Surah 20:106
Show Full Scripture Context (20:105-108) — 4 Verses
وَيَسۡـَٔلُونَكَ عَنِ ٱلۡجِبَالِ فَقُلۡ يَنسِفُهَا رَبِّي نَسۡفٗا
They ask you about the mountains. Say: ‘My Lord will scatter them as dust,
فَيَذَرُهَا قَاعٗا صَفۡصَفٗا
and He will leave it a barren plain
لَّا تَرَىٰ فِيهَا عِوَجٗا وَلَآ أَمۡتٗا
in which you will not see any crookedness or curve.’
يَوۡمَئِذٖ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلدَّاعِيَ لَا عِوَجَ لَهُۥۖ وَخَشَعَتِ ٱلۡأَصۡوَاتُ لِلرَّحۡمَٰنِ فَلَا تَسۡمَعُ إِلَّا هَمۡسٗا
On that Day they will follow the Caller, in whom (there is) no crookedness, and voices will be hushed before the Merciful, so that you will hear nothing but a faint murmur.
The destruction of the Mountains, and the Earth becomes a Smooth Plain
Allah says,
This is a question, will they remain on the Day of Resurrection or will they cease to exist?
This means that He will take them away from their places, wipe them out and remove them completely.
{Then He shall leave it} referring to the earth;
{as a level smooth plain.} This means one expanse spread out. The word Qa‘ means a piece of land that is level and the word Safsafa is used to place emphasis on this meaning. It has also been said that Safsafa means that which has no vegetation growing in it. The first meaning is preferred, even though the second meaning is also included by necessity. In reference to this, Allah says,
meaning, ‘on that Day you will not see in the earth any valley, hill, or any place, whether low or elevated.’ Ibn ‘Abbas, ‘Ikrimah, Mujahid, Al-Hasan Al-Basri, Ad-Dahhak, Qatadah and others of the Salaf all said the same.
The People will rush towards the Voice of the Caller
On the Day, they see these conditions and these frightening sights, they will hastily respond to the caller. Wherever they are commanded to go, they will rush to it. If they had been like this in the worldly life, it would have been more beneficial for them, but here it does not benefit them. This is as Allah says,
{How clearly will they see and hear, the Day when they will appear before Us!} [19:38]
Allah also says,
Concerning Allah’s statement,
Ibn ‘Abbas said, “This means they will be silent.” As-Suddi also said the same.
Sa‘id bin Jubayr related that Ibn ‘Abbas said, “This means the steps of feet.” ‘Ikrimah, Mujahid, Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi‘ bin Anas, Qatadah, Ibn Zayd and others all said the same. ‘Ali bin Abi Talhah said that Ibn ‘Abbas said,
“Hamsa means a hidden voice.” This has also been reported from ‘Ikrimah and Ad-Dahhak. Sa'id bin Jubayr said,
“Hamsa means the secret speech and the steps of feet.”