وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْقَارِعَةُ 3
Translations
And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?
Transliteration
Wa mā adrāka mal-qāri'ah
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah rhetorically emphasizes the incomprehensibility and terrifying nature of Al-Qari'ah (the Striking Hour—the Day of Judgment). The phrase 'what will make you know' (mā adrāka) is a stylistic device used throughout the Quran to convey that human intellect cannot fully grasp the magnitude of this catastrophic event. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir note this construction serves to awaken the listener's awareness and emphasize that the Day of Judgment surpasses human comprehension in its severity and reality.
Revelation Context
Surah Al-Qari'ah is a Meccan surah revealed during the early period of prophecy when the Meccans denied the resurrection and the Day of Judgment. This ayah opens the surah's vivid description of Qiyamah, immediately challenging the listeners' assumptions about what they think they understand regarding the Final Hour, setting the stage for the graphic imagery that follows.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'The Day of Judgment will not be established until... the sun rises from the west,' (Sahih Bukhari 3208), illustrating the extraordinary and incomprehensible nature of events on that Day. Additionally, the Prophet described the terror of the resurrection in various hadiths, such as in Sunan Ibn Majah regarding the stretching of the day's length.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches humility before divine knowledge and encourages reflection on the reality of the Afterlife beyond our ordinary comprehension. It serves as a reminder that we should prepare our souls for an event whose true magnitude transcends human understanding, fostering conscious God-awareness in our daily lives.