(Revealed before Hijrah)
The Surah is entitled, "The Resurrection," because it almost wholly deals with the subject of Resurrection. It is decidedly one of the earliest Chapters which were revealed at Mecca, because the Meccan Chapters specifically deal with God’s Unity, Resurrection and Revelation. Towards the end of the preceding Surah it was emphatically declared that those people, who will accept the Qur’anic Message, will rise to great eminence and will enjoy an honoured place among the comity of powerful nations. The present Surah opening with a discussion of the subject of Resurrection, throws a broad hint that a great moral resurrection is going to be brought about among a morally degraded and degenerate people—the Arabs—through the ennobling teachings of the Qur’an and the purifying company and example of the Holy Prophet Muhammad. The Surah opens with a solemn affirmation that the Resurrection undoubtedly will take place, and significantly enough adduces man’s spiritual resurrection as evidence in support of this affirmation. As a further proof, it swears by Nafs Lawwamah (the Self-Accusing Spirit) which in action is the first stage of the process of moral regeneration of man. Then an oft-repeated objection of disbelievers is mentioned that when they are dead and reduced to dust, how will they be raised again to life? The Surah refutes this objection by saying that in their heart of hearts they know that man’s sins never go unpunished and, therefore, there must be a day when they will be called to account for all their actions. Next, the collection of the Qur’an and the Divine protection of its text are offered as further arguments in the same connection, since of all revealed Scriptures the Qur’an has laid the greatest emphasis on the inevitability of Resurrection. Then, a brief but graphic description is given of the agony of death and man’s intense desire to be spared of it. This shows that at the moment of death the fear that one will have to render an account of one’s actions gnaws at one’s heart. Towards its close disbelievers are admonished that man has not been created without purpose or responsibility and that he will have to account for his failure to discharge it. The disbelievers are further reminded that man’s physical development from a sperm-drop into a full-fledged human being, endowed with unique powers and faculties, constitutes an irrebuttable argument that his life is intended to serve a sublime purpose and that it will not end with the departure of the soul from its physical tabernacle.