وَأَلْقَتْ مَا فِيهَا وَتَخَلَّتْ 4
Translations
And has cast out that within it and relinquished [it].
Transliteration
wa-alqat mā fīhā wa-takhallat
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the earth casting out its contents and becoming empty on the Day of Judgment. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the earth will discharge all the dead bodies it has contained, along with buried treasures and minerals, leaving it barren and void. Al-Qurtubi notes this represents the complete upheaval and transformation of the earth during the eschatological event, fulfilling Allah's promise of cosmic change.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Inshiqaq, a Meccan chapter focused on the signs and events of the Day of Judgment. The surah emphasizes the certainty of resurrection through vivid imagery of celestial and terrestrial upheaval, preparing believers to reflect on their accountability before Allah.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said, 'The earth will be stretched like a leather mat on the Day of Judgment' (Tirmidhi, Hadith 2419). Also relevant: 'The Hour will not be established until the earth changes into something other than the earth' (Ahmad, authenticated by scholars).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers of the inevitable end of this worldly existence and the transient nature of material possessions buried in the earth, encouraging us to focus on eternal deeds and accountability rather than earthly attachments.
Related Ayahs
وَقَالُوا۟ مَا لَنَا لَا نَرَىٰ رِجَالًا كُنَّا نَعُدُّهُم مِّنَ ٱلْأَشْرَارِ
And they will say, "Why do we not see men whom we used to count among the worst?
تَعْرُجُ ٱلْمَلَـٰٓئِكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَيْهِ فِى يَوْمٍ كَانَ مِقْدَارُهُۥ خَمْسِينَ أَلْفَ سَنَةٍ
The angels and the Spirit [i.e., Gabriel] will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.
فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ فَيُوَفِّيهِمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدُهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِۦ ۖ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَنكَفُوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ فَيُعَذِّبُهُمْ عَذَابًا أَلِيمًا وَلَا يَجِدُونَ لَهُم مِّن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ وَلِيًّا وَلَا نَصِيرًا
And as for those who believed and did righteous deeds, He will give them in full their rewards and grant them extra from His bounty. But as for those who disdained and were arrogant, He will punish them with a painful punishment, and they will not find for themselves besides Allāh any protector or helper.
إِنَّ يَوْمَ ٱلْفَصْلِ مِيقَـٰتُهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ
Indeed, the Day of Judgement is the appointed time for them all -