وَيَومَ نُسَيِّرُ الجِبالَ وَتَرَى الأَرضَ بارِزَةً وَحَشَرناهُم فَلَم نُغادِر مِنهُم أَحَدًا

And the day We shall set the mountains moving and you will see the earth in full view, We shall muster them, and We will not leave out anyone of them.

EXEGESIS

It is said this relates to the previous verse, meaning that the lasting righteous deeds will be better on the day We shall … that is the Day of Judgement,^{‎[1]Tabrisi, 6/732.} but this should be incorrect because of the conjunction And.^{‎[2]Qurtubi, 10/416.}

Nusayyiru (we shall set moving) comes from sayr, meaning to move around on the ground.^{‎[3]Raghib, p. 432.}

Bārizah (in full view) comes from barāz or burūz, meaning nothing will cover it and hide it from view.^{‎[4]Tibyan, 7/54; Tabari, 15/167.} No constructions, mountains, trees or anything else will remain on it, like in the verse, You will not see any crookedness or unevenness in it (20:107).^{‎[5]Razi, 21/469.} So the whole earth will be a flat level plain (20:106). The mountains are mentioned specifically because of their humongous size and apparent immovability. In this way it is known that once they are levelled no construction or anything else will remain either.^{‎[6]Alusi, 8/273.}

Some have said that it means the earth will reveal what is in it, of the dead that are buried in it: When the earth is spread out and throws out what is in it, emptying itself (84:3-4), and, When the earth is rocked with a terrible quake and the earth discharges her burdens (99:1-2), and, Together they will be presented (barazū) before Allah (14:21).^{‎[7]Razi, 21/469. See also Tibyan, 7/53; Tabari, 15/167; Qurtubi, 10/416. Some, like Ṭūsī and Qurṭubī, have also added that it means the treasures (kunūz) buried in the earth are revealed. It is not clear what they have in mind with this.} However, this is a more figurative usage of bārizah and there is no need for us to assume such figurative use here, and thus the previous opinion is preferable.^{‎[8]Alusi, 8/273.}

Ḥasharnāhum (we shall muster them) from ḥashr, is to gather up a group of people from where they are residing and compel them to move forth to a particular place or for a particular purpose.^{‎[9]Raghib, p. 237.}

Nughādir (leave out) comes from mughādarah meaning to leave. A pond is called ghadīr because it is water that has been left behind.^{‎[10]Tibyan, 7/54.}

EXPOSITION

This verse continues with the topic of the ephemerality of this world, citing an example of the end of something which many might have thought of as permanent.

And the day: this means remember the day, or take heed.

We shall set the mountains moving: the moving is not from one place to another, but rather it means a quaking which will cause them to crumble and fall apart. This was a bold declaration to the people of that time, who thought that the forces required to move mountains was beyond even the reach of God. They viewed the mountains as immovable and indestructible: They question you concerning the mountains. Say: ‘My Lord will scatter them [like dust].’ Then He will leave it a level plain. You will not see any crookedness or unevenness in it (20:105-107).^{‎[11]See also verses such as 27:88, 73:14, 101:5, 56:6, 78:20, 69:14, and 77:10.}

The admonition is clear; everything in this world, including its towering mountains, are only temporary, and as God promised earlier in the surah, And indeed We will turn whatever is on it into a barren plain (verse 8).

And you will see the earth in full view: once everything is levelled and the earth is completely flat, there will be nothing to hide anything. It is on this great barren plain that mankind will be gathered for judgement. The earth being in full view (bārizah) also foreshadows what is to come in the following verses, how no one will be able to hide on that day, not from judgement of God, the view of others, or from his own true self. It will all be put in plain view, That day you will be exposed: none of your secrets will remain hidden (69:18).

The expression you will see is most likely not an address to the Prophet, but rather what we may call the observer. It is very evocative, placing the reader on the scene at the Day of Judgement, as if they are standing there amongst the great throngs of people observing the events unfolding around them. This is combined with the third person descriptions, We shall muster them, and anyone of them. This creates the image of the reader being an observer to those events; he is there, yet he is not part of what is happening. This similar style is carried through to the following verse as well when God is addressing the people who are drawn in ranks. It is combined with the third person descriptions, They will be presented before your Lord in ranks (verse 48), which is impersonal and again the observer is not part of ‘them’. This is followed by the address, Certainly you have come to Us just as We created you the first time. God is directly addressing those drawn up in ranks. The plural you however seemingly leaves out the reader. We notice this being also used in the verse after that. The book will be set up. Then you will see the guilty (verse 49). These expressive descriptions are part of the beautiful manner in which the Quran creates scenes of the Day of Judgement and allows the reader to connect with the unfamiliar and unknown.

