The Study Quran: A New Translation and Commentary
Seyyed Hossein Nasr (Ed.)
A landmark scholarly edition with verse-by-verse commentary drawn from classical sources — the most comprehensive single-volume study Quran in English.
القَارِعَةِ
The Calamity
The Striking Hour and the weighing of the scales.
Al-Qari‘ah, “The Striking Hour,” depicts the terror of the Day of Judgement and the weighing of deeds, where the scales decide each person’s end.
Listen to Surah Al-Qaari'a
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بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ
In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
Al qaari'ah
The Striking Calamity -
مَا ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
Mal qaariah
What is the Striking Calamity?
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْقَارِعَةُ
Wa maa adraaka mal qaari'ah
And what can make you know what is the Striking Calamity?
يَوْمَ يَكُونُ ٱلنَّاسُ كَٱلْفَرَاشِ ٱلْمَبْثُوثِ
Yauma ya koonun naasu kal farashil mabthooth
It is the Day when people will be like moths, dispersed,
وَتَكُونُ ٱلْجِبَالُ كَٱلْعِهْنِ ٱلْمَنفُوشِ
Wa ta koonul jibalu kal 'ihnil manfoosh
And the mountains will be like wool, fluffed up.
فَأَمَّا مَن ثَقُلَتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ
Fa-amma man thaqulat mawa zeenuh
Then as for one whose scales are heavy [with good deeds],
فَهُوَ فِى عِيشَةٍۢ رَّاضِيَةٍۢ
Fahuwa fee 'ishatir raadiyah
He will be in a pleasant life.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَفَّتْ مَوَٰزِينُهُۥ
Wa amma man khaffat mawa zeenuh
But as for one whose scales are light,
فَأُمُّهُۥ هَاوِيَةٌۭ
Fa-ummuhu haawiyah
His refuge will be an abyss.
وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا هِيَهْ
Wa maa adraaka maa hiyah
And what can make you know what that is?
نَارٌ حَامِيَةٌۢ
Naarun hamiyah
It is a Fire, intensely hot.
“Al-Qaari'a” translates to “The Calamity.” It is the 101st surah (chapter) of the Holy Quran.
Surah Al-Qaari'a has 11 verses (ayahs).
It is a Makkah (Meccan) surah — revealed before the Prophet’s ﷺ migration (Hijrah) to Madinah.
Yes. You can read Surah Al-Qaari'a free on this page in Arabic with a clear English translation and transliteration, so you can both understand the meaning and learn to recite it.
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