا ۚ قَالَ فَذُوقُوا۟ ٱلْعَذَابَ بِمَا كُنتُمْ تَكْفُرُونَ
If you could but see when they will be made to stand before their Lord. He will say, "Is this not the truth?" They will say, "Yes, by our Lord." He will [then] say, "So taste the punishment for what you used to deny."
وَتَسِيرُ ٱلْجِبَالُ سَيْرًا
And the mountains will pass on, departing -
وَأَنذِرِ ٱلنَّاسَ يَوْمَ يَأْتِيهِمُ ٱلْعَذَابُ فَيَقُولُ ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ أَخِّرْنَآ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ قَرِيبٍ نُّجِبْ دَعْوَتَكَ وَنَتَّبِعِ ٱلرُّسُلَ ۗ أَوَلَمْ تَكُونُوٓا۟ أَقْسَمْتُم مِّن قَبْلُ مَا لَكُم مِّن زَوَالٍ
And, [O Muḥammad], warn the people of a Day when the punishment will come to them and those who did wrong will say, "Our Lord, delay us for a short term; we will answer Your call and follow the messengers." [But it will be said], "Had you not sworn, before, that for you there would be no cessation?