We shall muster them: all of mankind will be resurrected from their graves, gathered on one plain.^{‎[12]Tibyan, 7/54.} The language evokes that of an army being brought in front of their commander, and this simile is built upon in the following verse, where it speaks of them gathered in ranks.

And We will not leave out anyone of them: it does not matter if they are of nations long past, or those who lived close to the end times, if they died and were buried, or their corpses were burned or decimated, if they died on the earth, in the sea, or outer space, if they were good and deserving of reward, or evil and deserving punishment, like in the verse, Say: ‘Indeed the former and latter generations will all be gathered for the tryst of a known day’ (56:49-50).^{‎[13]See also Razi, 21/469.}

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. It is reported from Ibn Abbas that when this verse was revealed to the Prophet he fainted and was carried to the house of Umm Salamah. His companions waited for him during prayer time, but he did not come out. So the Muslims gathered and asked what has happened to the Prophet of God. Umm Salamah said: ‘The Prophet of God’s mind is preoccupied.’ After some time, he came out, climbed his pulpit, and said: ‘O people, you will be gathered on the Day of Judgement as you were created, naked and barefoot.’^{‎[14]For more on this concept see the commentary on the next verse.} Then he recited this verse and also the verse, We will bring it back as We began the first creation – a promise [binding] on Us. [That] indeed We will do (21:104).^{‎[15]Nur, 3/265.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Zamakhsharī points out that the verb ḥasharnā (We shall muster) is a past tense verb, which was preceded by the present tense nusayyiru (We shall set moving). He asserts that this is because resurrection and mustering precede the crumbling and moving of the mountains, in order that mankind should be a witness to those events.^{‎[16]Zamakhshari, 2/726.} This is not very convincing though, and not in line with the rest of the descriptions of the Day of Judgement found in the Quran. Rather, the Quran often uses past tense verbs to describe future events in order to emphasise their inevitability, like in the following two verses, ʿuriḍū (They will be presented), and wuḍiʿa (will be set up).^{‎[17]Muhit, 7/187; Alusi, 8/273.}

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Then the heavens receded like a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.^{‎[18]Revelation 6:14.}
2. The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the earth.^{‎[19]Psalms 97:5.}
3. The mountains will melt beneath Him, and the valleys split apart like wax before the fire.^{‎[20]Micah 1:4.}
4. The fish of the sea and the fowl of the heavens and the beasts of the field and all creeping things that creep upon the earth and all the men who are upon the face of the earth shall shake at My presence, and the mountains shall be thrown down, and the steep places shall fall, and every wall shall fall to the ground.^{‎[21]Ezekiel 38:20.}
5. The mountains quake before Him, and the hills melt; the land rises up before Him, the earth and everything that dwells on it.^{‎[22]Nahum 1:5.}
6. The eternal mountains were scattered, the perpetual hills bowed. His ways are everlasting.^{‎[23]Habakkuk 3:6.}
7. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his recompense in the body, according to what he has done, whether it was good or bad.^{‎[24]2 Corinthians 5:10.}
8. When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. Before Him will be gathered all nations, and He will separate them one from another as a shepherd separates his sheep from the goats.^{‎[25]Matthew 25:31-32.}

[1] Tabrisi, 6/732.
[2] Qurtubi, 10/416.
[3] Raghib, p. 432.
[4] Tibyan, 7/54; Tabari, 15/167.
[5] Razi, 21/469.
[6] Alusi, 8/273.
[7] Razi, 21/469. See also Tibyan, 7/53; Tabari, 15/167; Qurtubi, 10/416. Some, like Ṭūsī and Qurṭubī, have also added that it means the treasures (kunūz) buried in the earth are revealed. It is not clear what they have in mind with this.
[8] Alusi, 8/273.
[9] Raghib, p. 237.
[10] Tibyan, 7/54.
[11] See also verses such as 27:88, 73:14, 101:5, 56:6, 78:20, 69:14, and 77:10.
[12] Tibyan, 7/54.
[13] See also Razi, 21/469.
[14] For more on this concept see the commentary on the next verse.
[15] Nur, 3/265.
[16] Zamakhshari, 2/726.
[17] Muhit, 7/187; Alusi, 8/273.
[18] Revelation 6:14.
[19] Psalms 97:5.
[20] Micah 1:4.
[21] Ezekiel 38:20.
[22] Nahum 1:5.
[23] Habakkuk 3:6.
[24] 2 Corinthians 5:10.
[25] Matthew 25:31-32.