بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحِيم
إِذا وَقَعَتِ الواقِعَةُ
When the imminent [hour] befalls.
EXEGESIS
Waqaʿa: befall, descend, occur. There are two elements involved in this root: to descend and to become established. It is used in the Quran when an event occurs (5:91, 7:134), or when something becomes prescribed and destined (4:100, 7:71, 27:82, 27:85). Al-wāqiʿah means that which is bound to occur. Therefore, the verse means: When that which is bound to happen, happens, when the inevitable occurs. This also entails that its occurrence will be sudden and unexpected. Since the verse does not elaborate on what this inevitable happening is, it conveys a sense of terror and warning, especially because it is the first verse of the chapter. Al-wāqiʿah is one of the names of the hereafter, which specifically captures the idea that the hereafter completely dominates and overtakes mankind, just like an immense object that falls upon one from above.
EXPOSITION
This chapter is a coherent and moving description of the Day of Judgement, how the resurrection comes to occur, and what follows then in terms of rewards and punishments. The Quran stresses that day and hour is surely to occur: Indeed what you are promised will surely befall (77:7), Indeed what you are promised is true, and indeed the retribution [or judgement] will surely come to pass! (51:5-6).
REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE
It has been narrated from Ibn Abbas and others that al-wāqiʿah is the cry (ṣayḥah, ṣākhkhah) that is made upon the resurrection (36:53, 80:33). Subsequently, lowering and exalting (verse 3) would mean that the cry will involve low and high pitches, such that it is heard by all, whether they are close or far. However, it should be noted that such a meaning does not comply with the literal meaning of al-wāqiʿah, and there is no Quranic evidence to interpret al-wāqiʿah as the cry that is made on the Day of Resurrection.
[1] Tahqiq, under w-q-ʿ.
[2] Razi, 29/385.
[3] Tabari, 27/96; Qurtubi, 18/195.