فَإِذَا جَآءَتِ ٱلطَّآمَّةُ ٱلْكُبْرَىٰ 34
Translations
But when there comes the greatest Overwhelming Calamity -
Transliteration
Fa-idha jaa'ati at-tammatu al-kubra
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah refers to the greatest catastrophe or overwhelming event—the Day of Judgment when all creation will be shaken and the truth of the afterlife will become manifest. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'at-tammah al-kubra' (the greatest overwhelming calamity) as the final hour when the trumpet is blown and the dead are resurrected. The ayah emphasizes the certainty and magnitude of this event, serving as a warning to those who deny resurrection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nazi'at, a Meccan chapter that focuses on the inevitability of the Day of Judgment and resurrection. The surah is structured around dramatic descriptions of the end times to awaken the hearts of the Meccan disbelievers who rejected belief in the afterlife. This specific ayah marks a transition toward describing what happens when this great event arrives.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The Hour will not be established until...the trumpet is blown,' (Sahih Bukhari 3176). Also related: 'None of you believes truly until he loves for his brother what he loves for himself,' emphasizing preparation for accountability on that Day (Sahih Bukhari 13).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds believers that the Day of Judgment is inevitable and will arrive with overwhelming force, calling us to live with consciousness of accountability and to prepare spiritually through righteous deeds. It serves as a powerful deterrent against heedlessness and a motivation to align our lives with Islamic principles.