وَإِذَا القُبورُ بُعثِرَت

When the graves are overturned.

EXPOSITION

The graves (qubūr sing. qabr) being turned upside-down and laid open refers to the resurrection of man. Buʿthirat (overturned) is in fact made up of two words, buʿitha and uthīr from baʿth (resurrection) and atharāt (traces) respectively, just like the phrase bismillāh is made up of bi-ism (in the name of) and allāh.^{‎[1]Raghib, b-ʿ-th-r.} And therefore, buʿthirat of the graves suggests a resurrection of the traces hidden in them. The emptying of graves is also mentioned in 100:9 and in a general sense the emptying out of the whole earth is also mentioned in 99:2.

Because qabr can refer to anything that buries and hides something from sight, verses such as this and 100:9 could also mean: When the secrets of man are laid open, for the actions of man are maqbūr (hidden, interred) whilst in this world.^{‎[2]Raghib, q-b-r.} Or it could refer to the truth that lies hidden (maqbūr) from the understanding of the atheist and the ignorant. Hence, upon death, ignorance is removed and the overwhelming truth which was lying buried is exposed and laid open before all (see also verse 19 and 86:9).^{‎[3]Raghib, q-b-r.}

Whilst these other meanings may be acceptable, they do not negate the commonly understood meaning of the resurrection of humankind from their graves. This is quite obvious, for example in 22:7, where God promises to resurrect those who are, and not that which is, in the graves. With a humbled look [in their eyes], they will emerge from the graves as if they were scattered locusts (54:7).

Of the four signs mentioned in the first four verses of this surah, the first two relate to the heavens and the last two to the earth. Rāzī sees a logic behind this sequence. Since the heavens are like a roof and the earth like the building beneath it, one who intends to demolish a house begins by removing the roof, and this is the meaning of When the sky is rent apart (verse 1). This will, in turn, necessitate the scattering of the stars from the ‘roof’, hence His words, When the stars are scattered (verse 2). Thereafter, the surface of the earth is destroyed When the seas are merged (verse 3), and finally the inside of the earth is destroyed by being turned upside-down, when the graves are overturned (verse 4).^{‎[4]Razi, 31/73.}

[1] Raghib, b-ʿ-th-r.
[2] Raghib, q-b-r.
[3] Raghib, q-b-r.
[4] Razi, 31/73.