This sun which we see shining everyday, that fills our world with light and gives us light and energy which we can not do without in order to see and move, and which is needed by every living creature and every plant that grows, will be collected and rolled up, and its light will vanish. Allah (swt) said:“When the sun kuwwirat (wound round and lost its light and is overthrown).” (At-Takwir: 1)
Takweer in Arabic refers to the action of gathering something up together; such is wrapping a turban or folding a garment up. When parts of the sun are gathered up and wound round with others, its light will vanish and it will be cast aside.
This moon, which appears at the beginning of the month as a crescent, then it waxes until it becomes a
full moon, shining splendidly, of whose beauty has always been enchanted by poets, and it keeps travellers company on their long journeys at night,will be eclipsed and its light will vanish. Allah said:“So, when the sight will be dazed, and the moon will be eclipsed.” (Al-Qiyamah: 7-8)
These stars which are sprinkled across the blue dome of the sky will come to an end and they will fall and be scattered. Allah said:” When the stars have fallen and been scattered.” (Al-Infitar: 2) and Allah said: “And when the stars shall fall”(At-Takwir: 2).
Qurtubi said: “Tirmidhi narrated that Ibn Umar said:” The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Whoever wants to visualize the Day of Resurrection, let him recite:” When the sun kuwwirat (wound round and lost its light and is overthrown.” (At-Takwir: 1),and “ When the heaven is cleft asunder.”(Al-Infitar: 1), and “ When the heaven is split asunder.” Al-Inshiqaq: 1).”’
These tree verses deal specifically with the Day of Resurrection, as they describe how the sky will be split and cleft asunder, how the sun will be wound round and how the stars and planets will fall and be scattered, and other terrors which will happen on that Day. People will come forth from their graves to either prisons (in Hell) or palaces (in Paradise), after their records have been examined and they have been taken by their right or left hands, or seized from behind, as will be explained below. Allah said: “When the heaven is split asunder.”(Al-Inshiqaq: 1), “When the heaven is cleft asunder.” (Al-Infitar: 1), and “ And remember the Day when the heaven shell be rent asunder with
clouds…” (Al-Furqan: 25). So you will see it broken and cracked, as Allah said:” And the heaven shall be open, and it will become as gates.” (An-Naba’: 19)
The clouds will serve as a cover between the heaven and the earth. It will be split to reveal white clouds.And it is said that it will split because of what reaches it of the heat of Hell. That is when there will be no more water, and there will be fire everywhere. At first the sky will turn red, like redoil, or red hide, and it will split because Allah will
decree to bring this world to an end. And it is said that the sky will turn into different colours. It will turn yellow, then red, then yellow, just as a foal tends to be yellowish in the spring, and as the days get warmer it becomes more reddish, then brownish. This is the view of Al-Haleemi.
Concerning the verse “ When the sun kuwwirat(wound round and lost its light and overthrown,” Ibn Abbas said: “This takwir (being wound round) means that it will be incorporated into the Throne. It is said that it refers to losing its brightness. This is the view of Al-Hasan and Qatadah; this is also narrated from Ibn Abbas and Mujahid. Abu Ubaydah said: it will be wound round like a turban, until it loses its light.
The verse “ And when the stars shall fall” means, when they are scattered. It is said that they will fall from the hands of the angels, because they will die. There is a report which says that they are suspended between heaven and earth by chains in the hands of the angels. Ibn Abbas said: “ankadarat (translated here as shall fall) means, they will change. The root meaning of ankadarat is pouring out. So they will fall into flaming seas, and become fire like them,and there will be no more water.
(to be continued)
(Prepared by Dr. Umar Al-Ashqar)