خُشَّعًا أَبصارُهُم يَخرُجونَ مِنَ الأَجداثِ كَأَنَّهُم جَرادٌ مُنتَشِرٌ

With a humbled look [in their eyes], they will emerge from the graves as if they were scattered locusts.

EXEGESIS

Khushshaʿ (humbled) is the plural of khāshiʿ from khushūʿ (humility), which is an attribute of the heart that reflects and manifests itself in one’s voice, face, eyes, or limbs. That is why the humility is attributed to the eyes in this verse.

EXPOSITION

Continuing from the previous verse, this verse further describes the state of the deniers on the Day of Judgement. Due to the intensity of that day and the fear they will have, their eyes are described as humbled. As mentioned in the Exegesis, khushūʿ is a quality of the heart; it is attributed to their eyes here perhaps because the effects of this humility will be seen firstly, and most clearly, in their eyes (see also 21:97, 24:37, 28:43, 42:45, 68:43, 70:44, and 79:9). Or perhaps the scenes will be so frightening and terrifying that people would not be able to look at it and so they would lower their gaze.[1]

They will be raised from their graves and brought forth for accounting. The state of their being brought forth has been compared to scattered locusts. This could indicate their high numbers and that they will be mixed with each other, bumping into one other in a confused manner, for locusts also tend to travel in swarms, in a disorganised manner without direction, and such that one can be on top of another. Such swarms can even reach the millions when locusts migrate. In fact, their numbers can be so large that the larger swarms can even block sunlight.[2] One only has to consider the fact that on the Day of Judgement every single person to have ever walked upon this earth will be resurrected and thus the comparison with locusts seems befitting. In this regard, Imam Ali (a) says: ‘That is a day in which Allah will gather everyone, from the former to the latter peoples, for scrutinising the deeds and recompensing the actions. Standing humbly, sweat covering their mouths like reins, and the earth trembling below them. The person in the best state would be the one who would find a spot for both his feet and an expanse for himself.’[3]

Perhaps another reason for comparison is to show how weak people will be on that day, just like locusts are.[4]

The main message of the verse is to portray the fear that will overcome them on that day such that they will lose all sense of direction and will not know where to go (see 22:2 and 101:4).

This verse can also serve to indicate that resurrection will be physical and not spiritual. This is because that which rests in the grave and will be resurrected is the physical body.[5]

In 101:4, the state of people on the Day of Judgement is likened to scattered moths, whilst the current verse describes them as scattered locusts. Whilst most exegetes have understood both the above verses to be referring to the same phenomenon, some have suggested that they could be talking about two different phases and thus two different parables are given. Being like scattered moths is a reference to when people rise from their graves in a state of confusion, not knowing where to go and bumping into each other, whilst the comparison with scattered locusts is when the caller shall call them and they will all move in one direction towards him.[6]

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

Another explanation, attributed to Hasan al-Baṣrī, of why the disbelievers have been compared to scattered locusts is that locusts are known to be stationary and sleeping at night, and once the sunlight hits them they jump into motion and start flying around. Similarly, the disbelievers would be resting in their graves until the caller calls out to them after which they will be jolted up from their graves.[7]

INSIGHTS FROM OTHER TRADITIONS

1. Therefore, hell hath enlarged herself, and opened her mouth without measure: and their glory, and their multitude, and their pomp, and he that rejoiceth, shall descend into it. And the mean man shall be brought down, and the mighty man shall be humbled, and the eyes of the lofty shall be humbled: But the LORD of hosts shall be exalted in judgment, and God that is holy shall be sanctified in righteousness.[8]

[1] Amthal, 17/303.
[2] Munyah, 27/189.
[3] Nahj, sermon 102.
[4] Amthal, 17/303.
[5] Tabrisi, 9/283.
[6] Qurtubi, 17/130.
[7] Tabrisi, 9/283.
[8] Isaiah 5:14-16.