Sūrat al-Infiṭār is the eighty-second chapter of the Quran, both in order of compilation and revelation, and it was revealed in Mecca. Some exegetes believe it to be one of the last chapters to be revealed just before the Prophet’s migration to Medina, and is subsequent to the revelation of Sūrat al-Nāziʿāt (79).
Other names for this surah besides al-Infiṭār, are Infaṭarat and al-Munfaṭirah, all lending their name from the first verse. The surah consists of nineteen verses (excluding the basmalah).
The surah describes some of the signs related to Judgement Day and its events, including man’s realisation on that day of the opportunities seized or wasted in preparation for it. It also emphasises that all the good and evil of man are witnessed and preserved by angels appointed to watch over him; if good, then its reward is bliss; if evil, accompanied by disbelief in the Day of Retribution, then its consequence is hell.
Whilst the Day of Retribution is described as being beyond the comprehension of man, what is clear is that no soul will avail another, and that all command and authority on that day shall belong to God alone.
Ṭabrisī believes this surah is linked to the previous one in how it continues to describe the events of the Day of Resurrection. The previous surah (al-Takwīr) lists twelve signs for the end of the world. This surah begins with four very similar signs. In the previous surah, after the twelve phenomena, we read: then a soul shall know what it has readied [for itself] (81:14), and very similarly, in this surah, after the four signs, we read: then a soul shall know what it has sent ahead and left behind (verse 5).
[1] Zamakhshari, 4/714.
[2] Tabrisi, 10/679.